IMPROVE MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER BAGB
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER BAGB."
-A communication from abroad by Delavan Clark, of Buffalo City,
the State of New York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 6th February 1866, and dated the 16th August 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th August 1865.
PAPER
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
BAGS," a communication to me from abroad by Delavan Clark, of Buffalo
.City, in the State of New York, in the United States of America, to be as
follows:→
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of
machinery or apparatus for making paper bags, and consists in the employ
ment for that purpose of a guage plate of a width equal to the breadth of the
bags to be made, the paper, in the form of a web or continuous sheet, being
folded over the sides and on.to the face of such plate, and being there united
at its opposite edges by having one edge pasted down. upon and overlapping
the opposite edge. As the paper is fed along, and thus united continuously,

page_text: a species of flat paper tube is obtained which is severed across at suitable
distances apart, according to the length of each bag to be made. This cross
cutting is so arranged that the under portion of the flat tube is severed
sufficiently in advance of the upper side to form a flap, which, after being
pasted is folded over on to the upper side of the front end of the bag, and
thus forms the closed bottom thereof. The folding of the opposite edges of
the web of paper (which is supplied from a roll) is effected by means of two
pairs of horizontal folding rollers, the one pair being slightly in advance of
the other along the horizontal -guage plate. The upper roller of each pair is
carried in a fixed bracket arm, and the lower one is contained in a slot in the
guage plate itself, and is of a diameter equal to the thickness of such plate, so
that it will not project either above or below the surfaces thereof. In order
to ensure the proper stretching and folding of the edges of the web over the
sides of the guage plate the above-mentioned pairs of rollers have their axes
situate at an angle to the centre' line of the guage plate, that is to say, the
outer ends of their axes are in advance of their inner ends. The paste is
supplied continuously to one edge of the web as fast as it is drawn off the roll
by a small paste roller which revolves in a paste trough and bears against the
end of a guide roller over which the web passes on its way to the guage plate.
Two feeding rollers situate at the forward end of the guage plate, the one
above and the other below the said plate, serve, in conjunction with endless
revolving carriages let into the plate and projecting slightly above and below
the surfaces thereof to draw forward the partly-folded web as fast as it is
folded and pasted. These rollers also propel the paper beyond.the forward
extremity of the guage plate, and thence to another pair of folding rollers,
which complete the bag by folding over the flap to form the bottom thereof.
Before arriving at these rollers, however, the flattened paper tube is subjected
to the action of two revolving knives, the cutting edges of which are vandyked
thus, and each point enters the spaces between a series of
parallel bars forming a continuation of the forward end of the guage plate.
Each knife is carried by an arm fast to an upper and a lower revolving spindle
respectively, the two spindles being geared together to insure the knives coming
round and acting upon the paper at the same time.. The cut is produced by
the points of the knives penetrating between the parallel bars. The flap which
is to be turned over to form the bottom of the bag receives its supply of paste
from a revolving paste brush with which it is momentarily brought in contact
by means of a vibrating shell working on the axis of the outer one of the two
folding rollers and concentrically with its periphery. The paste having been

page_text: applied, a folding blade descends between the two rollers and forces the bag
between them at the part where the flap is to be folded over, when the
completed bag will be delivered on the under side.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th February 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the 29th year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER
BAGS," a communication to me from abroad Delavan Clark, of Buffalo
City, in the State of New York, in the United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my execu
tors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,.
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same, to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The said Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of
machinery or apparatus for making paper bags, and consists in the employ

page_text: ment for that purpose of a gauge plate of a width equal to the breadth of the
'bags to be made, the paper in the form of a web or continuous sheet being
folded over the sides and on to the face of such plate, and being there united
at its opposite edges by having one edge pasted down upon and overlapping
the opposite edge. As the paper is fed along, and thus united continuously, a
species of flat paper tube is obtained, which is severed across at suitable
distances apart according to the length of each bag to be made. This cross
cutting is so arranged that the under portion of the flat tube is severed suffi-
ciently in advance of the upper side to form a flap, which after being pasted
is folded over on to the upper side of the front end of the bag, and thus forms
the closed bottom thereof. The folding of the opposite edges of the web of
paper (which is supplied from a roll) is effected by means of two pairs of
borizontal folding rollers, the one pair being slightly in advance of the other
along the horizontal gauge plate. The upper roller of each pair is carried in
a fixed bracket arm, and the lower one is contained in a slot in the gauge
plate itself, and is of a diameter equal to the thickness of such plate, so that
it will not project either above or below the surfaces thereof. In order to ensure
the proper stretching and folding of the edges of the web over the sides of the
gauge plate the above-mentioned pairs of rollers have their axes situate at an
angle to the centre line of the gauge plate, that is to say, the outer ends of
their axes are in advance of their inner ends. The paste is supplied con-
tinuously to one edge of the web as fast as it is drawn off the roll by a small
paste roller which revolves in a paste trough, and bears against the end of a
guide roller over which the web passes on its way to the gauge plate. Two
feeding rollers situate at the forward end of the gauge plate, the one above
and the other below the said plate, serve in conjunction with endless
revolving carriages let into the plate, and projecting slightly above and below
the surfaces thereof to draw forward the partly folded web as fast as it is folded
and pasted. These rollers also propel the paper beyond the forward extremity
of the gauge plate, and thence to another pair of folding rollers, which com-
plete the bag by folding over the flap to form the bottom thereof. Before
arriving at these rollers however the flattened paper tube is subjected to the
action of two revolving knives, the cutting edges of which are vandyked thus
^^, and each point enters the spaces between a series of
parallel bars forming a continuation of the forward end of the gauge plate.
Each knife is carried by an.arm fast to an upper and a lower revolving spindle
respectively, the two spindles being geared together to ensure the knives coming
round and acting upon the paper at the same time. The cut is produced by

