Improvements in Machines for Folding the Edges of Cuff and Collar Blanks Preparatory to Stitching them.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 10th Feb., 1900
[Communicated from abroad by JAMES KNOX POLK PINE, of No. 853, Second
Avenue Village of Lansingburgh, County of Rensselaer, State of New York,
United States of America, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Machines for Folding the Edges of Cuff and Collar
Blanks Preparatory to Stitching them.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:—
This invention relates to machines for folding the edges of cuff and collar
blanks preparatory to stitching them.
In carrying out the object and purposes of my invention, a templet-form
blank-holder or former is used, which is provided with expanding and indrawing
plates having upon their outer edges when expanded the form of the cuff or collar
to be folded.
This templet or former is used in connection with a bed on which the blanks to
be folded are placed, and in combination with folders which are operated to more
inwardly to carry the subtending edges of the blank over the edges of the ex-
panded plates of the templet or former after which the plates of the latter are
drawn inward from the fold, and the bed (adapted to be heated) is then raised to
press in the fold thus formed between the bed and the folders, the folders being
then moved outwardly in readiness to operate upon a new blank.
I am aware of the fact that prior to my invention, fabric blanks have been
folded at their edges by means of formers, which were adapted to descend upon,
and to be raised from a blank placed upon a bed, and while rest-
ing upon the blank placed thereon, with the edges of the latter sub-
tending the former folders were operated to carry the subtending edges of the
blank over the outer edges of the former or templet in which condition with the
former or templet remaining within the folds, the latter were pressed, after which
the former or templet was raised from the folds which tended to open out the
latter and to make them irregular when the blanks were laid one over the other
to be stitched.
By my improvements the folders do not operate to press in the folds until the
templet or former plates are withdrawn horizontally from the folds thus giving
the latter sharp, and well defined edges, so that when laid one over the other.
with the folded edges of the blanks in contact to be stitched the edges will
exactly coincide and ensure the uniformity essential to the proper finish, and
durability of the work.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1, is a top view of my improved apparatus with the templet arm shown
as broken off, and as hinged to the machine table.
T9 is a section taken on the line
of Figure 1

page_text: Figure 3, is an underside view of the templet or former detached from the
machine and showing in dotted lines, the position of its plates when expanded.
Figure 4, shows a plank before being folded.
Figure 5, illustrates a blank after the edges have been folded and
Figure 6, is a top view of the machine with the frame, the templet arm, and
templet or former removed and showing the hinging ears of the arm with which
the templet or former is connected, as formed on the machine table and also show-
ing the folders, their slide-bars and slide-ways.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
A is the table of the machine, and B its frame carried upon supports C, of
which there is one at each side of the machine. In this frame B, the folders,
their slide-bars and slideways are arranged to be operated, and the bed D, to be
moved vertically therein in slide-ways W. This bed D. is made with a chamber F
in which gas and air, or steam may be admitted through pipes f2, as shown in
Figure 2.
The letters G. designate springs, of which there are two at cach side of the
machine on which the bed D, rests.
H, designates a rock-shaft having its bearings in the supports C. at each side
of the machine, and to each extremity of which shaft is keyed an arm C2 which
at its outer end is provided with a roller C³. I, designates depending brackets
attached to the bottom of the chamber F, and supported on the springs G, of
which brackets there is one at each end of the rock-shaft H, immediately over
the arm C2 J is a lever keyed at one end to the said rock shaft H, and at its
other end it is connected by means of a rod K, with a foot-treadle L. by which
the bed D may be slightly raised as the foot-treadle is depressed. M designates
folders which are made of L form on their inner edges, and have each projecting
from the underside of their angular corners a slide-bar m², arranged to move
cornerwise to the folders in a slide-way m³. formed in the machine frame. These
folders are actuated by a pivoted lever N, and a series of links 77, Figure 2.
arranged beneath the frame, each of said links being connected at one of its ends
with the lever N, and at its other end with one of the slide-bars m2, so that when
the said lever is moved to and fro horizontally the folders are moved outwardly
and inwardly. the inner edges of the folders being sufficiently above the bed for
the entrance of the edges of the blank to form the fold.
