IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING AND CUTTING MACHINES; APPLICABLE TO NEWSPAPERS, TO BOOKBINDING, AND OTHER PURPOSES.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Davies, of Fleet Works, Farringdon
Street, in the City of London, Mechanical Engineer, in the Employ-
ment of Messieurs Harrild and Sons, of the same Place, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING AND CUTTING MACHINES;
APPLICABLE TO NEWSPAPERS, TO BOOKBINDING, AND OTHER PURPOSES.".
Sealed the 21st March 1871, and dated the 19th January 1871.
'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Davies at:
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on-
the 19th January 1871.
I, JOSEPH DAVIES, of Fleet Works, Farringdon Street, in the City of
London, Mechanical Engineer, in the Employment of Messieurs Harrild
and Sons, of the same Place, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for." IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING AND CUTTING MACHINES APPLICABLE
TO NEWSPAPERS, TO BOOKBINDING, AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:
.
My Invention relates to machinery for folding sheets of paper suc-
cessively two or more times, and for cutting the same, the said machinery:
being applicable to newspapers, or to bookbinding, or other purposes:
A

page_text: In carrying out my Invention I employ a rectangular framework
interbraced by various ties having bearings in them to carry the journals
of rollers vertically, horizontally, or obliquely, as the case may require.
On the top or over this framework one, two, or more tables are fitted,
and upon one or more of these tables the sheets required to be folded
are piled or banked up; each sheet being "stroked" to side and front
lays or gauges or placed upon points in the same manner as on printing
machines. The front lays are operated by a cam (fixed on the main
shaft of the machine) resting upon the first roller or rollers while the
operator is stroking the sheet up to them; then they are lifted up by
the cam, and at the same time the drop or rocking bar falls upon the
end of the sheet and carries it between the rollers into tapes which
convey it to the stop or gauge. It is then presented by the first folding
blade between the first pair of folding rollers; from thence the sheet is
conveyed by tapes to a second folding blade which presents the sheet to a
second pair of folding rollers, and from this second pair of rollers it is
guided by tapes to a third pair of rollers, where the third fold is pro-
duced, and so on in a similar manner to as many folds as may be required.
The folded sheets are packed up by means of a suitable flyer.
When the sheets are required to be wrapped up for post I construct
apparatus as about to be described which may be attached to any folding
machine. This apparatus consists of a small frame in which is fitted
a two-pronged fork, its axis being parallel to the last pair of folding,
rollers. The folded sheet on leaving the last pair of rollers enters"
between the two prongs of the fork up to a stop or gauge adjustable
to the proper distance from the fork. At the same time that the sheet
reaches the stop or gauge the fork is caused (by a cam fixed on the.
main shaft of the machine connected to a rack and pinion) to revolve"
once or oftener, turning the sheet round with it and rolling it up. In a
line with the fork is fixed in bearings a conical oval tube into which
the sheet is carried by being forced off the prongs of the fork by a lever
actuated by a cam fixed on the main shaft of the machine. This last
lever only forces the sheet three parts out of the tube for the purpose of:
putting on the wrapper or address cover. This is effected by causing
the tube and sheet to revolve together one or more times according to.
the length of the wrapper. The tube has a small finger or gripper fitted
thereto to take the end of the wrapper which it again releases when the
sheet is forced out of the tube. The wrapper is previously gummed or,

page_text: pasted, and when rolled up round the sheet it receives pressure from a
pair of blocks or dies and the sheet is then forced out of the tube by
the following sheet into a box or any suitable receptacle.
'
For cutting or separating the printed sheets into two parts or half
5 sheets I adopt the following arrangements :-I use cutters which are
.composed of thin steel mounted or secured in a cast iron stock or frame,
each end being provided with a slide or adjustable guide, into which it
works, (from a cam on the spindle of the folding machine,) in any
desirable direction; the other or corresponding blade or cutter may be
stationary or hinged in a similar way to shears; cach pair of cutters is
fitted in a suitable position to receive the sheets between their cutting
edges as they pass from the folding rollers to the gauges or stops. By.
this means the labor and time occupied in cutting the sheets into two
or four parts is dispensed with. The two half or several sheets being
in one are placed upon the table or tables of the folding machine, and
each full sheet is stroked to front and side lays as in the former case,
`or placed upon points for bookwork. The sheet being presented between
the first rollers is met by the cutters fitted near the first, second, and
third, or last pair of rollers which divide the sheet into two or more
parts. Each part of the divided sheet being guided by tapes and rollers
to adjustable stops or gauges, folding blades then present cach part of
the sheet between rollers which make the first fold, it is then guided by
tapes to the second folding blades and rollers, and so on to as many;
folds as may be required, and in cases where the sheets have to be cut
into a greater number of parts, then corresponding sets of cutters are
used, one pair to divide the sheets into two parts as before described,
and two pairs of cutters placed at right angles to the first divide the
sheets into four or more parts, each part being guided by tapes and
rollers to adjustable gauges or stops, and the several parts being folded:
properly by folding blades and rollers into as many folds as may be
required, or the sheets are cut and not folded as the case may require by:
the same folding machine. Or I employ cutters and trim up or cut the
edges of the sheets on one, two, or three sides, as they leave or are
delivered from the last pair of rollers.
This machine can be applied direct to printing machines as described
in the Specification of my Patent of 21st May, 1867, No. 1502.
In this case the folding machine is fixed in such a position in relation
to the printing machine that tapes or grippers can be connected to:

