Improvements in the Construction of Paper Bags and in Rotary Machines for Making Paper Bags.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 24th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Paper Bags and in Rotary
Machines for Making Paper Bags.
We, BIBBY & BARON LIMITED, of New Bridge Paper and Paper Bag Works,
Bury, in the County of Lancaster, and JOB DUERDEN, of 69, Bankfield, Bury,
aforesaid, Manager to the said Firm, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings:-
Our said invention relates to improvements in the construction of paper bags
used by shopkeepers and the like as is well understood, and to improvements
in rotary machines for producing such bags, the said machines being also
capable of producing bags of other than the improved formation.
We prefer to so construct such improved machines that by slight alterations
and adjustments of parts, bags of various sizes are readily produced on the
same machine.
We will first describe the improved construction of bag, apart from the
machine, as this course will in the end enable the reader to more clearly follow
the operation of the machine.
The improved bag is shown in its various stages of formation in Sheet 1 of
the drawings hereto.
Fig. 1 is a view of a length of tube duly slit and severed off, and it is from
such blanks that the bags are folded.
$6
Fig. 2 shows the first diamond" fold.
Fig. 3 indicates the first final fold.
Fig. 4 the second final fold and
Fig. 5 the opened out and completed bag.
Fig. 6 shows the base of the bag.
The bags are formed from a suitable width and length of paper tubing u
which tubing is formed, slit and severed off with a straight cut, by means to be
hereafter described.
"
The leading end of this tube is next opened out, and a portion of the web bent
back upon the body of the bag, along the line a, by moving the upper tab a
into the position indicated in Fig. 2 whilst the lower tab a is held down and in
line with the body of the bag. This manipulation produces the "diamond
fold indicated in Fig. 2, from which figure it will be clearly seen, that the folds
forming the bottom of the bag overlap each other at the centre, which is a
desideratum, as it results in a stronger and more satisfactory bag bottom being
obtained.
The next step, is the pasting of the bag bottom, paste being laid along the
lines a so as to stick the two final folds.
1
When this has taken place the forward portion of the partially formed bag
bottom is folded over along the line a, into the position indicated in Fig. 3,
and owing to the presence of the paste, sticks in this position, the operation being
herinafter termed the first final fold. The bag is next folded upon itself along
מ

page_text: the line aa Fig. 3, in the manner shown in in Fig. 4 so that, that part of
the unfolded bag bottom to the right of the line a Fig. 3, sticks to the
folded down bag bottom and completes the formation thereof, this step being
hereinafter called the second final fold. The bag bottom is finally turned down
into the line with the body of the bag and the finished article produced just as
indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings.
It will be noticed that the tabs a² in the finished bag Fig. 5, overlap each other
to some extent, so that here again the strength of the bag bottom is augmented
and a more finished appearance obtained.
Bags constructed as above set forth possess a very important advantage in that
they open quite squarely. Thus when the bag is opened, the bottom of the bag
at once assumes the form shown in Fig. 6, which is found to be a mathematically
square base.
The whole of the operations necessary to produce bags, as herein described, are
performed by mechanical parts, and having briefly outlined the formation of the
bag, we may now pass on to describe the construction and operation of our
improved machine.
'
"
The construction and operation of the improved machine will be more clearly
understood and followed by reference to the annexed sheets of drawings.
In the said drawings,
f.
Fig. 7 shows in diagramatic form a side elevation of the complete machinė as
used for making our improved form of bag.
1
Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the preliminary pasting section of the machine
and shows also a portion of the tube former..
Fig. 9 is a plan of Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 shows the remainder of the former together with the slitting and
drawing section of the machine.
Fig. 11 is a plan view of Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the severing, folding, forming, drawing, pasting
and final folding section of the machine.
Fig. 13 is a plan view of Fig. 12.
Fig. 14 is a plan view partly in section of the severing knives, forming fingers
and segmental paster...
