Improvements in Folding Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1899-Accepted, 29th July, 1899
Improvements in Folding Machines.
A communication from abroad by C. B. COTTRELL & Soxs Co., a corporation organ-
ized under the laws of the State of New Jersey, and having its principal place
of business at Jersey City, New Jersey, and other places of business at Ston-
ington, Connecticut, and New York City, New York, United States of America.
I, JOHN CORRY FELL, of the Firm of Fell & James, of No. 1, Queen Victoria
Street, in the City of London, Chartered Patent Agent, 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:-
One object of my invention is to provide means for folding or doubling a sheet
into the grasp of a suitable gripper or holding mechanism mounted upon a rota-
ting cylinder or carrier and to maintain the fold in such position, during a part
of the rotation of the cylinder or carrier: as that it will eventually come into align-
ment with the body portions of the folded sheet without any extra crease or bend;
and another object is to provide a construction by which the fold may be made
radially or substantially radially of the folding cylinder and delivered tangen-.
tially or substantially tangentially of said cylinder, whereby the sheet after being
folded once on said cylinder may be released therefrom and be carried or taken
off while its head or folded edge is advancing for final delivery or for delivery
to some other folding or carrying mechanism, in lieu of being removed from said
cylinder by means of a cross-folding mechanism operating at about the middle
of the sheet while on the cylinder, whereby the once-folded sheet is again folded
before it entirely leaves said cylinder, thus causing the halves of the sheet to
move in opposite directions which is objectionable.
Further objects of my invention will appear hereinafter in connection with the
detail description of the mechanism and its mode of operation.
My invention consists in the various features of construction and combinations
of devices hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the
appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a central cross-section of a part of a folding machine embodying
certain features of my invention.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same and showing additional features, the
framework of the machine and part of one of the cams of the knife cylinder being
broken away to more fully show the construction and arrangement of the parts.
Figure 3 is a central horizontal section of the machine with certain parts broken
away to show features of construction and also to condense the view.
Figure 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic detail view of the gripper mechanism
and illustrating some of its movements.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, are diagrams illustrating the relative movements
of the various parts.
Figure 11 is a top plan view of one of the jaws of the gripper mechanism, with
its actuating arm shown in dotted lines.

page_text: Figure 12 is a vertical cross section taken at the line z, z, of Figure 11.
Figure 13 is a similar section taken at the line y, y, of Figure 11.
Figure 14 is an end view of the gripper jaw shown at Figure 11.
Figure 15 is a plan view of another one of the gripping jaws and showing its
actuating arms in dotted lines.
Figure 16 is a vertical cross section taken at the line w, w, of Figure 15.
Figure 17 is a similar cross section taken at the line u, v, of Figure 15.
Figure 18 is a vertical cross section taken at the line u, u, of Figure 15.
Figure 19 is a plan view of the folding blade or knife and its support, with its
actuating arm shown in dotted lines.
Figure 20 is a vertical cross section thereof taken at the line t,t, and
Figure 21 is a similar section taken at the line s, s.
In the various views the same part will be found designated by the same numeral
of reference.
1 is the gripper cylinder mounted upon a shaft 2 suitably supported in the
side frames 3 and rotated in any desired manner. On one side, said cylinder is
formed or provided with a deep arc-shaped or segmental groove 4 extending longi-
tudinally of the cylinder and for its whole length. At each end of the cylinder
in line with said groove is attached, by means of screws 5, a bracket or bearing
plate 6 formed or provided with an arc-shaped or segmental slot 7, which is formed
about the axis X as a center and which axis lies in or coincides with the peripheral
line of the cylinder 1.
At the front side of each bracket or bearing plate 6 is a hole or bearing S
which receives a journal or trunnion 9 extending laterally and horizontally from
an arm 10 which extends obliquely upward. The parallely-arranged arms 10 pro-
ject into the groove 4 in the cylinder and support therein, in eyes or bearings 10
formed at the upper ends of said arms, a cross shaft 11, which at each end extends
out through the slot 7 and past or beyond the side plate 6, for a purpose presently
to be explained.
Between the tubular bearings 10" and joining them so as to form one rigid
structure is a part 12 that constitutes one of the jaws of the fold-gripping mech-
anism. The other jaw 13 of the gripper mechanism is secured upon the shaft 11.
Both jaws 12 and 13 are adapted to swing together about the axis X (or about the
trunnions 9) during the first quarter of the revolution of the cylinder 1, and the
jaw 13 is adapted to swing independently of the jaw 12, for the purpose of clamp-
ing the fold of the sheet and for releasing the same at the proper time, as will
hereinafter be more fully explained.
The gripping jaw 12 comprises a continuous bar of a length suitable for the
width of the sheet to be operated upon, and by preference this bar is made of the
shape shown in cross section at Figure 13; that is to say, with a bevelled top or
head 12, a vertical nose 12b, a horizontal jaw portion 12, and a curved or arc-
shaped back 12; but of course I do not wish to limit myself to this form of con-
struction of gripper jaw.
The independently movable gripper jaw 13 also comprises a longitudinally-
extended bar of suitable length and preferably of the cross-section shown at
Figure 17, which is curved or hook-like and terminates in the horizontal jaw
portion 13 to match and co-operate with the jaw portion 12 of the companion
member. Formed integral with the ends of the curved bar portion of the jaw 13
are the circular eyes or bearings 13 which feed in between the bearings 10° of
the member 12 and which may turn independently of the latter when the shaft 11
is rocked by reason of the curved back portion 12 of the jaw 12; but likewise
the jaw 13 may be otherwise formed or constructed.
