Improvements in Paper-folding Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left; 27th June, 1890-Accepted, 2nd Aug., 1890.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Paper-folding Machines.
I, LEWIS MUNRO, of Rossshire Journal Office High Street, Dingwall, North Britain,
Printer and Publisher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in paper folding machines.
Figure 1 of the annexed drawings is a plan, Figure 2 is a side elevation and
Eigure 3 is an end elevation of an arrangement of folding rollers, folding knives,
and other necessary machinery whereby all the folds are given, in consecutive order,
while the paper being folded is travelling over horizontal surfaces approximately
parallel to each other. The paper is carried direct and without intermediary rollers
from folding rollers a a to folding rollers a' a', and from folding rollers a" a" to
folding rollers aa at right angles to the direction of the strokes of the folding
knives.
The folding knives bb, and 61, are arranged in pairs and the knives forming a
pair are carried by arms from an axis so that they approximately balance each other.
The axis has an oscillating movement and is worked by a crank or other suitable
contrivance.
The machine shewn is suitable for folding a four paged newspaper.
a a,
ala, a al and ala, are the folding rollers, between which the paper is
struck by the oscillating knives band, and 6 and 6, their axes are at c c.
d and d are tapes travelling in the direction shown by arrows round their respective
rollers and return pulleys e and e¹. They carry the paper forward through the
successive stages of folding.
A sheet of paper being fed in travels first over the folding rollers a a till it is
stopped by a guage; it next receives the first fold by the descent of the folding
knife 6; then it travels on tape d, till stopped by the guage.
Afterwards it receives
the next fold at the rollers a¹ a², by the descent of the knife 1, and is then carried
down under the roller and passed over the rollers a" a". Here the partly folded
sheet is stopped by a guage under the folding knife ". The working of the
rollers a all and a¹a, and their knives 6" and is similar to that of rollers a a,
and a¹ a³, and their knives and b¹ to which, however, they are set at right angles.
To fold an eight-paged newspaper I combine further machinery with that already
described as shown by Figure IV; all the folds subsequent to the first are given by
the machinery as described above and first fold is given by the machinery now added.
kkk are the feeding boards, which, for convenience, when not in use may be lowered
at at hinges. zzare feeding rollers which receive the paper from the oscillating
feed knife B. This knife it will be observed is not a folding knife; it simply causes
the sheet which has been placed in position by an attendant to descend between the
rollers at the proper time and this it does by pressing the edge of the paper upon
the roller at the moment when it is required that the paper should start forward. The
feed knife B is connected by means of bars n n on an axis at c with the folding
From the
knife, so that feed knife B and folding knife vibrate in unison.
revolving rollers marked 2, the paper is carried by tapes p in the direction shown by
the arrow and on to guide rods or table, where it is stopped by a guage. The
folding knife & then descends on to the folding rollers at a giving the first
fold. The paper is then carried to the right, till stopped by a guage, along endless
tapes r, running round the roller a¹ and pulleys e" and el
The machinery shewn in Figure IV is so placed over that shown in the preceding
figures that the now partially folded paper is in position for receiving the further
SALI

page_text: The sheet can be delivered from the machine after either of the folds by removing
the guages by which the sheet is otherwise stopped. The machine can be fed in
different positions as either of the knives can be used as a feeding knife.
Figure V shows an arrangement, whereby the last four folds may be given on the
same level. This is accomplished by placing roller marked 1 between the preceding
two sets of folding rollers and the last two sets. 3, 3, and 4, 4, are the preceding rollers
corresponding to those marked a, a, and a', a', in Figure 1; and at 2 is seen one of
the rollers of the latter sets; it corresponds to one of the rollers a" in Figure 1. The
roller 1 lifts the tapes carrying the sheet, so as to run the sheet along the top of
rollers marked 2. The sheet is carried from rollers 3 to rollers 4 in the usual way,
and the sheet is projected on to the rack 5, till stopped by gauge 6. The working of
the knives fortunately admit of this, for the knife working over rollers 2 is just rising
as the sheet enters the rack, and before its descent the folding rollers 4 withdraw the
sheet and project it on to the top of tapes 7, where it lies till folded, above the tapes 7,
and under the rack 5 which consists of separate slips of steel, brass, or thin wood with
spaces between. The rack 5 fulfils two functions; the upper side is a table on
which the paper temporarily rests, and the under side acts as a guide. 8 and 9 are
tongues, the latter for the purpose of guiding the sheets on to the rack, and the former
for guiding it under the rack.
The knives are connected and will vibrate with each other; one of the arms of the
one set engaging with one of the arms of the other set; or they may be worked by
separate connecting rods.
