IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER FOLDING AND PRINTING MACHINERY
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
" IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER FOLDING AND PRINTING MACHINERY." A com-
munication from abroad by Cyrus Chambers, junior, and Williain Mendham,
both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th April 1878.
William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER FOLDING AND
PRINTING MACHINERY.' A communication from abroad by Cyrus Chambers,
junior, and William Mendham, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
of America.
This Invention relates to the combination with a web printing press of folding
mechanism to which the printed paper is automatically delivered in a continuous
web and in accurate register, and is then severed, folded, and packed by rotary
mechanism and by positive movements, the paper being at all times completely
under the positive control of the machinery by which it is carried to and through
the folding mechanism.
The said Invention consists in the mechanism, herein-after particularly described,
for receiving, registering, presenting, holding, conducting, severing, creasing, nipping,
releasing, carrying, guiding, regulating, folding, and packing paper printed in a web
press and delivered to a folding machine to receive in proper register a pre-
determined number of folds, and be packed and delivered.
It further consists in details of construction, arrangement, and adjustment of the
devices constituting the mechanism for the performance of all or any of the above.
named several functions, as herein-after more fully set forth,

page_text: The construction and operation of this machine are fully illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings, in which,―
"
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 2 is a rear end elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the mechanism for making the first fold.
Figure 4 shews the notched and serrated severing blades.
Figure 5 shews the partially severed sheet.
Figure 6 is a vertical section drawn to an enlarged scale of the severing and
gripping" mechanism of the first pair of folding rollers.
Figure 7 is a similar view of the releasing mechanism of the same rollers.
Figure 8 is a vertical section of the nipping mechanism for the second fold.
Figure 9 is a similar section of the same mechanism applied to the third fold.
Figure 10 is a side elevation, partly in section, and face view of the carrying and
relcasing mechanism of the second and third set of folding rollers.
Figure 11 shews the carrying mechanism of the third fold.
Figure 12 shews the switching and packing device for the fourth folding
mechanism.
Figure 13 is a vertical section of the nipping and releasing mechanism of the
fourth fold.
Figure 14 is a face view of the switch or mechanism for delivering the sheet to
either of the two packing troughs.
Figure 15 is a side elevation of the gearing of the fourth folding mechanism and
of the packing device connected therewith.
Figure 16 shows the nipping and releasing mechanism of the fourth folding
device.
Figures 17, 18, and 19 shew details of the carrying mechanism of the fifth
folding device.
Figure 20 shows the gearing of the fifth folding mechanism.
Figure 21 shows the nipping, carrying, and packing devices of the fifth folding
mechanism.
Figure 22 is a transverse section of a roller showing the arrangement of the spring
which operates the nipping device.
Figure 23 is a vertical section showing the releasing device of the fifth folding
mechanism.
Figure 24 is a perspective view of the transverse shaft by which motion is trans-
mitted from the second to the subsequent folding mechanisms.
Figure 25 shews details of the adjusting device for regulating the position of the
upper roller of the first folding mechanism.
Figure 26 is a section of the horizontal adjustment of the small folding roller of
the first set.
Figures 27 and 28 shew details of the device for adjusting the gearing of the first
severing rolls relatively to the printing press to secure exact register.
Figures 29 and 30 show another device for making a similar adjustment, applied
to the lower roller of the first folding mechanism.
Figures 31 and 32 shew details of the device for allowing the press to run when
from any cause the folding mechanism is stopped.
Figures 33 and 34 are details of the device for compensating for or preventing
lost motion or "back lash."
Figures 35 and 36 are diagrams illustrating the action of the device shown in the
two last named Figures.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the Drawings.
A is the frame of the machine in which the operative parts are supported. The
machine is to be attached to and work in harmony with a web press of any preferred
construction. It receives the printed web of paper from the press in proper register
under the binder roll B, which holds it to the severing cylinder D and ensures its
passage between the severing cylinders C, D. These cylinders are adjusted to run
in exact register with the press by a device herein-after described. They are pro-

page_text: vided with serrated cutters a, b, which are shown in detail in Figure 4. Their
serrated cutting edges are not continuous, but are provided at intervals with blank
or open spaces or notches c, c, where the cutters do not sever the sheet of paper
from the web, but leave it attached by a narrow tag. These cylinders have their
circumferences equal in length to the length of the sheet to be cut off, or a multiple
of that length, and they cut the sheet at the proper lines across its entire width,
except at the tags left by the spaces c, c.
