IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MACHINERY TO MANUFACTURE THE PAPER-BAGS HAVING A SQUARE BOTTOM
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hippolyte Planche, one of the Firm of Planche Brothers,
in the Republic of France, City of Paris, 5, Rue Mazagran, Paper Manu-
facturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MACHINERY TO
MANUFACTURE THE PAPER-BAGS HAVING A SQUARE BOTTOM."
Sealed the 14th October 1879, and dated the 25th July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hippolyte Planche at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th July 1879.
HIPPOLYTE PLANCHE, one of the Firm of Planche Brothers, in the Republic of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
France, City of Paris, 5, Rue Mazagran, Paper Manufacturers.
THE MACHINERY TO MANUFACTURE THE PAPER-BAGS HAVING A SQUARE BOTTOM."
This Invention consists in a novel arrangement of machinery whereby paper
bags may be manufactured, folded, and made up into packets for the market in one
continuous operation.
The class of paper bag which it is intended to manufacture is that formed with a
square end, such as used by grocers and other dry goodsmen.
The paper to form the bag having been cut to the required size is placed on a
rising and falling table. Vertical motion is given to this table by means of a cam
on the main shaft of the machine acting upon a lever which is connected with a
rod pendent from the under side of the table. This table is provided with means
for holding down the paper blanks while certain portions thereof which are to form
the closed end of the bag receive a supply of adhesive substance from a pair of
reservoirs placed above the table and mounted on the ends of rock levers which are
actuated by a grooved cam on the cam shaft.
The paper blank thus prepared is taken up by a pneumatic holder and placed
upon a second table, which is moved forward to receive it. This table, which is
open in the centre and forms one end of a rectangular frame, is connected through
an arrangement of levers with the pneumatic holder, and by it's forward motion
effects the movement of the latter with the paper blank.
The second table bearing the paper blank is then drawn back to its original
position, during which operation the paper receives along the edge of one side a
supply of adhesive material from a third reservoir fixed in any suitable manner

page_text: above the table. The reciprocating motion of the table and frame is caused by a
rock lever connected in any suitable manner with the frame and with a special cam
on the main shaft.
The paper blank is by this time brought under a horizontal rectangular metal
block or mould with square ends fixed above the table; and below this block and
coincident therewith is a plunger, which is caused to rise by the action of a cam on
the main shaft through the opening in the table and raise the blank and hold it
against the underside of the mould. In connection with the plunger
a pair of
rollers, which rising with the plunger press the paper against the vertical sides of
the mould. These rollers are each provided with a feather or tappet, and are so
arranged that as they arrive at the top of the mould the feathers or tappets shall
bend inwards first one side and then the other of the paper which projects above
the top of the mould. A finger also rises with the rollers, and pressing up one end
of the blank against the end of the mould forms the first fold in the bottom of the
bag. Following the action of the pressing rolls a presser bar descends and com-
pletes the folding over of the blank and the joining of the folds to form the top
side of the bag. Connected with this presser bar is a second finger, which as it
descends forms the second fold in the bottom of the bag.
It now only remains to complete the bottom of the bag by folding the remaining
two sides. This is effected by an arrangement of presser block and fingers or
tappets carried by the rectangular frame above mentioned and advancing with this
latter. These fingers or tappets are so arranged that they shall fold down one after
the other the two remaining sides to complete the bottom of the bag; the presser
block then presses on these parts, which by reason of the adhesive substance with
which they were supplied at an earlier stage firmly adhere together.
The manufacture of the bag being now completed it is drawn off the mould by
a pair of spring clips connected with the presser block, and is allowed to drop into
a box previous to its being deposited on a table below, where it is to be rolled flat
for convenience of packing.
This box is carried in end bearings, and can be rotated on its axis by means of
rack and pinion, so as to place the bag on the table below with the joint of the
paper downwards. This motion of the box is caused by the rising and falling of a
bell crank lever to which the rack is connected, the motion of the bell crank lever
being regulated by a cam on the main shaft.
