IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR FOLDING AND HOT PRessing or Irox
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Morris Steinbock, a Citizen of the United States, and
residing in New York City, New York, Manufacturer, for an Invention of
“IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR FOLDING AND HOT PRessing or Iroxixa
LETTERS PATENT to Morris Steinbock, a Citizen of the United States, and
residing in New York City, New York, Manufacturer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR FOLDING AND HOT PRESSING on TroxivⱭ
33
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Morris Steinbock at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th January 1882.
MORRIS STEINBOCK, a Citizen of the United States, and residing in New York
City, New York, Manufacturer. IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR FOLDING
AND HOT PRESSING OR IRONING NECKTIES"
This Invention has for its object to receive the strip of material from which tho
necktie is to be made and fold over its edges inwardly, then to fold the strip
lengthwise either in its longitudinal axis or at one side of the same as desired,
then to hot-press or iron it when thus folded, and then to deliver it finished
The machine consists in general of a substantial fraine upon which are mounted
the adjustable heating or pressing irons, the folding belts which pass between the
heating irons along with the folded necktie, the folders, the vertical and horizontal
rollers over which the belts pass, and the feeding plate which bears the sizing
plate and edge-folding gauges.
I may employ four endless folding belts, two above and two below, and I prefer
this arrangement, but in some cases the upper belts might be omitted as will be
hereinafter described. I will describe the machine as provided with four belts.
In the center of the machine I mount two heaters or heating-irons, one of
which may be considered as fixed and the other arranged to be adjusted laterally
and elastically up to and away from the fixed heater. These heaters are long and
the belts and folded tie are borne along between their vertical faces. They are
hollow underneath and are heated by gas-jets from a pipe arranged below them.
They are upheld elastically by springs, and may be depressed by a cam or other
means so as to free them from the belts when the inachine is not in use. Thus
prevents the heat from injuring the belts while stationary.
At the rear end of the machine are mounted two belt-pulleys on vertical axes

page_text: and geared together by toothed wheels. One of these is in fixed bearings and is
the driver, it being driven by hand, treadle, or steam power, as desired. The
other is slightly adjustablo and is pressed up to the first elastically. The four
endless belts pass around these pulleys, the upper belts riding over the lower
belts and each pulley bearing one upper and one lower belt. At the front end of
the machine are mounted, first, a horizontal roller in fixed bearings for the lower
belts with a bearing roller under it arranged to press upward elastically against
the lower belts on the roller; second, a roller for the upper belts mounted elastically
in a frame over the roller for the lower belts, with a bearing roller arranged to rest
on the said upper roller by its own weight and press upon the upper belts. The
belts, two on each side, make a quarter turn or twist in passing from the rear
vertical pulleys to the front horizontal rollers, and the inner, or working sides of
the belts pass or move back from front to rear between the heating-irons. Back
of the horizontal rollers is arranged what I call a middle folder, made from sheet-
metal and fixed to the machine frame. This folder is horizontal and flat at its
front end where the necktic enters, and it inclines downward and backward
and its rear corners are turned up at each side until they leave a narrow vertical
slit arranged opposite to the opening between the heating irons. Within this
folder is arranged a piece of the same shape but a little smaller so as to leave room
for the belts and the necktie to pass between them. This upper interior piece is
mounted elastically so as to yield slightly to undue pressure.
In front of the horizontal belt-rollers, at the front end of the machine, is mounted
a feeding plate or bed which has a delicate lateral adjustment on the main frame
so as to regulate the main longitudinal fold of the necktic and place it in the axis
of the strip, or not as desired. On this bed or plate are mounted first, a size plate
which regulates the width of the tie. This plate is suspended from above and is
adjustable vertically. For ties of different widths different sized plates are used.
