Improvements in Paper Folding Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 25th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 8th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Paper Folding Machines.
LEONARD UPCOTT GILL, 99 Finchley Rond London N.W. Publisher and
ALFRED BRADLEY 172 Elms Road London S.W. Printer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention has reference to folding machines such as are used for folding
newspapers pamphlets or other sheets of papers of eight or sixteen pages and where
the sheets are fed to adjustable stops or guages or for over or under pointing. The
chief object of this invention is to avoid curling the edges of the sheet whilst being
fed (thereby obtaining accelerated speed) and also to obtain the sheets evenly piled
or knocked-up delived direct from the folding rollers, without the use of carrying
tapes, or the necessity of twisting or turning the sheets.
In machines where the pile of paper to be folded is placed on a horizontal table
or bank, and is thence lifted or drawn sheet by sheet on to a horizontal folding-
board, as is commonly in use, the act of drawing the sheet through the air and
along the horizontal surface of the folding-board, causes the front and forward
edges of the sheet to curl upward and to accumulate air between the under surface
of the sheet and the folding-board, thus bringing the sheet to a rest unsteadily and
causing many sheets to miss being folded at the proper time, or to be folded untruly
and with uneven edges.
For the purpose of avoiding this loss of speed and accuracy we provide a sloping
table or bank for holding the pile of paper to be folded. From this table or bank
the sheets are drawn on to the folding-board which has a further declination. The
front edge of the sheet being thus at a continuously declining angle to the resistance
when being drawn through the air, is kept down in transit, cuts the air from between
its under surface and the surface of the folding-board, and rests firmly before the
folding knife descends.
For the purpose of folding sheets of cight pages requiring two folds, we place a
knife and rollers which form and direct the first fold with their length at the same
angle or declination as and parallel with the folding-board and a knife and rollers
which form and direct the second fold at right angles to the knife and rollers which
form the first fold. When the folded sheet passes through the second-fold rollers
of a machine for folding eight pages it is in the desired position for delivery,
i.e., nearly upright with its back folded edge forwards. To secure direct delivery
without carrying, twisting, or turning the sheet we provide an inclined adjustable
facing bar or guide at the point of delivery from the rollers, in order to steady the
sheet until it reaches by its own momentum the opposite face of a right angled
sloping gathering trough, placed at right angles to the delivery rollers for receiving
the folded sheets. The slope of this trough falling away from the rollers prevents
the sheet from rebounding. At the moment the folded edge of the sheet reaches the
face of the gathering trough an adjustable pusher forces the sheet past shallow stops
which prevent the sheet returning in the way of the delivery of the next sheet, and
is so added to the pile of work in the gathering trough.
For the purpose of folding sheets of sixteen pages requiring three folds we follow
the foregoing plan to the end of the second fold, where we place the knife and
rollers which form and direct the third or last fold at right angles to the second
and place the gathering or knocking-up trough in suitable position to receive the
sheets.

page_text: The knives rollers and pusher are actuated by rods and cams connected with a
driving bar moved by any ordinary power.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1892.
L. UPCOTT GILL.
ALFRED
BRADLEY.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Paper Folding Machines.
We, LEONARD UPCOTT GILL, of 170 Strand, London, Publisher, and ALFRED
BRADLEY, of 172 Elms Road, London, S. W., Printer, 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:-
Our invention has reference to folding machines such as are used for folding
newspapers, pamphlets or other sheets of papers of eight or sixteen pages and where
the sheets are fed to adjustable stops or gauges or for over or under pointing.
The chief object of this invention is to avoid curling the edges of the sheet whilst
being fed (thereby obtaining accelerated speed) and also to obtain the sheets
evenly piled or knocked-up delivered direct from the folding rollers without the use
of carrying tapes or the necessity of twisting or turning the sheets.
In machines where the pile of paper to be folded placed on a horizontal table
or bank and is thence lifted or drawn sheet by sheet on to a horizontal folding
board, as is commonly in use, the act of drawing the sheet through the air and
along the horizontal surface of the folding board, causes the front and forward
edges of the sheet to curl upward and to accumulate air between the under surface
of the sheet and the folding board, thus bringing the sheet to a rest unsteadily and
causing many sheets to miss being folded at the proper time or to be folded untruly
and with uneven edges.
