IMPROVEMENTS IN PLEATING MACHINES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Grey Hill at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th June 1882.
CHARLES GREY HILL of Nottingham "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLEATING MACHINES
This invention has for its object improvements in pleating machines.
و,
In my machine, as in other pleating machines, there is a pleating blade having
a reciprocating motion, and this blade pushes forward the fabric in pleats or folds
between rollers which slowly rotate.
I arrange the blade and I give motion to it in the following manner :-
The pleating blade, which is thin and flexible, is fixed at one end of a moving
frame which is furnished with pivots one on either side. These pivots are received.
into motion blocks capable of sliding along guide slots in the stationary framing
of the machine. At the outer end of the moving frame, or that opposite to the
pleating blade, the frame is made to embrace an eccentric or eccentrics upon the
main shaft. Hence the rotation of the main shaft imparts to the frame two move-
ments; one a rocking motion upon its pivots; and the other a movement bodily to
and from the rollers; this latter movement, being by the traverse of the motion
blocks in the guide slots. The pleating blade is also further controlled by a guiding
edge or stop set immediately above it and so adjusted as to permit the blade to
rise during its return motion, just sufficiently to release the fabric from the nip in
which it is held during the forward movement, that is to say the nip between the
edge of the blade and the surface of the lower roller upon which the pleating blade
works.
The blade rests against the guiding edge or stop during the whole of the return
movement and its motion is controlled by it so that it cannot rise any higher than
the edge or stop permits. This guiding edge or stop may either be fixed to the "

page_text: stationary framing or to the motion blocks so that it may partake of the reciprocating
motion together with the pleating blade.
As a further precaution against the work returning with the pleating blade a
stop or edge may be provided close up to the nip of the rollers. The guiding edge
or stop which controls the pleating blade may serve also for this purpose or an
additional stop or edge may be provided.
For the purpose of adjustment arrangements are made for altering the positions
of the pivots and for changing the eccentrics.
The rollers receive a continuous rotary motion, not an intermittent motion as is
usual in such machines. This motion is imparted as follows:-Upon the end of
the main shaft a worm is fixed and this gears with a worm wheel upon an inter-
mediate shaft.at the side of the machine. Upon this shaft there is also a worm
engaging with a worm wheel upon the lower roller.
.
Provision is made for changing these worms and wheels to vary the speed.
In some cases I employ two pleating blades operating simultaneously upon two
fabrics on the opposite sides of a division plate and passing the fabrics simultaneously
forward to the rollers.
Pressing blocks may in some cases be substituted for rollers.
In irregular work the driving shaft may be so acted upon as to give to the
rollers any intermittent motion required