page_text: !
convey the sheets from the printing machine to the table or tables of
the folding machine, and it is driven by gear, direct from the printing
machine or independently, so that either may be worked separately.
This is effected in the following manner:-As the sheets leave the
them
printing machine the tapes or grippers receive them, and convey
to the front lays or to the middle to meet the first folding blade of the
folding machine, and so that by connecting or disconnecting parts of
the machinery the sheets may be either folded direct from the printing
machine or be banked up upon the table or tables of the folding machine.
Or where flyers are used with printing machines the sheets are conveyed
over the top of the flyers to the folding machine by turning or raising
the top tape rollers or pulleys of the printing machine which usually
guide the sheets and point them downwards to the face of the sheet
flyers. The journals of these top rollers or pulleys are each carried at
the end of two levers fixed on a bar which is fitted with a suitable
handle or wheel at one end with a notch to keep it in its proper position,
by raising these rollers the sheets will be admitted direct into the folding
machine tapes or grippers. This will prevent stoppages which often
occur in combined machines.
This arrangement is also applicable to single or multiple feeder
printing machines, and in many cases dispenses with the taker off.
To render the folding machine self-acting or self-feeding I employ an
arm extending over and actuated by the drop or rocking bar having
small revolving rollers placed at a suitable inclination at its extremity,
so that as the rocking bar rises from the sheet the front lays fall upon'
the roller or rollers, at the same time the arm or arms fall upon the next
sheet and stroke it up to the front lays. They are adjusted for the:
pressure required by counterbalance weights or springs. When the:
rocking bar is raised it also gives motion to a lever and spindle placed
parallel to the table or tables, and on this spindle is fitted an adjustable
rod which falls as the drop bar falls on the end of the following or under:
sheet, and is of such a weight as to prevent the under sheet being taken:
into the tapes as before described. This rod is also adjustable to any,
length of sheet required to be folded.
In book folding machines, the grippers (described in my Specification
herein-before referred to,) are made double, so that the sheet is taken by:
them at each extremity of their stroke, and as the middle of one sheet.
is brought by the grippers under the first folding blade the grippers

page_text: "
open by the action of the first folding. blade, releasing the sheet, and
admitting it between the first pair of rollers, and at the same time the
other part of the grippers closes upon another sheet which is brought
by the return stroke of the grippers with its middle under the same
folding blade, and so on, in this case two operators are required to work
one machine.
According to another arrangement the sheet is placed on points or to
marks by the operator and the first folding blade is actuated by, the
operator's foot, or otherwise, and at the same time that the folding
blade is depressed or raised by the foot, the whole of the machinery is
set in motion, taking the sheet to the second folding blade, then to the
third, and so on according to the number of folds required. The first
folding blade is so arranged in harmony with a cam that it cannot
present the sheet to the first pair of rollers- except at the proper time
'to be met by the second folding blade, this arrangement is intended
for cases where the sheets are not prepared for the folding machine, that
is to say, the sheets may be folded successively if arranged for. a single'
book only.
According to another arrangement the machinery may be constructed
so as to make only one fold at a time, and to pass the sheet from the
first fold to a second part to receive the second fold, and from the second
part to a third to receive the third fold, and so on, there being one
operator to each part, the chief object of this arrangement being to
compensate for imperfect register.
For inserting quarter, half sheet, or supplements inside or outside of
the full sheet I actuate or cause to vibrate stops or gauges by excentrics
or cams fixed upon the main spindle of the folding machine, which. stops
or gauges are so connected by suitable levers as to be engaged or
disengaged at will.
When the folding machine is used for full size sheets, and quarter, half
sheets, or supplement, one of the folding blades is caused by a suitable
cam to admit the sheets together at every alternate revolution of the
main spindle into or between the rollers, that is to say, that ´as' both
sheet and supplement reach the stop or gauge they are admitted between
the corresponding folding rollers and folded together. This arrangement
may be adapted to first, second, third, and fourth fold as the case may
require. The full sheets or supplements are placed or banked upon
the same or either of the tables of the folding machine.