For the purpose of avoiding this loss of speed and accuracy, we provide a sloping
table or bank for holding the pile of paper to be folded. From this table or bank
the sheets are drawn on to the folding board, which has a further declination. The
front edge of the sheet, being thus at a continuously declining angle to the resistance
when being drawn through the air, is kept down in transit, cuts the air from
between its under surface and the surface of the folding board and rests firmly
before the folding knife descends.
For the purpose of folding sheets of eight pages requiring two folds, we place a
knife and rollers, which form and direct the first fold, with their length at the same
angle or declination as and parallel with the front edge of the folding board, whereby
the operator, in drawing the sheet to the gauges, does not pass either band beneath
the knife edge, and the knife and rollers which form and direct the second fold are
placed at right angles to the knife and rollers which form the first fold. When the
folded sheet passes through the second fold rollers of a machine for folding eight
pages, it is in the desired position for delivery, i.e., nearly upright with its back
folded edge forwards. To secure direct delivery without carrying, twisting or
turning the sheet, we provide an inclined adjustable facing bar or guide at the point
of delivery from the rollers in order to steady the sheet until it reaches by its own
momentum the opposite face of a right-angled sloping gathering trough placed at
right angles to the delivery rollers for receiving the folded sheets. The slope of
this trough falling away from the rollers prevents the sheet from rebounding. At
the moment the folded edge of the sheet reaches the face of the gathering trough,
an adjustable pusher forces the sheet past shallow stops which prevent the sheet
returning in the way of the delivery of the next sheet and is so added to the pile of
work in the gathering trough.
For the purpose of folding sheets of sixteen pages requiring three folds, we
follow the foregoing plan to the end of the second fold, where we place the knife
aal rollers which form and direct the third or last fold at right angles to the second

page_text: the sheets.
The knives, rollers and pusher are actuated by rods and came connected with a
driving bar moved by any ordinary power.
And in order that our said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more
fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure is an end view, Figure 2 a back view and Figure 3 is a plan or top
view, of a two-fold folding machine constructed according to our invention.
Figure 4 is a plan of parts drawn in a plane parallel with that of the folding
table but with the sheet carrying table and folding table removed.
Figure 5 is a front view of parts, Figure 6 is a plan and Figure 7 is an edge view
separately of a guide stop or gauge adjustably fixed on the folding table.
Figure 8 is a front view, Figure 9 is a sectional edge view and Figure 10 is a
back view of the packer presser separately.
Figure 11 is a front view of parts of a three-fold folding machine.
Figure 12 is an end view of parts drawn in a plane parallel to that passing
through the rollers h h.
Figure 13 is an elevation of some of the lower parts at the left end of the machine
drawn in a vertical plane.
Figure 14 is a plan of parts giving motion to the packing presser, and
Figure 15 is a sectional plan showing the rollers hh, support ; and lower
supports.
In all the figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
We will first describe the two-fold folding machine which is represented at
Figures 1 to 10. a is the framing, the driving shaft and c the cam shaft. The
driving shaft b receives motion from a strap or band passing around the pulley and
communicates motion to the cam shaft c by pinion taking into a toothed wheel c'
on the cam shaft c.
d is the table or bank for holding the pile of paper to be folded, and e is the
folding board. According to our invention we fix the table d at a gentle incline
and the folding board e at a greater incline; by these means the front edge of the
sheet, being supported in the pile at a declining angle and, when being drawn
through the air on to the folding board, being at a further declining angle to the
resistance of the air, is kept down in transit, cuts the air from between its surface
and the surface of the folding board e and comes to rest firmly before the folding
knife descends.
The knife is carried by arms f' mounted on an axis and it is operated by
means of a cam f³ acting upon a truck carried by a link connected to a
lever fixed to the axis f. The lower part of the link is forked and fits the
cam shaft c, by which it is guided, the weight of the folding knife and parts
connected therewith acting to keep the truck against its cam /. The folding
knifepresses the centre of the sheet to be folded down through an opening e¹ in
the folding table and into the grip of a pair of rollers 9, which, by the aid of
tapes ggpassing partly around them and partly around smaller rollers g2 g, guide
the single folded sheet down into position between the rollers h h and the second
folding knife and on to a support j between adjustable regulating guides j' j³,
when the knife i is caused to move forward and press the single folded sheet into
the grip of the rollers at the same time releasing it from the grip of the
tapes g¹ g¹.