One of the trunnions 9 (that furthest from the observer in the drawings, and
which may he designated as the rear trunnion) is elongated as at 9ª and attached
to this portion of the trunnion is an arm 14 that carries an anti-friction roller 15
which engages with a stationary grooved cam 16 supported on the framework
and which controls the movement of the gripper mechanism as a whole, as will

page_text: presently be seen. The crank arm 14 is provided with a lateral extension 17 that
carries a lug 18 which is perforated for the passage of a red 19 that is carried by
a crank arm 20 secured to the shaft 11 at its rear end. Upon the rod 19 is a
coiled spring 21 which bears at one end against the lug 18 and at its opposite
end against adjusting nuts 22 on said rod. Normally the spring is in compression
and hence its action is to force the two arms 14 and 20 apart and therefore to
close the jaws 12 and 13 constituting the grippers.
The shaft 11 is provided at its front end with another crank arm 23 which
carries an anti-friction roller 24 that engages with a stationary face cam 25 at-
tached to the framework, the said crank arm 23 and the said cam 25 being adapted
to rock the shaft 11, for the purpose of swinging the jaw 13 away from the rela-
tively fixed jaw 12 so as to open the grippers.
Referring more particularly to Figure 4, the grippers are shown with relation
to the peripheral line Y of the gripper cylinder as being in such position that
a horizontal line will pass through the axis of motion X of the grippers and
through the axis 2 of the gripper cylinder. Figure 6 also shows this relation
of the parts. It is desirable to maintain the grippers in such horizontal position
until the axis X is in a vertical line passing through the axis 2 of the gripper
cylinder or to about this line. The grippers will then be in such relative position
to the gripper cylinder as is shown by the dotted line Z at Figure 4, or às more
fully shown in Figure 9. The gripper cylinder has during this time made one-
quarter of a revolution about its axis and during this movement the cam 16 has
revolved the gripper mechanism as a whole, through the medium of the crank
arm 14 and its anti-friction roller 15 one-quarter of a revolution about the axis X
of the gripper mechanism which, as before stated, is on the peripheral line of the
gripper cylinder. In other words while the gripper cylinder is making a quarter
of a turn the gripper jaws 12 and 13 are in a closed condition and are indepen-
dently rotated about the axis X, which is permitted by the groove 4 in the grip-
per cylinder, the ends of the shaft I swinging around from the upper to the.
lower ends of the slots 7 in the bearing plates 6. The grippers thus have a sort
of planetary movement around with the cylinder for the first quarter of its revolu-
tion, the relative rotation of each in opposite directions having a negative effect
and the grippers moving through an are of ninety (90°) degrees, but maintaining
always a horizontal position. The purpose of this is to avoid the making of a
second bend or fold in the sheet in the grasp of the grippers, and which would be
the case were the grippers fixed relatively to the cylinder and carried around
immovably thereby. In other words, the construction above described permits a
sheet of paper to be tucked into the nipping jaws or grippers with the crease or
fold at right angles to the path of travel of the sheet, and, as the cylinder rotates,
to be held with the creased or folded part constantly in a horizontal position, so
that when the point of delivery of the sheet is reached the creased portion may
be in line with the body portion of the sheet instead of at an angle thereto, as in
prior constructions and which is very objectionable. The creased or folded portion
of the sheet is preferably at the time of delivery at or approximately at a tangent
to the gripper cylinder, depending upon where the axis X of the gripper jaws is
situated. I prefer to have this axis coincident with the peripheral line of the
cylinder, but it may be offset therefrom without departing from the principle of
my invention.
The folded sheet may be released at or to any desired form or construction of.
delivery mechanism, as for example, a mechanism comprising rolls 26-27 and
carrying tapes 28, which may conduct the once-folded sheet either to a table, box
or other desired receptacle or to another folding mechanism of any desired con-
struction for further folding the sheet or sheets. The gripper cylinder may also be
provided with the usual holding and carrying tapes.
The folded sheet in the grasp of the grippers is released at the delivery mech-
anism, which as shown, is preferably located on the under side of the gripper
cylinder and at a point about one-quarter way around from where the sheet is
1

page_text: taken by the grippers. The releasement of the sheet at the delivery mechanism
is effected by the stationary cam 25 acting on the crank roller 23 through the
anti-friction roller 24. The cam is so shaped as that at the proper time it will
vibrate the arm 23 and cause the shaft 11 to rock against the pressure of the
spring 21 and thus cause the lower or relatively movable swinging jaw 13 to
vibrate away from the relatively stationary holding jaw 12, whereby the folded
sheet may pass off along the tapes 28 at about a tangent to the gripper cylinder,
and in a smooth and even condition without superfluous bends or folds.
The cam 25 does not affect the grippers as a whole; that is to say, it does not
rotate them about their common axis X; it merely forces the relatively movable
part to release the folded sheet. During the time the fold is gripped between
the jaws the cam 25 is inactive, being cut away as shown at 25", thus enabling
the spring to keep the jaws together or closed until the proper time, as until the
roller on the arm 23 has reached the rise 25 of the cam, when the jaw 13 is acted
upon and opened, as before explained.