The compressing mechanism consists of a roller carried in bearings in an inclined
bracket pendent from the rectangular frame, the amount of horizontal rolling
motion being regulated by a slot in the end of a lever pivotted to the main frame
of the machine. The bag is compressed from the mouth towards the bottom, and
the bottom is folded down by a folding blade or plate mounted in a suitable bearing
and actuated by a tail piece connected with the pendent bracket. The bag thus
flattened is passed between squeezing rollers, and is discharged therefrom into a
receptacle consisting of a circular box divided into any desired number of com-
partments to hold any desired number of bags and mounted on a vertical axis, to
which intermittent rotary motion is communicated by means of a pawle and ratchet
wheel actuated in any convenient manner from the main shaft.
This arrangement of machinery admits of four bags being in the course of manu-
facture at one time.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Hippolyte Planche in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
January 1880.
.
HIPPOLYTE PLANCHE, one of the Firm of Planche Brothers, in the Republic of
France, City of Paris, 5, Rue Mazagran, Paper Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MACHINERY TO MANUFACTURE THE PAPER BAGS HAVING A SQUARE BOTTOM."
This Invention consists in a novel arrangement of machinery, whereby paper
bags may be manufactured, folded, and made up into packets for the market in one
continuous operation.
The class of paper bag which it is intended to manufacture is that formed with
a square end, such as are used by grocers and other dry goodsmen.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the whole of a
machine for making paper bags, shewing the movements of the various parts;
Fig. 2 is an end view; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the machine,
shewing parts thereof in a second position; Figures 4, 5, and 5° shew detached
views of parts of the machine; and Fig. 6 represents a portion of a sheet of paper
for forming the bag, shewing the gummed portions; and Figures 7 to 13 are
detached views of the various parts of the apparatus, to be more fully described
hereafter.
In the different Figures the same letters of reference refer to corresponding parts.
The various parts of the machine are mounted on a frame composed of standards A,
longitudinal pieces B, and transverse pieces C, all securely connected together in
any convenient manner.
In describing the various movements and the working parts it will be most con-
venient to take them in the order in which the manufacture of the various parts of
the bag is carried on.
The paper is first cut into sheets of the dimensions required, and the sheets are
laid in a pile a on the table a¹, which is provided with side guides a³, a³, and a
stop a to maintain them in place. The table a¹ is capable of receiving a vertical
motion, which raises the paper to or withdraws it from stops a², a², fixed on the
frame of the mechine; and the top sheet of the paper is taken up when the table
is lowered by a pneumatic apparatus, to be hereafter described. The table a is
carried on the end of a rod d, which is surrounded by a spring d² and enclosed in a
tube d', which slides in the tube d¹*, which is fixed to the frame in any convenient'
manner. The lower end of the rod d projects from the tube d'* and enters a fork
in the end of a lever b, where it is gripped between the piece c and counterweighted
piece c', both pivotted in the fork. The lever b is pivotted to the frame at 6, and '
it is provided with a hook 62 which rests on a cam 3, by which the lever b is raised
and lowered. When the pile of paper is placed on the table a¹ the table is
depressed until the tube d' touches the bottom of the tube d* and the spring d² is
compressed. The table is maintained in this position by the gripping pieces c, c¹,
on the lever b holding down the rod d. As the cam 3 rotates it raises the lever b and
with it the rod d, which is firmly held by the pieces c, c¹, until the piece c¹ comes
in contact with the head of the adjustable screw d³ when the grip of the piece c¹ on
the rod d is released; and the table continues to rise by the action of the spring
until the top sheet of the pile is pressed against the stops a². The lowering of the
table is effected by the dropping of the lever b, which allows the gripping piece c¹
to again take hold of the rod d and draw it down. When the table is in the raised
position the application of gum or other adhesive substance to portions of the sheet
of paper takes place. The adhesive material is contained in two reservoirs, e® and f',
mounted respectively on sliding bars e and f³, each reservoir being provided with
a covered roller e to transfer the adhesive material to the paper. A to and fro
motion is communicated to the bars e³ and ƒ³ by a series of levers actuated by a

page_text: grooved cam 2 mounted on the driving shaft A¹. A rock lever e, pivotted at e¹ to
the main frame, is provided at its lower end with a bowl e³ which takes into the
groove of the cam 2. The upper end of the lever has a slot, into which takes a
stud e fixed to the bar e³. A second rock lever f, pivotted at ƒ¹, is connected at
its lower end with the lever e by the rod f, and at its upper end is provided with
a slot to receive a stud fixed to the bar ƒ³, see Fig. 2. By this arrangement the
reservoirs will be moved in opposite directions, and will by means of the rollers e
supply the adhesive material to the paper on the parts marked D and E, Fig. 6.
