Improvements in Folding and Delivery Mechanism for Printing Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding and Delivery Mechanism for Printing
Machines.
I, ROBERT CUMMING ANNAND of Cornwallis Street, South Shields in the
County of Durham, Printer and Publisher do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to folding and delivery mechanism for printing
machines and its objects are to simplify the folding mechanism whereby the natural
fold is given to the sheets coming from the printing part of a rotary web or other
combined printing and folding machine, and to reduce the number of tapes and the
space occupied by the machine. I will describe my invention as applied to an
ordinary rotary web printing and folding machine for the production of either
4-page papers in duplicate or 8-page papers. The application of the invention to
other forms of printing machines will be readily understood.
The sheets having been printed and cut into half sheets of 4-pages each, these
two 4-page sheets are delivered in the manner well understood, the first to one set
of tapes and then the second to another set of tapes the two sets of tapes travelling
at a greater speed than the speed of the sheet in the printing part of the machine
While the
so that the extra speed will cause the sheets to separate several inches.
second sheet is being carried forward the onward progress of the first sheet is
retarded so as to allow the second to catch it up and for this purpose the first sheet
is delivered to what is known as the collecting cylinder (which per se does not form
part of my present invention). This cylinder is provided with pins or a set of
grippers which carry the sheet round and after the cylinder has made a revolution
the sheet is stripped off the cylinder by switches and passed onto the folding
mechanism. This first sheet having been carried round the cylinder while the
second has been moving forward without being diverted the two sheets have got
into line and they enter the folding mechanism abreast of one another at the upper
and lower parts respectively.
The mechanism for giving the first fold consists of three rotating cylinders viz.:
a middle cylinder and an upper and a lower cylinder; the upper sheet enters
between the upper and middle cylinders and the lower sheet at the same time
between the middle and lower cylinders. The upper and lower cylinders have
each a nipper which as it comes round nips the middle margin of the sheet against
a longitudinal bar or projection on the middle cylinder the cylinders being so timed
as to bring the nippers and the longitudinal bars together when the sheet is
properly in place. The nippers are composed of a folder blade attached to one
side of a bar which is preferably fitted to slide in a sheath and pressed outwards by
springs. This sliding spring bar serves as a sort of buffer and ensures accuracy in
the fold. The middle cylinder has two gripping blades at diametrically opposite
points of its circumference and operated by cams. The folder blades of the nippers
tuck the sheets into the gripping blades and these then closing carry the two sheets
round with the cylinder and give each of them a first fold. It will be understood
that as the two sheets are taken hold by the gripping blades at diametrically
opposite points of the cylinder the one sheet is clear in advance of the other as
they are carried round. The middle cylinder has two folder blades at positions
intermediate between its two gripping blades, and opposite the middle cylinder is a
small folder cylinder for giving each sheet a second fold. As the gripping blades
of the middle cylinder carry each sheet round, one of the folder blades, as the
middle of the folded sheet reaches the small folder cylinder, tucks the sheet into a
gripping blade on this cylinder which then carries the sheet round and gives it the

page_text: 3
second fold. This small cylinder makes two revolutions for one revolution of the
middle cylinder and therefore receives and folds successively the two sheets
delivered to it one after the other by the middle cylinder.
In order to adjust or alter the middle cylinder and the small cylinder so as to
adapt them for folding sheets of different sizes I mount the arms that carry the
folder blades of the middle cylinder on a central boss separate from the cylinder
but placed on the axle of the cylinder so that it can be adjusted circumferentially
within given limits. The arms carry a toothed wheel which drives the small
cylinder. Consequently when the arms are moved one way or the other to adjust
the folder blades to suit the size of sheet to be folded the small cylinder moves
with them and this ensures that the folder blades will meet the small cylinder at
the right part.