The rollers may be driven by bevelled pinion gearing or by belts.
By using racks made of slips of thin wood I dispense with tape work as much as
possible. These racks are used in order to keep the paper down on the tapes, and
from being interfered with by wind. Figure VI shows the rack in two aspects.
10 is the carrying tape, and 11 is the rack placed above it, between which the paper
moves as shown by arrow. Here the rack serves to keep the paper upon the tape.
The other aspect is when the rack receives the paper. 14 is a rack on to which the
end of the sheet is projected, and 15 is the rack under which the sheet is guided. In
Figure the steel slips forming the rack 5 serve as a receiving table on the upper
side, and a guiding rack on the under.
There is another arrangement in Figure VI which has to be described. Usually the
sheet running up tape 10 passes on to table 14, till stopped by a guage, and the knife
afterwards sends it down folded between the underlying rollers; but if it is desired to
send the paper past this folding knife without being folded a curved zinc plate (16)
attached either to the rack or elsewhere, is lowered, and secured in position, and the
front edge of the sheet is then deflected by the curve, and passes down between
the rollers without being folded. This is the arrangement whereby an 8-page folder
is converted into a 4-page.
The curved plate may be applied at either of the folding rollers when it is desired
that the sheet should pass between the rollers without being folded.
A flyer for delivering the paper may also be attached. In Figure VII 19 shows
the flyer, which may be actuated in any of the usual styles.
Figure VIII is a full-size view of feeding-gear. 20 are the feed rollers, 2.1 is an
end view of a U-shaped bar oscillating on an axis 22. 23 are small rollers, fixed in
arins on the oscillating bar. The rollers may be extended the entire length of the
oscillating bar; or instead of rollers, curved strips or pieces of metal or wood may be
used. Or, again, rollers or strips of wood may be dispensed with and the fronts of
the bar itself allowed to fall on feed rollers. The apparatus works as follows:-A
sheet of paper is fed in on to the table 24, against the flat surface presented by the
bar at 25, the bar itself being thus converted into a front lay or guage, against which
the paper may be fed. The bar then oscillates to the right, and in its circuit deflects
the front edge of the paper. As the bar oscillates beyond the centre of gravity, a
slot in the lever holding the crank by which it is moved admits of the bar falling of
its own accord, until the roller 23 comes on to the top of the sheet of paper, pressing
it against the feed roller, and thus starting it on its way. In order to increase and

page_text: regulate the momentum of the fall of oscillating bar, a lever (26), with adjustable
weight is fixed, as shown. Both sides of the oscillating bar are the same, and admit
of feeding from either or both sides.
A cam or crank actuates all the knives, and also the feeding gear. When the
machine is used as a double-feeder a motion at half the speed is introduced, by means
of pinion-gearing, so that the feeding-gear may vibrate to each side of the feed
rollers, taking in a sheet from each side alternately.
By removing the gauges the sheets of paper can be delivered at any desired fold
the tapes all running towards the sides or ends of the machine, where they return.
The knives are adjustable to arms as shown in Figure IX, 37 is the knife, having a
bracket 38 on top. The bracket has a rectangular slot in it, 39 shows the end of the
knife arm, also having a rectangular slot. A bolt passes through both slots, and holds
the arm and knife together.
Dato this 97th day of Santanber 1880
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Paper-folding Machines.
I, LEWIS MUNRO of Rossshire Journal Office High Street, Dingwall, North Britain,
Printer and Publisher do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object improvements in paper folding machines.
Figure 1 of the drawings, left with my provisional specification, is a plan, Figure 2
is a side elevation and Figure 3 is an end elevation of an arrangement of folding
rollers, folding knives, and other necessary machinery whereby all the folds are given,
in consecutive order, while the paper being folded is travelling over horizontal
surfaces approximately parallel to each other. The paper is carried direct and without
intermediary rollers from folding rollers a a to folding rollers a' a', and from folding
rollers all a to folding rollers a¹ a¹¹ at right angles to the direction of the strokes
of the folding knives.
The folding knives, and 11, are arranged in pairs and the knives forming
a pair are carried by arms from an axis so that they approximately balance each
other. The axis has an oscillating movement and is worked by a crank or other
suitable contrivance.
The machine shewn is suitable for folding a four paged newspaper.
a a, a¹ a¹, a¹ a" and all a¹, are the folding rollers, between which the paper is
struck by the oscillating knives band b', and 6 and 6, their axes are at cc'.
d and dare tapes travelling in the direction shown by arrows round their respective
rollers and return pulleys e and e¹. They carry the paper forward through the
successive stages of folding.
