Improvements in Machines for Turning Cuff-blanks.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1894-Accepted, 30th June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Turning Cuff-blanks.
I, GEORGE EASTMAN NORRIS, of 2743 Fifth Avenue, Troy, in the County of
Rensselaer and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer of
Shirts and Collars, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
Figure 1 is a plan view of my folding machine with the template in its rearmost
position;
Figure 2 is a like view with the template moved forward to a position for
effecting the primary fold of a cuff-blank;
Figure 3 is an end elevation of my machine on its supporting table, the latter
being shown broken apart;
Figure 4 is a front elevation of my machine detached from its supporting
table;
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of Fig. 2 at the line X-X;
Figures 6, 7, and 8 are enlarged details showing different positions of the folding
mechanism in the operation of folding a cuff-blank;
Figure 9 is an enlarged detail of one of the spring-guides; and
Figure 10 is a detached detail of the sliding-plate:
This invention relates to a machine for turning the folds of cuff-blanks and
other similar articles, and it consists of the mechanism constructed substantially in
the manner herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The machine represented in the drawings is adapted to folding blanks for cuffs
made with rounded corners, but it is adaptable, without further invention, for
folding other forms of cuffs and other similar articles.
In the drawings, A designates the bed-piece of my machine, which can be made
in the form shown or in any form suitable for the purpose.
B designates a movable-bed that is fitted to receive a slight vertical movement
in an opening, 1, formed in the top of the bed-piece A, said movement being given
for effecting the pressing down of the folds formed on the edges of the cuff-blanks
by the folding mechanism. The movable-bed B is maintained in a suitably heated
condition by means of jets of illuminating-gas mixed with air that are emitted
from a perforated pipe, 2, arranged directly beneath said bed; but said heating
arrangement, being old and well-known, forms no part of this invention.
C designates a sliding-plate that is fitted to move in a recess, 3, formed in the top
of the bed-piece A; said sliding-plate is provided with studs which carry friction-
rollers, 4, on its upper face. Pendent from said sliding-plate, lugs, 5, are formed,
and a rocker-shaft, D-journaled to said bed-piece-is provided with a double-
arm, 6, having a roller, 7, pivoted thereto and fitted to engage with the lugs 5 for
the purpose of imparting a reciprocating movement to the plate C. A handle, 8, is
secured to the shaft D for the purpose of giving a rocking movement to said
shaft.
E designates a pair. of folding-plates which are arranged to move diagonally on
the top of the bed-piece A, and said folding-plates are held down-to resist an
upward pressure of the movable-bed-by means of bars, F and G, the first of
which is arranged longitudinally and the others transversely on said bed-piece, and
are secured thereto, by bolts, 9, in such manner that the folding-plates can move
freely. At the outer end of each folding-plate E, a pair of swinging-links, 10, is
arranged to effect a diagonal movement of said plates; one end of each link is

page_text: pivoted to the corresponding folding-plate, and the opposite end is pivoted to the
bed-piece A by means of pivot-bolts, 11, which are adjustable in holes, 12, in said
bed-piece, so as to adapt the machine for folding blanks of different lengths. An
opening, 13, is formed in each folding-plate so as to allow the latter to move
diagonally notwithstanding the bolts 9 at the ends of the bar F. The adjacent
ends of the folding-plates E are slotted-as at 14-to receive the friction-
rollers 4 of the sliding-plate C, so that any movement of the latter will effect a
corresponding movement of the folding-plates, the direct movements of the
sliding-plate being converted to diagonal movements of the folding-plate by means
of the links 10. On the abutting end of each folding-plate a detachable piece, 15,
is attached for the purpose of adapting the pair of folding-plates to meet
centrally when adjusted for folding blanks of different lengths; said detachable
pieces are attached to the folding-plates by means of bolts, 16, and dowels, 17
both of which are indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The inner portion of each
folding-plate is cut out, as at 18, to conform to the shape of the end of the cuff to
be folded thereby, and around the cut out portion a recessed edge is made to form
a ledge, 19, whereon the cuff-blank can be placed preparatory to forming the fold
thereon, but, when preferred, said ledge can be dispensed with, and pins or stops,
and other suitable means can be employed to indicate the position of the blanks on
said folding-plates.
H designates a template or form, made of sheet metal and corresponding to the
shape of a folded cuff-blank; said template is attached to a plate, 20, of wood or
other material secured to the swinging-end of a bracket, 21, that is hinged, as
at 22, to a slide, 23, fitted to slide on guides, 24, that project rearwardly from the
movable-head B; said guides being connected by a cross-bar, 25, which forms a
stop for limiting the rearward movement of said slide. The slide 23 is provided
with lugs, 26, which form part of the hinge-joints for the bracket 21, and
said lugs may be arranged. to take against stop-bolts, 27, adjustably inserted in the
bed-piece A, so as to limit the forward movement of said slide. A knob, 28, or
other handle, is attached to the bracket 21, for the purpose of operating. said
bracket and its attached slide.
I designates adjustable spring-guides arranged in grooves, 29, in the top of the
movable-bed B; said guides have slotted openings for bolts, 30, whereby the
guides can be secured at any required point to suit cuff-blanks of different widths.
The free end of each of said guides should be bent down to form a shoulder, 31,
against which the rearmost edge of an unfolded blank will bear when placed in
the machine. The downward bend of the guides I is arranged to pass into. an
opening, 32, in the movable-bed B, so that the arm of the guide can be pressed
into the groove 29 to be flush with the surface of the movable-bed.
J designates levers fulcrumed, as at 33, to the bed-piece A and so arranged that
the shorter arm of each lever will form a bearing for the movable-bed B, and,
to make said bearings adjustable, each of said shorter arms is provided with a
spring-plate, 34, which will bear directly against the lower part of the movable-bed,
and set-bolts, 35, are arranged to bear against the under side of said spring-plates;
the longer arm of said levers is so constructed that the ends of said arms will
be adjacent to each other, so as to allow a collar, 36, that is fitted on a rod, 37,
to bear on the adjacent ends of both of said levers. The rod 37 is connected
to a treadle, 38, arranged under the machine, so that an operative can apply the
pressure of his foot thereto, for the purpose of moving the levers J to press the
movable-bed B upward, the downward movement of said bed being effected by
gravity or other suitable means.
K designates a table or frame on which the machine rests, but the form of
said table may be changed when preferred.
The rod 37 is preferably connected to an adjustable eye-bolt, 39, whereby
the distance between the treadle 38 and levers J can be adjusted as required,
but the rod 37 can be provided with any of the old and well-known means for
effecting such an adjustment.