page_text: When four tables or feeders are used the cam and folding blade before
described are caused to admit both the sheet and supplement at every
revolution of the main spindle of the folding machine.
For folding trade circulars and for other like purposes I employ two
sets of folding rollers to produce the first and second folds, and in such a
· manner that either may be used for the first fold, the sheet being
presented between either pair of folding rollers in the manner before
described, and to produce the last fold or folds I place two flat pieces of
steel or other suitable material upon a bar or slide below the folding
rollers; these flat pieces are made of a length equal to the first or
second fold of the largest sheet folded by the machine, and of such a
breadth that when they are brought close together or edge to edge they
may correspond and be equal to the smallest sheet required to be folded
by the machine, or to the size of the last fold. These two pieces of steel
are adjustable to any size in their distance apart and form a table to
receive the sheet delivered from the second pair of folding rollers. Im-
mediately the sheet arrives at the end of the so formed table two hinged
flaps actuated by a cam are caused to move on their centres and close
the ends of the sheet one on the other, at the same time two revolving
rollers which are fitted in moveable or sliding bearings are caused to
advance (by a cam on the main spindle) towards the two pieces of
steel or table and take the folded sheet between them, pass it through,
and deliver it into any suitable receptacle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th July 1871.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
DAVIES, of Fleet Works, Farringdon Street, in the City of London,
Mechanical Engineer, in the Employment of Messieurs Harrild and
Sons, of the same Place, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in
the thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said. Joseph Davies, Her
.

page_text: special licence that I, the said Joseph Davies, my executors, adminis-
trators and assigns, or such others as I, the said 'Joseph Davies, my
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 FOLDING AND CUTTING MACHINES APPLICABLE TO NEWSPAPERS, TO BOOKBINDING,
AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Joseph Davies, my exccutors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly 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 Letters Patent.
! NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Davies, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
bé performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say: -
My Invention relates to machinery for folding sheets of paper suc-
cessively two or more times, and for cutting the same, the said
machinery being applicable to newspapers, or to bookbinding, or other
purposes.
are
In carrying out my Invention I employ a rectangular framework
interbraced by various ties having bearings in them to carry the journals
of rollers vertically, horizontally, or obliquely, as the case may require.
On the top or over this framework one, two, or more tables are fitted,
and upon one or more of these tables the sheets required to be folded
piled or banked up, each sheet being "stroked" to side and front lays
or gauges, or placed upon points in the same manner as on printing
machines. The front lays are operated by a cam (fixed on the main
shaft of the machine) resting upon the first roller or rollers while the
operator is stroking the sheet up to them, then they are lifted up by the
cam, and at the same time the drop or rocking bar falls upon the end of
the sheet, and carries it between the rollers into tapes which convey it
to the stop or gauge. It is then presented by the first folding blade
between the first pair of folding rollers, from thence the sheet is.
conveyed by tapes to a second folding blade which presents the sheet to

page_text: a second pair of folding rollers, and from this second pair of rollers it is
guided by tapes to a third pair of rollers where the third fold is produced,
and so on in a similar manner to as many folds as may be required.
The folded sheets are packed up by means of a suitable flyer.
1
When the sheets are required to be wrapped up for post I construct
apparatus as about to be described which may be attached to any folding
machine. This apparatus consists of a small frame in which is fitted a
two-pronged fork, its axis being parallel to the last pair of folding rollers.
The folded sheet on leaving the last pair of rollers enters between the
'two prongs of the fork up to a stop or guage adjustable to the proper 1
distance from the fork. At the same time that the sheet reaches the
stop or gauge the fork is caused (by a cam fixed on the main shaft of
the machine connected to a rack and pinion) to revolve once or oftener,
turning the sheet round with it and rolling it up. In a line with the
fork is fixed in bearings a bell-mouthed hoop or conical oval tube, into 1
which the sheet is carried by being forced off the prongs of the fork by a
lever actuated by a cam fixed on the main shaft of the machine. This
last lever only forces the sheet three parts out of the tube for the
purpose of putting on the wrapper or address cover. This is effected by
causing the tube and sheet to revolve together one or more times 2
according to the length of the wrapper. The tube has a small finger or
gripper fitted thereto to take the end of the wrapper, which it again
releases when the sheet is forced out of the tube. The wrapper is
previously gummed or pasted, and when rolled up round the sheet it
receives pressure from a pair of blocks or dies, and the sheet is then 2
forced out of the tube by the following sheet into a box or any suitable
receptacle.
For cutting or separating the printed sheets into two parts or half
sheets I adopt the following arrangements :-I use cutters which are
composed of thin steel mounted or secured in a cast-iron stock or frame, a
each end being provided with a slide or adjustable guide into which.it
works from a cam on the spindle of the folding machine in any desirable
direction, the other or corresponding blade or cutter may be stationary
or hinged in a similar way to shears, each pair of cutters is fitted in a
suitable position to receive the sheets between their cutting edges as a
they pass from the folding rollers to the gauges or stops. By this means
the labor and time occupied in cutting the sheets into two or four parts
is dispensed with. The two half or several sheets being in one are