A sheet of paper being fed in travels first over the folding-rollers a a till it is
stopped by a guage; it next receives the first fold by the descent of the folding
knife b; then it travels on tape d, till stopped by the gauge g
Afterwards it
receives the next fold at the rollers a', a', by the descent of the knife b', and is then
carried down under the roller and passed over the rollers all a¹¹. Here the partly
folded sheet is stopped by a guage under the folding knife b The working of the
rollers a a" and a a¹, and their knives 6 and is similar to that of rollers a a
and a¹ a', and their knives b and to which, however, they are set at right angles.
Sometimes in place of a crank to actuate each pair of folding knives I employ a
cam.
The cam acts against the extremity of an arm on the axis of the knives and at
the proper time it suddenly depresses the arm. Immediately afterwards the arm
is liberated and then it returns by the action of a weight or spring. Thus first
one knife and then the other is made to operate, in rapid succession and then
there is an interval during which sheets of paper advance under both of the knives.

page_text: 1
When these sheets are in place both knives again operate as before.
To fold an eight paged newspaper 1 combine further machinery with that already
described as shown by Figure 1V; all the folds subsequent to the first are given
by the machinery as described above and first fold is given by the machinery now
added. kkk are the feeding boards, which, for convenience, when not in use may
be lowered at hinges ll. zzare feeding rollers which receive the paper from the
oscillating feed knife B. This knife it will be observed is not a folding knife, it
simply causes the sheet which has been placed in position by an attendant to descend
between the rollers zz at the proper time and this it does by pressing the edge of the
paper upon the roller at the moment when it is required that the paper should start
forward. The feed knive B is connected by means of bars n n on an axis at cl with
the folding knife 6, so that feed knife and folding knife vibrate in unison.
From the revolving rollers marked z, the paper is carried by tapes p in the direction
shown by the arrow and on to guide rods or table q, where it is stopped by a gauge.
The folding knife then descends on to the folding rollers aa, giving the
first fold. The paper is then carried to the right, till stopped by a guage, along endless
tapes r, running round the roller a and pulley's ell and el,
The machinery shewn in Figure IV is so placed over that shown in the preceding
figures that the now partially folded paper is in position for receiving the further
folds.
The sheet can be delivered from the machine after either of the folds by removing
the guages by which the sheet is otherwise stopped. The machine can be fed in
different positions as either of the knives can be used as a feeding knife.
Figure V shows an arrangement, whereby the last four folds may be given on the
same level. This is accomplished by placing roller marked 1 between the preceding
two sets of folding rollers and the last two sets. 3, 3, and 4, 4, are the preceding
rollers corresponding to those marked a, a, and a', a', in Figure 1; and at 2 is seen
one of the rollers of the latter sets; it corresponds to one of the rollers all in
Figure 1. The roller 1 lifts the tapes carrying the sheet, so as to run the sheet along
the top of rollers marked 2. The sheet is carried from rollers 3 to rollers 4 in the
The
usual way, and the sheet is projected on to the rack 5, till stopped by guage 6.
working of the knives fortunately admit of this, for the knife working over rollers 2
is just rising as the sheet enters the rack, and before its descent the folding rollers 4
withdraw the sheet and project it on to the top of tapes 7, where it lies till folded,
above the tapes 7 and under the rack 5 which consists of separate slips of steel, brass,
or thin wood with spaces between. The rack 5 fulfils two functions: the upper side
is a table on which the paper temporarily rests, and the under side acts as a guide.
8 and 9 are tongues, the latter for the purpose of guiding the sheets on to the rack,
and the former for guiding it under the rack.
The knives are connected and will vibrate with each other, one of the arms of the
one set engaging with one of the arms of the other set; or they may be worked by
separate connecting rods.
The rollers may be driven by bevelled pinion gearing or by belts.
By using racks made of slips of thin wood I dispense with tape work as much as
possible. These racks are used in order to keep the paper down on the tapes, and
from being interfered with by wind. Figure VI shows the rack in two aspects. 10 is
the carrying tape, and 11 is the rack placed above it, between which the paper moves
as shown by arrow. Here the rack serves to keep the paper upon the tape. The other
aspect is when the rack receives the paper. 14 is a rack on to which the end of
the sheet is projected, and 15 is the rack under which the sheet is guided.
In
Figure V the steel slips forming the rack 5 serve as a receiving table on the upper
side, and a guiding rack on the under.