Of the cutters a, b, the lower one b is flush with the surface of cylinder D, the
upper one a projecting sufficiently at its ends to ensure severance of the paper, and
a little more at the centre to produce a slightly shear cut and prevent the exertion
of the whole strain of the cut at once. The condition of the paper on the cut line,
after passing between the cutters, is shown in Figure 5, where d, d, mark the uncut
portions or tags by which the sheet is slightly held to the web after being severed
in the rest of its width until it reaches the folding cylinders.
The cutting blades a, b, may if preferred he placed directly on the folding
cylinders E, F, thus dispensing with the independent cutting cylinders C, D, and
the binding rolls B, B. In such case the grooves k in cylinders E, F, are made
very narrow, the tags or uncut portions of the paper being of corresponding width,
and the separation of the sheet from the web is effected by a device herein-after
described.
"
The rollers E, F, are shown on an enlarged scale in Figures 6 and 7. They are
equal in circumference to the length of the sheet to be folded, or to some multiple of
that length. The upper one E is provided with a row of pins j, upon which the
leading end of the paper is impaled to be led between the rollers. It also has
a creasing blade h and a breaking bar i. The lower roller has a line of "grip-
pers e and a creasing groove f in the line of the fold, and a breaking groove g
on the opposite side. The creasing blade h of roller E works into the nippers c
in the groove f, and the breaking bar i into groove g. The blade forces the
paper on the line of the first fold into the bite of the nippers e in the creasing
groove f. The blade h is cut away opposite the nippers e, so that when the
paper is forced into the groove f and into the bite of the nippers e, the nippers
may close upon the paper and hold it securely before the blade is with-
drawn. The pins in roll E are near the breaking bar i. When the end of
the sheet is impaled upon them it is carried up, supported by the surface of roller E
until it reaches the stationary inclined strippers H, see Figures 1, 2, 3, whose
forward ends enter grooves k in roller E. These strippers lift the forward half of
the sheet from the roller E at the instant that the nippers e have seized it in the
line for the first fold, and the further rotation of the roller F draws the forward part
of the sheet down and off of the roller E, and carries the creased edge or line of fold
in between roller F and small roller G to complete the fold, the nipper e being opened
to release the sheet by means of the lever working on fulcrum and operating
the wedge-shaped dog p³ which opens the nippers. The lever is operated by
means of the boss or cam m³, on the end of its longer arm, coming at the proper
instant into contact with the surface of roller G, as clearly shewn in Figure 7. The
curved bars l, m, entering grooves in rollers G and F withdraw the folded edge of
the paper from the groove f and nippers e, and guide it into a position for receiving
another fold.
If the roller E is solid on its surface as the sheet is drawn from the surface of the
said roller to be carried in the opposite direction, there will be a tendency to create
a vacuum between the sheet and the roller, which will often cause the sheet to be
drawn out of the nippers or torn. To remedy this difficulty the cylinder E is per-
forated with numerous holes n, which allow free access of air to the under side of
the sheet. The sheet positively held between rollers F, G, is by them propelled
forward between the rods l, m, until its folded edge reaches the bite of the carrying
rollers I, J, K, I', J', K', Figures 1, 2, 3, the distance between their bite and that
of the rollers F, G, being just half the length of the sheet to be folded. The sheet
is released from the bite of the rollers F and G at the proper instant by means of

page_text: the clearance space p cut in the face of the roller F Just in front of the breaking
groove g.
Of the aforesaid carrying rollers the smaller ones I, J, see Figure 3, are idlers
operated by contact with the larger ones K, K'; they are hung, see Figure 1, in a
frame or bracket Es adjustably supported upon an arm D³, to which it is pivotted
at d³. It has an arm e³, the free end of which is adjusted by set screws f³, ƒ³,
passing through lugs on arm D³. This adjustment regulates the relative position
and pressure of the rollers I, J, upon the full arc of the roller K. The arm Ds
pivotted at c to the cross frame framing is pressed down by the spring ho, which is
counteracted by the set screw g, which supports the rollers I, J, in such a position
that they do not enter the clearance space q in the face of roller K. These adjust-
ments provide for the nice regulation of the contact and pressure between the small
rollers and the carrier rolls with which they co-operate in carrying forward the
sheet to the position to receive the second fold.