This plate is raised above the feeding bed just high enough to permit the strip of
material for the tie to pass under it. Second, the folders or gauges for the edges of
the tie, whereby the narrow edge folds are formed on the strip before it receives
the main fold. These folders are made adjustable in diagonally arranged slots and
bearings so as to suit them to size plates of different widths, and they have curved
edges adjacent to the size plate whereby the edges of the strip are turned upward,
inward and down upon the said plate as the strip passes into the machine.
The operation of the machine so far as described is as follows. The heating-
irons having being properly heated and the machine set in motion, the said irons
(which have been depressed to prevent their injuring the belts,) are raised. The
upper belts come forward over the upper horizontal roller, pass around and under
it and back over a bearing roller and through the middle folder thence between
the heating-irons to the vertical pulleys, around these and forward again. Tho
lower belts pass forward under the lower horizontal roller up over it, back
over the said bearing roller, through the middle folder, between the heating-
irons to the vertical pulleys, around these, and forward again. In passing back
from the horizontal rollers to the vertical rollers and through the folders and
heating-irons the upper and lower belts on each side are in contact, one overriding
the other, and in their passage between the irons the two upper belts are embraced
between the two lower belts.
The material or strip from which the necktie is to be made is cut bias, and this
leaves a corner or angle at the end. The operator folds this corner over half way
so as to give the strip a diamond point and inserts this point under the size plate
until it is nipped between the upper and lower horizontal rollers bearing the belts
These rollers immediately draw it in and the folding gauges on the feeding bed
turn its edges over on the size plate as it is borne along. As it passes on through
the rollers it is clasped on each side of its center between an upper and lower belt
and borne through the middle folder where the belts gradually turn from a hori-
zontal to a vertical position and fold the strip in the middle. The two upper belts
are now between the folds of the necktie and the two lower belts on the outside of

page_text: the tie, the upper belts and tie being clasped between them. In passing between the
heaters or irons the necktie is pressed and ironed.
As the two upper belts diverge after reaching the vertical pulleys it is necessary
to remove the tie from the belts before it reaches the said pulleys. To do this I fix
a thin vertical plate to rest between the two upper belts, and arrange this nt a
point between the rear end of the heating irons and the said vertical pulleys. Tho
lower edge of this fixed blade is inclined, so that as the tie is borne along, the said
blade will gradually press it down and out from between the belts and allow it to
drop into a receiving trough or chute in a completed state.
By adjusting the feeding bed laterally on its guides, by a screw or otherwise, the
main fold of the tie may be thrown to either side of the longitudinal axis of
the strip.
The idle sides of the belts, in returning to the front pass over suitable curved
shields of thin metal which prevent them from coming in contact with the heating-
irons. Adjustable bearing rolls may also be provided to take up the slack or stretch
of the belts.
Instead of making the inner faces of the heating irons straight or plane they
may be made sinuous or wave-like in plan so as the better to press or smooth the
tie in its passage between them.
As before suggested I might omit the upper belts and rely upon the lower belts
to do the folding. In such an event the thin inclined blade for removing the
finished tie would not be required, and the vertical pulleys might both rotate in
fixed bearings so as to stand a little a part and not crush the tio too much as it
passed out, but it would probably be necessary to provide cach pulley with a pressure
roll to act upon the belt and keep it strained on the pulley.
I prefer to employ four belts as described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Morris Steinbock in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st July
1882.
MORRIS STEINBOCK, a Citizen of the United States, and residing in New York
City, New York, Manufacturer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR FOLDING AND
HOT-PRESSING OR IRONING NECK-TIES."
My Invention is adapted for receiving the strip of material from which a
necktie is to be made, fold over its edges, fold it longitudinally at or near the
middle, and then hot-press or iron it. This is accomplished automatically and
continuously, the strip entering at one end of the machine is delivered finished at
the other end.