The paper is now taken up by the pneumatic apparatus, and is placed on a
moveable table 1, which is open in the centre and is brought forward to receive it.
This table is carried on one end of a rectangular frame bolted to the cross pieces h¹
which slide in guides h in the main frame. The forward movement of the frame
and table is effected in the following manner :-A crank g terminating in a bowl g'
works in a vertical rectangular frame b which is provided with a socket g²; into this
socket screws a rod g³ which is supported in a guide g*, and is connected by a rod
go to a rock lever g pivotted at g² to the main frame. The head g³ of this rock
lever is connected by the rod go to the frame h at g¹º.
The pneumatic apparatus consists of a tube m connected by means of an india
rubber tube m³ with an exhauster n³, which is operated by a cam 8 on the main
shaft A². The tube m is provided with three mouths m¹¹, m³, and m³³, to take up
the sheet of paper, and it is raised so as to bring the paper on to the moveable table
(where the paper is to be placed between guides 12, 18, see Figures 3, 12, and 13)
by an arrangement of levers consisting of a three-armed lever m³, m7, m³, and a bell-
crank lever m¹0 mounted on the axles me, m*, which have their bearings in bracket
arms on the main frame. These levers are coupled together by the link rod me, and
are connected by the link rod m' to the sliding frame h at h³. The paper is held
down on the table during the return movement of the frame h by a finger n pivotted
to the frame and pressed against the paper by a spring n¹. This finger is raised at
the proper time by striking against a fixed stop n², see Fig. 12. During this back-
ward movement of the frame the paper receives on its side F, see Fig. 6, some
adhesive material from the clothed roller o of a reservoir o' containing such material,
and secured to the traverse C in any convenient manner, so as to allow of vertical
motion being imparted to it to raise the roller off the paper.
The sheet of paper on the table is at the same time brought under a horizontal,
rectangular, or other suitably shaped metal mould or block P of the size of the bag
to be made. This block, the ends of which are square, is fixed to the main frame
of the machine, and is pierced with holes. On two of its vertical sides a triangular
shaped rib, intended to mark a fold on either side of the paper, is provided. A block
or plate mounted on the upper end of a rod, surrounded by a helical spring p, and
enclosed in a hollow rod p³ mounted in the socket guide ps, is caused to rise, as herein-
after to be explained, through the opening in the table against the underside of
the mould P, and thus hold the sheet of paper firmly against the mould, the plate or
block being maintained in position by the spring p³. The hollow rod p³ passes
through the socket guide p*, and is connected at p²* to a lever p which is pivotted
at p' to the frame. The lever po rests on and receives vertical motion from a cam 4
mounted on the main shaft A¹. The hollow rod p³ (see Fig. 11) carries at its
upper end a crosshead po, to which are attached by rivets or screws flat springs pª
which carry the bearings for the axles of two rollers 7 and p³. These rollers have
each a rib or feather thereon, and are so arranged that as they rise by the action of
the cam 4 on the lever p they are caused to push up and press the paper against the
vertical sides of the mould P. The axles of these rollers carry small pinions which
gear with a rack suitably placed for the purpose, and by which rotary motion is
communicated to the rollers as they rise and fall. The rollers having by this time
arrived at the top of the mould P the ribs or feathers thereon come into play and
bend inwards, first the plain side and then the gummed side of the paper projecting
above the top of the mould, as seen best at Fig. 11. At the same time a fixed

page_text: vertical blade or finger p¹¹ (see Fig. 1) secured in front of the cross head p³ is raised
and presses up one end of the blank against the end of the mould, and thus forms
the first fold in the bottom of the bag.
