IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING PAPER BOXES AND SIMILAR ÅRTICLES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Seth. Wheeler and Edgar Jerome, both of
Albany, in the State of New York, United States of America, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING PAPER
BOXES AND SIMILAR ÅRTICLES.”
Scaled the 22nd July 1873, and dated the 7th May 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Soth Wheeler and
Edgar Jerome at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 7th May 1873.
We, SETH WHEELER and EDGAR JEROME; both of Albany, in the
State of New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING
PAPER BOXES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
. In our improved mode of making boxes and similar articles out of
paper the machinery performs the operations successively.
In the first machine the pulp is introduced within a mould, and flows
upon a hollow perforated form, and the water is drawn off so that the

page_text: paper is deposited upon such form, the supply of pulp is stopped, and
the mould closed to press the pulp to the form; the mould is opened,
the form and its paper coating are withdrawn, another form takes its
place, and the operations are repeated. The forms and paper coatings
forming the boxes are delivered upon an endless belt, and conveyed into ||
the second machine having a drying chamber, within which are shelves
suspended upon endless vertical chains over pulleys, and mechanism is
provided to move the parts periodically, so that the forms and their
boxes are drawn off the conveying belt upon the shelf that is presented;
then that shelf is moved up within the drying chamber, and another
shelf brought to position by the time the conveyer has brought in a
sufficient number of boxes to fill said shelf. These suspended shelves
are moved by the endless chains up one side of the heated chamber and
down the other, and when the shelf arrives near the conveying chain
the boxes are delivered therefrom by pushing them off; the mechanism
for performing these movements is automatic. The perforated forms aro
now removed from within the boxes; these forms are made so that they
can be contracted for removal. The boxes now pass to the third
In this the boxes are
machine, which is for calendering the box.
placed, preferably by hand, upon moulds that are brought round in
succession, and the paper boxes are subjected to a gradual com-
pressing operation for hardening the same, and producing a smooth
surface.
The box may receive a coating of sizing material at the time of or
previous to the calendering operation. The box is now a complete mer-
chantable article, but a fourth and last machine may be used for finishing
It consists in a form or
such boxes by applying a surface to the same.
series of forms moved round progressively and revolved while in contact
with a rotary brush that is moistened with white or coloured sizing,
thereby giving a smooth and handsome surface. The box may be dried
while upon the forms.
The cover of the box is made in the same way as aforesaid, but of a
larger size to set upon the bottom part.
Ornamental paper may be used upon the surface of the box, and
cover made as 'aforesaid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Seth Wheeler and Edgar Jerome in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 6th November 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, SETH
WHEELER and EDGAR JEROME, both of Albany, in the State of New
York, United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Seth Wheeler and Edgar Jerome,
Her special licence that we, the said Seth Wheeler and Edgar
Jerome, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Seth Wheeler and Edgar Jerome, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING PAPER BOXES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Seth Wheeler and Edgar
Jorome, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should parti-
cularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Lotters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Seth Wheeler and Edgar
Jerome, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being made
to the Drawings hereto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):—

page_text: In the first machine the pulp is introduced within a mould and flows
upon a hollow perforated form, and the water is drawn off so that the
paper is deposited upon such form, the supply of pulp is stopped, and
the mould closed to press the pulp to the form; the mould is opened,
the form and its paper coating are withdrawn, another form takes its
place, and the operations are repeated. The forms and paper coatings
forming the boxes are delivered upon an endless belt, and conveyed into
the second machine having a drying chamber, within which are shelves
suspended upon endless vertical chains over pulleys, and mechanism is
provided to move the parts periodically, so that the forms and their
boxes are drawn off the conveying belt upon the shelf that is presented;
then that shelf is moved up within the drying chamber, and another
shelf brought to position by the time the conveyor has brought in a
sufficient number of boxes to fill said shelf. These suspended shelves
are moved by the endless chains up one side of the heated chamber and
down the other, and when the shelf arrives near the conveying chain
the boxes are delivered therefrom by pushing them off; the mechanism
for performing these movements is automatic. The perforated forms are
now removed from within the boxes; these forms are made so that they
can be contracted for removal. The boxes now pass to the third machine,
which is for calendering the box. In this the boxes are placed, pre-
ferably by hand, upon moulds that are brought around in succession,
and the paper boxes are subjected to a gradual compressing operation
for hardening the same, and producing a smooth surface.
The box may receive a coating of sizing material at the time of or
previous to the calendering operation. The box is now a complete
merchantable article, but a fourth and last machine may be used for
finishing such boxes by applying a surface to the same. It consists in
a form or series of forms moved around progressively, and revolved
while in contact with a rotary brush that is moistened with white or
colored sizing, thereby giving a smooth and handsome surface. The
box may be dried while upon the forms.
The cover of the box is made in the same way as aforesaid, but of a
larger size to set upon the bottom part.
Ornamental paper may be used upon the surface of the box, and
cover made as aforesaid.
The first machine, which is properly the box former, is represented by

