US1985859A - Machine for folding flat paper-matters - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 25, 1934. GODER MACHINE FOR FOLDING FLAT PAPER MATTERS 5 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22, 1935 Dec. 25, 1934. GODER MACHINE FOR FOLDING FLAT PAPER MATTERS Filed Aug. 22, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor:

Dec. 25,- 1934. G DER' 1,985,859

MACHINE FOR FOLDING FLAT PAPER MATTERS Inventor- Hax Cvoder.

Patented Dec. 25, 1934 7 Claims. (01. 93

This invention relates to machines for f l l flat paper articles, such as envelopes and flat bags requiring one or more folding operations, in the longitudinal direction parallel to the movement of. the. article through the machine 3 during its manufacture andalso perpendicular to that. direction.-

i The object ofmyinvention is to provide a machine of this class whichis cheap to manufacture Fig. 6 is an end view of the detail shown .in- Fi8- 4' and Fig. 7 is .a section on the line 7-.7 of Fig.

i 6- of the detail shown associated with another detail, also shown in section, and 1 Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the delivery mechanism. r x The machine comprisesv a frame onthe back of which two plates are fixed onhorizontal cross rails'by means of screws passing through slots in such a manner that theplates can be adjusted close to orfur'ther'apart from one another to suit the width of the article being manufactured.

These plates and their accessory parts which will be described subsequently areinclined with their upper ends facing towards'themachine. .On each plate 5, two slotted stud-plates :8 are fixed by screws 9,- said stud plates havingstuds or pegs 10 extending vertically upwardly therefrom, and serving for-maintaining the work in position, said studs-being adjustable in all directions aboutthe axis "of the screws 9. Preferably Ong-the inner edge of each plate .5 a .cylinder. 12 is mounted on pins 13, so as to be freely rotatable, whereby easy, running ofi ofthe blanks 11:is ensured when the later are drawn inbetweengthe plates 5 as subsequently described.

On the'aplat'es 5 above the pile of blanks 11 two nozzlehoxes 15 with nozzles.dinectedtowards the blanks are adjustably secured by holding means 14. Beneath the nozzles the boxes 15 haveteeth 115 which engage under the edge ,of 313116 lowest sheet .of'paper on the pile and support the ,latter.

I Bymeans .of flexible pipes 1 6, compressedairis suppliedrzirom. a source of comnressedai 'Which flows-between the sheets of paper on the pile andrby this means separates those sheets in case.

they "adhere together.

Between thetwo plates 5 a plate is arranged which extends in .the longitudinal axis of the machine and is displaceable towards the interior of the machine; The plate 20 is fixed through the intermediary of a: hollow cylinder. 21 on a rod 22 which is hollow in part and passes through a bearing support-23 fixed on the frame of the machine and which is connected up by means of a pivotal connection to an eccentric rod 25 of an eccentric 27 fixed on themain driving shaft 26 of the machine.

The plate 20 c mprises thr ep rts. namely a base. plate 28 and two sid parts 29- and 30 adjustable on this plate. Theseparts 2,9 and 30 are; connected to each other by means of slotted platesz31. and 32 whichare fixedby screws33, on the base plate-28, so that the plate illlcomprising these parts can be adjusted in width; The hollow cylinder 21is fixed on the back of the base p1ate 28 and the latter-forms one of the end walls of'the cylinder. 1 -j In the side parts 29 and 30 are hollow spaces 38 and 39 extending almost throughlthe whole height of-the side'parts, said hollow spaces being in open communication with conduits 4.0 in the parts :29; and 130, said conduits extending across "the parts 29, 3.0" and communicating through openings 41 in thezbase plate 28 with the interior 34 .of the cylinder '21, so that in every. position of the side parts 29 and.: 30 the hollow spaces 38 and 39 of the side parts are in open. communication with the hollow space34. When the interior ofthe hollow. rod 22 is evacuated, the hollow spaces .34 and, through the openings 41, the hollow spaces .38 and .39, will also be evacuated. The hollow space ,38 through a number of openings 46 andfthe hollow space 39 through anuniberof openings 47 is in open communication with the front side of the plate 20, so that a sheet of paper lying onthe front side of the plate 20'is sucked up and held fastby the vacuum. A valve 51 is located on each side of the plate 20, being fixed 'ona shaft 50' which is rotatable in a bearing support 50', 'the said valves having preferably a segmentalcross section-equal to a quarter of a circle .(Fig. v3) The valves 51 have in their interiora rhollow space 52 whichis, in opencommunication with a line ,of openings 53in the side of-the. valve in line withthe front side of the plate 20. The hollow spaces 52- communicate through the bearing supports 50 and pipes 54 with tnehonowispace fis, .3 espe ive y c PATENT QFFICE 1 MAonnvc' FOR FOLDING FLAT PAPER-MATTERS;