Fig. 15 shows the cams for actuating the final folding levers..
Fig. 16 is a plan view of Fig. 15.
The remaining figs. have reference to another and known form of bag which,
by slight alterations, can be readily produced in various sizes on our improved
machines. This portion of our invention will. however be hereinafter dealt with.
Referring in the first place to the construction of machine shown in Fig. 7
to 16.
The paper from which the bags are to be formed is led from a roll or batch A
of suitable width, carried on a spindle b, working in bearings formed in brackets
bolted to the frame of the machine, and passes partly around a carrier roller b¹,
and under a roller or bar 2, to the marginal pasting device C, where by means
of a revolving paste wheel cl dipping into the paste trough c³, a continuous supply
of paste is applied to one margin of the passing strip as it is drawn over the
roller c³.
In practice, in a machine-made bag, it is found impossible to apply the paste
right up to the edge of the passing strip, as the pressure to which the after
formed bag is subjected to, would cause the paste to spread beyond the edge or
margin.
Consequently, a machine-made bag can be at once told, from the fact that the
paste line of the longitudinal seam stops short some distance from the edge or
margin of the seam on the outside of the bag.
In order that the longitudinal seam, in our improved bag, may approach as
near that of a hand-made bag as possible, we propose to apply an additional line
of paste to the passing strip by means of an auxiliary pasting device D. This

page_text: device consists of a thin paste wheel & working against the roller and dipping
into a paste trough d. The paste wheel d¹, during its revolution, picks up and
applies a thin line of paste to the roller 3, the line of paste in its turn being
picked up by the passing paper, so that the strip is supplied with two lines of
paste, one on each side and both a slight distance from the edge. One line of
paste is a little further from the edge than the other so that when the tube is
formed the lines of paste adjoin.
This additional serving of paste is just sufficient to effectually secure the
longitudinal seam practically across its entire width but particularly at the
edge or margin outside the bag so as to produce in this respect a close approxi-
mation to a hand made bag.
The pasting devices C and D are readily adjustable across the width of the
machine so as to allow of various widths of paper being dealt with.
Leaving the pasting section of the machine the pasted strip passed to the tube
former e around which in its passage it is folded so as to cause it to leave the
former in the necessary tubular shape. As the strip comes to the former, the
adjustable guide fingers e¹ cause it to take an inverted trough shape, the pendent
edges of the trough being gradually brought together under the direction of the
fingers e¹ as the strip passes over the former and is drawn through the machine.
The upwardly projecting spring or presser e² lightly presses together the over-
lapping and pasted margins of the passing paper arranged around the tube
former, so that a continuous tube of paper is drawn from such former by the
slitting and drawing rollers f, f¹.
Guide plates or strips e³ keep the paper passing over the top of the former
perfectly smooth and even, such plates or strips being adjustable at will. The
former e is of the expansible type, so as to permit of different widths of tubes
being made on the same machine.
The construction of the former is clearly shown in plan view Fig. 11, the
main body e being provided with adjustable strips c, carried on slidable
spindles held by pinching screws c, so that by adjustment of these strips c
nearer to or further from the main portion of the former, different widths of
tubes are produced as required.
From the former e the tube of paper passes to the slitting and drawing section
of the machine most clearly seen in Figs. 10 and 11.
The slitting and drawing rollers which are lettered f f¹ draw forward and
press the continuous paper tube leaving the former e, feeding such tube to a
pair of drawing rollers gg. The upper roller of the slitting and drawing
pair f f is provided with transverse slitting knives which work in slits or
ways cut in the lower roller fl so that the rollers not only fulfil the function of
drawing rollers but owing to the presence of the knives falso produce at inter-
vals the two longitudinal slits seen in the leading end of the bag blank Fig. 1
Sheet 1.
The slitting knives f2 might of course be carried by the lower roller. The nip
of the rollers g is regulated by adjusting the screwed nuts g².