The templet or former 0 is connected to the front end of an arm 02, which at
its rear end is hinged to the machine frame as shown at Figure 2. Beyond the
point where the arm is hinged it is provided with a counterpoise weight 0³, by
the force of which the templet or former is caused to rise from the bed when not
pulled down to act upon a blank by the operator. This templet or former has
four plates 2, d.,, which when they are expanded will have at their outer
edges the blank form to be folded. These four plates each have in this example
rectilinear outer edges with rounded corners, and they are operated to spread out-
wardly and to move inwardly by the following mechanism shown in full lines in
Figure 1. and in dotted lines in Figure 3. R, designates a crank-disk centrally
pivoted to a bar 2, and 12 is a handle projecting laterally from the front edge of
said crank-disc. 1, designate slide-bars arranged to move in slide-ways, and
cach of these slide bars is pivoted at p² to one of the plates 2. on the underside
of the templet or former. each said slide-bar being also pivotally connected to
one end of a link-bar . which at its other end is pivotally connected at n³ to
the crank-disc at a point between the centre of the latter and its perimeter. In
consequence of this construction, when the handle 2, is moved in the direction
indicated by the arrow Z. the slide-bars w¹, and each of the plates P. are moved
outwardly. and horizontally to project beyond the edge of the templet or former
top. When the handle 2, is moved in the direction of the arrow 2. then the
slide-bars and connected plates are drawn inwardly.
The operation of the apparatus thus constructed is as follows: A blank B²

page_text: Figure 4 being placed on the bed D, the former or templet is caused to descend
hereon, and the handle h2, is moved in the direction of the arrow ¹ to force out-
wardly the plates d², with the edges of the blank subtending the latter, into the
position shown at Figure 1. The folders M are then moved inwardly to carry
The subtending edges of the blank over the edges of the templet or former rest-
ing on the blank; the movement of the handle h² is then reversed to draw the
plates from the folds and the bed is raised so as to press in the infold, thus
formed upon all the edges of the blank between the bed and folders. The
templet or former is then raised from the bed by the action of the counterpoise,
the folders are moved outward, and the folded blank is removed from the bed, and
another placed thereon to be operated upon as before.
With the folds thus produced upon all sides of the blank at one operation and
fixed therein, and with the templet withdrawn therefrom before being pressed
when the blanks are laid one over the other with their folds in contact, and
then stitched, the parts have uniform edges which add to their appearance, and
durability during the process of laundrying them.
While I have shown my invention as applied to fold blanks having rectilinear
sides and ends with rounded corners it may be applied to various forms of collars
and cuffs without departing from the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In an apparatus for folding the edges of cuff and collar blanks pre-
paratory to stitching them; the combination with a bed adapted to receive the
blanks, and provided with folders actuated to move outwardly and inwardly over
said bed, and the edges of a blank placed thereon: a former or templet adapted
to be caused to descend upon and to be raised from a fabric blank placed on
said bed, and provided with plates on its under surface adapted to be laterally
moved outwardly and inwardly over said bed, and a blank placed thereon, with
said plates having when expanded upon their outer edges the form of the collar
or cuff to be infolded, constructed and arranged to be operated substantially in
the manner as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. In a machine for inturning the edges of cuff and collar blanks the
following elements in combination namely: a bed or table on which the blanks
are placed in succession: folders constructed to move inwardly and outwardly
over the edges of a blank placed thereon; a templet or former provided with
radially expanding and indrawing plates; means for placing said templet or
former on a blank placed on said bed and removing it therefrom: whereby operat-
ing the several elements as, and in the order specified a collar or cuff blank
may be folded on all sides at one operation, and the fold fixed therein with a
sharp fold by pressure after the templet or former plates have been withdrawn
from the folds, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
widow of December 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co..
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.