Following the action of the pressing rollers p, p, is that of a top presser, which
completes the folding down of the blank and the joining of the gummed folds to
form the top side of the bag. This top presser is composed of several parts, which
are mounted on a projecting arm adjustably affixed to a vertical rod q³, see Figures
1, 2, and 11, suitably connected with a lever q. This lever q is pivotted at q¹ to the
upper end of a vertical standard q*, and is maintained in contact with a cam 7 on
the main shaft A' by a spring q³, or analogous device. As this cam 7 rotates the
lever will be depressed, and downward motion will thus be communicated to the top
presser. The parts which compose this presser are, first, a horizontal blade or plate
which presses down one (say the left) side of the paper; secondly, a horizontal
blade or plate q to press down the other, or right side of the paper, on the top of
the left side; thirdly, a block covered with india-rubber q10, which presses on the
two folded sides and holds them together sufficiently long for the adhesive substance
on the right side to set; and fourthly, a vertical finger q" fixed to the projecting
arm which forms the second fold in the bottom of the bag. The blades or plates
9 and q are fixed to square rods q' and q³, which are capable of sliding vertically
in the projecting arm q, and are prevented from dropping from the projecting arm
by nuts screwed on to their heads. The rod q' is somewhat longer than the rod 98,
in order that the two blades q and qe shall come into action consecutively. The
block q is mounted on a rod q, which is also capable of sliding vertically in
the projecting arm 9', and is provided, like the rods, with a screw nut.
q is surrounded by a coiled spring q¹ (see Fig. 1), which is compressed when the
block rests on to the top of the bag, and bears with a certain amount of pressure on
the folded-over sides of the bag.
The rod
The continued movement of the cam 4 will cause the lever p to descend and
allow the pressing rollers p', p³, with their accessories to descend by their own
weight into the position shown at Fig. 3. The cam 7 will raise the arm q', and
with it the finger q, preparatory to the completion of the bottom of the bag by a
special apparatus, whilst the horizontal blades q5 and q and the block q₁o are
allowed to remain in contact for a short time with the paper, the first by reason
of their own weight and the second by reason of the spring q¹.
This
sup-
The apparatus for completing the bottom of the bag is arranged in a horizontal
plane and is carried by the moveable frame h, the movement of which it follows.
In Figures 1, 7, and 8 this apparatus is shewn in its extreme rear position, viz.,
in repose, and in Figures 3 and 9 it is represented in its forward position and com-
pleting the bag. It is composed of a supporting socket formed on the back of
the moveable frame h. This socket is intended to receive one end of a rod or
bar ¹, which is secured therein by a pin or in any other convenient manner.
rod or bar carries a helical spring 71* -coiled around it, a socket head
porting a cross frame r³, and at its outer end a square block to which is fitted a
block of india rubber 5. The cross frame carries at either end a vertical rod
on which are mounted the rock levers 7, 77, and bell crank levers 710, 7.10. The
rock levers are pivotted at the points 6, 6, and are provided at their outer ends
with springs The inner ends of these rock levers 77 are connected to and carry
between them a light flat spring, which is bent into a circular form, the ends
being connected together. The bell crank levers 710, which have one arm counter-
weighted, rock on centres 70, 70, and are connected by rods to rocking fingers +18
pivotted to brackets projecting horizontally from the cross frame. These
levers are also connected to long rods 15, which pass through openings in the
curved brackets 716. These rods 15 are threaded at their ends to receive, nuts 17
which on striking against the brackets 16 as the frame h advances cause the
levers to be pulled back and thus rock the fingers 13 on their fulcrum pins, and
cause them to fold in the two sides of the bag previous to the arrival of the india-

page_text: rubber block which presses them firmly together until the adhesive material
with which the edges of the paper are coated is set.