The continuous tube of paper having been duly slit as above described, is fed
forward by the rollers to the revolving severing knives h h, the duty of such
knives being to sever or cut the passing tube, at the required times, into the
bag lengths indicated in Fig. 1. The knives h', which are removably secured
to revolving carriers, mounted on shafts h², have a rotary cutting action severing
the tube at intervals with a perfectly straight cut. The upper knife h is adjust-
able towards the lower by means of set screws h³, and in order that the severing
action of the knives may produce a straight cut, or in other words a cut at right
angles to a line drawn down the centre of the passing tube, the supporting
bracket on one side of the machine is set out of line with the bracket on the
other side, as is usual in this type of severing mechanism.
The severing with a straight cut, gives the finished bag a better appearance.
Beyond the severing knives the bag bottom forming parts are arranged as

page_text: shown in Fig. 12, and 13, and 14, the function of such parts being to fold the
leading end of the slitted tube into the form shown in Fig. 2.
During the revolution of the knives hh, and before severing takes place, the tube
is fed forward towards the inclined finger or nose i and below the tucker blade j,
which parts, together with the forming fingers, effect the fold shown in
Fig. 2.
The tube of paper a is supported, as is usual, from the former e to the inclined
nose by means of a longitudinal reciprocating distending rod the leading
end of which is fitted with a pair of flat springs expanding outwards. These
flat springs, cause the end of the tube to gape open as it approaches the in-
clined nose, thereby directing the upper part of the advancing paper tube
against, and the lower part of the tube below, such inclined nose i. The dis-
tending rod is reciprocated by means of a rod 12 connected to a bell-crank
lever pivotted at 4, the bellcrank being actuated through a connecting rod 15
from a crank or excentric as is usual.
The tucker blade which acts in conjunction with the inclined nose i and
fingers is carried by links working in curved slots 2, the links being
connected at 3 to levers carried on a shaft j. By operating these levers
from a cam, through a suitable pivotted lever and connecting rod in the ordinary
and well known manner, the tucker blade is caused to play in the curved
slots and so by striking the bag blank upon the line aa¹ produces in con-
junction with the other parts the fold shown in Fig. 2.
In order to effect the formation of the leading angles in the bag blank Fig. 2,
and to prevent the same being torn by the action of the swinging tucker blade j,
we employ the forming fingers and combine their action with that of the
inclined nose i and tucker blade j.
In forming the leading angles of the bag, the pronged ends of the fingers
diverge or lie at an angle to each other, but when leaving the bag, the pronged
ends lie parallel.
The fingers, which not only ensure the formation of the leading angles
and prevent the same being torn but also move with the bag to the nip of the
drawing rollers, are operated as follows.
To a loose sleeve carried on a fixed shaft we attach bearings, these
bearings supporting the forming fingers kk, the said fingers being geared
together by sector teeth so that the finger k is caused to partake of any motion
imparted to the finger. These bearings 3 and consequently the fingers k k¹
are arranged to swing on the shaft towards and from the nose i. On a suitable
bracket secured to the frame of the machine we mount a bell crank lever k
pivotted at 6, the lower end of this lever carrying an anti-friction bowl which
bears against an excentric or cam carried on the revolving shaft k³.
The upwardly extending arm of the lever is adjustably connected to a
link mounted on the sleeve 13 so that on the revolution of the shaft 9 the
excentric acting on the bowl operates the bellcrank lever and conse-
quently the sleeve 3 thus causing the fingers to swing to and fro.
In addition to their swinging motion, it is necessary for the fingers k k¹ to
slightly revolve, so as to cause the lower pronged end it to move from the posi-
tion shown in the plan views Fig. 13 and 14 (where they diverge), to a position
parallel to each other, and from such parallel position back again into the
position shown in Figs. 13 and 14.
To effect this result, as before stated, the fingers are geared together
by sector teeth, and the finger carries a bowl working in a cam groove
formed in the cam 12 secured to the fixed shaft, see Fig. 12.