page_text: My invention operates in the following manner: The folding-plates E being
adjusted for folding a particular size of cuffs, (and, it being understood that the
lengths of cuffs vary about a half inch between the different sizes, the detachable
pieces 1 being made to vary a quarter inch in thickness, so as to compensate for
the different lengths of the cuff-blanks, and to effect a central meeting of the
folding-plates under different adjustments,) a cuff-blank of the required length is
placed on the ledge 19 of the folding-plates, the opposite elge of said blank resting
against the guides I; the template H being raised up-as indicated by dotted lines.
in Fig. 3-so as to clear the guides I, the operative moves the slide 23 forward, to
bring the template into position over the opening 18 in the folding-plates E, and.
then depresses said template, thereby pressing the cuff-blank down on to the top of
the movable-bed B and turning up the material of said blank to form an up-turned
flange, 40, at the edge of said blank, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7; then, by means of
the shaft D and its attached parts, the folding-plates E are moved, in the manner
previously described, to fold said flange down upon the body of the blank, as
indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7, and, after withdrawing the template H from.
the folded blank, the treadle 38 is moved to operate the levers J to effect the raising
of the movable-bed B, and thereby the cuff-blank will be pressed against the under
side of the folding-plates E with sufficient force to complete the pressing of the
folds at the edge of said blank. By the diagonal movement of the folding-plates E.
the surplus material at the rounded corners of the cuff-blank will be crimped in
such manner that the pressure applied by the heated movable-bed B will effectually
press out the crimps. After the blank has been sufficiently pressed, the folding-
plates E are moved back to their normal position and the movable-bed B returned
to its depressed position, thereby restoring the machine to a condition for a.
repetition of the operation just described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of a bed-piece, a movable-head fitted to slide vertically in an
opening of said bed-piece, a pair of folding-plates arranged to move diagonally
towards each other; said folding-plates having an opening which conforms to the
shape of a folded blank, swinging-links pivoted to said folding-plates and to the
bed-piece, a template having the form of a folded blank and arranged to be moved.
over and depressed into the opening of said folding-plates, and levers fitted to press
the movable-bed upwardly against the lower face of the folding-plates, substantially
as specified.
2. The combination of a bed-piece, a pair of folding-plates fitted to move
diagonally towards each other; each of said folding-plates being pivotally connected
to one end of a pair of swinging-links whose opposite ends are adjustably
pivoted to said bed-piece, and a sliding-plate fitted to move transversely on said.
bed-piece and to impart corresponding movements to the folding-plates, as and for
the purpose specified.
3. The combination of a bed having grooves in its upper face, adjustable spring-
guides which are depressible in said grooves, a pair of diagonally-moving folding-.
plates provided with an opening that conforms to the shape of a folded blank, and a
template that conforms to the shape of the folded blank and is depressible into the
opening of said folding-plates; whereby an initial fold will be formed on the edge:
of said blank, as and for the purpose specified.
4. In a machine for folding cuff-blanks, a pair of folding-plates arranged to move
towards each other and each having a detachable piece attached to their contacting
ends; whereby said folding-plates can be adapted to folding cuff-blanks of different.
lengths, substantially as specified.
5. The combination of a pair of folding-plates connected to the bed-piece of the
machine by means of swinging-links and fitted to move diagonally towards each
other; the abutting end of each of said folding-plates having a slotted opening

page_text: formed therein, a sliding-plate fitted to move in the bed-piece of the machine and
provided with studs arranged to take in said slotted openings, and a rocker-shaft
provided with an arm adapted to engage with said sliding-plate in such manner that
a reciprocating movement can thereby be imparted to the latter, as and for the
purpose specified.
Dated this Second day of April 1804a
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.