During the remainder of the rotation of the gripper cylinder the grippers have
to be returned to their normal position relatively to the cylinder, and this is
accomplished by the arm 14 and its stationary cam 16. In other words, the grip-
pers have to be rotated about their common axis X one-quarter of a revolution
in the opposite direction to that previously made and when this quarter of a
revolution has been effected the grippers are maintained in their normal position
until they come around again to the proper position to receive another sheet or
to the position shown at Figure 5. During this time the cam 25 which acts on
the relatively movable gripper 13 merely holds said gripper in its open position
and allows it to follow around with the relatively stationary gripper. The grip-
pers are brought to their normal positions at about the point marked 16, from
which point the grooved cam is made with a dwell or concentric portion 16³, so
that no further effect may be had upon the grippers until the roller 15 on the
arm 14 reaches the point 10 at which time the grippers are ready to receive a
sheet and from which point the grippers commence to revolve together about the
axis X, after the roller on the arm 23 has passed off of the high part 25 of the
cam 25 to cause the jaw 13 to close.
Before describing further the operation of the fold-gripping and carrying mech-
anism, I will now first describe the construction and general operation of the
tucking blade or folding knife and its made of mounting.
29 is a drum or cylinder mounted to turn with a shaft or axle 30 driven in any
suitable way and in unison with the gripper cylinder 1.
On the knife cylinder is formed or provided a longitudinal groove or depres-
sion 31, curved or are-shaped in end view, and at each end of the cylinder is pro-
vided a bearing plate or bracket 32 secured by screws 33 and provided with a hole
to act as a bearing for a trunnion or pintle 34 extending laterally from each end
of a longitudinally-arranged knife support 35, made in the form of a bar and
provided on its under side with a tucking knife 36 adapted to double or fold the
sheet into the bite of the jaws 12 and 13 when open. The pintles 34 are preferably
arranged in the peripheral line of the knife cylinder, and the forward or front
pintle is prolonged and provided with a crank arm 37 which bears a roller 38 that
travels in a grooved cam 39 fixed on the framework of the machine. This cam
is so shaped as to bring the knife or blade 36 to a horizontal or radial position
when the parts are substantially in the positions shown at Figure 5 of the draw-
ings, which is the moment at which the knife is about to force the paper into the
bite of the grippers. The cam 39 is also so shaped as to keep the knife in a hori-
zontal position while it is moving in between the grippers and also while it is
moving out from between them, whereby a more accurate and better fold may be
made and with less liability of the receding knife withdrawing the paper from
between the grippers. The cam is so shaped that after the recession of the knife
as just explained the knife is gradually brought back slightly past a radial position
and to the position which it should occupy to start the fold. (See Figure 5).

page_text: While the roller 38 on the arm 37 is traveling along the depressed part 39"
of the cam 39 the knife support is rocked on its pivots in a direction opposite to
that of the rotation of the cylinder 29, and hence the knife is maintained at this
time in the desired horizontal position and which position continues until the
said roller commences to travel along the gradually rising portion 39b of the cam,
when the said knife then begins to move around to a position slightly past the
radial and to substantially the position shown at Figure 5; but this is not essen-
tial so long as the knife is actuated and controlled in a manner such that it shall
continue to keep a horizontal position while engaging with and disengaging from
the gripping jaws while they are in a horizontal position during the folding or
doubling operation as explained. The grippers are preferably kept in a horizontal
position for about one-quarter of a revolution of their cylinder so as to avoid
bending or creasing the sheet, as before described, while the knife need only be
kept in a horizontal position until it has worked away from or parted company
with the grippers. At about the time or an instant before the parts have arrived
at the positions shown at Figure 5, a sheet of paper 40, has come down between
the cylinders and the knife is about to start to tuck the sheet into the grippers and
make a fold so as to double the sheet. After the knife has tucked the sheet in
between the grippers the arm 23 is released or passes off the high part 25 of the
cam and the spring 21 causes the jaw 13 to snap up against the relatively fixed
jaw or abutment 12 and clamp or hold the doubled portion of the sheet. As the
cylinders continue to revolve the knife will be caused gradually to withdraw from
between the gripper jaws, by reason of the traveling of the roller of the arm 37
on the part 39 of the cami 39, until the knife has completely cleared the grippers,
as shown at Figure 7, and left the doubled sheet in the bite of said grippers, the
sheet being omitted from the diagrammatic views for the sake of clearness. Dur-.