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Grey Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th December 1882.
CHARLES GREY HILL of Nottingham
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PLEATING MACHINES
This Invention has for its object improvements in pleating machines.
"
In my machine, as in other pleating machines, there is a pleating blade having
a reciprocating motion, and this blade pushes forward the fabric in pleats or folds
between rollers which slowly rotate.
I arrange the blade and I give motion to it, in the following manner :-
The pleating blade, which is thin and flexible, is fixed at one end of a moving
frame which is furnished with pivots one on either side. These pivots are received
into motion blocks capable of sliding along guide slots in the stationary framing
of the machine. At the outer end of the moving frame, or that opposite to the
pleating blade, the frame is made to embrace an eccentric or eccentrics upon the
main shaft. Hence the rotation of the main shaft imparts to the frame two move-
ments; one a rocking motion upon its pivots; and the other a movement bodily
to and from the rollers; this latter movement being by the traverse of the motion
blocks in the guide slots. The pleating blade is also further controlled by a
guiding edge or stop set immediately above it and so adjusted as to permit the.
blade to rise during its return motion, just sufficiently to release the fabric from
the nip in which it is held during the forward movement, that is to say the nip
between the edge of the blade and the surface of the lower roller upon which the
pleating blade works.
The blade rests against the guiding edge or stop during the whole of the return
movement and its motion is controlled by it so that it cannot rise any higher than
the edge or stop permits. This guiding edge or stop may either be fixed to the
stationary framing or to the motion blocks so that it may partake of the
reciprocating motion together with the pleating blade.
For the purpose of adjustment arrangements are made for altering the positions
of the pivots and for changing the eccentrics.
The rollers receive a continuous rotary motion, not an intermittent motion as is
usual in such machines. This motion is imparted as follows;--Upon the end of
the main shaft a worm is fixed and this gears with a worm wheel upon an inter-
mediate shaft at the side of the machine. Upon this shaft is also a worm engaging
with a worm wheel upon the lower roller.
Provision is made for changing these worms and wheels to vary the speed.
In some cases I employ two pleating blades operating simultaneously upon two
fabrics on the opposite sides of a division plate and passing the fabrics simultaneously
forward to the rollers.
Pressing blocks may in some cases be substituted for rollers.
In irregular work the driving shaft may be so acted upon as to give to the
rollers any intermittent motion required.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: a, a, is the frame of the machine, b is the main axis, it has pulleys b¹ upon it to
receive a driving band and it also carries a small wheel 62 for turning the machine
by hand.
c is an eccentric fixed upon the axis b. d, is a frame having pivots d' they are
received into holes in the motion blocks e. The blocks e can slide in slots a' in the
frame. The eccentric c passes through corresponding circular holes in the frame d
near one end and at the other end of the frame the very flexible steel pleating
blade f is fixed.
The blade has a number of slits made in it which give to it a comb like
appearance as seen in Figure 2 this enables the blade to exercise a more uniform
pressure upon the fabric.
g is an edge against which the blade f rests whilst it is being drawn back by the
action of the eccentric. In the Drawing the edge g. is represented as stationary
but it may be carried by the motion blocks.
The pivots d'. are adjustable in position upon the frame d and are clamped by
tightening the nuts d².
h is a worm upon the end of the axis b. it actuates a worm wheel i. upon an
inclined axis which also carries a worm j. this drives a worm wheel k upon the axis
of the lower pressing roller l. As represented in the Drawing the roller l. makes
one revolution for about 200 revolutions of the axis a. but the speed can readily
be varied to suit a different work by removing this gear and substituting other
similar gear but differently proportioned.
Also the construction of the machine admits as will be seen of the eccentric and
pleating frame being changed when a different throw is required to be given to the.
pleating blade. The lower roller 7. is in the usual way heated by means of gas
and the upper pressing roller is held down to it by adjustable springs. The
rollers . and are connected by the gear wheels 12. m. is a narrow pressing
roller which is not always required, it serves to form a band in the centre of the
width of pleated fabric by pressing moistened threads upon it.
The threads when employed are led down in front of the roller ¹ and pass with
the pleated fabric between the rollers.
When pressed by the roller m. the threads adhere to the fabric and prevent the
pleats in the band opening. The roller m is geared as is shewn with the roller l.
n is a freely revolving roller serving simply to guide the pleated fabric out of the
machine. o. o. are guide fingers set to a distance apart corresponding to the width
of the fabric. p is a support for the fabric entering the machine. The fabric is
led from a convenient holder at a distance, over the support p and between the
pleating blade f and the roller l. The blade fin advancing bears firmly upon the
fabric and carries forward a pleat or fold which it presents to the continuously
revolving pressing rollers . . Before the blade fretires it relaxes its pressure
upon the fabric and rises into contact with the guiding edge g. The blade thus
leaves the fabric entirely free during its return and when next it advances its edge
again descends and nips the fabric against the roller 1. The pleated work is carried
continuously forward upon the roller . until it reaches the narrow roller m. which
presses the band, then passing over the roller n the work is delivered into a can or
other receptacle. If a pressed band be not required the work is led out between
the fingers o. o.
The rocking pleating frame d. may be mounted in the manner shewn at Figure 4
here in place of being pivotted to motion blocks it is supported by links q moving
about stationary but adjustable centres at q¹. The same figure together with the
horizontal section Figure 5 also shew a way in which the eccentric may be made
adjustable. There is here an outer eccentric c*. embraced by the frame d. and sur-
rounding an eccentric c. upon which it is capable of being turned in order to adjust
the throw. When the adjustment is effected the two eccentrics are fixed together
by screws.
-As. I have already stated double machines may be made in accordance with my
invention in which two pleating blades are employed operating on separate

page_text: fabrics, pleating them and feeding them simultaneously between the rollers 7.
and l¹.
Also pressing blocks may be used instead of rollers but less advantageously.
For special descriptions of work irregular driving gear may be applied to the
rollers l. 1.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to
the exact details of my description and I claim as my improvements in pleating
machines.
First. The flexible pleating blade carried by rocking frame actuated by an
eccentric or its equivalent and which in advancing presses the fabric to be pleated
against a roller or other support, and in retiring is kept out of contact with the
fabric substantially as described.
Second. The combination of the reciprocating pleating blade and continuously
rotating pressing rollers operated by worm and wheel gearing substantially as
described.
Third. My improved pleating machine substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said Charles Grey Hill have hereunto set my hand
and seal this
day of December in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
CHARLES GREY HILL (L.S.)
Witness
JNO. WIGHTMAN