The sheets having received the second fold on the small cylinder and being thus
reduced to one fourth of their original width are carried along by tapes one after
another to a third folding arrangement, which gives a fold at right angles to the
previous folds. This folding arrangement consists of an upper and a lower cylinder
the upper having a folder blade and the lower a gripping blade and this lower
cylinder constitutes part of the delivery apparatus. Around this cylinder is a
series of grooves and a number of switches are set with their points into them so
that when the cylinder has carried each successive sheet round the necessary
distance and released it the switches strip off the sheet and form stops against
which the sheet and those following it are laid. The printed copies after striking
the stops fall down upon a set of horizontal tapes or bands which are made to move
forward at a very slow speed just sufficient not to pile the sheets too high and foul
the apparatus. These bands are periodically shifted sideways after every dozen or
other predetermined number of sheets has been laid down by the machine and the
following sheets are thus delivered at another point, enabling the attendant to
readily separate the dozens when removing them.
In order that the upper and lower cylinders of the first folding arrangement and
the upper cylinder of the third folding arrangement may be accurately adjusted to
fold the sheets at precisely the right place I mount their bearings in curved blocks
the curve being struck from the centre of the middle or folding cylinder and I seat
these blocks in correspondingly curved parts of the frame of the machine in which
they can be moved and adjusted. What I have described as cylinders need not be
actual cylinders in the case of the upper cylinders in the first and third folding
arrangements as instead of these cylinders I can employ revolving arms or frames
to which nippers as hereinbefore described are attached.
Dated this 11th day of November 1892.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding and Delivery Mechanism for Printing
Machines.
I, ROBERT CUMMING ANNAND of Cornwallis Street, South Shields in the
County of Durham, Printer and Publisher, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has reference to folding and delivery mechanism for printing
machines and its objects are to simplify the folding mechanism whereby the
"natural" fold is given to the sheets coming from the printing part of a rotary
web or other combined printing and folding machine, and to reduce the number of
tapes and the space occupied by the machine. I will describe my invention as
applied to an ordinary rotary web printing and folding machine for the production

page_text: of either 4-page papers in duplicate or 8-page papers. The application of the
invention to other forms of printing machines will be readily understood.
The sheets having been printed and cut into half sheets of 4-pages each these
two 4-page sheets are delivered in the manner well understood, the first to one set
of tapes and then the second to another set of tapes the two sets of tapes travelling
at a greater speed than the speed of the sheet in the printing part of the machine
so that the extra speed will cause the sheets to separate several inches. While
the second sheet is being carried forward the onward progress of the first sheet is
retarded so as to allow the second to catch it up and for this purpose the
first sheet is delivered to what is known as the collecting cylinder (which per se
does not form part of my present invention). This cylinder which is provided with
moving and stationary switches carries the sheet round and after the cylinder has
made a revolution the sheet is stripped off the cylinder by the movable switches
and passed onto the folding mechanism. This first sheet having been carried
round the cylinder while the second has been moving forward without being
diverted the two sheets have got into line and they enter the folding mechanism
abreast of one another at the upper and lower parts respectively.
The mechanism for giving the first fold consists of three rotating cylinders viz.:-
a middle cylinder and an upper and lower cylinder, the upper sheet enters between
the upper and middle cylinders and the lower sheet at the same time between the
middle and lower cylinders. The upper and lower cylinders have each a nipper
which as it comes round nips the middle margin of the sheet against a longitudinal
bar or projection on the middle cylinder the cylinders being so timed as to bring
the nippers and the longitudinal bars together when the sheet is properly in place.
The nippers are composed of a folder blade attached at one side to a sheath,
between which and the blade is placed a wooden bar which is preferably fitted to
slide in the sheath and is pressed outwards by springs. This sliding spring bar
serves as a sort of buffer and ensures accuracy in the fold. The middle cylinder
has two gripping blades at diametrically opposite points of its circumference and
operated by cams. The folder blades of the nippers tuck the sheets into the
gripping blades and these then closing carry the two sheets round with the cylinder
and give each of them a first fold. It will be understood that as the two sheets
are taken hold of by the gripping blades at diametrically opposite points of the
cylinder the one sheet is clear in advance of the other as they are carried round.