ing all this time, that is, while the grippers and the knife are traveling from the
positions shown at Figure 5 to those shown at Figure 7, the grippers and the
knife or blade are held in horizontal positions. The cam 39 through the roller 38
and arm 37 now gradually returns the knife and its support slightly past a radial
position relatively to the axis of the knife cylinder. But the grippers, as before
explained, continue to remain in a horizontal position and closed by the action
of the spring until they arrive at the position shown at Figure 9. While the
grippers have traveled from the position shown at Figure to that shown at
Figure 9, the cam 25 has had no effect upon the arm 23, the dotted lines in these
figures showing simply the line of travel of the center of the anti-friction roller
on the arm 23. At the point 25b, however, the cam 25 again takes up or acts on
the arm 23 and the relatively movable jaw is forced open against the tension of
the spring 21 and the sheet is released to the delivery mechanism. During the
remainder of the revolution of the gripper cylinder the grippers are rotated about
the axis X in a reverse direction and then are maintained in proper position to
receive another sheet, when they arrive at the position shown at Figure 5, and co-
operate with the tucking knife. At Figure 10 the movable jaw 13 is shown in
full lines as having been opened, and by the dotted lines as being kept open for
the remainder of the revolution of the cylinder. This view also shows that after
the movable jaw 13 has been opened the arm 14 begins to travel on the gradually
rising portion of the cam 16, whereby the grippers as an entirety are caused to
rock about their common axis X and gradually to be turned one-quarter around
in the direction of the revolution of the cylinder, whereby they are caused to re-
gain the motion lost in traveling in a horizontal position for the first quarter of
the revolution of the cylinder, and thus be brought to the proper position relatively
to the said cylinder to again co-operate with the folding knife. At Figure 10
the grippers and their arms are shown in dotted lines in the positions which they
occupy during the completion of the revolution of the cylinder and while the grip-
pers are being turned together about the axis X to bring them again into opera-
tive position to receive another sheet.
The gripper cylinder and the knife cylinder in this instance, but not necessarily,

page_text: have the same diameter and the axis X or the trunnions 9 are preferably in tho
peripheral line of the gripper cylinder, and the axis or pivot 34 of the tucking
knife is preferably in the peripheral line of the knife cylinder. The axes of said
cylinders are preferably in the same horizontal line and their peripheries run tan-
gent to each other. Accordingly while the grippers and the knife are traveling
towards the horizontal line joining the axes of said cylinders they approach each
other and when the said horizontal line is reached the knife blade is within the
mouth of the gripper jaws in a horizontal or radial position and the trunnions 9
and the pintles 34 are coincident on said horizontal line as shown at Figure 6.
As the grippers and the knife pass below said horizontal line their axes 9 and 34
gradually separate and the knife is withdrawn from the grippers, but while both
the knife and the grippers remain in a horizontal position.
Referring to Figure 1, I have illustrated two superposed sheets as having been
delivered vertically to the folding cylinders or carriers and the fold as having been
made. As the cylinders continue to rotate the lower halves of the sheets (whose
middle portions are doubled or folded within the jaws of the nippers) continue
to descend and also to glance towards the rollers 26, while the upper halves
approach the surface of the cylinder above the nipping jaws. Soon, the lower
halves are carried along over the upper portion of the roller 26 while the upper
halves are carried towards said roller, and in consequence the upper and lower
halves of the sheets approach each other and are caused to be laid one on top of
the other or arranged in parallelism at or by the time the upper and lower por-
tions are drawn between the roller 26 and the cylinder 1, during all of which time
the grippers have kept the folded or doubled central portion of the sheets in their
grasp and in a horizontal position; but at or about the time the body portions of
the sheets have been doubled or brought face to face as described, and at which
time the central doubled or folded portion lies substantially in the plane of the
body portions of the folded or doubled halves, the gripping jaws release the sheets
so that they may be taken away from the surface of the carrying cylinder.
It will thus be seen that by keeping the doubled or centrally folded portion of
the sheet or sheets moving successively in parallel planes while the cylinder is
rotating and while in the embrace of the nipping jaws, I am enabled eventually
to bring the doubled or folded edge in the grasp of the grippers and the doubled
or superposed body portions of the sheet in line with each other or in substantially
the same plane without putting a crease or fold line in the body of the paper
between its free edges and the central crease or fold line at the opposite edge of
the paper, and hence the folded sheets may be delivered with that portion which
was in the grasp of the grippers in a flat or horizontal condition and in line sub-
stantially with the body portion or remainder of the sheet, and also while in a
position tangent to the cylinder or practically so.
In the prior constructions the central.doubled or folded portion which was in
the grasp of the grippers received a fold or crease line along the outer edge
of the grippers, and this portion when released stood at substantially a right angle
to the body portion of the sheet, and hence made it difficult to deliver or carry
off the folded product or to pass it along to other folding devices.
While I have designed the present machine so that the grippers will carry
the folded or doubled edge in a substantially horizontal position until the time
of releasement thereof, it will be understood that there may be some slight devia-
tion from an exact horizontal carrying position of this doubled portion without
departing from the spirit of my invention, for while the best results may be
obtained by arranging the mechanism to operate as herein shown and described,
it may be possible to produce satisfactory results by carrying the doubled portion
at a slight angle to the horizontal. And it will also be understood that while
I prefer to carry the said doubled portion from the time that it is left in the grasp
of the grippers until the time that it is released therefrom in successive parallel
planes, nevertheless the said doubled portion while in the mouth of the grippers
may be carried in successive non-parallel planes, while yet in a substantially Lori-

page_text: zontal position at all times or in a position such that there will be no intermediate
crease or fold line formed in the doubled paper and in a position such that at or
about the time of releasement of the doubled portion by the grippers it will be in
or substantially in the line of the body of the folded sheet instead of at a right
or other sharp angle thereto.