1 'Max" Gjroder, N e usis', Germany; assignor to States Envelope Company, springfield, Mass; V R E use a way that a vacuum produced in the hollow spaces 38, 39 also causes the paper to be sucked 'up by the vacuum acting through the lines of municates through the interior 55 of the rod 22 and a slot 56 in the wall of therod during-certain positions ofthe latter in connection with a hollow space in theinterior of the bearing support 23 1 during a certain portion of the stroke of the rod and the said hollow space communicates with a vacuum pipe 57 which is connected up to a 'suitable means for producing a continuous vacuumx (not shown). The position of the slot 56 is such that air is drawn through the lines of openings 46,47and53 anda sheet of paper 11situated over the latter is held fast by the vacuum during the timethat the plate 20 travels forward between the plates 5 and during a portion of the time during which it is being withdrawn from this position. 'Only when the plate 20 has nearly finished its return movement when the eccentric 27 has turned through about 180 from the position shown in Fig. 1, does the slot 56 pass out of the bearing support 23, thereby breaking the vacuum and releasing the sheet of paper.

On each of the shafts a toothed wheel is fixed so as to turn with the valve 51. This toothed wheel meshes with a rack 66 fixed on the under edge of the rear side of the respective plate 5. By the movement-of the plate 20 the valves 51 are turned by means of the toothed wheels and racks in such a manner that, in the extreme forward position of the plate shown in Fig. 3, the

sides of the valves in' which the openings 53 are provided are in the same plane as the plate 20, while in the opposite'position of the plate, shown in Fig. 1, when the plate 20 is completely withdrawn, the said sides of the valves 51 rest flatly against this plate. 1

Before commencing work, a pile of paper sheets 11 is put to the plate 5 between the studs or pins 10,-the sheets being out to the shape of the blanks required to form'the articles, such as envelopes or flat bags to be manufactured. The partsof the machine. are set in such away that the lines of the folds for the two lateral flaps 68 (Fig. '2) are accurately over the inner apertured sides of thevalves 51, which edges lie on the axes of rotation of the valves. In the forward positionof the plate 20 (Fig. 3) the air drawn in through theopenings 46, 47 and 53 causesthe lowest sheet of the paper pile to be sucked up as soon as the work begins, so that it is held securely on the plate 20 and against the valves 51 and is carried backwith the plate 20 during the return of the plate. During the latter movement. the valves 51 are turned inwardly and fold the lateral flaps 68 of the article being manufactured accurately along "the axes of the valves 51. In this position of the plate 20, the suction action ceases, because the slot 56 is out of the bearingsupport 23 and the sheet is no longer held fast on the plate 20, so that it can be drawn off between the'valves 51 and the plate 20 in a way now to be described, as soon as the valves 51, at the beginning of the next forward movement of the plate 20 are raised slightly from the plate, the plate 20'-continuins to move forward again and taking ofi another sheet.