The apparatus as it retires draws the completed bag (by the two springs 708 (see
Fig. 9) which take hold of it near the bottom fold) off the mould P, and hold it
over a box S, Fig. 1, which is open at the top and rear end. At this moment the
inner ends of the rock levers 7 strike against tappets 718, 18, fixed to the curved.
brackets 16, 18, and are thereby forced inwards, compressing the circular spring
into the oval form (see Fig. 7), and the outer ends of these levers are thus opened
and the bag is released from the springs 78, 78, and allowed to fall into the box S
which is raised to receive it. The bag may be held in the box in any suitable
manner while the box S is being inverted, in order to deposit the bag with its
gummed side downwards on a small moveable table t underneath. The box S
is. carried by a pinion S', which is mounted on a stud axle S₁* and projecting
from the moveable frame 89, and gears into a toothed rack S² fixed at S³ to a
table T. The frame 8 is mounted on the rods 8", which are capable of being slidden
vertically in the guides 810 fixed to the frame B. Upon vertical motion being com-
municated to the frame 89 through a series of levers from a cam 1, Figures 1 and 2,
on the main shaft A', the pinion S', carrying the box S, will be cause to rotate on
its axis first in one direction and then in the other, according to the direction in
which the frame S is moving, by reason of the pinion S¹ gearing into the fixed
rack S. The cam 1 during its motion rocks a lever 8, which is pivotted at s¹ to
the main frame, and connected by an adjustable rod S to the short pendent arm
of a three-limbed rock lever 8 mounted on the rock shafts. The longer arms of
this lever 85 take into slots s' in the pieces 88, Figures 1 and 10, which form part of
the frame so, and thus the rocking of the lever 85 on its axis will raise and lower
the frame s³.
The table t on which the bag is now placed is mounted on and slides in guides in
a fixed table T (see Fig. 4) carried by the pillars t¹. t. Reciprocatory motion is
communicated to this table t by means of a bell crank lever 2, pivotted a t³, and
worked by a cam 5 on the main shaft A¹, the end of the lever opposite to the cam
taking into a slotted bracket to pendent from the table t. While on the table the
bag is to be rolled flat for convenience of packing. This is effected by a roller u
carrying a fixed blade u³, and mounted in slots in a pair of levers u', u', pivotted
at u, u², to the fixed table T. As the bag however is to be flattened from its
mouth towards the bottom, the roller u being in rear of the bag must first
be raised to allow the bag to pass under it to bring it into the proper
position for the flattening operation. This movement is effected in the following
manner: The axle of the roller projects beyond the slots in the levers u¹, u³,
onto a pair of brackets bolted to and pendant from the frame h, with which they
move and having inclined parts us, and horizontal parts ut. As the brackets are
moved forward the roller will move with them, so as to bring the blade u attached
thereto against the adjustable stops u³ on the levers u'. The rotation of the roller
is caused by a cord and weight us. When the axle of the roller (having passed the
spring catch u³) arrives at the ends of the slots in the levers u, the continued
forward movement of the brackets will cause it to rise up the inclined planes u³,
and to move along the horizontal parts u into the position shewn at Fig. 3. At
this point the roller is allowed a moment of repose, during which time the bag is
carried to the end of the fixed table T, so that the mouth of the bag shall
correspond to a vertical line drawn through the axle of roller u, Fig. 3. The
return movement of the frame h with which the brackets are connected will now
commence. During this movement the roller u being held by the spring catch us
will descend the incline u³, and flatten the mouth of the bag. The axle having
arrived at the bottom of the incline u³, the continued backward movement of the
brackets will cause a cam u keyed on the axle of the roller to strike against a
shoulder T¹ (see Fig. 4) on the fixed frame T. The action of this cam will raise
the catch us and rotate the roller, so as to bring the blade u flat onto the bag, see

page_text: Fig. 3a, Sheet II., and at the same time wind up the cord us. The bottom of the
bag is now folded down by a vertical blade or plate v provided with centres on
which it turns, and actuated by a tail piece v² fixed to and following the movement
of the pendant brackets (see Fig. 3), and which strikes against a projecting piece v*,
Fig. 5, on one side of the blade or plate. The plate vis drawn back into a
vertical position by a spring v¹, or other equivalent device. The roller u
continuing its backward movement will by means of the blade u push the
flattened bag between two pressing cylinders x, x', from which it passes onto an
endless apron to a second pair of pressing cylinders ², which are adjustable
in their bearings, and to which any required pressure can be given. On passing
from these cylinders the bag is received upon a horizontal plate y³, which is
brought forward to receive it. This plate y¹ is fixed to a pendant arm y³ mounted
on the rod g, and in its forward movement passes through a slot in the cross
piece y³, against which the bag at the commencement of the return motion of the
platform strikes, and the plate being drawn from under the bag it is allowed to
drop flat into one of the compartments of a receiver Y.