In the Drawings which serve to illustrate my Invention, Figure 1 is a plan of
the machine with the carrying-belts and their shields removed in order to show
the mechanism below. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine as shown in
Figure 1. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the carrying-
belts. Figure 4 is a front view of the machine, showing the feed-plate and
mechanism at the left in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 5 is a cross-section on line 5-5
in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a front view of the horizontal belt-rollers. Figures 7
and 8 are sections on the line 7-S in Figure 1, the former showing the heating-
irons raised and in their normal position, and the latter showing them lowered so
as to free them from the belts when the machine is at rest. Figure 9 is a plan
view showing the belt-shields in position. Figure 10 is a vertical section on the
line 10-10 in Figure 9. Figure 11 is a cross-section on the line 11--11 in
Figure 10. Figure 12 is a plan of the middle-folder and Figure 13 is a vertical
section of the saine on the line 13-13 in Figure 12. Figure 14 shows the strip
of material from which the necktie is to be made, Figure 15 shows the same in
section with its edges turned over and Figure 16 shows the same in section with
the middle longitudinal fold formed therein. Figure 17 is a plan view of the
heating-irons showing a modification wherein the adjacent faces are wavy or
undulating in lieu of straight.
Figures 18 and 19 are respectively a side elevation and plan of a modification of
the machine shown in Figures 1 to 13. In this modification only one set of
carrying-belts is employed.
My machine may be built of any size, and may vary somewhat in proportions.
I will say, however, that Figures 14, 15, and 16 show a necktie of the usual size.
Figures 1 to 13 and Figure 17 are drawn to a scale of one-tenth the full size.
Figures 18 and 19 are drawn to a scale of one-fifteenth the full size.
I will now describe the machine with reference to the first sixteen Figures of
the Drawings. A is the main frame upon and in which the operative mechanism
is mounted. This frame may be supported on legs or in any convenient way. In
the frame near its front end is rotatively mounted a horizontal belt-roller a over
which passes two endless belts bb arranged side by side and extending back to
the rear of the machine where they pass each around one of two vertically
arranged rollers c c³, mounted rotatively in the main frame. In a frame dis
mounted an upper horizontal belt-roller c. The frame d has perforated lugs f
through which pass standards gg fixed on the main frame. Below the lugs on
said standards are arranged spiral springs, and above said lugs spiral
springs. A nut on the top of the standard serves to regulate the strength
of the springs. This construction gives the upper roller a yielding and elastic
pressure on the roller u. Over this upper roller e pass the two endless upper

page_text: belts ii which are arranged side by side and extend back to the vertical rollers c c³,
around which they pass riding over the lower belts bon said rollers. These
endless carrying-belts are somewhat slack, and to keep their inner or working
sides strained a roller a', upheld elastically as shewn in Figure 6, is made to exert
a yielding pressure from below on the belts bas they pass over the rollers a and
a roller c is mounted in the frame d over the roller e and presses on the belts i
as they pass over the said roller c. The pressure roller e may be held down by
its own weight or by a spring. One of the vertical rollers, namely c', is mounted in
sliding blocks and is pressed up toward the other roller c by means of springs
and the tension of said springs is adjusted by means of thumb screws . The other
roller, nainely c, is mounted rotatively in fixed bearings and on the upper
ends of the roller axles are fixed cog-wheels m m which intermesh and
serve to compel the two rollers to revolve in unison. The roller c is the driver,
and it may be driven by power or by hand through the medium of any
kind of mechanism but I usually employ that shown which I will now describe.
On the lower end of the prolonged axle or shaft of the pulley c is fixed a bevel-
wheel n, and on a cross shaft o is mounted a bevel pinion which meshes with
the wheel n. On the shaft o is also mounted a pulley p to receive the driving
belt. When the pulley c is driven the endless belts are caused to move, their inner
or working sides moving continuously from the front to the rear of the machine,
and as they pass from horizontal to vertical pulleys they must make a quarter turn
or twist turning from a horizontal to a vertical plane. To effect this twist evenly
and at the proper point I arrange the working sides of the belts to pass through
what I denominate the middle-folder, which is illustrated in its proper position in
Figure 1, and detached in Figures 12 and 13. The lower, hollow portion g of the
folder is mounted fixedly in the frame A and is preferably made from a rectangular
sheet of metal. The edge of this sheet toward the front of the machine is arranged
horizontally and pitches or inclines downward from thence toward the back and
the rearward turned up gradually to a vertical position so as to leave a narrow
vertical slit through which the belts pass out in moving to the rear.