page_text: the points of the knives penetrating between the parallel bars. The flap
which is to be turned over to form the bottom of the bag receives its supply of
paste from a revolving paste brush, with which it is momentarily brought in
contact.by means of a vibrating shell working on the axis of the outer one of
the two folding rollers, and concentrically with its periphery. The paste
having been. applied, a folding blade descends between the two rollers, and
forces the bag between them at the part where the flap is to be folded over
when the completed bag will be delivered on the under side.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
I shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a perspective view; Figure 2 is a sectional
side view; Figure 3 is a detached view of the gauge plate E, showing also
the folding rollers F, F, Z, Z', carriages b, b¹, knives 0, 0¹, and the parallel
bars; Figure 4 is a detached view of the knives O, O', and the parallel
bars; Figure. 5 is an edge view of the knife 0¹; Figure 6 is a detached
view of the folding roller d, and the vibrating shell 1 enlarged; Figure 7 is a
detached view of the feed rollers G, H, and the carriages b, b; and Figure 8
is a detached view of the folding rollers F¹, Z, enlarged.
A, B, are supporting rollers; C, a paste wheel; D, V, paste cups; E, &
gange plate; F, F, Z, Z, c, d, folding rollers; G, H, are feed rollers; L, a.
crank; J, K, a, shafts; L, M, k, k³, n, V, V, spur wheels; i, Ñ, g, u, pul-
leys; 0, 0, knives; P, W, A¹, t, h, h', levers; Q, Q, R, R', arms; S, folding
5 blade; T, paste brush; U, paste roller; X, B¹, connecting rods; Y, spring;
b, 61, carriages; e, f, g, belts; i³, 8, studs; ;, parallel bars; I, vibrating shell;
m, friction spring; r, stop; v, w, shoulders; a¹, part of the periphery removed.
from the feed roller G; y; y', y"; ", wheels.
of
The construction of this machine is substantially as follows:-A frame of
O suitable size and form to contain the machinery is provided. In one end of
the said frame there are placed the supporting rollers A, B, of any required
length and diameter. Situated a convenient distance forward of the sup
porting rollers A, B, is the support of the gauge plate E, with its lower part
extending down a sufficient distance to allow the two edges of the web
5 paper to be folded properly. Near the end of the roller B is the paste wheel C,
revolving in the paste cup D, and operated by friction caused by its periphery,
pressing the edge of the paper against the roller B as it is drawn into the
machine.. The gauge plate E is of such a width that one half of the length
of a line surrounding it corresponds with the required width of the bag to be