There is another arrangement in Figure VI which has to be described. Usually
the sheet running up tape 10 passes on to table 14, till stopped by a guage, and the
knife afterwards sends it down folded between the underlying rollers; but if it is
desired to send the paper past this folding knife without being folded a curved zinc
plate 16 attached either to the rack or elsewhere, is lowered, and secured in position

page_text: and the front edge of the sheet is then deflected by the curve, and passes down between
the rollers without being folded. This is the arrangement whereby an 8-page folder
is converted into a 4-page.
The curved plate may be applied at either of the folding rollers when it is desired
that the sheet should pass between the rollers without being folded.
A flyer for delivering the paper may also be attached.
the flyer which may be actuated in any of the usual styles.
In Figure VII 19 shows
Figure VIII is a full-size view of feeding-gear. 20 are the feed rollers, 21 is
an end view of a U-shaped bar oscillating on an axis 22. 23 are small rollers, fixed
in arms on the oscillating bar. The rollers may be extended the entire length of the
oscillating bar; or instead of rollers, curved strips or pieces of metal or wood may
be used. Or, again, rollers or strips of wood may be dispensed with and the fronts of
the bar itself allowed to fall on feed rollers. The apparatus works as follows:-A
sheet of paper is fed in on to the table 24, against the flat surface presented by the
bar at 25, the bar itself being thus converted into a front lay or guage, against
which the paper may be fed. The bar then oscillates to the right, and in its circuit
deflects the front edge of the paper. As the bar oscillates beyond the centre of
gravity, a slot in the lever holding the crank by which it is moved admits of
the bar falling of its own accord, until the roller 23 comes on to the top of the sheet
of paper, pressing it against the feed roller, and thus starting it-on-its-way. In order
to increase and regulate the momentum of the fall of.oscillating bar, a lever 26, with
adjustable weight is fixed, as shown. Both sides of the oscillating bar are the same,
and admit of feeding from either or both sides.
A cam or crank actuates all the knives, and also the feeding gear.
When the
machine is used as a double-feeder a motion at half the spoed is introduced, by means
of pinion gearing, so that the feeding gear may vibrate to each side of the feed rollers,
taking in a sheet from each side alternately.
By removing the gauges the sheets of paper can be delivered at any desired fold
the tapes all running towards the sides or ends of the machine, where they return.
The knives are adjustable to arms as shown in Figure IX, 37 is the knife, having
a bracket 38 on top.
The bracket has a rectangular slot in it, 39 shows the end of
the knife arm, also having a rectangular slot. A bolt passes through both slots, and
holds the arm and knife together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Folding machines substantially as described in respect to Figures I, II and III
in which successive foldings are effected by rollers working in conjunction with a
pair of knives carried by arins fixed upon an horizontal axis and so arranged that the
knives balance each other; and in which the sheet having been folded by the first
pair of rollers is delivered in a horizontal position over the second pair of rollers and
beneath the second folding knife as herein set forth.
2. Folding machines substantially as described in respect to Figures I II and III
in which successive foldings are effected by rollers working in conjunction with
folding knives and in which the sheet after being once folded is automatically delivered
by carrying tapes against stops in position to receive another fold and so from
fold to fold uniting the folding operations are complete as herein set forth.
3. The addition to and combination with folding apparatus as described in respect
to Figures I, II and III of the feeding and folding appliances described in respect to
Figure IV whereby the sheet is entered into the machine and the first fold given.
4. The arrangement of folding rollers substantially as described in respect to
Figure V wherein the preceding and following folding rollers (are at right angles
the one to the other) are on the same level the conveying tapes being led up by an
intermediate guide roller 1.
5. The arrangement substantially as described in respect to Figure V wherein the
sheet having received a first fold by means of the rollers 3, 3, is projected on to

page_text: a table 5 until arrested by stops 6, is then entered by a folding knife between the
rollers 4 which next deliver the sheet on to tapes 7 beneath the table 5 where it is
retained by stops until another folding knife inserts the sheet between other folding
rollers 2.
6. The arrangement substantially as described in respect to Figure VI in com-
bination with the rollers of a folding machine of a curved plate 16 by which the edge
of the advancing sheet may be directed down between the rollers whereby the
sheet is when required caused to pass the rollers without being folded.
7. The feeding gear substantially as described in respect to Figure VIII in
which the oscillating or tumbling bar 21 serves first as a front lay or gauge and
then to deflect the edge of the sheet downwards between the rollers.
8. The feeding gear substantially as described in respect to Figure VIII in which
the oscillating or tumbling bar 21 works in conjunction with two feeding tables one
on either side of it, presenting first one of its sides and then the other in position
to serve as a front lay or gauge and as soon as each sheet is placed, deflecting the edge
of the sheet downwards between the rollers.
Dis 2011 don of Lun 1800
LEWIS MUNRO.