IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING STRAW WRAPPERS OR COVERINGS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER SIMILAR OBJECTS
Year: 1883

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Otto Wölff, Engineer and Patent Solicitor of 12 Schloss
Str. in the City of Dresden in the Kingdom of Saxony and German Empire
for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING
STRAW WRAPPERS OR COVERINGS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER SIMILAR OBJECTS
communicated to him by Brothers Giese & Co. of the City of Offenbach on the
Main in the German Empire
:
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Otto Wölff at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th April 1883.
OTTO WOLFF Engineer and Patent Solicitor of 12 Schloss Str: in the City of
Dresden in the Kingdom of Saxony and German Empire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING STRAW WRAPPERS OR COVERINGS FOR BOTTLES
AND OTHER SIMILAR OBJECTS a communication to me by " Brothers Giese & Co"
of the City of Offenbach on the Main in the German Empire.
My Invention relates to improvements in machines for manufacturing straw,
wrappers or coverings for bottles and other similar objects. These said machines
possess the enormous advantage that the straw is sown over a cylinder by means
of two rows of stitches so as to make a perfect shell or covering.
Coverings or wrappers of any desired dimensions can be made on one and the
same cylinder by simply attaching a ring or strengthening piece. Only one person
is required to attend to the machine which sews 130 to 140 coverings per hour.
The sewing mechanism is located in the interior of the cylinder and is so con-
structed that when one covering or wrapper is sewn it is not necessary to thread
the needle afresh.
As soon as the covering or wrapper is sewn all around the threads are auto-
matically severed and the complete covering or wrapper is drawn from the cylinder.
The price of the machine is such that any consumer of bottle coverings or
wrappers is able to purchase the same and make his own coverings or wrappers.
Two suitable standards, which form the frame are connected by means of a guide
D
J

page_text: frame which said frame is attached to the standards by means of
screws or screw bolts.
TOUT SU
The upper end or top of each standard is provided with a suitable pivot or
centre on which said pivots a suitable frame is arranged to move.
This said frame is about 3 feet 14 inches long and 10 inches broad and consists 5
of two side pieces of bar iron set on edge which are connected to each other by
means of two cross pieces or bara.
Two suitable angles are rivetted to the frame so as to form a slide revolving
around the pivots or centres.
Between the frame on the angle irons lies a sliding so called transporting frame. 1
On the under side and in the centre of this said frame I fix a suitable rack and to
the right and left of this said rack two suitable rods rails or bars.
Each of these said bars or rails is provided with about 27 conical points, pins or
projections which are rivetted into the said bars or rails at equal distances from
each other and which said pins or pivots are employed for the purpose of moving 1
forward the straw of which the bottle coverings or wrappers are made.
Two rails or bars are supported by four spiral springs above the rails or bars,
aro provided with the same number of holes or perforations as the rails are provided
with pins or projections and are further provided at each end with suitable guide
pins or pivots for the said spiral springs.
The straw to be sewn is laid on the bars or rails which press on the spiral
springs, according to the diameter of the straw, when a suitable flap is closed. The
conical pins or projections are immediately beneath the perforations in the said
rails, pass into the said perforations and feed the straw at a right angle under a
cylinder which said cylinder I prefer to make about 12 inches long.
A side arm of the frame is provided with two joints or hinges to which the flap
is attached. The same consists of a frame with 4 iron rails and serves to press the
straw together until the same is sewn.
The flap is first turned to the left, the straw to be sewn laid over the bars or
rails and on the open flap, an extra rail is now laid in the inner arm to the side of
the transporting frame transverse to the straw, in order to fold or bend over the
same when the flap is closed which said flap is provided with a lever fastening
device or devices. The double layer of straw is hereby folded or bent so as
to produce a seam at the lower open end. Before closing the flap and commencing
the operations the iron tube rail or rod is removed. The right foot is now placed
on a suitable treadle, a fly wheel taken hold of by the right hand and the machine
put in motion. By pressing on a knob on the front surface of the arm of the
frame, a lever springs over a suitable projection and presses the pawl into gear
with a ratchet wheel. As soon as the transport frame has been moved a distance
equal to a few teeth of the rack, a vertical spindle which revolves on the guide
frame is in so far set in motion that a jointed stud or projection attached to the
end of the spindle on the frame being moved further forward, strikes against the
angular rail rivetted to the transport frame and imparts to the spindle a quarter of
a revolution.