The lower and larger rollers K, K¹, of the first set of carrying rollers, see Figures 2
and 3, have a greater circumference than the folding rollers E, F, and as they make
one turn for each sheet folded their surfaces move faster than the sheet when its
folded edge enters the bite between these rollers and the binder rolls which co-
operate with them in its propulsion. The speed of the partially severed and once
folded sheet is therefore suddenly increased over that of the web of paper the instant
it enters the bite of the carrying rolls. At the same instant the breaking bar and
groove seize the front end of the succeeding sheet, and impale it upon the pins j
The once folded sheet in the bite of the carrying rolls is thus torn from the sheet
which follows it at the moment when the forward end of the latter is impaled upon
the line of pins j. The increased speed of the carrying rolls not only severs the
sheet from the succeeding one, but creates an interval between them which gives
sufficient time for making the second fold in one sheet before the next sheet is
presented to receive it.
The rollers K, K', have each a portion of the periphery cut away to form a
clearance space q, so that before the tail end of the full periphery reaches the second
small binder roll J the sheet has been carried to its proper position to receive the
second fold, and is released at the precise instant at which it is grasped by the
blade of shaft L and the "gripper" of roller M in the second folding mechanism. To
effect this the carrying rolls K, K¹, are provided with means of accurate adjustment
upon their shafts, so that they may be set with precision to the exact time for
releasing the sheet to the positive control of the second folding device. As the sheet
enters the bite of these carrying rollers on their full diameter, and as their circum-
ference, less the clearance space q, is greater than half the length of the once folded
sheet, the adjustment last above referred to does not affect the entrance of the sheet
but only its delivery to the subsequent operation.
The binder rolls, as herein-before stated, are adjusted to bear with the proper
degree of pressure upon the full arcs of the carrying rolls, and yet are not permitted
to drop into the clearance space q below the surface line of the full arc. Hence the
sheet is released the instant the last binder roll passes off the full arc of the lower
carrier rolls.
The once folded sheet in its progress to the mechanism which imparts the second
fold slides on the rods m under the rods 7, and is further supported by the roller L,
whose upper surface is on a level with the upper surface of rods m, as seen in
Figure 8. The creaser roll L does not turn in contact with rollers M or N. If it
did it is obvious that there would be no space for the introduction of the sheet
endwise to the second folding rollers to receive one or more folds at right angles to
the preceding one.
The creasing blader is attached to roller L in the manner shown in Figures 8, 9,
and 10, and during the greater part of the rotation of the roller L is entirely removed
from the path of the sheet in its passage to the second folding mechanism. The
blade is cut away at a number of points in its length to allow the projections on
the nipper bar & in roller M to grip the edge of the sheet without grasping the blade.

page_text: The rollers L, M, and N, are at right angles to rollers E, F, G, and give to the
sheet two folds parallel to each other and at right angles to the first fold.
The second fold is made by the blader introducing the sheet to the nipping groove
of roller M, and the rotation of that roller in the direction indicated by the arrow
carrying the creased line of fold between rollers M and N and up to the stripper
rods v, which take the folded edge out of the grip of bar s, and carry it in between
rods v and w. Just as this occurs the creasing blade u³, attached to roller M, see
Figure 9, introduces the sheet at the line proper for receiving the third fold into the
gripping device u of roller N, and the edge of the now thrice folded sheet is carried
by that nipper to the releasing bars x, where it is taken from the nipper and passed.
on between rods x, w, and between rolls N and P³ to the bite of carrying rollers
Q, R. The roller Q, by reason of its circumference being longer than that of rollers
N, M, accelerates the speed of the sheet as it passes to the mechanism for giving.
the fourth fold. Rollers P³ and Q are respectively provided with clearance spaces
,, for the purpose of releasing the sheet at the proper instant in the manner
already described. The second nipper bar 8 forns when open one side of the groove
for making the crease, its projections t, t¹, being equal to the thickness of the blade
or a little more.