Thus as the fingers swing to and fro, the bowl running in the cam groove,
causes the finger to partially revolve, the finger & following, so that the pronged
ends turn towards and from each other. When the pronged ends lie parallel,
they are in a position to leave the partially formed bag which is then dealt with
by the succeeding parts.

page_text: Having outlined the mechanism employed to produce the fold seen in Fig. 2,
we will now follow the combined action of the parts in bringing about the
result.
We will suppose the knives h h¹ have just severed the tube and are continuing
their revolution. During such revolution, the tube of paper supported by the
distending rod is fed forward towards the inclined nose i, arrived at which,
owing to the action of the flat springs on the reciprocating rod 1, the mouth
has become distended so that the central portion of the upper half of the paper
tube encounters the inclined nose, the lower half of the paper tube being guided
below. Having performed its function, the reciprocating distending rod at once
commences its retreat, so as to be clear of the action of the severing knives when
they next meet. The forming fingers enter and lie in the distended end
of the partially formed bag bottom, and upon the action of the swinging tucker
blade taking place, sustain the leading angles and assist in their formation,
so that by the combined action of the various parts the fold as per Fig. 2 is pro-
duced. As soon as the tucker blade j commences to return to the position
indicated in Fig. 12, the pronged ends 14 (lying at an angle to each other) move
forward within the folded bag bottom towards the draw rollers m, m³, the rollers
being divided so as not to interfere with the action of the fingers. During the
swing of the forming fingers kk towards the drawing rollers m, m' the bowl kl
running in the cam groove, causes the forming fingers to partially revolve,
and the sector teeth on this finger gearing with similar teeth on the other forming
finger compel such finger also to partially revolve, so that, by the time the
drawing rollers m m¹ have taken a hold on the partially formed bag, the pronged
ends of the fingers lie parallel and so pass out of the fold of the bag bottom,
towards the inclined nose i and tucker blade j for the next blank. The forming
fingers exercise no drawing effect on the blank merely ensuring the perfect
formation of the angles of the bag bottom and preventing such angles from
being torn.
Immediately the tucker blade j has performed its object and is moving back
to the position indicated in Fig. 12, the severing knives h¹ again sever the
tube and the operations hereinbefore described are repeated for the partial
formation of the next bag.
The partially formed bag in the exact form shown in Fig. 2 is now fed along
by the drawing rollers m m of the pasting and final folding section of the
machine, towards the revolving paste rollers » n', the supply of paste necessary
to stick the two final folds being transferred to the bag from the segmental
paster n. This segmental paster makes one revolution for each bag as is usual
with this type of paster.
Whilst the bag is being carried forward by the paste rollers nn, paste is
being applied to the central portion of the diamond fold, along the lines a³, by
means of the segmental paster block n* which is fixed to a bush n³ carried on the
shaft of the roller n. The paster block 2 is centrally situated between two loose
sections or halves n³, composing the top roller of the paste rollers n n¹, the
rollers being driven at the same surface speed as the drawing rollers m m.
The segmental paster * receives its supply of paste from the paste box
through a transferring, roller o which projects into the paste box.
"
The paste box o is clearly shown in Figs. 12 and 13. It consists of an inclined
trough of having a sliding plate o2 working in
vee'
ways formed in the bottom
of such trough. By adjusting such sliding plate o², by means of the adjusting
screw working in the nut o on the back of the plate o towards or from the
transferring roller o, the amount of paste supplied to such transferring roller
may be readily regulated.
The segmental paster n* receiving its supply of paste from the transferring
roller o, applies the same to the travelling partially formed bag which duly
pasted, as in Fig. 2, passes onward to the first folder p worked by the vibrating
lever centred at p.

page_text: To prevent the pasted bags running round with the paster roller n, we employ
a light metallic rod to project towards such roller n, the pasted bags passing
below the rod to the folding levers.