The rollers 9 g receive rotary motion by means of a belt g³ passing partly around
a pulley on the driving shaft 6 and partly around a pulley on one of the
rollers 9 9 and motion is communicated from the one roller g to the other by means
of toothed gearing 9ª 9º.

page_text: The rollers receive rotary motion by means of a belt passing partly around
the pulley on the driving shaft b and partly around a pulley on the end of one
of the rollers h, motion being transmitted from one roller to the other by toothed
gearing ³
The second folding knife i is carried by a frame mounted in guides ²² and it
receives to and fro motion by means of a cam³ on the cam shaft c acting against
the edge of a lever i mounted at its lower end on an axis and connected at its
upper end by link with the knife i; a weight on a crank arm of the lever i*
acts to keep such lever up to its cam.
L
When the sheet of paper has been pressed by the folding knife i into the grip of
the rollers, the latter, in their rotation, carry the doubly folded sheet past an
inclined adjustable facing bar or guide k situated at the point of delivery from the
rollers hh, which guide steadies the sheet until it reaches by its own momentum
the opposite face of a right angled sloping gathering trough placed at right angles
to the delivery rollers h for receiving the folded sheets. The slope of this trough 1,
by falling away from the rollers h, prevents the folded sheet from rebounding. At
the moment the folded edge of the sheet reaches the face of the gathering trough,
an adjustable pusher m forces the sheet past shallow stops n no and p, which
prevent the sheet from returning in the way of the delivery of the next sheet and so
adds it to the pile of work in the gathering trough. The stops n n are provided
with means for vertical, lateral and radial adjustment independently of each other
to suit the inclination of the folded sheet.
The pusher m is attached to the end of a rod, one part m¹ of which is formed of
square section and is guided in a correspondingly shaped bearing m², whilst the
other part ma is of circular section and is guided in a bearing m. "This pusher m
receives to and fro motion in the following manner. On the part m³ of its rod is
fixed a collar carrying a pin m³, which passes through the slotted end of the arm ma
of a crank lever mounted on an axis m' and whose other arm m³ is connected by
link m with the upper end of a lever m³, whose lower end is mounted on an axis m
and whose edge is acted upon by a cam m
The part m³ of the pusher rod has also attached thereto, an arm m¹³, to which
one end of a cord m¹ is fixed, which cord, after passing over a guide pulley m¹³,
has attached to its other end a weight me which acts to give motion to the pusher
in the contrary direction to that given by the cam m¹².
7 is a weighted movable stop placed in the sloping trough 1, which serves as
the end of the trough against which the folded sheets are packed, but which will
give way and travel along the trough as the stock of folded sheets accumulates.
e are adjustable stops or gauges near the lower edge of the folding table e,
and is another adjustable stop or gauge near the front edge of the said table,
against which each sheet is brought so as to secure the correct folding thereof by
the folding knife f.
The stop or gauge e³, shown separately at Figures 6 and 7, is made with an
inclined overhanging front edge e, underneath which the edge of the sheet to
be folded is placed, and such part e terminates at its connection with the body
of said gauge with a vertical face e, against which the sheet is brought, and
such face e, in addition to acting as a gauge, prevents the sheet from being
jammed in the wedge formed space between the part 3 and the folding table e.
ee are adjustable points carried by jointed arms e e pinjointed to carriers ee
adjustably fixed to the folding table e. These points may be set to any printed
mark, rule or other printed part of the sheet within the radius of said arms so
as to secure the correct folding of the sheet to register (i.e. the printed matter)
and they are specially suited for binders' use.
are adjustable points carried by the knife f, which may be set to two dots
printed in the margin on the inner side of the sheet for the purpose of folding to
register (ie. to the edges of the printed matter) and they are specially suited to
printers' use. These dots take the place of the ordinary perforations by needle
points on the "forme" and can be easily printed, thus avoiding the piercing of the

page_text: sheet and the laceration of the rollers and blankets consequent on the use of
perforating points.