From the third folding mechanism the thrice-folded sheet impelled by rollers
Q, R, passes between bars w and x over rollers V, T, and under creaser blade y,
attached to shaft S (Figures 12, 13). The rollers T, V, are at right angles to the
rollers M, N, and are located directly over the packing box U. The fourth fold is
made in the same manner as the second by the operation of the blade y tucking
the sheet into the nipping groove of roller T, and carrying it down between
rollers T, V, when, if no more folds are required, it drops into the packing box U,
being guided into it by the switch rods a' being thrown back into the grooves b', in
roller T, by means of lever X attached to shaft Y, to which rods a' are fixed (see
Figures 12 and 14).
The roller V has a longitudinal groove c³, into which the top of the four times
folded sheet is carried by the hooks d', attached to said roller. The distance from
the bottom of trough U to the under side of roller V is less than the length of the
folded sheet, and the top of the sheet is received in groove c', and carried past the
roller V by the hooks d¹, thus ensuring the top of the sheet being moved forward
out of the way of the descent of the following sheet. In the bottom of trough U
are two discs W, W³, running in slots e' in harmony with the top roller V, and
having recesses f₁, into which the folded edge of the sheet enters when it falls from
the folders, and is pushed forward into the trough by the shoulders g₁ of the
recesses. Thus the sheet is packed simultaneously at top and bottom by the joint
action of the roller V at top and the discs W, W³, at bottom, both having continuous
rotary movement, and forming together a rotary packing device.
When it is desired to give the sheet of paper five folds the bars a¹ of the stripping
device or switch (Figures 12 and 14) are thrown into the grooves h' of roller V, by.
depressing lever X, and the four times folded sheet instead of falling into trough U
is guided horizontally between the rods i, 2, to the fifth folding mechanism. The
folding rollers of this device are at right angles to those of the fourth, and operate
to give the fifth fold in the same manner as those heretofore described. The sheet
is carried over the roller C', between rods i, 3, by the carrier rollers Z, A¹, Figure
21. The creaser blade ¹ introduces the sheet to the nipper groove in roller C¹,
where it seized by the nipper 1, and carried down between folding rollers C' and
D', and received by the packing device in trough F'. This device consists of a
roller D¹ having a groove and hooks similar to those in roller V and the revolving
discs E, similar to discs W, W³, turning in slits in the bottom of trough F'. It
operates by continuous rotary movement to pack the sheets in trough F¹ in the
same manner as the packing device for the four times folded sheet herein-before
described.
The machine is driven by being geared to the press with which it is intended
to operate. The winch (Figures 1 and 2) indicates the point of application of the,

page_text: driving power. The gearing connecting the press with the folding machine
requires to be adjusted with the greatest accuracy so that the printed web of paper
may reach the folding mechanism in perfect register. In order to facilitate this I
have devised two methods of making the adjustment, which are illustrated in
Figures 27 and 28, and Figures 29 and 30.
Figure 27 is a face view of a compound gear wheel consisting of an annular rim
G¹ concentrically attached to and adjustable upon a central disc H', fixed to the
shaft I by a feather or other suitable means. The rim G' is provided with three
slots, two marked a² and a third marked u², through which the clamping and
adjusting devices work. Binding screws z¹, 21, are inserted through the slots a², a².
A stud u, attached to the face of disc H' projects through the slot u², and is held
in any desired position by means of adjusting screws x', y', passing through lugs
v, w, attached to the face of G¹. By loosening screws 21, and operating screws
x¹, y', the desired adjustment of the toothed rim G¹ relatively to shaft I¹ can be
made upon the central disc H¹, and the adjustment, when made, can be maintained
by tightening the screws 2³, 21, to clamp the disc and rim together.
Figures 29 and 30 illustrate a device substantially the same as the foregoing,
with the stud u¹ and the lugs v¹, w¹, omitted, these parts being replaced by simple
slots c² and binding screws b³, and the adjusting movement between the moveable
toothed wheel J* and the central disc K2, fixed to shaft L¹, being made by hand,
and maintained by binding screws 62 passing through slots c² into the body of
wheel J*, as clearly shown in the Figures.
