Patent GB-1221311-A (GB)
Title: A cross-folding machine for laundered objects
IPC: D06F89/00
Filed: 1968-03-18
Abstract: 1,221,311. Folding sheets. KANNESGIESSER MASCHINENFABRIK G.m.b.H. 18 March, 1968 [23 March, 1967], No. 13101/68. Heading DIS. A machine for folding laundered articles 10 comprises a conveyor to feed,the articles 10 to a folding station and detector means being arranged to detect the presence of an article, being conveyed to the folding station, which is of a length equal to or greater than a critical length l5a, the detector means being arranged to control the operation of folding means, whereby an article of a length equal to or greater than the critical length is detected by the detector means, the folding means is operable to fold the article, whereas when an article of a length less than the critical length passes the detector means, the folding device does not operate to fold the article. In one embodiment, Fig. 2, an article 10 is supplied from an ironing machine onto a plurality of narrow conveyor belts 19a provided with two independently-operating identical folding devices A, B. Considering the operation of the device B, the leading edge 10a of the article 10 operates sequentially sensing ,switches 11a, 12a, 26. If the article is so long that, on operating the switch 26, the switch 11a also remains in operation, the switch 12a is closed to cause a cylinder 16a to raise an arm 18a or other lifting means to raise the bolts 19a so that the leading edge 10a runs onto a clamping plate 21a which is then upwardly pivoted to clamp the edge 10a. At the end of its upward movement, the plate 21a operates a push button switch 23a so that the cylinder 16a lowers the arm 18a) and the belts 19a to enable a loop 24 to form as the article 10 continues to travel on the belts 19a. When the trailing edge 10b of the article 10 releases the switch 12a, the plate 21a is released and the edge l0a is dropped onto the edge 10b. During the lifting of the arm 18a, the cylinder 16a operates a switch 20a so that, if the article 10 must be folded and the edge 106 has released the switch 11a, the arm 18a remains raised. The speed of the belts 19a may be altered by a variable speed transmission 25 which may be coupled to a transmission to displace the switch 12a. The critical length 15a, i.e. the distance between the switches lla, 26 may be altered by adjusting the switch 11a by a rack and pinion transmission 30a, 31a, a scale 33a being provided. In a second embodiment, Fig. 4, the edge 10a operates switches 11, 12, 22 sequentially. The switches 11, 12 are coupled to each other by a rod (13), Fig. 3 (not shown), and are traversable by a transmission 14. The critical length 15 between the switches 11, 12 is adjustable by a toothed rack and pinion transmission 30, 31, the rack 30 corresponding to the rod 13 and being provided with a scale 33. If the article 10 is so long that the switches 11, 12 are simultaneously closed, the cylinder 16 is operated to raise a flap 18 and thus the belts 19. When the flap 18 is raised, the cylinder 16 operates a switch 20 to ensure that the flap 18 remains raised if the edge 10b has passed the switch 11. When the edge 10a operates the switch 22, a clamping plate 21 is close and, during this closing motion, operates a push button 23 to vent the cylinder 16 and lower the belts 19 to enable the loop 24 to form. The plate 21 is opened when the edge 10b passes the switch 12. In other embodiments (not shown), the belts remain in a horizontal plane and the clamping plate is lowered onto the belts and photocells are used as sensing elements.