page_text: of the same.
Fig. 3 is a plan and section of the perforated box form, and Fig. 4 is a
plan and section of the box cover.
Fig. 5 is a plan of the compresser open, and Fig. 6 is a similar view
closed.
Fig. 7 shows the means for revolving the form carrier; Fig. 8 is a
section in larger size of the form carrier, and a detached view of the
carrier for the cover form; Fig. 9 is an end view of one of these form
carriers.
Figs. 10 and 11 are separate views of the sectional gearing for giving
motion to parts periodically. The perforated forms a are made of the
proper size and shape for the box, box lid, or other article; they are
preferably of sheet metal with numerous small holes. The rim is made
as an open band, as seen in Figs. 3 & 4, with a slight flange 1 turned
upon one edge, and the bottom has a prong 2. The form carrier b is
perforated and channeled in its surface. The rim is placed around this,
and then the bottom is applied, and the prong 2, entering a hole in the
form carrier, holds the parts in place. The form carrier is hollow, and
two, three, or more are mounted on a shaft 6. Four of these form
carriers are shown. The shaft 6' is a tube connected by a flexible hose
with the pump & that is operated either continuously or periodically,
and draws away the water from the paper pulp that is allowed to flow
upon the form, as hereafter stated, and this tubular shaft 6' has an
opening in one side, so that the form carrier and form that are receiving
the pulp only are connected to the pump. This form carrier is turned
around progressively by a crank arm c, connecting rod c², and pawl
acting upon a ratchet wheel having as many teeth as there are forms;
thereby the forms are brought around successively to place for receiving
the pulp, and the same operation discharges the form upon which the
pulp has been previously run and pressed into a box. This discharge is
effected by the cams 3 that are stationary, and act upon pins in a ring 4
that slide longitudinally upon the form carrier, and presses the form and
box off the carrier when the same arrives at the point of delivery. The
paper pulp mixed in water as usual is supplied by the trunk ď¹ that
surrounds the follower d³, and is above the contractile mould e. The
follower & has a frame 13 connected with it, and upon said frame 13 is

