Apparatus for Taking Off and Folding Printed Sheets from a Web Printing Machine.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Mar, 1890-Accepted, 3rd May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Taking Off and Folding Printed Sheets from a
Web Printing Machine.
I, MARK SMITH of the Manchester Guardian Printing Works Blackfriars Street
Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Printer's Engineer, do horchy declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an apparatus for taking off and folding sheets which have
been cut before printing in a web printing machine.
Parallel with the second and final impression cylinder of the web printing
machine, I mount a cylinder provided with a gap and grippers arranged and timed
to take off each sheet as it is printed on the second impression cylinder. Above the
taking off cylinder there is mounted a second similar cylinder rotating in an opposite
direction and timed and arranged to remove the paper from the taking off cylinder
at about the line joining the centres of the two cylinders. These cylinders are
provided with adjustable folding knives as in known apparatus of a similar type and
are so arranged that the paper is folded during the rotation of the cylinder and is
delivered between or upon tapes or cords to be thereby carried to a collecting cylinder
also constructed and operated as in other machines of a similar character.
When it is desired to cross-fold the paper, a pair of cross-folding cylinders is
arranged at a right angle to the first pair of folding cylinders hereinbefore described,
and on the arrival of the paper at a stop adjusted in the required position, the second
fold is made by means of the second pair of cylinders. In a similar manner, if a
third fold be desired a third pair of cylinders arranged at a right angle to the second
pair is provided. The second and third pair of folding cylinders are arranged
constructed and operate in a similar manner to similar cylinders in existing machines.
Dated this 27th day of June A.D. 1889.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Taking Off and Folding Printed Sheets from a
Web Printing Machine.
I, MARK SMITH of the Manchester Guardian Printing Works Blackfriars Street
Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Printer's Engineer, 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 an apparatus for taking off and folding sheets which have
been cut before printing in a web printing machine.
Parallel with the second and final impression cylinder of the web printing machine,
I mount a cylinder provided with a gap and grippers arranged and timed to take off
each sheet as it is printed on the second impression cylinder. Above the taking off
cylinder there is mounted a second similar cylinder rotating in an opposite direction
and timed and arranged to remove the paper from the taking off cylinder at about
the line joining the centres of the two cylinders. These cylinders are provided with
adjustable folding knives and may be constructed as in known folding apparatus of a
[Prin 81

page_text: similar type and they are so arranged that the paper is folded during the rotation of
the cylinders and is delivered between or upon tapes or cords to be thereby carried to
a collecting cylinder also constructed and arranged as in other folding machines of a
similar character.
When it is desired to cross fold the paper, a pair of cross folding cylinders or
rollers is arranged at a right angle to the first pair of cylinders hereinbefore
described, and on the arrival of the once folded paper at a stop adjusted in the
requisite position, the second fold is made by means of the second pair of cylinders
or rollers. In a similar manner, if a third fold be desired, a third pair of cylinders or
rollers arranged at a right angle to the second pair is provided. The second and
third pairs of folding cylinders or rollers are constructed arranged and operated in a
similar manner to those in ordinary folding machines.
I will proceed to more particularly describe my said Invention with reference to
the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a web
printing machine of ordinary construction having these Improvements applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a cross section of the cross folding cylinders, and Fig. 3 is an end elevation
of the first pair of folding cylinders.
In each of the Figures similar parts where they are represented, are indicated by
similar letters.
In the web printing machine, A. A are the cylinders by means of which the paper
is cut before printing; B is the first impression cylinder; and C is the second
impression cylinder.
In the apparatus constructed according to these Improvements D is the taking off
cylinder which removes the printed sheets from the second impression cylinder C;
E is a second cylinder similar to D but rotating in the opposite direction. The
cylinder E is provided with the folding knife F, and the cylinder D with a
corresponding folding gripper P. G G are two sets of parallel endless tapes of
which the under set pass around the cylinder D and the upper set pass around the
rollers G¹ and in. contact with the same cylinder. In the position of the cylinders
indicated in Fig. 1 the grippers of the lower cylinder D have just taken the printed
paper from the impression cylinder C. As soon as the two cylinders D E have
rotated into the position indicated in Fig. 3, that is to say when the finger grippers
are between the centres of the two cylinders, the grippers of the cylinder D liberate
the paper which is then seized by the grippers of the cylinder E around which it is
carried and folded by the knife F. After the paper has thus been folded it is delivered
Det ween the endless tapes G G by means of which the folded paper is delivered to the
collecting cylinder H which is also constructed and operated in a similar manner to
the equivalent cylinders of other folding machines. I is a flier by means of which
the folded papers are removed from the collecting cylinder and delivered on the
table I¹.
In the apparatus as hereinbefore last described, the paper is folded once only, but if
it is desired to cross fold it, an additional pair of cross folding cylinders or rollers J J
is provided which also may he constructed in a similar manner as in other folding
machines. The once folded paper is carried by the endless tapes G G between these
cylinders until it reaches the adjustable stop K when the cylinders J J make the cross
fold and deliver it to the second set of endless tapes L L. If no other cross fold is
required the endless tapes deliver the folded paper to a suitably arranged box or flier
but when a second cross fold is required the paper is folded a third time by the
cylinders M M between which it is delivered by the tapes L. I, and from which it is
removed after folding by the endless tapes N N. These tapes deliver the paper as
indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 into a box or flier placed in a suitable position to
remove the folded papers.
Fig. 3 illustrates an end view of the cylinders DE; F is the folding knife; P is
the folding gripper; QQ are the finger grippers; R R are bowls operated on by
suitable cams for opening and closing the finger grippers as required; SS are the
finger gripper springs; and T T are curved slots within which the folding knife and
grippers may be adjusted by suitable bolts.

page_text: The gripper Q on cylinder E is opened sooner or later as may be required by the
varying widths of the paper by means of an adjustable cam secured to the frame
side.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I am aware
of the Specification of Letters Patent No. 2772 of 1886 granted to Alexander
Melville Clark and 1 wish it to be understood that I do not claim anything described
and claimed therein but what I claim is ;-
(1) A folding apparatus for taking off and folding printed sheets from a web
printing machine in which the paper has been cut before printing, constructed
arranged and operated substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
(2) In a folding apparatus for taking off and folding printed sheets from a web
printing machine in which the paper has been cut before printing, the combination
and arrangement of the two folding cylinders D E which receive the paper from the
second impression cylinder and fold and deliver it to endless tapes, substantially as
hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
(3) In a folding apparatus for taking off and folding printed sheets from a web
printing machine in which the paper has been cut before printing; the combination
and arrangement of the folding cylinders D E, the endless tapes G G, and the
collecting cylinder H; substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by
the accompanying drawings.
(4) In a folding apparatus for taking off and folding printed sheets from a web
printing machine in which the sheets have been cut before printing, the combination
and arrangement of the folding cylinders D E, the endless tapes G G, a pair of cross
folding cylinders or rollers J J, and the endless tapes L L; substantially as
hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
(5) In an apparatus for taking off and folding printed sheets from a web printing
machine in which the paper has been cut before printing; the combination and
arrangement of the folding cylinders or rollers J J, a second set of endless tapes L L,
a second pair of cross folding cylinders or rollers M M, and a third set of endless
tapes N N, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of March A.D. 1890.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.