This receiver Y consists of a large circular or polygonal shaped box of any
suitable material, divided by radial partitions into any desired number of compart-
ments to receive the bags as above explained. Each compartment is intended to
receive a certain number of (say twenty-five) bags. The receiver Y is mounted in
any convenient manner on the upper end of a vertical shaft 2, carried in bearings 3,
in a bracket frame 4. Upon an axle 5 carried by the frame 4 is mounted a
ratchet wheel 6 of twenty-five teeth and a finger 7, a fixed pawl 8 being provided
to prevent any back movements of the ratchet wheel 6. Keyed upon an axle 9
carried in suitable bearings in the frame 4 is a ratchet wheel 10 of ten teeth, and
to a lever 12, mounted loosely on the same axle, is pivotted at 13 a counterweighted
pawl 11. This lever 12 is kept down in its normal position on a bar or stop 14 by
a weight 15. On the axle 9 is keyed also a bevil wheel 16, which gears into a
similar wheel keyed on the vertical shaft 2. A counterweighted pawl 18 in gear
with the ratchet wheel 6, and carried by a collar 19 fixed on and moving with the
rod g³, communicates movement to the counting apparatus as follows, viz:--Every
backward motion of the rod g³ will move the ratched wheel 6 one tooth, and once
in every rotation of the ratchet wheel the finger 7 comes into contact with the
lever or arin 14, which is gradually raised into the dotted position Fig. 1. At this
point the lever escapes from the finger 7 and is caused to fall to its normal position
by the weight 15 bringing with it the pawl 13, which acting on one of the teeth
of the ratchet wheel 10 moves the latter on one tooth. The bevil wheel 16 being
keyed on the axle 9 with the ratchet wheel 6 is caused to partially rotate, and it
communicates like motion through the bevil wheel 17 keyed on the vertical
shaft 2 to the receiver Y, which is thus caused to rotate such part of a circle as to
bring an empty compartment opposite the cylinders xx³. One bag is completed
and delivered from these cylinders at every backward stroke of the rod g³. Now
as every stroke of this rod moves the ratchet wheel forward one tooth, and as one
rotation of the ratchet wheel must be made before any movement of the receiver can
take place it will be evident that the number of teeth on the ratchet wheel 6 will
determine the number of bags which shall be allowed to fall into any one compart-
menty of the receiver Y, and this number multiplied by the number of the compart-
ments will give the total number of the bags made in the machine during one
rotation of the receiver Y. The pile of bags taken from each compartment may be
tied up separately, and thus packets of any desired number (according to the
number of teeth on the ratchet wheel 6) can be made up.
The number of bags at one time in course of manufacture is four; thus one z is
being folded round the mould P, a second is in the box S, a third z³ is on the
endless tapes, and a fourth is in the receiver Y, and at the same time a sheet
of paper is being supplied with adhesive material on the table a².
This machine is intended to make the bags all of one size and from sheets of
paper previously cut to the required dimensions, but by changing certain of the

page_text: parts bags of a larger size can be made. The paper may also be supplied from a
roll suitably placed, and the requisite amount to form a bag may be cut off
automatically.
It will be evident that the various arrangements of levers for communicating
motion from the cams on the main shaft A¹ to the various parts can be considerably
varied.
Having now described the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Machinery to Manufacture the Paper Bags having a Square Bottom" and explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim:-The construction and arrange-
ment of the various parts herein shewn and described, and constituting when
combined a machine for making up sheets of paper into square bags, for folding
down or flattening the bags for convenience of packing, and for collecting and
counting the bags when completed, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hippolyte Planche, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty first day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.