page_text: 'formed, and is of any convenient length and thickness. On the upper side of
the gauge plate E, and a short distance forward of its support are situated
the folding rollers F, F, which are so arranged that lines drawn through their
respective 'centres form angles respectively with the centre line of the machine,
which said angles diverge in a direction opposite the support of the said gauge
plate E, and in the direction of the feed roller G. The outward ends of the
said folding rollers F, F1, therefore will be situate forward of their inside ends
respectively. The folding rollers F, F, are supported in such a manner that
they may be set to any required angle so as to perform properly the process
of folding the side laps. Beneath the folding rollers F, F¹, and on which they
fest are placed the folding rollers Z, Z', respectively of a diameter corre-
sponding with the thickness of the gauge pate E. They are so placed in
openings in the said gauge plate E made for their reception that their peri-
pherys do not project above or below it. The center lines of the said folding
rollers F, Z, and F, Z, are parallel respectively. One pair of the folding
rollers F¹, Z', are situate forward of the other pair F, Z, in order that one
lap may be folded upon the other lap in a proper manner.. At a convenient
distance forward of the folding rollers F, Z, and in the gauge plate E there
are formed two openings which contain the carriages 6, 6. These carriages
are of any convenient length and width, and slightly exceed in thickness the
gauge plate E, in order to prevent the action of the feed rollers G, H, upon
the gauge plate E, and are composed of sections connected together by.
joints, thereby forming an endless train which revolves around the carrier
wheels y, y, y, y, respectively in the direction indicated by the arrows.
The gauge plate É terminates in the parall bars j, which are of any
required length and thickness, and correspond in width to the thickness. of
the said gauge plate E. With the exception of the two outside bars which
are made round and quite small in order that the process of severing the
folded paper at the edges by the knives O, O', may be more complete, the said
parallel bars are arranged parallel to each other, any convenient number
being used.
°
Situated above and below the gauge plate E respectively are the feed
rollers G, H, which extend at right angles across the straight portion of the
carriages b, b¹, and the guage plate E; they are of such a diameter that in one
revolution of the crank I there will be drawn through between them the
required length of folded paper to form the bag. A small portion of the
periphery of the feed roller G is removed to prevent its action upon the
returning trains of the carriages b, b¹. The peripheries of the said feed
rollers G, H, move at a correspónding rate of speed, except that portion of the

page_text: periphery of the feed roller G which is removed; and are operated by the
gear wheels k, k¹, u, M, and press between them the outside trains of the car-
riages 6, 61, without acting upon the gauge plate E. Situated respectively
above and below the parallel bars are the shafts K, J, which are supplied
with the arms R, R', Q, Q', that support the knives 0, 0¹. The edges of the
said knives: 0, 0¹, are formed of angular points, the number of the said
angular points in each knife corresponding with the nuinber of spaces between
the parallel bars j, through which they nearly pass when severing the folded
paper. The distance of the said angular edges of the knives O, O¹, from the
center line of their respective shafts K, J, is such, that in describing their
respective spheres they slightly. exceed the speed of the periphery of the feed
rollers G, H, thereby creating a tension in the folded paper between the said
feed rollers G, H, and the knives O, O', during the act of severing the folded
paper. Each end of the knife O¹ is turned up to correspond with the parallel
bars j, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, in order that the process of severing the
folded paper at its edges may be made more complete, and is set.a. distance
forward of the knife O corresponding with the required projection for forming
the bottom of the bag. The knives O, O', are made to time with each other
by the spur wheels L, M, having an equal number of teeth. At any required
> distanco forward of the parallel bars j are placed the folding rollers, c, d,
which are of any convenient diameter and of a length exceeding the width of
the bag to be formed; they are situated with their respective centre lines
parallel with each other and with the centre line: of the shaft J. Their
upper periphery is placed on a line with the under side of the gauge plate-E,
and they are operated by the pulleys N, i, q, wheels V, V, and belt. e
Situated above the line of contact between the folding rollers c, d, is the folding
blade S, which is of any required length and width; and is made quite-thin-
on its lower edge, and is operated by the levers h, h', W, P, shoulder.v,
connecting rod X, shaft a, spring Y, and stud I. The folding roller' d is
provided with a vibrating shell i, which is made as wide as possible, and still
clear the folding blade S and the paste brush T when it is not acted upon by
the lever A. It exceeds in length the folding roller d sufficiently to adjust a
bearing on each; end through which the shaft of the said folding roller d
passes, one of the said bearings terminating in the lever A¹. The said
vibrating shell I is curved to, correspond with and is situated in close
proximity to the periphery of the said folding, roller d, and is provided with.
the friction spring mn which presses upon the folding roller d, thereby bringing
back to its 'former position the said vibrating shell I after it has been acted
upon by the levers A, t, connecting rod B', shoulder w, and stud s. Situated