The folded sheet 11 is withdrawn by two rollers 70 and 71 located so that in the fully withdrawn position of the plate 20, the upper edge of the plate 20 lies between the rollers, which turn in the direction of the arrows at the same speed as the main driving shaft 26. The roller 70 has agap 72 therein into which the upper flap 18 of the sheet 11 enters during the withdrawal of the sheet from: the pile by the plate 20. During its further rotation the roller 70 seizes the sheet and squeezes it between itself and the roller 71, which is. provided with a yielding covering of rubber, .the two rollers then withdrawing the sheet. On the roller 70 are fixed two paper creasing blades 73 which press into the paper during its passage between the rollers and form the creases for the upper flap 18 and the lower flap 74. During this creasing, the roller 71 which forms the'abutment for the roller 70 has a layer of weak gum applied to it. v

From-the rollers 70 and 71 the sheet 11 is delivered to a roller 75, being forced under a curved sheet metal guide 72 on its Way to the roller 75. Between the rollers 71 and 75 a roller 76 is interposed having ribs 77 arranged in V-formation' which, during the rotation of the roller 76 make contact with a roller 78 and receive adhesive therefrom}! The roller'78 receives the adhesive from a roller 79, the latter receiving the adhesive from a trough 7 9'. The ribs 77 apply the adhesive to the edges of the flaps 68 of the sheet 11 which in Fig. 2 are directed upwards but which in the meantime have been turned inwards. The roller '76 is interchangeable with other rollers having ribs 77 differently arranged to suit the shape of the article being manufactured.

The sheet continues to move until the flap 18 rests on a roller 80 which is in contact with the roller 75, and under a paper folder 81 swinging up and down inthe direction of the arrows above theline of contact of the rollers; The'paper folder is arranged insuch a way that on swingingdown, it engages the-crease of the flap 18 which has been formed therein by one of'the creasing'blades 73 and moves towards the nip of the rollers 75 and 80, initiating the folding down of the flap 18 which'is completed by the rollers, the flap 18 being firmly pressed against the previously gummed edges of the lateral flaps 68. i.

The work 11 passes from the rollers 75 and 80 to two pairs of rollers 82, 83 and 84, 85. Between the pairs of rollers 75, 80 and 82, 83 is located a concave sheet metal guide 86 and between the pairs of rollers 82, 83 and 84, a convex sheet metal guide 87. Both guides 86 and 87 are fixed by side pieces 86 on a rod 89. The rollers 82 and 84 are driven at a peripheral speed considerably inferior to that of the rollers 75,80. The rollers 83 and 85are loosely rotatable and may be in the form of continuous cylinders or comprise a series of separate bosses or wheels arranged side by side so as to extend across the width of the work 11. 1

The edge of the guide 86 facing the rollers 82, 83 (the right hand edge in Fig. 1) is somewhat higher than the highest point of the roller 82, so that it presses the rearward flap 74 (Fig. 2) of the work between the cylinders 82, 83 slightly upwardly, whereby, owing to the articles 11 being advanced by the faster running rollers 75, 80 more rapidly than the articles being advanced by the slowerrunning rollers 82, 83, each subse- 0. 5 cveyedibetweenfthe straps 90 and 95 and the rollers -93; 94m which are adjusted on their shafts in such 0a manner that i the?- straps ='95 only: engage; the

"articles:lleatitheir-edges'(Fig.5). a 1

- cisiopen at itsmnderside 1 below which the i articles (11 :pass: in closezrproximityitheret an adhesive l'being' supplied toithebox 97 from aisuitable source inotzxshown) Bythis means i the edges i of the iflapfl l-projecting fromliunder the :articles ll in r ifrontcofr. and :overlapping them aretspread over :withiadhesive. a 1