The middle cylinder has two folder blades at positions intermediate between its
two gripping blades, and opposite the middle cylinder is a small folder cylinder for
giving each sheet a second fold. As the gripping blades of the middle cylinder
carry each sheet round, one of the folder blades, as the middle of the folded sheet
reaches the small folder cylinder, tucks the sheet into a gripping blade on this
cylinder which then carries the sheet round and gives it the second fold. This
small cylinder makes two revolutions for one revolution of the middle cylinder and
therefore receives and folds successively the two sheets delivered to it one after
the other by the middle cylinder.
In order to adjust or alter the middle cylinder and the small cylinder so as to
adapt them for folding sheets of different sizes, I mount the arms that carry the
folder blades of the middle cylinder on a central boss separate from the cylinder
but placed on the axle of the cylinder so that it can be adjusted circumferentially
within given limits. The arms carry a toothed wheel which gears with a pinion
on the small cylinder. Consequently if the small cylinder be moved one way or
the other the arms that carry the folder blades of the middle cylinder move with
the small cylinder and therefore the folder blades can be adjusted to suit the size
of sheet to be folded and the folder blades will meet the small cylinder at the
right part.
The sheets having received the second fold on the small cylinder and being thus
reduced to one fourth of their original width are carried along by tapes one after
another to a third folding arrangement, which gives a fold at right angles to the
previous folds. This folding arrangement consists of an upper and a lower cylinder

page_text: the upper having folder blades and the lower gripping blades and this lower
cylinder constitutes part of the delivery apparatus. Around this cylinder is a
series of grooves and a number of switches are set with their points into them so
that when the cylinder has carried each successive sheet round the necessary
distance and released it the switches strip off the sheet and form stops against
which the sheet and those following it are laid. The printed copies after striking
the stops fall down upon a set of horizontal tapes or bands which are made to move
forward at a very slow speed just sufficient not to pile the sheets too high and foul
the apparatus. These bands are periodically shifted sideways after every dozen or
other predetermined number of sheets has been laid down by the machine and the
following sheets are thus delivered at another point enabling the attendant to
readily separate the dozens when removing them.
In order that the upper and lower cylinders of the first folding arrangement and
the upper cylinder of the third folding arrangement may be accurately adjusted
to fold the sheets at precisely the right place I mount their bearings in curved
blocks the curve being struck from the centre of the middle or folding cylinder and
I seat these blocks in correspondingly curved parts of the frame of the machine in
which they can be moved and adjusted. What I have described as cylinders need
not be actual cylinders in the case of the upper cylinders in the first and third
folding arrangements as instead of these cylinders I can and preferably do employ
revolving arms or frames to which nippers and folding blades as hereinbefore
described are attached.
The accompanying drawings illustrate folding and delivery mechanism constructed
according to my invention. Figures 1 and 2 are respectively side and end
elevations both partly in section. Figure 3 is a transverse section on a larger
scale of the middle cylinder of the mechanism that gives the first fold and of the
small cylinder which acts in conjunction with the same cylinder to give the second
fold, and Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of a portion of these cylinders and of
the gearing which connects them.
a and Figure 1 are respectively the tapes which alternately receive the cut
sheets as they are delivered from the printing machine. Every sheet received by
the tapes is delivered by them to the tapes which carry it forward without
interruption to the folding mechanism hereinafter described. Every sheet received
by the tapes a is however retarded in its progress so that before it is delivered to the
tapes d that carry it forward to the folding mechanism it is caught up by the next
sheet received by the tapes b so that the two sheets being in line and held and
carried forward by the tapes c and d respectively enter the folding mechanism
abreast of one another. The requisite retardation of the sheet received by the
upper tapes is effected by delivering this sheet to the "collecting" cylinder e
which carries the sheet round and after making one revolution delivers it to
the tapes d. In order that the cylinder e may receive and deliver the sheet at the
proper times it is provided with moving switches and fixed switches g; the
switches are opened and closed at the proper times by levers worked by a
chain on the shaft j. The sheet delivered by the tapes a is conducted by the
fixed switches g to the cylinder e, and is diverted by the moving switches which
are then in the open position secu in the figure; the sheet is therefore carried
round by the cylinder in conjunction with the tapes k; it passes between the
cylinder and the fixed switches 9 and when it again reaches the top of the cylinder
the switches are closed so that it passes over them to the tapes d which carry
it to the folding mechanism in line with the sheet which is being carried by the
tapes c.
in is the middle cylinder of the first folding mechanism; n is an upper revolving
frame (which may be a cylinder if preferred) and p is a lower revolving cylinder
(which may also be a frame if preferred). The upper sheet carried by the tapes d
enters between the frame n and the cylinder m, and the lower sheet carried by the
tapes centers at the same time between the cylinder m and the lower cylinder p.
