Patent GB-667191-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in folding machines for laundry purposes
Inventor: HOWLETT EDWARD JOHN
IPC: D06F89/00
Filed: 1949-04-09
Abstract: 667,191. Folding sheets &c. BRAITHWAITE & SON ENGINEERS, Ltd., I. April 5, 1950 [April 9, 1949; June 23, 1949], Nos. 9688/49 and 16646/49. Class 42 (ii). Relates to machines for folding sheets &c. of the kind in which the articles to be folded are carried on ribbon-type conveyers A over a series of fingers B projecting between the ribbons, fingers B being moved by the leading edge of the article which subsequently comes into contact with gripping devices D actuated through time delay means by movement of fingers B to grip the leading edge of the article and then raise it above the conveyer, subsequently releasing it after the trailing edge has moved away from fingers B so that it falls back into a position more or less coincident with the trailing edge. According to the invention, the control of the gripping devices is actuated from the fingers by mechanical means through mechanical timing means which cause the gripping devices to close, rise and release the edge at the desired times in the cycle of operations. As shown, when fingers B are raised by the leading edge of an article passing on conveyer A they act through a lever 1a and links 1 to depress the end of a lever 3, pivoted at 4, and allow a pawl P to engage and arrest a ratchet wheel A<SP>1</SP> forming one sun wheel of an epicyclic gear, Fig. 4, the planet wheels b<SP>1</SP> of which are carried on a wheel B<SP>1</SP> constantly driven from the conveyer drive. Arresting of wheel A<SP>1</SP> causes the other sun wheel C<SP>1</SP> to rotate so that after a certain time a pin E thereon, normally spring- pressed against a stop e, is brought to a point E<SP>2</SP> at which it engages a catch H carried by a bar G and moves bar G horizontally to lift fingers D. During the time taken for pin E to engage catch H, the leading edge of the article has been carried along conveyer A and has travelled up the inclined surface of fingers D. This time interval can be varied by adjusting stop e. When fingers D are lifted they engage resilient stops D<SP>1</SP> to grip the leading edge of the article and then move together with stops D<SP>1</SP> to a horizontal position while the rest of the article passes beneath. When pin E reaches position E3 it moves away from catch H, but fingers D are held in the raised position by engagement of a pawl L behind a collar R; such engagement causes pawl L to be moved, together with a lever S, link M and lever 5, so as to raise pawl P from wheel A<SP>1</SP>, whereupon wheel C<SP>1</SP> springs back until pin E meets stop e again. When the trailing edge of the article passes fingers B, the latter fall, moving an arm 2 and link N to disengage pawl L from collar R so that fingers D fall under their own weight; stops D<SP>1</SP> remain in the raised position, owing to engagement of a pawl 17 with a catch 18, until the latter is released by an arm 19 as fingers D reach their lowest position. As fingers D fall, therefore, they release the leading edge of the article so that it is aligned with the trailing edge. A dash-pot 20 may be provided to control the fall of fingers D. For passing work through the machine without folding, an arm K is depressed to move arm 2, by means of a cam k, so that both sets of fingers B, D are raised above conveyer A and remain so. The machine may be divided into a number of side-by-side lanes, each with its own fingers and timing gear.