page_text: placed upon the table or tables of the folding machine, and each full
sheet is stroked to front and side lays as in the former case, or placed
upon points for bookwork. The sheet being presented between the first
rollers is met by the cutters fitted near the first, second, and third; or last
pair of rollers, which divide the sheet into two or more parts, each part
of the divided sheet being guided by tapes and rollers to adjustable stops
or gauges; folding blades then present each part of the sheet between
rollers which make the first fold, it is then guided by tapes to the second
folding blade and rollers, and so on to as many folds as may be required,
and in cases where the sheets have to be cut into a greater number of
parts then corresponding sets of cutters are used, one pair to divide the
sheets into two parts, as before described, and two pairs of cutters placed
at right angles to the first divide the sheets into four or more parts,
each part being guided by tapes and rollers to adjustable gauges or
stops, and the several parts being folded properly by folding blades
and rollers into as many folds as may be required, or the sheets are
cut and not folded as the case may require by the same folding
machinę. Or I employ cutters and trim up or cut the edges of
the sheets on one, two, or three sides as they leave or are delivered from
the last pair of rollers.
This machine can be applied direct to printing machines as described in
the Specification of my Patent of 21st May 1867, No. 1502. In this case
the folding machine is fixed in such a position in relation to the printing.
machine that tapes or grippers can be connected to convey the sheets from
the printing machine to the table or tables of the folding machine, and it
is driven by gear direct from the printing machine or independently so
that either may be worked separately. This is effected in the following
manner-As the sheets leave the printing machine the tapes or grippers
receive them and convey them to the front lays or to the middle to meet'
the first folding blade of the folding machine, and so that by connecting
or disconnecting parts of the machinery the sheets may be either folded;
direct from the printing machine or be banked up upon the table or:
tables of the folding machine. Or where flyers are used with printingi
machines the sheets are conveyed over the top of the flyers to the folding:
machine by turning or raising the top tape rollers or pulleys of the:
printing machine which usually guide the sheets and point them down-t
wards to the face of the sheet flyers. The journals of these top rollers;
or pulleys are each carried at the end of two levers fixed on a bar which

page_text: is fitted with a suitable handle or wheel at one end with a notch to keep
it in its proper position, by raising these rollers the sheets will be
admitted direct into the folding machine tapes or grippers. This will
prevent stoppages which often occur in combined machines.
This arrangement is also applicable to single or multiple feeder
printing machines, and in many cases dispenses with the taker off.
To render the folding machine self acting or self feeding I employ an
arm extending over and actuated by the drop or rocking bar, having
small revolving rollers placed at a suitable inclination at its extremity,
so that as the rocking bar rises from the sheet the front lays fall upon
the roller or rollers, at the same time the arm or arms fall upon the next
sheet and stroke it up to the front lays. They are adjusted for the
pressure required by counterbalance weights or springs. When the
rocking bar is raised it also gives motion to a lever and spindle placed
parallel to the table or tables, and on this spindle is fitted an adjustable
rod which falls as the drop bar falls on the end of the following or
under sheet, and is of such a weight as to prevent. the under sheet being
taken into the tapes as before described. This rod is also adjustable to
any length of sheet required to be folded.
In book folding machines the grippers (described in my Specification
herein-before referred to) are made double so that the sheet is taken by
them at each extremity of their stroke, and as the middle of one sheet
is brought by the grippers under the first folding blade, the grippers
open by the action of the first folding blade releasing the sheet and
admitting it between the first pair of rollers, and at the same time the
other part of the grippers closes upon another sheet, which is brought
by the return stroke of the grippers with its middle under the same
folding blade, and so on, in this case two operators are required to work
one machine.
: According to another arrangement the sheet is placed on points or to
marks by the operator, and the first folding blade is actuated by the
operator's foot or otherwise, and at the same time that the folding blade
is depressed or raised by the foot the whole of the machinery is set in
motion, taking the sheet to the second folding blade, then to the third,
and so on according to the number of folds required: The first folding
blade is so arranged in harmony with a cam that it cannot present the
sheet to the first pair of rollers except at the proper time to be met by
the second folding blade; this arrangement is intended for cases where