It sometimes happens that the folding machine is stopped or "jammed" by
accident. It is important that provision should be made for automatically pre-
venting the stoppage of the folding mechanism from arresting the movement of the
press. This I accomplish by what I call a tripping device, which is shown in
central section in Figure 31 and in front elevation in Figure 32, and which I will
now describe. P³ (see also Figure 2) is an outer gear wheel fixed by a feather to
shaft Q¹, and forming part of the train of gearing by which the folding mechanism
is driven. It receives motion from the train of gearing from the press by reason of
its connection with inner gear wheel N¹ on shaft Q1, which is not fixed to that shaft,
but is attached to gear wheel P³ by the tripping device which holds the two
together as long as both press and folder are running, but disconnects them as
soon as the folding mechanism stops. When such a stoppage occurs the gear wheel
N¹, driven by M³, continues to rotate like a loose pulley on shaft without
turning said shaft or the gear wheel P³. This disengagement of N' from P5 is due
to the action of spring latch S', whose head 2 is provided with a recess q² which
engages with an inclined shoulder p² on the inside of the rim of the wheel N', and
holds that wheel to P³ until the latter stops, when the head e² rides up on shoulder
p2, forces the latch S' back till it is caught and held by spring dog R¹, the inner
end h of which enters recess 92, in latch S₁, and holds the latch head e² out of
contact with shoulder p² until dog R' is retracted by hand. The latch S' is
impelled outwards by the reaction of bow spring 2, whose tension is regulated by
screws m², m², passing through lugs d², on gear wheel P. The latch is held in its
socket e by screw 7 entering grooves s² in the side of the latch.
To ensure smoothness of running and compensate for lost motion or "back
lash" I employ the device shown in Figures 33 and 34. The gear wheels T¹ and
W running side by side on shaft V₁, both mesh into the gear wheel G¹ on the end
of the shaft of cylinder D. The gear wheel T is keyed to the shaft V₁, but the
gear wheel W³ is free to turn on that shaft, and is held in contact with T' by a
collar ³, held on the end of the shaft by a set screw y². A stud v², projecting from
the inner face of W³, receives the reaction of the free end of a coiled spring U',
whose fixed end is attached by a screw w² to the nave of gear wheel T'. The
effect of this construction is to keep the teeth of the gear wheels T, W³, at all
times in positive contact with the teeth of the gear wheels G' which drives them,
the teeth of T¹ bearing against one side of the teeth of G¹, and those of W*
bearing against the other side, as illustrated in Figures 35 and 36.

page_text: The movements of the machine are derived from the power which drives the press
by suitable connections, the point of application of the power to the folder being at
the end of shaft cylinder C indicated by the winch in Figures 1 and 2.
On the other end of said shaft is a gear wheel G¹, which meshes into and drives
gear wheel Won the end of the shaft of cylinder D which in turn drives the binder
roll B.
Gear wheel G¹ also engages with reversing gear wheel M³ which drives the train
of gearing of the first set of folding rolls and the binder roll B¹. The last gear
wheel Us in this train is on the end of shaft X2 which carries the gear wheels that
impart motion to the second and subsequent form of mechanisms.
Gear wheel G meshes into H2 on the end of the shaft W2, and thus drives the
mechanism for the fifth fold.
Gear wheel Y' on the same shaft meshes into Z¹ on the shaft of the creaser roll L
of the second and third folding mechanisms.
Gear wheel W on the end of shaft X2 meshes into gear wheel X¹ on the end of
shaft Ts, to which the carrying rolls K, K', are adjustably attached. On the rear
end of roller L is a gear wheel A² which meshes into gear wheel B³ on the end of
folding roll M. B³ meshes into gear wheel C2 on the shaft of roller N and C into
D on shaft of carrying and releasing rolls P, P¹, P3³, P
On the end of the shaft of roller Ñ is a gear wheel E2, which drives gear wheel F
on end of the shaft of carrying rolls Q, Q³,
Rolls Cs are narrow pulleys operating on the edge of roller M to open the nippers
in the ordinary manner.
Rolls P, P¹, are carriers, and P3, P4, are releasing rolls operating on the ends of
roller N to open the nippers.
Gear wheel A³ on the inner end of shaft T5, drives the carrying mechanism for
the fifth folding device shown in detail in Figures 17, 18, and 19. It engages with
a gear wheel connected with the shaft of cam A'; this cam operates the releasing
rollers Z, Z, by means of the friction roller Z attached to the same frame which
rolls in contact with the face of cam A¹, and raises and lowers the rollers Z, Z, at
the proper times. The cam is counteracted by a spring g³ around rod e³ which
presses down the roller frame, see Figure 18.