We will now describe the three-fold folding machine, parts of which are shown
at Figures 11 to 15.
The said machine is constructed on similar lines to those of the two-fold folding
machine so far as the first and second folds are concerned, but made to the
necessary proportions and, instead of the sheet passing direct from the rollers h h
past the facing bar or guide to the sloping collecting trough 1, we in this case
interpose between the rollers hand the collecting trough 1, means for effecting a
third fold. For this purpose we employ guide rollers parallel with the rollers h
and we pass conducting tapes around the rollers to conduct the doubly
folded sheet opposite a pair of folding rollers rr and between and against adjustable
stops s s. When the sheet has arrived against such stops the third folding knife t
presses it between the folding rollers rr, which complete the third fold.
In connection with these rollers is a third or conducting roller, around
which and around the upper roller r, conducting tapes are passed.
The conducting roller is driven as follows:-It has on its axis a pulley, around
which passes a gut, which latter also passes around guide pulleys and
around a driving pulley fixed on the driving shaft b. Said roller communicates
motion to the lower roller r by toothed gearing and to the upper roller by
means of the tapes, which latter, by bearing partly around the lower roller",
act to bend the folded edge of the sheet downwards and thereby to direct it past
the facing bar or guide into the sloping gathering trough 7, where it is acted upon
by a pusher m and added to the collection in the gathering trough in a similar
manner to that described with respect to the two-fold folding machine, except that
the pusher m in the three-fold machine acts to push the folded sheets in the contrary
direction to that of the two-fold machine.
The third folding knife t is carried by arms t¹ fixed to an axis ; to one of such
arms is pinjointed one end of a link t³ whose other end is loosely jointed to one
arm of a crank lever t the other arm of which is loosely connected to one end
of a connecting rod t whose other end is loosely connected to the upper end of a
lever to.
This levert is mounted on an axis of motion t attached to the frame of the
machine, and the lower end of such lever is acted upon by a cam 8 to give the
required motions to the folding knife t, which latter by its weight keeps the lever to
up to the cam t³.
The pusher m used in connection with the two-fold machine is made in two parts
capable of sliding on dovetail guides m" fixed to the back m18, which latter is
provided with two pinions m acting in combination with racks m on the sliding
parts, thereby enabling the pusher to be adjusted in width as may be required. The
pusher
m used with the three-fold machine is similarly made and adjustable in width
but on one side only.
We have not thought it necessary to give further drawings or description of the
three-fold folding machine as the construction and operation of such machine will
be clearly understood from the drawings and description of the two-fold machine
combined with the drawings and description of the complementary parts of the three
fold machine.
By the above described arrangements of folding machines, the paper, from its
first fold to its deposit in the collecting trough, is kept in vertical planes except at
the moment of passing between the third pair of folding rollers, and it is delivered
direct from the last folding rollers of either a two-fold or three-fold machine into
the collecting trough knocked-up to an even edge.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In a folding machine, the combination with suitable folding means, of an

page_text: inclined bank, bench or table to carry the pile of paper and a still further inclined
folding table, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose
stated.
2. In a folding machine, the combination with an inclined table, bench or bank
for the pile of paper, of a still further inclined folding table, a first folding knife
and rollers arranged parallel with the top and front edge of the folding table, a
second folding knife and rollers arranged at right angles to the folding table and,
in a three-fold machine, a third folding knife and rollers arranged at right angles
to the second, and guide rollers and guiding tapes for conducting the folded paper
from one set of folding rollers into position to be acted upon by another folding
knife and rollers, substantially as herein shown and described.
3. In a folding machine, the combination of an inclined table, bench or bank, a
still further inclined folding table, folding knives and rollers in planes parallel with
the top and front edge of, and at right angles to, the folding table, and a packer
consisting of a trough, a pusher, and adjustable stops past which the folded paper
can be pushed, but which will prevent the return of the paper in the reverse
direction, substantially as herein shown and described.
4. In folding machines, the peculiar arrangements and combinations of parts,
substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
By Harris & Mills,
L. U. GILL,
A. BRADLEY,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.