page_text: the sheets are not prepared for the folding machine, that is to say, the
sheets may be folded successively if arranged for a single book only.
:
According to another arrangement the machinery may be constructed
so as to make only one fold at a time and to pass the sheet from the
first fold to a second part to receive the second, and from the second
part to a third to receive the third fold, and so on, there being one
operator to each part, the chief object of this arrangement being to
compensate for imperfect register.
For inserting quarter, half sheet, or supplements inside or outside of
the full sheet, I actuate or cause to vibrate.stops or gauges by excentrics.
or cams fixed upon the main spindle of the folding machine, which stops
or gauges are so connected by suitable levers as to be engaged or dis-
engaged at will.
When the folding machine is used for full size sheets, and quarter, half
sheets, or supplement, one of the folding blades is caused by a suitable
cam to admit the sheets together at every alternate revolution of the
main spindle into or between the rollers, that is to say, that as both sheet
and supplement reach the stop or gauge, they are admitted between the
corresponding folding rollers and folded together. This arrangement
inay be adapted to first, second, third, and fourth fold, as the case may
require. The full sheets or supplements are placed or banked upon the
same or either of the tables of the folding machine.
When four tables or feeders are used the cam and folding blade before
described are caused to admit both the sheet and supplement at every
revolution of the main spindle of the folding machine.
For folding trade circulars and for other like purposes I employ two
sets of folding rollers to produce the first, and second folds, and in such
a manner that either may be used for the first fold, the sheet being
presented between either pair of folding rollers in the manner before
described; and to produce the last fold or folds I place two flat pieces
of steel or other suitable material upon a bar. or slide below the folding
rollers. These flat pieces are made of a length equal to the first, or
second fold of the largest sheet folded by the machine, and of such a
breadth that when they are brought close together or edge to edge they
may correspond and be equal to the smallest sheet required to be folded
by the machine, or to the size of the last fold. These two pieces of steel
are adjustable to any size in their distance apart, and form a table to
receive the sheet delivered from the second pair of folding rollers.

page_text: :Immediately the sheet arrives at the end of the so-formed table two
hinged flaps actuated by a cam are caused to move on their centres, and
close the end of the sheets one on the other; at the same time two
revolving rollers, which are fitted in moveable or sliding bearings; cause
to advance (by a cam on the main spindle) towards the two pieces of
steel or table, and take the folded sheet between them, pass it through,
and deliver it into any suitable receptacle. .
The manner in which my said improvements may be carried into
effect will be understood by the accompanying Drawings and the
following description thereof.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a plan; Figure 2, a side elevation; and Figure 3,
an end elevation of a two-feeder newspaper folding machine constructed
according to my Invention; Figure 4 is a view, full size, of the rocking
bar and self-acting feeding apparatus.
a,
a is the centre spindle of the rocking bar, which receives its motion
from an excentric a¹ at each extremity of its stroke through a rod a².
When the spindle a³ is by the rocking motion of the rocking bar
brought into contact with the roller bit pinches the end of the sheet to
'be folded, and admits it between the said roller 6 and the corresponding
roller b. The levers a and the spindle a³ are raised by a stud aº on the
rocking bar
and at the same time the levers a² and rod as at the end of
the table A fall upon the end of the next under sheet, and hold it
'sufficiently tight to prevent the first or top sheet dragging it into the
rollers b, b; and when the levers a² and rod as are lowered the levers a*
and revolving spindle a fall upon the end of the sheet and stroke it
down to the front lays a", which are actuated by the rocking bar a, and
so on. The levers a and rod as are actuated from the rocking bar à
¿through the rod a.. The sheet after entering between the rollers b, b,
is conveyed by tapes 6' in the direction of the arrow until it is stopped
by a gauge at 62. Then the folding blade 63, which is actuated by a cam
on the main shaft B, presents the middle of the sheet between the
rollers c, c.
From these rollers the sheet is conveyed by tapes c³ in
the direction of the arrow to the next gauge at c², where it is presented
by a folding blade between the rollers d, d; from these it falls upon
la gauge at d¹, and is presented by a folding blade e¹ between the
rollers e, e. It is then conveyed by tapes e² in the direction of the
arrow up to a gauge at e, Fig. 3, where it receives the fourth fold, being
presented between rollers ff, by the folding blade f It is next con-