page_text: above the folding roller a, and at a distance from it and the folding blade S
so as to clear them sufficiently and to insure the action upon it of the
vibrating shell I; is the paste brush T, which is of any convenient diameter,
and of a length corresponding with the required width of the bag to be formed,
and is operated by the pulleys i, u, and the belt g. Operating in contact
with the paste brush T is the paste roller U, which is of any required length
and diameter, and works in the paste cup V, from which it communicates to
the paste brush T its supply of paste, the said paste roller U being operated
by the pulleys, q, u, N, and belts f, é; g. :
The operation of the machine thus constructed is substantially as follows:-
The paste cups D, V, 'are supplied with paste, and a roll of paper is placed
upon the supporting roller A of a width sufficient to compass the gauge
plate E and lap over the required distance to form a seam; the end of the
paper forming the said roll is passed over the supporting roller B with one of
its edges between the paste wheel C and tlie said supporting roller B. The
paper is now drawn down under the gauge plate E, during which operation
the friction created by the motion of the paper against the periphery of the
paste wheel C causes it to revolve against the edge of the paper, thereby
applying the required line of paste. One edge of the paper is now drawn
between the folding rollers F, Z, and along the surface of gauge plate E, the
other edge of the paper being drawn between the folding roller F, Z', and
along the gauge plate E, when the edge which is supplied with its line of
paste will be folded on to that edge of the paper previously folded on to the
gauge plate E, thereby forming the middle seam of the bag, the web of paper
now assuming the form of a flat tube; the folded paper is drawn forward to
and passed between the feed rollers G, H, and the carriages 6, 6¹. The
operation of drawing the folded paper forward causes the folding rollers
F, Z, F¹ Z', to revolve in the direction indicated by the arrows by the friction
which is produced by the contact of the paper with the said folding rollers.
These rollers being placed in an angular position produce an oblique tension
on the side laps, thereby folding or straining them over the edges and on to
the surface of the gauge plate E. If now the feed rollers G, H, are caused
to press upon the carriage b, 61, between them, and the crank I be operated
in the direction indicated by the arrow, the said carriages 6, 6', and feed
rollers G, H, will revolve in the direction indicated by the arrows, thereby
drawing through between them the folded paper which envelops the parallel
bars as it passes forward. When the required length of folded paper for
forming a bag has passed that point where the knives O, O', begin their
action upon it the angular points, of the said knives O, O', come. in contact

page_text: with and press it against the parallel bars j, and a tension is at once created on
the folded paper between the parallel bars j and also between the knives 0,0¹,
and the feed rollers G, H. The said angular points of the knives O, 0¹, now
pass through the folded paper into the spaces between the parallel bars.j,
thereby nearly severing the folded paper, when the said knives O, O', slightly.
lift it from the parallel bars j, and complete, by their forward movement, the
process of severing the folded paper. One of the knives. O¹ having been set
forward of the other the lap for forming the bottom of the bag will be formed
on the outward end of that side of the folded paper which passes under the
gauge plate E. The folded paper, now. moves forward to and passes over.
the folding roller c, the lap forming the bottom of the bag passing on.to
the vibrating shell I and to its outward edge. The. said, vibrating shell I is.
now caused by the stud s, shoulder w, levers t', A', and connecting rod B¹.to.
move forward at a corresponding rate of speed with the said lap forming the
bottom of the bag, and pressing it at the same time against the paste brush T,
which revolving in the direction indicated by the arrow, applies to it the
requisite quantity of paste. When the said lap forming the bottom of the,
bag has passed the required distance under the paste brush T the stud & passes,
off from the shoulder w, and the vibrating shell is brought back to its proper
position by the action of the friction spring m on the folding roller d. At
the moment the studs passes off from the shoulder w the folding blade s,-
operated by the stud i, shoulder v, levers P, W, h, h', and connecting rod X,
has in its descent come in contact with the folded paper, forcing it down
between the folding rollers c, d, when it is caught by them and the bottom,
lap folded on to one side of the bag. At the moment the said folded paper is.
caught by the folding rollers c, d, the stud i passes off from the shoulder v,,
and the folding blade s is brought back to its former-position-by-the-spring-Y..
The vibrating shell I and the lap forming the bottom of the bag when
operated upon by the friction spring m and the folding blade s respectively,
move backward at a corresponding rate of speed, thereby preventing the
application of paste to the said vibrating shell l. When the required length
of the bag thus formed has passed between the folding rollers c, d, it is
severed by the knives O, O', when the process of making the bag is completed.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-

page_text: First, the peculiar arrangement of the folding rollers F, F¹, in respect to
each other in combination with the gauge plate E, as herein-before described.
Second, the combination of the folding rollers Z, Z, with the folding
rollers F, F, and the gauge plate E, arranged substantially in the manner
and for the purposes herein-before described.
Third, the application and use of the carriages 6, 61, in combination with
the gauge plate E and the feed rollers G, H, substantially as herein-before
described.
Fourth, the arrangement of the knives 0, 0¹, in respect to each other and
in combination with the parallel bars j, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
:
Fifth, the employment, in combination with the gauge plate E, of the
parallel bars j, arranged substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Sixth, the combination of the vibrating shell with the paste brush T,
folding rollers c, d, and the folding blades, substantially as set forth.
Seventh, the general combination and arrangement of the several parts of the
machine described for performing in a continuous manner, and in the order
required, the various operations necessary in the making of paper bags, sub-
stantially as herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto
my hand and seal, the Sixteenth day of February, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-six.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)