After passing under the box"97,-tl1e articles xlluarezsubjected totheiactionpf a'suitable heatcing'device, such as an" electrical heater 100 which lheats the articles" to such an extent that" on their iarrival at the rollers? 94* theiadhesive has dried. J i iWhilersituate'd above the: roller 89, thearticles llareipressedibyia'. looser pressing rol ler 101 or by .a'atplurality of looserbossesmounted on a' shaft 1 so as to ibe displaceable axially thereon. f -;By .-meansof the tworoll'ers '89, 101 th'e' ar- :ticles '11 are! fedi'between tworrollers- 1102 and' 103 'notatingiwith thesarne peripheral velocity as the rollers 75 sand 80, thereby pulling 'the iarticles apart from.vone another. :The roller 1'03 has'on Jitsrperiphery. a recess 103 into which ithe article illflpasseaafter whichiit-is lengaged bythe edge :ofithe. recess and is conveyed :between the rollers l1=02,l1 03.. Further'theToller 103, as shown in iFiigr 'l has on apartofits peripheryapertures 104 which: are innopen communication @with'axial air-conduits 105 in the roller. On the shaft 106 ofithe roller-.103 there is a hollow disc member 107 which can be turned or fixed independently of the shaft by means of a mechanism not shown. In the wall of the disc 10'? there is a slot 108 which communicates through a conduit 109 with the source of a vacuum pipe.

A roller 112 is arranged at nearly the same height as and touches the roller 102. Above the line of contact of these two rollers is arranged a sheet metal guide 113 having a hook-shaped cross- I section, the end of the shorter limb of which is situated above the line of contact of the rollers 102, 103.

The articles 11 of which till now the flaps 68 and 18 have been folded inwardly and secured together by adhesive while the flap '74 lying behind in the direction of movement is still open, are now taken hold of by the roller 103 by suction action and carried upwardly until they enter between the limbs of the guide 113. Shortly before this point is reached the conduit 105 of the cylinder 103 comes out of register with the slot 108 so that the vacuum is broken.

pins 116 which are displaceable in the direction of the axis of the roller and are arranged in a groove 11'? in the roller, the said pins being urged above the surface of the roller by means of On the periphery of the roller 102 there are two :'Another embodiment of the -mechan-i-'sm -'for -completing the folding of -the flap 74 is' shown- Figi 85in which tl-ie rolle'r -1 03and the'gu-ide 1 13 areisimila'r to that'=shown -'in Fig; 1 but the roller 102 is smooth without pins projecting therefrom,

the roller 119 b'eing'situated at the same negates the roller 1 02, and the roller 103 f -be'in'g'-l-ikewise {provided *w'ith- "suction apertures 120. The 'rol'lr 1 19 picl:s}1J.p" the "article 11 by suction action on i-ts forward edge and draws it between the rel-lis 102"and- 119* which completely fold down the fiap 74. Thasuction is cau'sed tocoritin'ue inaction nearly up tofthe point' 121 and then ceasesa The roller 119 is" situated 'in' the open "end- 122 off-a box 123 and the articlesfare conve'yed into this box,' 'where tliey are'stored.

-What I'- claim is:

i. A 'machine 7 for fo1ding flat paper 5 articles, comprising a pair of spaced sht siippoftin'g msmbers for supporting 'a p'ile of sheets at a p'air :of oppos'ed cor-hers and means fo'r ielding a sheet on lines "to -fo1'inside flap's o'r bo tt'oiri 'fiaps) in' combination with l a plate having suction meansfor suctionally engaging a 'ldwrrnost sheet of the pile, said plate being arranged for to -a positi onf for delivering the lowermost sheet -to said sheet fol'd in'g means, shet-foldinginem bers pivoted to p-air of opposed edges 6f the plate-and 'm'ova'ble from'aposition in which they form a T-co'ritiniiation of the platefat said 'edlges into a position I in which they bear against the plate and vice versag said sheet folding me'inbrs having suction means -for suctiorially engaging th'e said sl'ieet, "means opratively connected to members towards the plate during the rn'ovinent 'c plate awayrrom the pile "so as to fold the et elting-linesregistering vvith said opposed edges of the plate, and along lines to form the other two flaps, means for moving the plate towards and away from the pile of sheets, and controlling means for breaking the suction action on the plate reaching the delivery position.

