US2699331A - Air blast means for buckle-type blank folding machines - Google Patents

Description

Jan- 11, J, A ETAL TYPE BLANK FOLDING MACHINES AIR BLAST MEANS FOR BUCKLE- s sheets-sheet 1 Filed June 11, 1952 INVENTORS Joim AM? 'afilf fy l BY Jz/ fijlizfszck',

Cal 4' ATTORNEYS Jan. 11, 1955 2,699,331"

TYPE BLANK FOLDING MACHINES J. A. M GARVEY ET Al AIR BLAST MEANS FOR BUCKLE- Filed June 11, 1952 Jan. 11, 1955 J MGGARVEY ETAL 2,699,331

LANK FOLDING MACHINES AIR BLAST MEANS FOR BUCKLE-TYPE B mmvrozes. Mefiazwe A TTORNEYS.

Filed June 11, 1952 AIR BLAST MEANS FOR BUCKLE-TYPE BLANK FOLDING MACHINES John A. McGarvey, Willow Grove, and Jules R. Adamiclr, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application June 11, 1952, Serial No. 292,959 1 Claim. (Cl. 27068) It is one object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus overcoming the disadvantages discussed above.

It is another object of this invention to provide a relatively simple folding machine for forming a blank which is gate folded with the gates tucked in. Another object is to provide a buckle folding machine which forms a fold dividing the body portion of the blank into two parts and concurrently tucks the gates into the fold between the two parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, including the snnplicity and economy of the same, as well which it may be adapted for the formation of folded blanks of different types, will further become apparent from the description which folllows and from'the drawings, whereof:

Fig. 1 represents a view in side elevation, with certain parts broken away and others shown in section, of a buckle folding machine which embodies features of this invention;

Fig. 2 represents a view in perspective of a gate folded blank, with the gates tucked in;

Fig. 3 represents an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, with parts shown in section; and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 represent enlarged views of the central plprtion of the device shown in Fig. 3, illustrating how t e edges F, F which are adjacent to the fold line B and blank in Fig. 2 is shown of clarity.

between the gates Turning now to Fig. 1, the number 10 designates roller which is mounted on a shaft 11 journalled in a pair 2,699,331 Patented Jan. 11, 1955 knob by means of which the adjuster screw may be totated. A helical compression spring 23 extends between each collar 16 and roller bracket 12.

stationary roller 24 is mounted immediately adjacent to roller 10. just above roller 30, are a pair of upper and lower fold plates 311, 32 which are spaced apart from one another to provide a space for receiving the blank coming from between rolls 10, 24. The upper fold plate 31 has, at its inlet end, a lip 33 which has a concave guide face 34 disposed in the path of movement of the blank as it comes from rollers 10, The concave guide face 34 serves to direct the blank of the blank as it passes between the upper and lower fold plates 31, 32.

e, 18 and immediately adjacent to the roller 30. Upper and lower fold plates 41, 42 (which are similar to fold plates 31, 32) are disposed above the roller 40 in position to receive the blank as it comes from between rollers 30, 24. Between the fold plates 41, 42 The apparatus also includes another adblanks out of the machine.

It will be observed that, in the inlet end of the lip 48 of upper folding plate 44, is a hollow tube 51 which extends transversely across the folding plate 44 from edge to edge, and has a plurality of spaced-apart openings 52 that extend across the folding plate 44 and are directed 40. Connected to the tube 51 is a pipe From the foregoing description, the operation of the machine will be apparent. As indicated in Fig. 3, the blank which passes between the rollers 30, thereby forming the fold D and gate is then driven tween the rollers 30, 40. At this stage, prises a flat body portion which has gates C, C at each end. As shown, the free end edges F, F of the gates C, C are immediately adjacent to one another.

The gate. folded blank coming from between rollers 30, 40 passes through the fluid jet coming from tube 51 between the fold plates 44, 45 and the folded edge E -the blank to .invention are stop 49. This causes the body portion of buckle at its center, the movement of the blank being substantially as shown in Fig. 3 and particularly Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. It will be observed that, during the formation of the buckle in the body portion of the blank the free end F of the gate C tends to be separated from the body portion of the blank. However, as indicated in Fig. 6, further movement of the buckled portion toward the space between rollers 40, 43 brings the end edge F of gate C into the path of the fiuid jet coming from tube 51. As shown in Fig. 6, the jet forces the end edge F of gate C against the body portion of the blank and maintains it firmly and uniformly against the blank as it passes between the rollers 40, 43 which form the central fold B.

From Fig. 5 it will be appreciated that, without the air stream coming from tube 51, the end edge F of gate C would tend to separate from the body portion of the blank as the central fold B to result in the formation of an undesired fold in the gate itself, or even in a wrinkling or mutilation of the gate. This danger is eliminated by the apparatus and method of this invention wherein one or both gates, and particularly the free end edges thereof, are continuously urged against the body portion of the blank as the central fold is formed.

While we have shown in the drawings one specific embodiment of the invention wherein fluid jet means operate in combination with buckle folding means, it will be appreciated that many objects and advantages of the achieved by the use of such fluid jet means in combination with folding machines of other kinds, as for example knife folding machines.

It will also be appreciated that, while the invention has been described with reference to the production of a gate folded blank with the gate tucked in, wise applicable to the production of a blank like the blank shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings without the central fold B. Other blanks having one or more gates of like or different character may also be produced in accordance with this invention.

While we have selected one embodiment of the invention for illustration in the drawings, it will be appreciated that equivalent elements may be substituted, that parts may be reversed, and that certain features of the invention may be used independently of other features,

contacts the all within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

In a machine for forming a blank comprising a body portion having a central fold with a gate at each end, each gate the same face of said body portion and having a free end adjacent to said central fold, said free ends of said gates being spaced from one another when said gates are flat against said body portion, the combination of means for sefolding the gate portions against said body portion of the folded blank, said folding means including a pair of rollers for feeding the blank, a pair of spaced-apart upper and lower fold plates spaced from said feed rollers to receive the blank, guide means carried by said upper fold plate for guiding said folded blank between edges of said upper and lower fold plates, stop means carried by and extending between said fold plates coacting with the feed means for buckling the body portion of said blank in the Zone of said gate ends, a pair of buckle creasing rollers adjacent said edges of the fold plates forming a generally wedge shaped cavity having its open end facing said fold plate edges, said buckle creasing rollers being arranged for folding the body portion of the buckled blank along a line adja' cent the free ends of said gates, and pneumatic means including a pressure container carried by and extending transversely across the upper fold plate and also including means for supplymg air under pressure continuously to said pressure container, said pressure container having aperture means extending across the fold plate arranged to direct an air stream directly into said wedge shaped cavity against said ends of said gates to maintain said free ends of said gates against said body portion and said body portion against said buckle creasing rollers during the folding operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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