page_text: veyed by tapes f in the direction of the arrow between the prongs of a
revolving fork f up to a rocking gauge.f. The fork being set in motion
by a segmental rack f and pinion fo through the rod f' from the camƒ³,
the folded sheet is caused to be rolled up round the fork. The fork
spindle then receives a longitudinal motion by means of a cam f10 and
levers, and the rolled up sheet is thus forced through a bell-mouthed
hoop or oval tube f", which presses it together while passing through it.
The fork spindle ƒ leaves the rolled up sheet in or partly in the hoop f¹²,
when a wrapper may be applied in the manner before, described. The
fork spindle returns for the next sheet, which on entering the hoop
forces out the first sheet, the second sheet remaining in the hoop until
forced out by the third sheet, and so on, the rolled up sheets being
received in any suitable receptacle.
Fig. 5 (Sheet 2) is a sectional side elevation showing the arrangement
for folding and "insetting" a full sheet in a full sheet, a full sheet in a
half sheet, a half sheet in a full sheet, or a quarter sheet in a full sheet
or in a half sheet; Fig. 6 is a plan of the same.
The same letters as
those in Figs. 1 to 4 refer to corresponding parts.
The sheets are placed on tables and stroked to front lays by hand, or
by self-acting mechanism, as has been described. The sheet being thus
admitted by means of the rocking bar a and spindle a³ (Fig. 4) between
the rollers b, b, is conveyed by tapes b¹ in the direction of the arrow, and
receives its first fold at the rollers c, c, it is then conveyed by tapes to
the rollers d, d, for the second fold. The first sheet having passed
between the rollers d, d, rests upon an adjustable gauge at d¹ (Fig. 2).
until the second sheet has passed successively between the rollers b, c;
and d, and has reached the gauge d'. Then the folding blade e¹ receiving
motion from the cam e* which revolves at half the speed of the main
shaft B presents both sheets together between the rollers g, g, making
(in this case) the third or last fold. The outer sheet should be placed.
on the table A (Fig. 2), and the inner sheet on the table A¹. When a
half sheet is required. to be folded inside the full sheet it is placed org
banked up on the table A¹, stroked by hand or by self-acting mechanism,
to front lays a' (Fig. 4), and presented between the rollers b, b, then
conveyed by tapes b₁ to the rollers c, where it is arrested by a stop or
moveable gauge g¹ (Fig. 2), which rests upon one of the rollers until,
the folding blade 3 presents the half sheet between the rollers c. The
stop gl is then raised (while, the full sheet passes to the gauge, at the

page_text: lower end of the diagonal table C) and remains up until the full sheet has
passed between the rollers c, c. The stop g¹ then descends and rests
upon its roller c to stop the next half sheet. The stop g¹ is actuated by
a cam fixed on the same spindle as the cam e', which revolves at half
the speed of the main shaft B, the said cam transmitting motion through
the rod to the spindle g³ upon which the levers g and stop g' are fixed
by set screws or keys. The rod gå is connected for folding half sheets
inside or outside full sheets. When this rod is disconnected the stop g¹
rests upon the roller c for folding single half sheets or half sheets inside
half sheets, and this rod is kept up for folding full sheets in full sheets.
For folding single sheets, that is to say, for delivering at each revolution
of the main shaft, the clutch lever g' (Fig. 5), which slides upon the
vertical spindle g" is moved upwards from the alternate cam e', to be
actuated by the cam e³ which is fixed upon the main shaft. Thus by
means of this lever g³ and the cams et, e³, the sheets may either be
folded singly, or two may be folded one within the other according to
requirement.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation, and Fig. 8 an end elevation, showing the
arrangement for cutting a sheet into two half sheets, and for folding the
same; Fig. 8, is a section of the knife and bolster. The same letters
as those in Figs. 1 to 6 refer to corresponding parts.
"According to the ordinary arrangement the printed' sheets are cut
into half sheets and are then folded, but according to my arrangement
the whole sheets are placed upon the tables A, A', and are stroked by
hand or by self-acting mechanism. The sheet being presented between
the rollers b, b, is conveyed to the stop 62, by tapes b', where it corrects
itself, or is set square with the folding blade b³. This blade presents it
between the rollers c, c, and it is conveyed by tapes c¹ to a stop at c²,
by which it is again corrected. The knife D (which is actuated by a
cam D¹ on the main shaft B, through the intermediation of the rod D,
lever D³, spindle D', lever D³, and link D, attached to the end of the
knife frame) descends, at the same time bringing the presser D' to bear
upon the sheet and hold it tightly upon the bolster D³ which is formed
with a slot to receive the cutting or perforating blade. As the presser
D' is held tightly upon the sheet by the spring D, the knife D still a
descends until the sheet is severed. The knife then immediately rises,
releases the two half sheets, and by the action of levers ¹ and a folding
blade h, the one half sheet is presented between rollers h, h, and passes