As the partially formed bag is fed forwards towards the first fold roller p³, the
descending vibrating folder p strikes the bag blank on the line ata, and in
conjunction with the rollers n', 23, produces the first final fold on the bag bottom,
exactly as shown in Fig. 3.
The descending folder takes the bag to the nip of the roller n¹ and first fold
top. roller.23, between which the blank is duly folded pressed and carried for-
ward, the first final fold being thus produced.
Leaving the roller n¹ the bag passes between the top fold roller p³ and a guide
roller to the second and final folder q. To ensure the passage of the bag
between the top roller and the guide roller p*, guide strips p are arranged
to project upward between the roller n and the guide roller
The bag advancing between the 1st fold roller p³ and the guide roller 2, over
the second guide roller p, is struck on the line aa by the 2nd final folder
carried by the levers q₁ centred at q
The action of this 2nd final folding lever q, is to fold the bag upon itself along
the line aa, and thus cause the bag to assume the form indicated in Fig. 4.
The descending folder in this case strikes the bag, carrying the same down
to the nip of the guide roller 24 and the second fold roller p, between which
the bag is completed, being finally folded pressed and delivered in the form
shown in Fig. 4 on to the usual travelling felt.
In passing along such felt, the folded over bag bottom is turned down into line
with the body of the bag, by a travelling cord, so that the bags travel to the
drying cylinder in the form indicated in Fig. 5, as is usual.
The vibrating levers which carry the folders or folding bars p and
are carried on rock shafts 72 92, which are actuated by means of levers pq,
which carry bowls 28 78 running in cam grooves p q formed in revolving
cams 70 g the revolution of such cams causing the folding knives to vibrate
at the required times, as will be readily understood. The cams 710 q10 and side
levers are more clearly shown in Figs. 15 and 16 Sheets 10 and 11.
The whole of the revolving shafts and parts are driven from the main driving
shaft by spur gearing as indicated in Fig. 17 (Sheet 12) and we have not thought
it necessary to follow the trains of spur pinions throughout the foregoing
specification.
When it is desired to adapt the machine for the purpose of making bags of
another size, the former e is altered by moving the strips so as to produce a
wider or narrower tube of paper a in the manner previously described.
The speed of the drawing rollers, pasting rollers and parts is also acclerated
or diminished (the speed of the severing knives remaining the same) so that
longer or shorter tubes are produced. This change of speed may be conveniently
brought about by the substitution of a different change wheel cc on the end of
the change wheel shaft g*, see Figs. 10 and 17. Finally the relative positions
of the cams 10 g10 on the shaft are adjusted so that the folding levers 9 may
act at the correct time and the pasting rollers and parts set forward or back
according to the desired width of the bag. Thus by these slight adjustments
and alterations the various sizes of bags within the scope of the machine are
produced.
As hereinbefore stated, by slight alterations, our improved machine is capable
of constructing bags of another and well known type.
This other bag in its various stages of formation is shown on Sheet 13 of the
drawings.
Fig. 1 is a view of the tube as nicked and severed off.
Fig. 2 shows the first diamond fold.
Fig. 3 the first final fold.

page_text: Fig. 5 the opened out and completed bag.
In manufacturing this bag the slitting rollers f f¹ are dispensed with and
removed, and the punching arrangement shown in Figs. 18 and 19 substituted,
the object of such punching arrangement being to make a semi-circular incision
at intervals in the paper tube as it passes over the former e from the preliminary
pasting device.
The forming fingers k k¹, and draw rollers m m' are also dispensed with,
and may be removed from the machine, but in other respects the machine remains
precisely the same as when constructing the improved bag hereinbefore described.