At the lower end of the said spindle is a toothed wheel with teeth on the one
half of the periphery only which gears into a second like wheel attached to a spindle
running downwards.
This said spindle consists of two parts, the upper part causes a quarter revolution
of dead movement on commencing to transport the straw in order to make sure that
the slides catch in the grooves in the main guide spindle.
The lower part of the spindle is flattened on two sides which said lower part
is connected to the upper part of the spindle by means of a suitable tension
spring.
Two rollers revolving around suitable pivots press against the flattened surfaces
of the spindle and are each provided with a suitable hook which said hooks are
connected with each other by means of a tensional spiral spring. A lever slide is
connected to the axis of each roller which said slides are arranged on a suitable
こ

page_text: pivot or pin that the same can turn around the pivot or pin which latter is guided
in a suitable slot groove or cavity.
These lever slides catch in a groove in the chief guide spindle as soon as the
angular rail comes in contact with the projecting arm and the spindle has made a
quarter revolution. This movement causes two needle bars to rise and sink which
said needle bars are arranged to the right and left of the cavity.
The principal guide spindle is connected to a jointed rod which said rod is
attached to a crank disc on the horizontal shaft or axle working in the shell or
casing attached to the standard.
The flywheel is attached to the outer end of the axle, both fly wheels are
connected by means of cords and cord pulleys or straps and drums.
A crank pin is cast onto the said fly wheel to receive the one end of the driving
rod which is connected to the treadle which said treadle is attached to an iron rod
fastened to the standards.
An excenter to which the slide rod is screwed is keyed or otherwise attached
to the horizontal axle. The connection of the slide rod with the ratchet lever
causes the movement of the ratchet action. As soon as the two lever slides catch
in the grooves of the guide spindle the two needle bars begin to move. A hooked
needle with a flap is attached to the upper ends of each of the said needle bars and
are similar in construction to the needles generally employed in knitting machines
with the exception that these said needles are pointed in front.
The needles pass through the straw by each upward movement into the cylinder
so that a stitch is formed.
The cylinder consists of two halves in the lower half of which the novel
mechanism invented by me is attached.
The upper half is hinged to the lower half of the cylinder and forms the lid
which can be readily raised in order to facilitate the introduction of the threads
into the mechanism.
On the inner side of the lid is an axle or spindle with two pressure pins as
journals which said axle is connected to the lever running through the lid or upper
half of the cylinder.
=
The lever in connection with the axle acts as follows as soon as four stitches
have been sewn and pressure is applied to the lever, the thread claw or clamp in
the cylinder is opened so as to free the ends of the thread in sewing further. An
arm is attached to the centre of the needle bar, and is connected to a dřiving rod
which is attached to a double angle lever and serves to move the guide rod which
is hung in a fork, to and fro towards the interior of the cylinder.
Two suitable grippers or clamps are attached to the guide rod in the interior of
the cylinder.
Both threads employed are guided in the interior of the cylinder in the following
manner.
A bracket is screwed onto the upper end of the standard and serves to receive
the two balls of thread.
Each ball lies in a capsule by means of which the necessary tension according to
the thickness of the thread is attained. The threads are in any case fed through
eyes beneath the capsule and over a small roller into the cylinder through the rear
lever carrier, and the front lever carrier, and from here through the two tension
levers and back through the lever carrier onto the thread claws grippers or clamp.
In order to be able to catch each thread by the correct clamp or gripper after a
wrapper has been sewn and the threads are to be severed, the following operations
are carried out.
The transport or travelling frame must have passed the whole length under the
cylinder so that the straw laid around the cylinder has been sewn to a wrapper or
covering.
The ends of the threads are fastened by sewing over a few stitches.
As soon as the last stitch has been completed, the needles are automatically
released when the arm or projection reaches the angle iron rail.