The upper
portion of the folder may be solid. This portion corresponds in form with the
hollow in the lower portion but is a little smaller so as to leave room for the belts
and necktie to pass between them. This upper portion is mounted so as to have
a little elastic vertical play which is effected as follows. The part j is attached
to the frame d by means of an elastic metal plate b. A rod r is fixed in a cross-
piece on the main frame, and its lower extremity plays in a socket in the part j
to serve as a guide. A perforated bracket or lug 8 on the part j engages the rod
and below and above said lug are arranged springs t, t. The strength of these
A roller is arranged
springs may be regulated by a nut on the top of the rod r.
under the plate for the belts to pass over as they enter the folder.
The feed-plate or bed B is mounted on the inain frame at the front of the
machine and on it are adjustably mounted in oblique guides the edge folders v, v.
These serve to fold over the edges of the strip, as shewn in Figure 15. Mounted
adjustably and removably in a fixed standard on the plate B is the size-plate w.
This plate is lifted a little to let the strip pass under, and it serves to gauge the
width of the tie the folders turning the edges of the strip down upon it.
Several size-plates of different widths may be employed in making ties of different
widths.
into
Having described the folding mechanism I will now describe the ironing or
hot-pressing mechanism. After the tie is folded it passes through the slit
the presser. This consists of two irons C C' made hollow as at x on their under-
sides and having vertical adjacent faces between which the belts pass. The
heating irons are arranged to play up and down as one the mechanism for which
purpose consists of cross-bars yy which support the irons, and vertical rods ==
which are fixed in said cross-bars and play in on the main frame.
On the rod are arranged spiral springs f₁ which take under set-collars
on the rods and serve to keep the irons C C₁ elastically supported. Any

page_text: suitable mechanism may be used to depress the irons but I prefer to employ
a cam D provided with a crank E. The iron C is not movable laterally but the
iron C is arranged to press elastically toward the iron C. This is accomplished
by providing the iron C with a lip m which takes under the other iron and
forms a support for the latter. The iron C is mounted on arms g' in the
upturned ends of which are fixed guide-rods, which extend through a plate j'
fixed on the cross-bars y. On the rods are springs which tend to press the
iron Celastically toward the iron C, and is a thumb screw by which the extent
of movements of said iron C¹ is regulated. The lip m¹ serves to close the opening
between the irons and keep the flames from the gas jets from burning the belts.
A pipe o mounted under the irons supplies the gas in jets to heat the latter, and
this may be connected with the main by a flexible pipe in the usual way.
V
Having now described the principal operative features of my machine I will
proceed to describe its operation. As before stated the irons are depressed (see
Figure 8,) while the machine is at rest. They should be raised, as shown in Figure
7 when the four belts ii and b b will be interposed between their faces, the upper
belts being between the lower belts b, and the latter adjacent to the irons. The
machine is now set in motion so that the belts will move in the direction of the
arrows in Figure 3 and the irons heated by lighting the gas-jets under them. The
edge-folders and size-plate w are now properly adjusted and the operator takes
the bias strip of material shown in Figure 14 and folds over the corner p¹ so as to
form a point. This point he inserts under the size-plate until it is nipped between
the belts as they break over the rollers a and c. These rollers draw the strip in
and the folders v turn its edges over on the size-plate. The pairs of belts carry the
strip (cach side of which is embraced betweon an upper and lower belt) through
the middle-folder where the middle longitudinal fold is formed and the tie passes
out through the slit q¹ and between the heating-irons somewhat in the form shewn
in Figure 16. The folded tie is now drawn between the irons to be hot-pressed
each of its sides being embraced between an upper and lower belt which belts
protect it and prevent it from being chafed or rubbed by which it would be
stretched and made glossy. After the tie passes out of the irons it encounters a
thin discharging-blade which is fixed to the frame A and stands vertically
between the two inner belts ii. This blade 7 has a beveled lower face which
engages the finished tie as it is borne along and gradually forces it out from between
the belts into a chute 81, or other convenient receptacle.