The semi-circular punching device is arranged in front of the drawing
rollers g g and consists of a hinged punch carried from a bracket or lever pl
secured to a shaft 2. To this shaft is connected a lever to which is in turn
attached a bent lever carrying an anti-friction bowl. This anti-friction
bowl bears against a cam s, the cam acting on the bowl against the pull of
a spring. For each revolution of the severing knife shaft 2, the punch r
descends, and makes a clean semi-circular cut a in the upper half of the paper
tube as it passes over the former e.
Thus cut forms a lip or tab at the front end of the bag, see Figs. 2 and 3*,
the end being afterwards folded over to form the bottom of the bag, the corre-
sponding notch at the top being useful in opening out the mouth of the bag.
We will now briefly describe the formation of the bag indicated in Sheet 13
by the operation of the machine.
The strip of paper leaving the roll A, is supplied with a double line of paste,
in the manner herein before described, having received which, it passes onward
to the former e leaving the same as a tube.
During the passage of the tube of paper over the former e, the clean semi-
circular incisions are made at intervals, by the action of the vibrating punch r,
as hereinbefore explained. The tube, duly punched at intervals, is fed forward
by means of the drawing rollers 9 g. From the drawing rollers, the tube of
paper passes to the severing knives h h which sever the tube into bag lengths
with a straight cut. The tube first passes free between the severing knives h h
being as yet unsevered into the lengths required. The advancing paper tube next
encounters the inclined nose i, one web of the tube being directed against the
nose and the other below the same, by reason of the action of the longitudinal
distending rod. The tucker blade working in the curved slots now acts in
combination with the inclined nose i, to produce the diamond fold indicated in
Fig. 2 which fold having been effected, the tube is fed forward by the draw
rollers to the segmental pasting device, the tube being finally severed by the
action of the revolving severing knives h h¹.
The segmental paster lays the paste along the paste lines a³-3 in sufficient
quantity to stick the two final folds. Leaving the pasting device the bag blanks
come under the action of the vibrating folders p q', which in conjunction with
the fold rollers 23, 2*, p, effect the first and second final fold, along the
lines at a and aa, in the manner herein before described with reference to
the improved form of bag shown on Sheet 1 of the drawings. The severing,
folding, pasting, and final folding parts with the forming fingers k¹ &c.
moved, are shown in side view in Fig. 20, and in plan view Fig. 21, Sheets 16
and 17.
re-
When adapting the machine for a different size of bag, of this last described
shape, the former is expanded or constracted to produce wider or narrower tubes
from a suitable width of paper, the speed of the drawing and paste rollers
accelerated or retarded by the use of suitable change gear, the paste rollers and
parts adjusted, and the action of the vibrating levers timed, &c., all exactly as
before described when dealing with the production of the improved bag.
The gearing shown in Fig. 17 is that used when making the old form of bag
herein last described.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we would have it under-
stood that we are aware that certain parts and combinations herein outlined are
old, consequently, we declare that what we claim is:-
1) The improved square bottomed bag, constructed in the manner, and substan-
tially as described with reference to Sheet 1 of the annexed drawings.
2) The general combination of mechanism and parts, for producing the im-
proved bag shown in Sheet 1 of the drawings hereto, constructed, arranged, and
acting in the manner, and substantially as described with reference to the first
12 sheets of the drawings hereto.
3) The auxiliary pasting device D, which in combination with the pasting
device C, pastes the longitudinal seam of the paper tube in such a manner as to
effect in this respect a close approximation to a hand made bag, substantially
as described, and shown in Sheets 3 and 4 of the drawings.
4) The combination of the fingers with the inclined nose and tucker
blade j, for producing the fold. shown in Fig. 2 (Sheet 1) from the slitted blanks
Fig. 1 (Sheet 1) in the manner, and substantially as herein described and shown.
5) The general arrangement, construction and combination of parts, con-
stituting the improved machine, for making the form of bag shown in Sheet 13
of the drawings, substantially as herein described and shown.
1000
Bab
day
VI
April
1000
1000.
For the Applicants,
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 5, John Dalton Street, Manchester.