Patent GB-741130-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to variable size paper folding machines
Inventor: JONES ALFRED JAMES
IPC: B41F13/62
Filed: 1952-06-20
Abstract: 741,130. Associating apparatus; folding paper; collapsible rollers. STRACHAN & HENSHAW, Ltd. June 10, 1953 [June 20, 1952], No. 15619/52. Class 100 (1). In a rotary paper folding machine one of the folding cylinders is constructed so as to have a variable diameter. The primary folding cylinder 11 (Fig. 1) is associated with a web severing device 12 and a secondary folding cylinder 13 of fixed diameter and position. The cylinder 11 and the blade 14 of the device 12 are adjustable by means of a spindle 16 to take up variation in the diameter of the cylinder 11. The cylinder 11 has a shaft 25 which has mounted on it two spaced end discs 26, 27 so as to rotate with the shaft 25 but be axially movable with respect thereto. Each disc is provided with six radial slots 28 with which segment support members 29, 30 co-operate. The cylinder also comprises two series of segmental elements 32, 33 extending along the cylinder. Each of the elements 32 is connected at each end to a support 29, and each of the elements 33 to a support 30, the elements 35 being connected in such a manner as to allow easy removal for replacing segments of larger diameter. A sleeve 43 is mounted on the shaft 25, so as. to be relatively rotatable and axially movable thereon, and carries at each end a spiral-threaded annulus 44 co-operating with spiral-threaded dogs 45 on each support member 29, 30 so that rotation of the annulus 44 causes radial movement of the members 29, 30 thereby adjusting the diameter of the cylinder 11. Rotation of the sleeve 43 is effected by a spindle 46 mounted in the end disc 26 and provided with a spur-wheel 47 engaging a gear 48 on one of the annuli 44. The spindle 46 is rotated manually by means of a key applied to its outer end 49. In order that the parts may be locked in position after adjustment the disc 27 abuts against a collar 51 on the shaft 25 and the disc 26 is provided with a boss 52 co-operating with a locking-ring 53 which abuts another collar 54 on the shaft 25. The ring 53 is provided with worm teeth 56 engaged by a manually operated worm wheel. When the ring 53 is rotated the disc 26 is moved axially along the shaft 25 so that the sleeve 43, annuli 44, dogs 45, segment support members 29, 30 and discs 26, 27 are locked frictionally together. The cylinder 11 is provided with two sets of grippers 39, 40 and tucking blades 42, the latter being operated by co-operation of cam 124 and cam followers 123 at the appropriate time in each cycle of operations. The grippers 39, 40 are rotatably mounted, separately, on a spindle 58 and are disposed side by side and cranked so that the operative end 59 of the top gripper 40 is superimposed on the operative end 60 of the bottom gripper 39. The spindle 58 is mounted in a carrier 61 which is mounted to slide in a segment support member 29. The carriers 61 are screw-threaded on a shaft 62 and are adjusted'by means of manually-operated bevel gearing 63, 64. The grippers are operated by means of two shafts 70, 71, axially slidable through the carriers 61 and bevel gearing 72, 74, and 75, 77. The shaft 70 carries a gear-wheel 78 which meshes with a gear-wheel 79 on a spindle 80, the spindle 80 carrying a crank 81 on the outer end of which is a crank pin 82. The shaft 71 is provided with a similar arrangement 83, 84 ... 87. The crank-pin 82 is engaged by a slot 88 in the free end of a lever 89 pivotally mounted at 90 on the end disc 27 and which carries a cam follower 91 which co-operates with a cam track 92. The track 92 is mounted on a cam carrier 93 which is relatively rotatable to the shaft 25 and has an internal toothed gear 94 interconnected by planet gears 97 to a gear 95 on a carrier 96. Either the carrier 93 or the carrier 96 can be rigidly secured to the machine frame 99 by a dog 100 and co-operating recesses 103, 104. When the carrier 93 is locked to the frame 99 the cam track 92 is stationary and the bottom grippers 39 are actuated to open and close once during every revolution of the cylinder 11, the open position being determined by the radially outermost portion 108 of the cam track ; this is the non-collecting position. When the carrier 96 is secured to the frame 99 the cam carrier 93 rotates around the shaft 25 and gear carrier 96 at a speed ratio to the cylinder of 3: 2, in the same direction. Consequently the grippers 39 at each of three positions of the cylinder will be actuated to open in succession in order and therefore the grippers 39 at any one position will be opened once in every two revolutions; this is the " collecting " position. The crank-pin 87 is operated by a similar assembly at the other end of the cylinder except that the cam carrier 114 is always rigidly secured to the frame 99. The secondary folding cylinder 13 is provided with clamping jaws 125 one set of which is removed when the cylinder 11 is set for " collecting." When the cylinder 11 is not " collecting " the bottom grippers 39 operate without gripping, whilst the top grippers 40 operate to grip, by descending on the grippers 39, the edge of each consecutive pull of sheets. When the cylinder 11 is collecting the bottom grippers 39 grip the edge of alternate pulls of sheets.