Gear wheel G on shaft X2, Figure 24, engages H2 on end of W2 on the other end
of which is gear wheel Is which operates K5 on the shaft of L
L2 drives Q on the end of shaft of the folding discs W, W³, in packing trough U.
It also drives M³, see Figure 15 on end of shaft of folding roller T of the fourth
folding mechanism M³, drives N2 on creasing blade shaft S, also P³ on end of shaft
of packing roller V.-
On shaft W is the gear wheel R2, Figure 20, which drives S2 on shaft of creaser B²,
Figure 21. It also drives gear wheel V2 on shaft of D¹, and gear wheel T2 inter-
mediate to U on the end of recessed packing disc E¹, Figure 20.
The device for the vertical adjustment of the folding roller E is shown in Figure 25.
The journal of E turns in a box u*, held in a slot in the frame A, large enough to
admit of the extreme adjustment which may be required. The box is inclined
on its lower side, as shown, and below it is placed a wedge v operated by the screw
w, which carries it in or out as required to raise or lower box u A set screw x¹
entering above the box serves to clamp it in the required position.
The device for effecting the lateral adjustment of the holder G is shown in vertical
section, in Figure 26. The journal of G turns in box placed in a slot as in the
frame. The screws 65, 65, govern and fix its position.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The combination of the cylinders provided with severing knives constructed
and interposed between a web printing press and a rotary folding machine for the
purpose of conducting and partially severing the paper as above described.

page_text: Second. The combination with the rollers C, D, of the binnder roll, as and for the
purpose set forth.
Third. The combination with the perforated cylinder E provided with the creaser
and break bar of the gripping cylinder F, binder roll B¹, and folding roll G, all
arranged and operating as above set forth.
Fourth. The combination with the grooved and perforated roller E, provided with
pins of the inclined lifting fingers, constructed and arranged as above described for
the purpose set forth.
Fifth. In combination with the roller E, having the breaking bar and the roller F
provided with the breaking groove, the carrying mechanism consisting of the
rollers K, K¹, and their binder rollers for the purpose of detaching the partially
severed sheet from the web, and accelerating its motion, as above described.
Sixth. The binder rolls I, J, supported in the frame pivoted to the arms hinged to
the framing of the machine, and adjusted by the screw and spring in combination
with carrying rollers, as and for the purpose specified.
Seventh. The roller frame E³ carrying the rolls I, J, and having an arm e³ con-
trolled by adjusting screws for the purpose of regulating the relation of the rolls I, J,
to the large carrying roller K in the manner set forth.
Eighth. The carrying rolls K, K³, made of larger diameter than the folding rollers
from which they draw the sheet, and provided with clearance spaces, and any
suitable device for binding the sheet to their peripheries, as and for the purpose
described.
Ninth. The switching mechanism constructed as described, and arranged to
operate in connection with two sets of folding mechanism, and two packing troughs
for the purpose of controlling the number of folds the sheet shall receive before being
delivered, and of delivering the sheet to either packing trough, as above set forth.
Tenth. In combination with the rotary mechanism for folding paper, the rotary
mechanism for receiving the folded sheets, and delivering them to the packing
trough, as above specified.
Eleventh. The combination with the packing trough of the roller provided with
the groove and hooks, and the rotating discs provided with the recesses, all con-
structed, arranged, and operating as and for the purpose specified.
Twelfth. The adjusting device for shifting the gearing to secure perfect register
between the press and the folding cylinders, the same consisting of the compound
gear wheel having its periphery circularly adjustable around a fixed nave by means
of adjusting and clamping screws, as above set forth.
Thirteenth. The safety tripping mechanism, consisting of the shaft Q, and the
gear wheels N¹, P³, united by a spring latch on one engaging with a shoulder on the
other, to hold them together except when the folding mechanism is stopped, when
the gear wheels separate and allow the driving mechanism to continue in motion in
the manner above described.
Fourteenth. The mechanism for compensating for lost motion or "back lash'
consisting of the gear wheels T', W³, shaft V³, spring, and stud, arranged and
operating in the manner set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
W. ROB. LAKE. (L.S.)