page_text: a tripping lever 5. A spring latch 6 is connected with the reciprocating
head f, and when the head f descends the latch 6 catches a block
attached to the pivot of the tripping lever 5, and lifts it and the
frame 13 and follower & sufficiently to open the mouth of the trunk ď,
and allow the paper pulp to flow in upon the mould. A screw 7 upon
the frame of the machine arrests one end of the lever 5, and trips it so as
to disconnect the latch, and only allow the follower d to be lifted the.
distance required for properly opening the mouth of the trunk, and
thus the supply of pulp will be regulated. The head fis reciprocated by
the crank s of the shaft f¹, and this shaft is revolved once during half the
revolution of the shaft f by the sectional gearing shown in Fig. 10.
This head by the rods 9 raises the form and form carriers bodily, the
carriage 10 of the same sliding against the main frame of the machine,
and the parts are so timed that the form is brought up, then the
follower d² is raised, and the mouth of the pulp trunk opened in the
last portion of its movement; then the form and form carrier stand still
while the follower d³ is pressed down by the cam 12 acting on the
roller to shut off the flow of pulp, and consolidate the same upon the
flat portion of the form simultaneously with the contraction of the
mould e around such form to compress the pulp thereon.
""
This contraction of the mould is effected as follows:-The mould e is
made of sections that can be opened or closed, and these are shaped
according to the article to be pressed. Six of these sections are shown;
they are made with tongues 11 on one section passing into openings in
the next section, so that when the mould is contracted upon the article
the tongues will be further along in the slots, and when distended to
receive the pulp the tongues will still remain in the slots to keep the
mould water-tight. The movement may be given to these sections by
suitable mechanism, but it is preferable to mount the mould sections in
guides upon a ring plate, and employ the toggle links g¹ to the
ring 9 that is supported by projections from the frame, and to
which ring a partial rotary movement is given in one direction to open
the mould sections, and in the other direction to compress them
together. The segmental gear 14 operates upon a segmental gear 15
upon the shaft 16, and this has a pinion 17 gearing into the teeth 18
upon the ring 9³, and by this mechanism the shaft 16 turns the ring g² to
compress the periphery of the box, while the shaft f¹ and form stand still.
The further movement of the shaft 16 brings a roller 19 into contact

page_text: with a cam 20 on the shaft 16 to turn the same and the ring 9³ the
other way, and open the mould just before the form and form carrier
descend, and are partially revolved upon the axis 6'; a box and form
delivered, another form brought around to position and then raised, and
the operations described are repeated.
The forms and boxes, as delivered, drop upon an endless belt, or are
placed thereon by hand, and conveyed to the dryer, forming the second
part of the mechanism.
Fig. 12 is a side view of the dryer with the case partially opened to
show the interior construction, and Fig. 13 is an elevation of the lower
portion of the case. The endless chain of slats h is upon pulleys h¹ (only
one of these chains is shown, the other is near the box-forming machine).
The upper belt runs over a stationary bar 21, so as to be kept level, and
upon this the boxes are placed and conveyed into the dryer case that is
made of a suitable frame k with sheet-metal enclosing plates k² with ven-
tilating openings 22 near the top. The sheet metal is partially removed
in these Figs. 12 and 13. The heat is from steam pipes or other
suitable appliances. The chain drums 1, 1, are upon shafts 23, 24, and
upon the chains m are projecting brackets i, to which shelves u are
hung so that the shelves will remain level as carried by the chain up
one side and down the other. Upon the shaft 24 is a gear wheel m³,
and this is driven by a pinion on the shaft n¹. n, is an internal
ratchet wheel upon the shaft n', and this is moved progressively by a
lever 26, pawl 27, and link 28. This link or connecting rod is recipro-
cated, preferably six times to each complete movement of the box-
forming machine, so that the chain m is moved slightly, and the belt h
is drawn along by the pulley being turned by bevel gearing con-
necting between the shaft n' and the shaft of such pulley h³, thereby
boxes are brought by the belt into the dryer as fast as they are
required to fill the shelves " that come around successively into
position.-
The automatic device for drawing the boxes off the belt h upon one
of the shelves u, and delivering the dried boxes upon the table 30, con-
sists of the pusher o and scraper o³. These are connected by rods 39 at
their ends with crank arms 31 upon the rock shaft 32, so that by a
partial rotation of the rock shaft the pusher and scraper will be moved
in opposite directions. This is done once in each revolution of the