The frame n and lower cylinder p have each a nipper q which as it comes round

page_text: nips the middle margin of the sheet against a longitudinal bar or projection r on
the cylinder m the revolutions of this cylinder and of the frame n and cylinder p
being so timed as to bring the nippers and the longitudinal bars together when the
sheet is properly in place. The nippers, one of which is shown separately on a
larger scale in Figure 5, are composed of a folder blade g rigidly attached to one
side of a sheath t. A wooden bar or buffers is fitted to slide in the opening
between the sheath t and the folding blade 7 and is pressed outwards by springs u.
This sliding spring bar yields on meeting the bar r on the cylinder m and thereby
serves as a sort of buffer and ensures accuracy in the fold. The cylinder m has
two gripping blades vvat diametrically opposite points of its circumference and
operated by cams wo wo in a manner well understood. The folder blades qq of the
nippers tuck the sheet into the gripping blades vv and these then closing carry the
two sheets round with the cylinder m and give each of them a first fold, and as
the two sheets are taken hold of by the gripping blades at diametrically opposite
points of the cylinder the one sheet is clear in advance of the other as they are
carried round. The cylinder m has two folder blades a between its two gripping
blades vv and opposite the said cylinder is a small folder cylinder y for giving each
sheet a second fold. As the gripping blades vv carry each sheet round, one of the
folder blades a as the middle of the folded sheet reaches the cylinder y tucks the
sheet into a gripping blade z on this cylinder which then carries the sheet round
and gives it the second fold. The cylinder y makes two revolutions for one
revolution of the cylinder m and therefore receives and folds successively the two
sheets delivered to it one after the other by the cylinder m. The gripper blade z
of the cylinder y is operated by a cam in a manner well understood. The folder
blades of the cylinder m are carried by arms A. A mounted on a central boss B
separate from the cylinder m but placed on the axle of the cylinder so that it can
be adjusted circumferentially within given limits relatively to the cylinder according
to the particular size of the sheets to be folded; and the cylinder y is so connected
with the cylinder m that any adjustment of the boss B and the folder blades x. is
effected at the same time as a corresponding adjustment of the cylinder y. The
meaus whereby the adjustment is effected is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.
The cylinder y carries a pinion C gearing with a wheel D which is secured to the
cylinder m by the bolts EE which pass through slotted holes F F. The arms A. A
that carry the folder blades ae are secured to the wheel D by the bolts G G.
The pinion C is secured to the cylinder y by bolts H H which pass through slotted
holes J J. When adjustment has to be effected the bolts H H and EE are
slacked the cylinder y is then turned (by means of a capstan on its shaft or
otherwise) to the required extent and in the required direction and as this cylinder
turns, the pinion C, wheel D, boss B, arms A A and folder blades a a also turn,
the cylinder m remaining stationary. The extent to which the adjustment can be
made is limited by the slots F and J.
When the sheets have received the second fold on the cylinder y and are reduced
to one fourth of their original width they are carried by the tapes K to a third
folding arrangement which gives them a fold at right angles to the previous folds.
This arrangement consists of an upper revolving frame L (or it may be a cylinder)
and a lower cylinder M adjustable by means of the slot and bolt at M. The
frame L has folder blades N N and the cylinder M has gripper blades P P worked
by a cam P and acting in conjunction with the said folder blades like the gripper
blades e and folder blades y y already described in the first folding arrangement.
The cylinder M has a series of circumferential grooves (not shown) into which the
points of switches Q enter so that when the cylinder has carried each successive
sheet round the necessary distance and released it the switches Q strip off the
sheet and constitute stops against which the sheet and those following it are laid.