When the paper or sheet to be doubled is passed down vertically between the
cylinders the mouth of the gripping jaws and the doubled portion of the sheet.
therebetween in the example shown are carried in horizontal positions until the
opening of the grippers to release the folded sheet, but it will be understood, of
course, that the sheet to be folded may be fed in between the knife and gripper
cylinders, while running in a horizontal direction, in which case the mouth of the
grippers or their clamping faces and the doubled portion of the sheet between
them will stand in vertical positions during the first part of a revolution of the
gripper cylinder and until the grippers are caused to release the folded sheet,
which in this case they would do when the doubled edge and the body of the
sheet are in line in a vertical, plane or in substantially such plane. If the sheet
containing Figure 1. of the drawings be turned one-quarter way around so that
the knife cylinder stands above the gripper cylinder an illustration may then be
had of the last described modification of my improvement: that is to say, in this
case the paper will appear as being fed in horizontally while the mouth of the
grippers and the fold therein are pointing vertically, and by reference to the
diagrams, Figures 5 to 10, if they be held in a position to correspond with that
in which Figure 1 is now turned, it will be seen that this vertical position of the
mouth of the grippers and of the doubled edge therein are maintained until the
cylinder has made about one-quarter of a revolution (preferably a little more) or
until the time the jaws are opened and release the fully doubled or folded sheet
with all parts thereof in substantial alignment.
The gripper mechanism preferably carries the folded portion of the sheet about
one-quarter of a revolution in a direction opposite to the direction of motion of
the cylinder (or backwardly), or until the mouth or opposing faces of the nipping
jaws become tangent or substantially so to the surface of the cylinder. The
said jaws may be carried thus at a tangent to the cylinder for any desired length
of time after the said first quarter of a revolution of the cylinder has been passed,
and the folded sheet or sheets may be delivered at any suitable point while the
jaws are in said tangent position. For instance, the delivery may be effected at
a point diametrically opposite the place where the fold is made, thus carrying
the fold through an arc of one hundred and eighty (180°) degrees, or the fold
may be liberated either before or after this point has been reached. The delivery
of the sheet is always made preferably tangent to the cylinder and the fold is
always best made radially of the cylinder. In the machine shown the fold is made
radially and delivered tangentially, and insofar as the main features of my in-
vention are concerned the fold may be turned to the tangent position during any
desired part of the revolution of the cylinder. It may be turned thus during the
first ten (10°) degrees say of the revolution of said cylinder, but the longer the
time or space occupied in the turning the better because the motion can be made
easier, although the delivery may be effected at some point farther away. Practi-
cally, it is best to turn the fold to the tangent position during about ninety (90°)
degrees of the revolution of the cylinder, paricularly if a cam be employed for
turning the gripper mechanism and the fold.
Any suitable construction or arrangement of guides or analogous devices may
be employed to deflect, control or guide the loose or free ends of the sheets as the
doubled edge is being carried around to the point of releasement or to the delivery
mechanism.
. It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a mechanism by which
a sheet is folded into a cylinder at a suitable angle to the direction of feed or
introduction of said sheet, and a mechanism by which the angle of the fold is
changed as the cylinder rotates and until the fold arrives at a point-suitable for

page_text: the removal of the sheet from the cylinder; and also that I have provided means
for taking the folded sheet at right angles to its path of travel and substantially
radially of the folding cylinder, and means for floating or turning the fold towards
a tangent position during the forward carrying movement of the cylinder.
The sheet to be folded may be a detached sheet fed either by hand or by any
suitable mechanism to the folding cylinder, or it may be a part of a web of paper
proceeding from a suitable printing machine and in which suitable mechanism
is provided for detaching a sheet at the proper time in order that it may be carried
around with the folding cylinder. Therefore in the use of the term "sheet" I
wish to be understood as including any and all known forms of sheet, whether
detached or forming part of a web of paper subsequently to be detached into sheets.
Although I prefer to employ in combination with the gripping jaws of the fold-
ing cylinder the peculiarly operating folding blade hereinbefore described, because
I find that the best results may be obtained therefrom, nevertheless insofar as the
main feature of my invention is concerned I do not wish to be limited unless
otherwise stated to the said folding blade: and insofar as the improvement in
the mode of mounting and operating the folding blade is concerned, it will be
understood that gripping or nipping jaws of other construction and mode, of
operation than those shown on the folding cylinder may be employed in connec-
tion with said folding blade.
Of course it is evident that very many changes in details of construction and
arrangement and means for operating the parts, as well as the shapes or forms
of some of the parts, may be made without departing from the spirit of my
invention.
.
"
The cylinders or carriers may be made full and complete, as shown, or they
may be made as skeleton cylinders or of only segments of cylinders, and hence
in the concluding claims where the terms "cylinders" and "carriers are employed
I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to a full or complete cylinder,
but as including what is above indicated as well as any rotatory devices adapted
to support and carry the grippers and the folding blade.
It will be understood, of course, that two or more sets of grippers may be used
on the folding cylinder, carrier, or device, and that one or more folding blades
may be used on the knife or blade cylinder, carrier or device.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a folding machine, a cylinder provided with a pair of gripping jaws which
carry the fold of the sheet and turn it relatively to the periphery of the cylinder.
2. In a folding machine, a cylinder provided with a pair of gripping jaws which
have a common axis of motion and one of which jaws has a separate axis of motion,
in combination with means for turning said jaws together and turning the mouth
of said jaws from a substantially radial to a substantially tangential position
relatively to the surface of the cylinder and means for opening and closing the
jaw that has a separate axis of motion so as to grip and release the folded edge
of the sheet at the proper times.
3. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder having a pair of grip-
ping jaws mounted to turn together independently of said cylinder, means for
holding said jaws open, means for folding or doubling a sheet in between said
open jaws means for closing said jaws, means for turning said closed jaws in-
dependently of the cylinder and while the cylinder is carrying the folded edge
of the sheet towards the delivery point, and means for opening said jaws at the
desired time to permit the delivery of said sheet.
4. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder, a pair of gripping jaws
carried thereby and mounted for independent movement, means for folding or
doubling a sheet into the bite of said jaws while their mouth stands in a substan-
tially radial position with reference to the axis of the cylinder, means for turning

page_text: said jaws towards a tangential position relatively to the surface of said cylinder
while the said cylinder is carrying the folded sheet towards the delivery point,
and means for opening and closing the said grippers at the proper times.
5. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder, a pair of gripping jaws
mounted thereon and for movement independently of said cylinder, a folding blade
adapted to double or fold the sheet into the bite of said jaws, and means for turn-
ing said jaws with the folded portion of the sheet backwardly, relatively to the
forward movement of the cylinder and during such movement.
6. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder, a pair of gripping jaws
having a common axis of motion on said cylinder, a folding blade adapted to
double or fold a sheet into the bite of said jaws, and means for turning said jaws
about said axis during the forward movement of the cylinder and so as to cause
the folded edge of the sheet to move in a direction towards a tangent to said
cylinder.
7. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder, a pair of gripping jaws
having a vibratory movement together on and independently of said cylinder, a
folding blade adapted to double or fold the sheet into the bite of said jaws at a
suitable angle to the path of movement of the sheet, and means for turning said
jaws so as to maintain constantly substantially the same position of the fold while
it is being carried by the cylinder, whereby as the body portions of the sheet are
brought face to face they come into alignment with the folded portion of the sheet.
8. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder, a pair of gripping jaws
mounted thereon and to vibrate independently thereof, means for doubling or fold-
ing a sheet into the bite of said jaws in a direction substantially radial of the
cylinder, and means for turning said jaws during the advance of the cylinder and
in such manner that the folded portion is turned from the radial position and car-
ried in substantially parallel planes to a position substantially tangential of said
cylinder.
9. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder having a pair of grip-
ping jaws, and a folding blade that tucks or folds a sheet in between said jaws
and in a direction substantially radial of said cylinder, the said jaws being adapted
to turn and carry the folded portion of the sheet from the substantial radial posi-
tion in substantial parallel planes to a position substantially tangential of the
cylinder.
10. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder, a pair of gripping
jaws having a common axis of motion and a folding blade for tucking or folding
a sheet in between said jaws when open and in a direction substantially radial
of said cylinder, means for closing said jaws so as to clamp the folded portion
of the sheet between them, and means for then turning both jaws about their
common axis so as to bring the folded edge of the sheet to a position substantially
tangential of said cylinder.
11. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder, a pair of gripping
jaws having a common axis of motion and one of said jaws having an independent
axis of motion, means for swinging the latter jaw towards and from said com-
panion jaw at the proper times to receive and release the folded portion of the
sheet, a folding blade, and means for turning both gripping jaws about their
common axis of motion.
12. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder, a pair of gripping
jaws adapted both to turn together independently of said cylinder and one jaw
to turn independently of the other jaw, a folding blade, and means for properly
operating said jaws and blade.
13. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder, a pair of gripping
jaws carried thereby and mounted to turn together independently thereof, and a
folding blade mounted in a separate carrier and adapted to turn with and indepen-
dently of said carrier.
14. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder provided with a pair
of independently mounted gripping' jaws, a second cylinder provided with an in;

page_text: dependently mounted folding blade, adapted to tuck or fold a sheet into the bite
of said jaws, and means for turning said jaws and said blade backwardly relatively
to their respective cylinders and in such manner that the mouth of the gripping
jaws and the folding blade travel for a brief time in the same planes and while
the said blade is being retracted from the mouth of the gripping jaws.
15. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder, a pair of gripping
jaws having a common axis thereon, and one of said jaws having an independent
axis of motion, a second cylinder having a pivotally mounted folding blade
adapted to tuck or fold a sheet in between said jaws when open and with
the fold in a substantially radial position, means for swinging the
independently pivoted jaw so as to cause it to close upon the folded portion of the
sheet, means for turning the pair of jaws about their common axis, and means
for turning the folding blade about its pivotal axis so that during the retraction
of said blade it moves in a line parallel with said jaws.
16. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder, a pair of gripping
jaws carried thereby, means for opening and closing said jaws, and for causing
their mouth to turn from a substantially radial to a substantially tangential posi-
tion relatively to said cylinder, a second cylinder, a folding blade, and means for
causing it to fold a sheet into the mouth of said jaws while said mouth is in a
substantially radial position and for turning said blade in a direction towards a
tangent to its cylinder while the said blade is being withdrawn from the mouth
formed by the working faces of said gripping jaws.
17. In a folding machine, a cylinder provided with means for taking on the
folded portion of a sheet in a substantially radial position and for turning said
folded portion only to a substantially tangential position.
18. In a folding machine, a cylinder provided with means for gripping the
folded portion of a sheet in a substantial radial position and for turning said
folded portion only to a substantially tangential position during the rotation of the
cylinder.
19. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding blade mounted upon
a suitable carrier, and a folding cylinder provided with means to receive the
folded portion of the sheet from the said blade in a substantial radial position
and for turning said folded portion only so as to cause it to assume a substantially
tangential position during the rotation of said folding cylinder.
20. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding blade mounted upon a
suitable carrier, fold-gripping means mounted upon a suitable carrier, means for
causing the folding blade to fold a sheet into said gripping means while the latter
and the folding blade are in substantial radial positions, means for turning
the gripping means and folded portion out of the radial position and towards a
tangential position, and means for turning the folding blade out of a radial and
in the direction of a tangential position.
21. In a folding machine, the combination of a pair of cylinders, means for
delivering a sheet between said cylinders and approximately at right angles to
a line joining their axis of motion, a pair of pivotally mounted gripping jaws
carried by one cylinder, a folding blade carried by the other cylinder, and adapted
to double a sheet into the bite of said folding jaws in a direction at right angles
to the delivery of said sheet, and means for maintaining the folded portion at right
angles to the direction of introduction of the sheet as the cylinder advances so as
eventually to bring the folded halves of the sheet together in condition to be
delivered tangentially of the cylinder, and without forming an extra bend or
crease in the sheet.
22. In a folding machine, the combination of a pair of cylinders, means for
feeding a sheet therebetween and in a direction at right angles to a line joining
the axes of said cylinders, a pair of pivoted gripping jaws on one of said cylinders,
a pivoted folding blade on the other of said cylinders and adapted to double a sheet
into the bite of said gripping jaws and in a direction at right angles to the path
of travel of the sheet, means for retracting the said folding blade in a direction

page_text: at right angles to the path of introduction of said sheet, and means for maintain-
ing the folded portion of the sheet constantly at right angles to the direction of
introduction of the sheet until such folded portion has arrived substantially at a
position tangential of said cylinder.
23. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding blade, a folding cylin-
der, a pair of gripping jaws having a common axis of motion which is coincident
with the peripheral line of said cylinder, and means for turning said jaws to-
gether about said axis while the said cylinder advances with the fold in the bite
of said jaws.
24. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding blade, a folding cylinder,
a pair of pivoted jaws having a common axis of motion which is situated on the
peripheral line of said cylinder and one of said jaws having an independent axis of
motion, whereby the jaws may be opened and closed and whereby the jaws may
turn together independently of said cylinder so as to carry the folded portion of
the sheet in substantially the manner herein before described.
25. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder, a pivoted folding
blade having its axis of motion arranged in the peripheral line of its cylinder, a
folding cylinder, a pair of gripping jaws having a common axis of motion arranged
in the peripheral line of said cylinder, and means for turning said folding blade
and the said gripping jaws at the appropriate times and for the purposes substan-
tially as hereinbefore described.
26. In a folding machine, the combination of a cylinder, a pivoted folding
blade having its axis of motion arranged in the peripheral line of the cylinder,
a folding cylinder, a pair of gripping jaws having a common axis of motion on
the peripheral line of said cylinder and one of said jaws having an independent
axis of motion, means for actuating the folding blade, and means for actuating
the gripping jaws.
27. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding blade, a folding cylin-
der, a pair of gripping jaws, an axis about which said jaws may turn together,
a crank arm attached to said axis, a suitably shaped cam adapted to co-act with
said crank arm to turn said jaws together independently of and during the rota-
tion of said cylinder.
28. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding blade, a folding cylin
der, a pair of gripping jaws mounted upon a common axis, one of said jaws having
an independent axis of motion, a crank arm and a cam for causing said grippers
to turn together about their common axis, a crank arm and cam attached to the
axis of the separately pivoted jaw, and a cam for co-operating with said crank arm
to cause said jaw to turn independently of its fellow.
29. In a folding machine, the combination with a folding blade, a folding cylin-
der, a pair of gripping jaws having a common axis of motion, means for turning
said grippers about said axis, a separate axis upon which one of said jaws is
mounted for independent movement, spring mechanism for keeping said jaws
normally together, and means for turning said separately mounted jaw about its
axis of motion and against the tension of said spring mechanism for the purpose
of opening or separating said jaws.
30. The combination of a folding blade, a folding cylinder, a pair of gripping
jaws having a common axis of motion, a crank arm attached to said axis and co-
operating with a suitable cam, a separate axis upon which one of said jaws is
pivotally mounted, a crank arm on said separate axis, spring mechanism acting
normally to cause said crank arms to approach each other and then to keep said
jaws in closed condition, a third crank arm attached to the said separate axis,
and a cam for co-acting therewith to cause an independent vibration of said
separately pivoted jaw and to hold it away from the relatively fixed jaw until
such time as it may be desired to have the spring mechanism restore the said jaws
to their closed condition and to maintain them thus while carrying the folded
portion of the sheet.
31. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding blade, a folding cylin-
"

page_text: der, a gripping jaw having its axis of motion in bearings on said cylinder, a second
gripping jaw having a separate axis of motion mounted in bearings attached to
the first mentioned gripping jaw, and means for turning both jaws together about
the first-mentioned axis of motion and for turning the second mentioned jaw
independently about its own axis.
32. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding blade, a folding cylin-
der, a gripping jaw having an axis mounted in bearings in said cylinder and pro-
vided with eyes or bearings, a second gripping jaw having a shaft or axis mounted
in said eyes or bearings, and means for turning said jaws together and for turn-
ing the second mentioned jaw independently about its own axis.
33. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding blade, a folding cylin-
der, a gripping jaw provided at its ends with journals which are mounted in
bearings in said cylinder, a crank arm attached to one of said journals, a cam
for actuating the same, a second gripping jaw having a shaft or journals mounted
in bearings on the first gripping jaw, a crank arm on one end of the shaft of the
second mentioned gripping jaw, spring mechanism connecting the said two crank
arms and acting to cause both said gripper jaws to remain closed, a crank armi
on the opposite end of said last mentioned shaft, and a cam for acting upon the
same and causing the jaws to open against the tension of the spring mechanism.
34. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding blade, a folding cylin-
der having a longitudinal groove, end plates on said cylinder having journal bear-
ings and curved slots, a gripping jaw 12 having end journals adapted to said
bearings, a crank arm 14 attached to one of said journals, a cam for acting on
said arm, a second gripping jaw 13 having a shaft or axis mounted in bearings
formed on the jaw 12, a crank arm 20 on one end of said shaft or axis, a con-
necting rod extending from said crank arm 20 to an extension of said crank
arm 14, a spring acting on said rod and against an abutment on said extension
and tending to keep the said jaws closed, a crank arm 23 also on said shaft or
axis of the gripper 13, and a cam for co-acting therewith.
35. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding cylinder having a longi-
tudinal groove, end plates provided with journal bearings and curved slots, a
gripping jaw 12 having journals 9, arms 10, bearings 10 and crank 14, and a
gripping jaw 13 having a shaft 11 provided at one end with a crank arm 20 and
at the opposite end with a crank arm 23, the crank arms 14 and 20 being con-
nected together by a spring mechanism, substantially as described, and suitable
cams for co-acting with the crank arms 14 and 23.
eyes
36. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding cylinder having a groove
and end plates, journal bearings and curved slots, the gripping jaw 12 having a
horizontal working face and a curved back and having tubular bearings 10" and
end journals, and a companion gripping jaw 13 comprising a curved body, a hori-
zontal working face, and bearing eyes, a shaft fixed in the said and mounted
to turn in the bearings 10", and means for turning both jaws together about the
journals of the jaw 12 and also for turning the jaw 13 about the shaft or axis 11.
37. In a folding machine, the combination with a folding cylinder, of a pair of
gripping jaws adapted to open and close and mounted to turn together indepen-
dently of the cylinder so as to carry the folded portion of the sheet from a sub-
stantially radial to a substantially tangential position, and means for turning the
said jaws in a reverse direction during the completion of the rotation of the cylin-
der so as to restore said jaws to their normal positions and enable them to receive
the fold of another sheet on their arrival at the place at which the fold is to be
made.
38. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding cylinder, a pair of grip-
ping jaws adapted to move together independently of the cylinder during its rota-
tion and one of said jaws having a capacity for independent movement, means.
for turning the jaws backwardly during the first part of the advancing movement
of the cylinder and means for turning the jaws forwardly after the delivery of

page_text: the folded sheet and thereby causing the said jaws to be restored to normal posi-
tion before the fold-receiving locality is reached.
39. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding cylinder, a pair of grip-
ping jaws adapted to turn together backwardly relatively to the forward motion
of the cylinder during about the first quarter of its revolution and adapted also to
turn together in the reverse direction during the remainder of the revolution of
said cylinder.
40. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding cylinder, a pair of grip-
ping jaws having a common axis of motion on said cylinder and one of said jaws
having a separate axis of motion, means for turning said jaws backwardly during
about the first quarter of a revolution of said cylinder, means for turning said
jaws together about their common axis in a forward direction during the re-
mainder of the revolution of the cylinder, and means for opening and closing said
jaws at the proper times to receive and clamp and carry and release the folded
portion of the sheet.
41. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding cylinder, a pair of grip-
ping jaws, means for turning said jaws together so that their mouth comes sub-
stantially radial of the cylinder at the time the fold is made, means for pro-
gressively turning said jaws so that their mouth comes to a position substantially
tangential to said cylinder, means for then opening said jaws, and means for again
moving said jaws together so that their mouth is progressively restored again to
a position substantially radial of said cylinder.
42. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding cylinder, a pair of grip-
ping jaws, means for turning said jaws together independently of said cylinder
and for opening and closing said jaws whereby the fold may be made in a direc-
tion substantially radial of the cylinder and released in a position substantially
tangential to the cylinder, and a suitable delivery mechanism for taking the
folded edge of the sheet substantially at a tangent to said cylinder.
43. In a folding machine, the combination of a folding cylinder, a pair of grip-
ping jaws adapted to take the fold of a sheet in a substantially radial direction,
means for floating said jaws to a substantially tangential position during the first
part of the revolution of said cylinder, means for opening said jaws and releasing
the folded sheet, means for restoring said jaws to their normal position during
the remainder of the revolution of the cylinder, a folding blade cylinder, a fold-
ing blade mounted therein so as to project substantially radially when crossing
the line joining the axes of said cylinders during the time the fold is being made
means for floating said folding blade out of its radial position during the time
it is being retreated from the folding jaws, and means for restoring said folding
blade to its operating position.
Dated th01 1.
T
1000
FELL & JAMES,
Agents for the Applicant.