page_text: through to a flyer h³, while by the action of levers and a folding blade
the other half sheet is presented between rollers i, i, and passes through
to a flyer . The half sheets are delivered upon tables and re-
spectively. The knife D is jagged or has saw-formed teeth to allow
it to pass more easily through the sheet. It is counterbalanced by a
weighed lever D. If the machine is required to fold various sizes of
slects the rollers handi and folding blades h² and are made adjus-
table to and from the knife D: This machine will also fold half sheets
previously cut.
.
Fig. 9 (Sheet 3) represents my arrangement of tapes or apparatus for
conveying sheets direct from a printing machine to a folding machine:
E represents the delivery end of the printing machine, and F the
folding machine. As the sheet leaves the printing machine it passes
between tapes E to the top of, the flyer frame. When the sheet
requires folding the rollers. are lowered by the winch or drum k¹, on
which is a ratchet wheel, pawl, and handle k'; so that the bearings
, rest upon the table A of the folding machine. At the same time
the roller m is raised by the rod m¹ and levers m², m³, thereby allowing
the sheet to pass to the tapes m*, which convey the sheet between the
rollers to the rollers k direct to the front lays of the folding machine,
where it is taken between the folding machine tapes and folded as
required, the folding machine being driven direct by gearing from
the printing machine through the shaft G. When the printed sheet is
not to be folded the swing frame k' with the rollers is raised by the
winch ¹, the roller m is lowered as indicated by dotted lines, and the
sheet is directed to the sheet flyer E, and delivered on to the table E³ of
the printing machine. The folding machine can then be used for any.
other folding or different sized sheets by stroking to the front lays as
before. The conveying frame is connected by rods n', n², which carry
a tape roller n in bearings, one end of the rods being fixed to the flyer
frame at n³, and the other end to the top of pillars n, which are sup-
ported by brackets n³ fixed to the folding machine. The swing rods
•
carry the rollers at one end, and the other end is connected by
bearings in the pillars nt in the centre of the rollers 1; the swing rods
may thus be lowered and raised without altering the length of the
tapes.
'
Fig. 10 (Sheet 4) is a plan, and Fig. 11 a side elevation, of a two

page_text: gripper movement; Fig. 13, an end elevation showing the taking off
at the third and fourth fold; Figs. 14 and 15 are a side view and an
end view, full size, of the grippers and spring box; Fig. 16 represents
the pointing frame; o, o¹, Fig. 10, are the tables showing the arrange-
ment of pointing, the gratings 0, 0, being placed diagonally to suit
'different sizes of sheets to be folded.
According to the point frame o³, Fig. 16, it will be seen that the
points o*, o, can be moved or adjusted to any size required. The sheet
to be folded being already provided with point holes or marks is placed
upon the points oº, o, of the table o. The grippers p advance and on
their arriving at the end of their stroke the first blade p' descends and
the stud p² which is attached to this folding blade comes into contact
with the tappet p³ which is fixed on the spindle pt. On this same
spindle are adjustable tappets p³, p, which can be set on any part of
the spindle to suit the length of the sheet. The grippers being open
to take the sheet from the table o are closed as the folding blade p'
descends by the tappet p. The grippers then return passing under this
blade (which is then lifted by a cam on the main shaft, shown in dots
in Fig. 13,) until the middle of the sheet is exactly under the blade, which
then descends, opens the grippers through the instrumentality of the
tappet p, at the same time closing the other side of the grippers upon
the sheet already on the points of the other table o¹. The blade. p³
presents the first sheet between rollers g. This sheet thus folded once
is guided down to an adjustable gauge q', and the second folding blade q²
presents it between rollers r which give it a second fold. It is then
guided by tapes to stops at ", and the third folding blade next presents
it between rollers s, from which it is conveyed by tapes and delivered
on to a flyer s². For the fourth fold gauges at 3, Fig. 13, are used'
which stop the sheet at the third fold, and the blade presents it
between rollers t, from which it is carried to the flyer and delivered
upon the table t³:.
r
"I now proceed to describe the grippers more fully. p (see Figs. 14
and 15) is the double top gripper fixed upon the rod p' which extends
from side to side of the tables o, o').and works in bearings ps which slide
upon the bars pº secured to the frame of the machine. At one end of
the rod p' outside the bearing p³ is secured a catch plate p⁰ to which
two studs p, p, are fixed; p" is the bottom gripper; it is actuated
by the top gripper p through the stud or tooth p¹³, so that the bottom