To prevent the slack return sides of the belts from contact with the heated irons
I prefer to employ thin curved metal shields F F as best shown in Figures 9, 10
and 11. Suitable guides and supports for the belts as best indicated in Figure 3,
and shown at u' in Figures 1 and 2 may also be employed.
In some cases it is not desirable to fold the necktie strip precisely in the middle.
I provide for folding the strip to one side of the median line as follows: I mount
the bed B which bears the folders and the size-plate won guides on the main
frame A so that it may be adjusted laterally. Referring to Figure 4 v₁₁ represent
two pendent lugs on the bed B and through these lugs passes a shaft w. This
shaft has bearings in the main frame A but the longer portion fits snugly between
the sides of the frame whereby it may be rotated but cannot move endwise. Its
projecting extremity ¹ may be provided with an operating handle y¹. One of the
lugs vis screw threaded and this thread engages a thread on a part of the shaft w¹.
The other lug plays on the smooth part of the shaft. By this means the bed B may
be adjusted laterally so as to set the axis of the size-plate to one side of the axis of
the middle-folder as will be readily understood. In lieu of making the inner faces
of the irons C C¹ straight or plain they may be made wavy or undulating as in
Figure 17.
Figures 18 and 19 illustrate in elevation and plan the operative parts of a
modified form of my machine in which only two belts bb are employed the upper
belts being omitted. In this form of the machine the discharging-blade 2 may bo
omitted as unnecessary and the vertical rollers cc' be both arranged to rotate in

page_text: fixed bearings with their peripheries slightly separated. To keep the belts strained
two rollers (as u¹ u' in Figure 19) may be arranged to press elastically against the
rollers c c'.
I do not limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement of the
mechanism as herein shewn as these might be departed from to some extent
without materially affecting the principles of operation of the machine.
Having now described and fully ascertained the nature of my said Invention I
declare that I claim :
First The employment in a machine for making neckties of endless belts for
carrying the strip from which the tie is to be made through the folding and
pressing mechanism, substantially as set forth.
Second: The employment in a machine for making neckties of two or more endless
carrying belts having a quarter twist and arranged to carry the strip from which
the tie is to be made through the middle folder and the hot-pressing iron,
substantially as set forth.
Third: In a machine for making neckties the edge folders in combination with
the size-plate, substantially as illustrated in Figures 1 and 4.
Fourth In a machine for making neckties, the middle folder constructed
substantially as shown in Figures 12 and 13.
Fifth In a machine for making neckties the arrangement of the hot-pressing
irons substantially as represented in Figures 1, 7 and 8.
:
Sixth In a machine for making neckties the feed-plate bearing the edge-folding
mechanism arranged to be adjusted laterally on the main frame substantially as
represented in Figure 4.
Seventh: In a machine for making neckties the employment of a discharging blade
to force the finished tie out from between the belts as described and shown.
Eighth The combination with the endless belts band i and the rollers a, c, c,
and c', of the pressure rollers a' and c¹ arranged to keep the working sides of the
belts strained as shown in Figure 3.
Ninth The combination with the iron C provided with a lip m¹ of the iron C¹
arranged to be pressed clastically toward the iron C, substantially as represented in
Figure 7.
Tenth: The construction of the hot-pressing irons with wavy or undulating faces
as shown in Figure 17.
Eleventh The construction of a necktic machine with only two carrying belts as
illustrated in Figures 18 and 19.
In witness whereof I the said Morris Steinbock have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Eighteenth day of February in the year of our Lord, 1882.
(ST)
NOONTIS STUDION