2. A machine for folding fiat paper articles, comprising sheet-supporting means for supporting a pile of sheets, a pair of creasing rollers for forming creases on lines to form side flaps (or bottom flaps), sheet-feeding means arranged for movement from a point below the pile of sheets to a position for delivering the lowermost sheet to said creasing rollers, said sheet-feeding means having sheet-folding means thereon for folding the sheet along lines to form the other two flaps, one of said creasing rollers having a gap therein to receive one of the first-mentioned opposed corners during the movement of the sheet-feeding means from the pile to the creasing rollers and folding means to receive the sheet from the creasing rollers to complete the folding of the corners along the creases.

3. A machine as set forth in claim 2, in which one of the creasing rollers has a pair of circumferentially spaced creasing blades thereon and the other creasing roller has a yielding surface to allow the creasing blades to enter it.

- lr-Amachine for folding fiat paper articles,

comprising vsheet-supporting means for supporting a pile of sheets, sheet-feeding means for removing the, lowermost sheet fromthe'pile and having means thereon for folding the sheet on lines to form side flaps (or bottom flaps), adhesive applying means for applying adhesive to the edges of the folded parts of the sheet, sheet folding means for folding the sheet ona line to form a third flap and applyingthe third folded part to the first two foldedparts to stick the said folded parts together, a pair'of conveying rollers for receiving the folded article from thesecondmentioned sheet-folding means, a second pair ofconveying rollers movable at a peripheral velocity lowerthan that of the first-mentioned conveyingrollers, a vguide interposed between the pairs'of conveying rollersfor tilting the unfolded parts of the sheets so'as to enable the articles to pass to the second pair of rollers in overlapping relationship, means for applying adhesive to the unfolded part of the sheet, drying means for the adhesive, a conveyor for feeding the articles in overlapping relationship past the adhesive applying means and drying means and means for folding the sheet on a line to form a fourth flap arranged to receive the articles from the said conveyor.

5. In a machine for folding-flat paper articles, the combination of means for folding sheets on lines to form three flaps, means for creasing the sheet on a line toform a fourth flap, means for applying adhesiveto the folded parts and means for applying the folded parts to one another un it forwardly to initiate the folding of said part, a third roller co-operating with said second roller and a guide arranged toreceive the sheet from the roller havingthe suction passages therein and co-operating with said pins to guide the folded sheet between said second and third rollers for enabling the latter to complete the folding of the creased part.

6. In a machine for folding flat paper articles,

the combination of means for folding sheets on lines to form three flaps, means for creasing the sheets-on a line to form a fourth flap, means for applying adhesive to the folded parts and means for applying the folded parts to another under pressure to stick the folded parts together with means for folding the sheet across the line to form the fourthfiap, comprising a pair of rollers,

arranged to receive the sheet withthe creased,

part to the rear, one of said rollers having suction passages therein-for enabling the roller to .third rollers, said third roller having suction passages therein for enabling it to engage the folded sheet suctionally and pass it between itself and the said second roller to complete the folding of the creased part.

7. A folding apparatus for envelope machines and the like, comprising a plate or support adapted to underlie the central portion of the sheet, or blank to be folded, and having suction apertures near its edges extending substantially along the proposed lines of fold of said sheet or blank, and a plurality of folding members, each hinged to said plate at an edge thereof, and each adapted to underlie an extension or flap of said sheet or blank, each folding member, adjacent .ts hinge having a suction aperture extending substantially along the proposed line of fold, means for exerting suction on the sheet or blank through the several suction apertures aforesaid, and means operative, while the sheet orblank is so held by suction, for swinging said folding members on their hinges into overlying relation to, said plate or support, thereby to produce the "desfred lines of fold in said sheet or blank.

MAX GODER.

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