page_text: gripper in closing upon the sheet has a tendency to pick up the end of the
sheet from the table; at the same time the points of fall and release.
the sheet. The stud p" on arriving to take the sheet from the other
table o is touched by the tappet p³, and by the action of a knuckle
spring p the grippers are firmly closed, until reaching the other end
of their stroke, where they receive a similar movement to close them
upon the sheet of the other table o releasing the first sheet at the same
time. u, u, are cords or catguts secured to the bearings ps passing over
pulleys u, u, and over pulleys us on the centre pillars u³, which
pulleys are made to slide up or down, in order to tighten the said cords.
The spindle, Fig. 12, has the pulleys u¹ secured at its ends, and a
mitre or bevel wheel u is keyed upon it which receives motion through
the vertical spindle u³, mitre wheel us, and pinion u³: This pinion
receives rotary motion from a rack which is caused to reciprocate by
the crank pin v¹ and slotted link or slide 2. This crank pin is driven
at half the speed of the main shaft H of the machine by the spur wheel v³
and pinion », and is adjustable in the slotted crank v³ to any desirable
length of stroke to suit the various sizes of sheets.
Figure 17 (Sheet 5) is a plan, (with the table removed,) and Figure 18
an elevation of a machine with single feed and single folds, that is to
say, a machine which requires an attendant at each fold; Figure 19 repre-
sents the first folding blade with its frame, cam, and treadle. The sheet
to be folded regardless of size is placed by the first attendant with its
middle under the folding blade a, which descends by the action of the
cam 6, presents the sheet between the first folding rollers c, from which
it is conveyed by tapes d in the direction of the arrows and delivered
upon the table e.
The second attendant then adjusts it under the
folding blade, which presents it between rollers g, it is then con-
veyed by tapesh to the table i. A third attendant receives it and
adjusts it so that the folding blade / presents it between the rollers k,
from which it passes to the flyer m, and on to a suitable table.
will
be seen that by this arrangement the sheets may be taken from the
bookbinding shelf and folded sheet by sheet forming a book, regardless
of marks or point holes. The machine is always set, never requiring to
be altered for the various sizes. as other machines have to be. At each
operation the folding may be stopped by the treadles.
Figure 20 is a side elevation, Fig. 21 an end elevation, and Figure 22 a
plan of a self-acting two feeder pamphlet and circular folding machine.

page_text: .
The sheets are placed upon tables a and b, and are stroked in by hand or
by self-acting mechanism, as before described. Each sheet is presented
by the rocking bar c between the rollers d, and is guided by tapes e
in the direction of the arrow, it is then presented by the folding blade g
between the rollers f, and from these it is guided by tapes h to a table
at i, a folding blade / then presents it between the rollers 7, the sheet
twice folded falls vertically upon the stop m, where the forked slide n
· (which receives motion from a cam o on the main shaft. p, through
levers g and r,) is caused to send the sheet into the adjustable box s, s.
On reaching the vertical tablet the folding slides u, u, move at right
angles to the forked slide n. These slides u, u, are operated by the
levers w, w, and x, x, which are secured on vertical spindles v, v, acted
upon by two cams on the main shaft. The slides u, u, are caused to
act one before the other, but they both return together through the action
of the last-named cams. At the same time the small roller y, which
* revolves at the end of levers z, z, is made to press the bottom edge of
the sheet between itself and the roller y¹. The sheet passes between
the rollers y³, y², to the flyer a¹, the forked slide n returning immediately
as the sheet leaves it for the next sheet, and so on. Or the rollers y¹, y²,
may be made to slide or rise and fall to and from the vertical table t,
and to take the sheet to the flyer a¹, the roller y¹ and levers z being in
this case dispensed with. The forks n¹ of the forked slide n are adjustable
to any size, so that when they are brought to touch each other it is for
the smallest sheet, and when they are separated to the greatest extent
it is for the largest sheet. The adjustable box s, s, is composed of two
pieces of sheet iron or other suitable material which are secured at the
proper distance from each other by screws in slots 61, 61, of the vertical
table t. The box is also cut out at the sides as seen at c¹, to allow, the
folding slides to pass through each side and fold the sheet while in the
box over the forked slide. This machine will fold either full, half, or
quarter sheets, as required.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First. Constructing or arranging apparatus substantially as herein-
before described for the self-feeding of the sheets to folding machines,
or to folding and cutting machines.
• Second. Constructing or arranging apparatus substantially as herein-
before described for rolling up the sheets after baving been folded by the

page_text: folding machines, also for applying wrappers or address covers to the
folded and rolled up sheets.
Third. Constructing or arranging folding machines so that they may
be changed or adapted as required to fold a full sheet inside a full sheet,
or a full sheet inside or outside a half sheet, or a quarter sheet or a
half sheet in a half sheet, or a single half sheet, from the same tables.
and rollers, substantially as herein-before described.
Fourth. Constructing or arranging machines for folding and cutting
substantially as herein-before described.
Fifth. Constructing or arranging apparatus substantially as herein-
before described for conveying the sheets from a printing machine to a
folding machine.
Sixth. Arranging and working the grippers of two feeder book folding.
machines substantially as herein-before described.
'
Seventh. Constructing or arranging single or independent feed folding
machines for bookwork substantially as herein-before described.
Eighth. Constructing or arranging machines for folding trade circulars
and other like sheets substantially as herein-before described.
Ninth. The soveral arrangements or combinations of parts of machines
herein-before described and represented in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Davies, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of July One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-one.