page_text: h
ratchet wheel n³, and the other parts are timed accordingly. Upon the
end of the shaft 32 is a crank p, and upon this is a lever p¹ with a
pin 33 at one end and a latch 34 at the other end, and there is a
notch 36 in the edge of the wheel n². When this notch 36 allows the
pin 33 and lever to fall the latch 34 is thrown into the path of the joint
pin at the end of the lever 28, and it is carried down with the same,
giving to the crank p and shaft 82 a partial rotation, delivering the dried
boxes from one of the shelves u by the pusher o, and drawing in boxes
from the belt / upon the shelf that is in line therewith, so that they are
in position to be carried up and dried. As the link 28 and lever p³ riso
a counterweight or spring turns the shaft 32 back to the normal position,
but the pin 33 cannot pass into the notch 86, because the wheel n³ is
turned as the lever 26 rises. The weight w, attached to an arm that is
pivoted on the frame of the machine, has a block which bears on the
periphery of the wheel n³ for producing sufficient friction to give a more
regular movement to said wheel. By this machine the boxes are dried,
and the form is then to be removed from each by hand. This is easily done
by contracting the rim of perforated metal sufficiently to detach it from
the inside of the box, and then removing the perforated bottom by taking
hold of the projecting spike 2. The rim may be split as shown, or if of
thin spring metal, may be bent inwards at one side, and thus detached.
-
is made as shown in
The forms t are of
that are supported
The third machine is for calendering the box; it
side elevation in Fig. 14, and in end view, Fig. 15.
a size to fit the box; they are at the ends of shafts
in heads 41 upon the main shaft ut. Power is applied to the shaft u,
and by the gears 42 & 43. The main shaft u is kept in constant
motion; the forms are also kept in constant motion by the gear
wheels 45 that connect with a central gear on the shaft u*. A latch v¹
upon a shaft in the normal position holds the heads 41 from turning
by engaging one of the blocks 46. This shaft v has an arm w¹ that is
operated by the cam 47 that receives motion from the wheel w³, and a
pinion on the shaft u³. Upon one of the shafts & there is a pinion 49
that gears into the wheel 50 that is loose upon the shaft ut, and has
arms 51 projecting at opposite sides, and upon the shaft there is a
latch 52. When the cam 47 lifts the arm w³, and disengages the
latch v², the arm 51 is caught by the latch 52, and the wheel 50 held so
that the head 41 receives a quarter rotation by the pinion 49 rolling
over the teeth of this wheel 50 while stationary. The arm w¹ drops off
v

page_text: the end of the cam 47 to allow the latch v¹ to catch the block 46 as the
heads 41 complete the quarter rotation. The end conical presser y is on
a shaft in a screw bearing, so that a partial rotation of the screw by the
gear y¹ will draw back the presser y from the box, and as the gears
separate the weight will revolve the screw bearing, and gradually press
the cone y against the end of the box that is being calendered, and tho
calender roller z is in a frame ¹ that is revolved by the gearing 71, 72,
73, and the frame ¹ is raised and lowered by the screws 2³, bevel
gears 60, shaft 61, and sectional gearing 62. The position of these
parts and the timing of them is such that as the box to be calendered
comes around into position the sectional gears 62 separate, and the
calender roller z is pressed gradually upon the paper box by the weight
turning the screw 2³, so as to smooth and consolidate the box. Then as
the sectional gears operate the screws 2³ the calendar roller z is lowered
sufficiently to relieve the pressure, and the head 41 is revolved to bring
another box into position, and the operations are repeated.
2
The angle of the box may be smoothed by contact with a roller 65,
shown in larger size in Fig. 16, that the form runs in contact with
previous to reaching the calendering roller.
If desired the box may be sized as it is calendered by applying suitable
sizing to the same either by a brush or by the calender roller.
A presser plate is bolted to the frame of the machine, as shown in
Figs. 16 and 17, and is used to retain the boxes in place while being
operated upon by the roller 65 and conical presser y.
What we claim as our Invention, and desiro to secure by Letters
Patent is,―
First. The perforated form from which the water is drawn, in com-
bination with the mould that is contracted to consolidate the pulp.
Second. The plunger d³ that serves to open and close the pulp supply
mouth, in combination with the perforated form, contractile mould, and
the automatic mechanism for operating the parts.
Third. The drying mechanism, consisting of shelves moved pro-
gressively in a heated chamber, and the devices for drawing in the boxes,
and delivering the same, onerated automatically.

page_text: Fourth. The mechanism for calendering the boxes, consisting of
revolving forms brought around successively to the rollers that are
moved gradually to press the paper upon the form, as set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Seth Wheeler and Edgar Jerome,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eighteenth day of 5
September. A.D. 1873.
Witnesses,
PETER ULESICK.
E. T. MARTIN.
SETH WHEELER. (L.S.)
EDGAR JEROME. (L.S.)