Improvements in Machines for Folding and Measuring Fabrics.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 8th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 13th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Folding and Measuring Fabrics.
I, JOSEPH COOPER of 90 Rochdale Road, Bury in the County of Lancaster,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to improvements in machines for folding and measuring
fabrics, and has for its object that of providing efficient means whereby various
kinds of fabrics can be operated upon without damaging their finished or other
surfaces.
The table on which the fabrics are folded is mounted for the purpose of allowing
the folding knives to pass under the holding rails or grips in the usual manner
The folding table is mounted on uprights secured by pins or their equivalents. The
uprights are provided with arms and setting screws to adjust the folding table.
The setting screws operate on plates or other suitable strengthening bearers on
the folding table. The uprights carrying the folding table are sustained by the
ordinary means at present employed.
The holding rails are secured to levers pivoted to arms supported from the frame-
work of the machine. The arms are adjustable to compensate for various lengths
of fabric to be folded. The levers carrying the holding rails are provided with
pins which fit into slotted levors pivoted to the aforesaid arms, and are operated by
bowls or centros mounted on the side levers carrying the folding knives. The slots
in the levers pivoted to the arms are constructed so as to lock the holding rails in
position. These lovers are fitted with springs or weights to re-set them when liberated
from the action of the bowls or centres on the side levers. To ensure the holding
rails lifting to receive the fabric being folded they can be fitted with taper recesses or
projections in or on which operate taper wedges attached to the folding knives.
In another arrangement the pivoted levers carrying the holding rails can be
operated by suitable mechanism from the crank shaft or other convenient part of the
machine.
1
3000
EDMUND CHADWICK,
A cont
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Folding and Measuring Fabrics.
1, JOSEPH COOPER of 90 Rochdale Road, Bury in the County of Lancaster,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 relates to improvements in machines for folding and measuring
fabrics, and has for its object that of providing efficient means whereby various kinds
of fabrics can be operated upon without damaging their finished or other surfaces.
The table on which the fabrics are folded is mounted for the purpose of allowing the
The
folding knives to pass under the holding rails or grips in the usual manner.
folding table is mounted on uprights secured by pins or their equivalents. The uprights
are provided with arms and setting screws to adjust the folding table. The setting
screws operate on plates or other suitable strengthening bearers on the folding table.
The uprights carrying the folding table are sustained by the ordinary means at present
employed. The holding rails are secured to levers pivoted to arms supported from
the framework of the machine. The arms are adjustable to compensate for various
lengths of fabric to be folded.

page_text: The levers carrying the holding rails are provided with pins which fit into
slotted levers pivoted to the aforesaid arms, and are operated by bowls or centres
mounted on the side levers carrying the folding knives. The slots in the levers
pivoted to the arms are constructed so as to lock the holding rails in position. These
levors are fitted with springs or weights to re-set them when liberated from the action
of the bowls or centres on the side levers.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of so much of a machine for folding and measuring fabrics
as is necessary to illustrate my present invention.
A is a bowl on the stud T fixed to the ordinary side arm or knife carrier B which
works in the usual manner; Care the locking levers which are mounted and swivel
on the studs D fixed to the radial arms E; Fare L levers mounted on the studs G fixed
to the brackets H secured to the arms E; 1 are the holding rails or grippers bolted
to the levers F; J are paps or pins attached to the levers F and work in the
curved slots V in the locking levors 0; K are spiral springs, the upper ends of which
are attached to the brackets H, and the lower ends to the locking levers Ű by means
of the chains W and pins X. The chains W pass from the lower ends of the spiral
springs K round or under the bowls or rollers or bosses Z on the studs D to the
pins X on the locking levers C; M are crossbars mounted on the pokers or sliding
pillars N at each end of the machine; 0 are setting screws with check nuts Y
mounted in the crossbars M to adjust the folding table P, and S is the crank shaft of
the machine.
This invention operates as follows:-When the knifo Q is laying the folds of the
fabric R on the front side of the machine as shown on the left hand side of drawing
the bowls A swivel or operate the locking levers C into the position shown, which
action operates on the levers F and raises the grippers I so as to allow the knives Q
to lay the folds of fabric R between the grippers I and the table P without
injury to the fabric. As the knife Q is withdrawn by the rotating action of the
crank shaft S and connecting rod U, after laying the folds at each end or thereabouts
of the table P, the grippers 1 gradually press the fabric on the table P and
holds it as shown on the right hand side of the drawing. The grippers I are
held in position by the curved slots V in the locking levers C; the table P
being forced down by the spiral springs K as the folds of fabric accumu-
late thereon. The spiral springs K are also employed as a balancing motion for
the knives Q, which immediately the latter pass the centre of the machine they act
against them and prevents the knives Q falling too quickly: the springs K also assist
to raise the knives Q again when the crank S has passed the centre, which reduces
the power to operate the same to a minimum, an important advantage over other
folding machines at present in use.
In consequence of all the parts being attached to the radial arms Ę they can be
readily adjusted or altered from one length of fold to another. The table P can be
readily adjusted to hold the fabric equally at each end by the setting screws O. To
strengthen the table P I employ the bolts O' for bolting the former to the crossbars M
after being set by the screws O. The table P is weighted by means of the lever A',
weight B, quadrant C₁, shaft or centre G³, and chain D' secured to the crossbar Ei
attached to the uprights N in the usual manner.
Having thus stated the nature of my invention and described the mode of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
or configuration of the parts I have shown and described, which are obviously capable
of considerable variation, without departing from the principle of my invention, also
that I am aware that it is not now in folding and measuring machines to employ tables
wherein the movements of the same are limited to rising and falling, and that I make
no claim to the same, but what I claim and desire to be secured to me by Letters
Patent is :-
1. In machines for folding and measuring fabrics the arrangement and use of
the I
levers for carrying the arinnere I substantially as dosorihod

page_text: 2. In machines for folding and measuring fabrics the use and construction of the
locking levers (with the curved slots V for the purpose specified substantially as
described.
3. In machines for folding and measuring fabrics the use of the springs K for the
6 purpose of re-setting the locking levers C, and for balancing the knives Q in their
travel across the folding table, substantially as described.
Dated the 4th August 1890.
EDMUND CHADWICK,
Agent.