R is a set of horizontal tapes or bands upon which the sheets fall; these tapes pass
round rollers S S and are made to move forward at a slow speed; they are
periodically shifted sideways after every dozen (or other predetermined number) of
sheets has been laid down so that the following sheets are thus delivered at another

page_text: point so that the attendant can readily separate the sheets into dozens when
removing them. This periodical shifting of the tapes can be effected by the
mechanism shown in Figure 2. The shaft S' of one of the rollers S that carry the
tapes R is caused to make one revolution to twenty four revolutions of the cylinder M
this being effected by toothed gearing T T1 T2. The wheel T2 has drivers U U
which drive the spring box V, this box being secured to the shaft S₁ by the pin W
or otherwise. On the shaft S¹ is an arm X which bears against a cam Y fixed to
the frame of the machine. A laid out diagram of this cam is shown at Figure 2ª.
As the shaft S¹ revolves the arm X rides up one of the inclines of the cam Y and
is thereby gradually forced outwards, the spring in the box V being thus com-
pressed when the arm reaches the step Y¹ it together with the shaft Sis somewhat
suddenly drawn back by the spring and consequently the tapes R are shifted
sideways. This happens twice for every revolution of the shaft S', the folded
sheets being therefore separated into dozens. By suitably modifying the relative
revolutions of the shaft S¹ and the cylinder M by changing the gearing, the sheets
can be separated into any other desired number.
The upper and lower revolving frames (or cylinders) n and p of the first folding
arrangement and the upper revolving frame (or cylinder) L of the third folding
arrangement have their bearings mounted in curved blocks Z Z, Figures 1 and 2,
the curves being struck in the case of the first folding arrangement from the centre
of the cylinder m and in the case of the third folding arrangement from the centre
of the cylinder M and the said curved blocks are seated in correspondingly curved
parts ZZ of the frame of the machine in which they can be moved or adjusted
to fold the sheets at precisely the right place.
The description hereinbefore given explains how a 4-page paper in duplicate can
be folded. When it is required to fold an 8-page paper I do not divide the stream
of sheets from the printing machine and send alternately one sheet of 4-pages to
the lower folder by the tapes b and c and another sheet to the top folder by the
tapes a and d but I send both sheets to the top folder. The first sheet is conducted
by the tapes a to the collecting cylinder e and is carried round by this cylinder as
already described thus delaying it while the next sheet comes up just in time to
become superposed on the first sheet when both sheets are stripped off by the
switches and carried to the upper folder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim in respect of folding and delivery mechanism for printing machines is :-
-
1. A cylinder such as m in combination with the upper and lower revolving
frames or cylinders such as n and p the said parts being constructed and working
in such manner that two sheets delivered at the same time respectively between the
cylinder m and frame or cylinder n and between the cylinder m and frame or
cylinder folded
pare
upon the cylinder m substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The construction of the nippers or folder blades 99 with spring buffers to
ensure accuracy of the fold, substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The arrangement whereby two sheets are simultaneously conducted to the
first folding mechanism and simultaneously get their first fold but are nevertheless
delivered separately to the cylinder of the second folding mechanism, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
4. Making the folder blades a x of the cylinder m adjustable and so connecting
them with the cylinder y that when any adjustment is given to the folder blades
a corresponding adjustment is given to the cylinder y substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described.
5. Mounting the bearings of the upper and lower revolving frames or cylinders
of the first folding arrangement and the upper revolving frame or cylinder of the
third folding arrangement in curved blocks so that they can be accurately adjusted
to fold the sheets at the right place substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. The arrangement of mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described

page_text: whereby the tapes to which the folded sheets are delivered are caused to move
slowly to one side while a predetermined number of the sheets are accumulating
thereon and then to suddenly move back to receive in like manner another similar
number of sheets, as set forth.
7. The combination of parts substantially as herein before described and
represented in the accompanying drawings constituting improved folding and
delivery mechanism for printing machines.
Dated this 10th day of August 1893.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.