page_text: In order to be able to remove the sewn wrapper or covering from the cylinder,
the same must first be freed from the threads. This is carried out by raising an
angle lever which is provided with a wooden handle and is attached to the standard
by means of the left hand until both thread clamps or grippers which are at the
one end conically formed have each passed an isolated moveable cam.
The opening of the clamps or grippers is consequently caused by means of thin
conical ends which are pressed back against a spring by the two cams.
As soon as the conically formed parts of the clamps or grippers have reached
their highest point the same catches the thread in this open position and glide over
the cams at the same moment.
A spring now causes a recoil thus notifying the operator that the angle lever
must be lowered.
The above named thread clamps or grippers are attached to, a guide rod running
parallel to the guide rod which said guide rod is in connection with the angle
lever.
On lowering the angle lever the guide rod is pushed back the cams turn simul-
taneously on the conical ends of the clamps or grippers and return without acting
on the same.
If the threads are now securely caught by the clamps or grippers the same are
severed by means of an automatic severing device arranged beneath the mechanism
in the cylinder by pressing on the lever, whereupon the finished wrapper or covering
can be drawn from the cylinder.
:
Before removing the finished wrapper or covering from the cylinder, the frame
must first be let down somewhat to the rear on the two pivots or journals-A
suitable stud is screwed into the guide frame on which said stud a lever arm
provided with a spring and projection and revolving on a centre, is fixed.
On pressing the lever arm to the left, an angle arm is pushed out from behind
the nose of the lever arm. The angle arm turns on its centre in the standard, is
connected to a driving rod moveably attached to the side of the frame and draws
the frame by its super weight to the rear so that the removal of the finished
wrapper or covering is facilitated.
By lightly pressing on the front part of the frame the angle arm is again drawn
behind the nose or projection to the lever arm, and the frame assumes its former
position so that the transport or travelling frame can be drawn into its forward
position ready to recommence work..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Otto Wölff in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th October
1883.
:
OTTO WOLFF Engineer and Patent Solicitor of 12 Schloss Str in the City of
Dresden in the Kingdom of Saxony and German Empire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING STRAW WRAPPERS OR COVERINGS FOR BOTTLES
"
AND OTHER SIMILAR OBJECTS a communication to me by "Brothers Giese &
Co of the City of Offenbach on the Main in the German Empire.
My Invention relates to improvements in machines for manufacturing straw
wrappers or coverings for bottles and other similar objects.
:
The machine as shown in the accompanying drawings for manufacturing straw
wrappers or coverings for coverings for bottles and other similar objects possesses
the enormous advantage that the straw is sewn over a cylinder by means of two
rows of stitches,so as to make a perfect shell or covering.
Coverings or wrappers of any desired dimension can be made on one and the
same cylinder by simply attaching a ring or strengthening piece-Only one person
is required to attend to the machine which sows 130 to 140 coverings per hour.
The sewing mechanism is located in the interior of the cylinder and is so
constructed that when one covering or wrapper is sewn it is not necessary to
thread the needle afresh. As soon as the covering or wrapper is sewn all round,
the threads are automatically severed and the complete covering or wrapper drawn
from the cylinder
The price of the machine is such that any consumer of bottle coverings or
wrappers is able to purchase the same and make his own coverings or wrappers.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine.
Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a top view.
Figure 4 and 5 represent vertical and horizontal sections of the straw cylinder
on an enlarged scale.
Figure 6 and 7 are end views of the cylinder on an enlarged scale.
Figures 8, 9, 10, 11 are details of the parts of the machine.
Figure 12 illustrates the method of increasing the diameter of the cylinder.
Figure 13 shows the formation of the stitch.
:
The frame of the machine consists of the standards a¹ a³-The straw cylinder b
is attached to the larger standard a¹ by means of 4 screws.
The rectangular frame c¹ c³ ³ is placed under the straw cylinder b between
the standards a¹ a² and is carried by the journals d' d which are affixed to the
sides oc of the said rectangular frame.
The 4 parts of the said frame are joined together by means of screws. The
inwardly arranged angle irons e¹ e' are attached to the side rails c c of the frame.
The straw transporting frame is carried by the angle irons e¹ e³ consists of the
sides f f f f and is much shorter than the outer frame by which it is held.
Under the straw transporting frame and in the centre of the same is the rack g, on
each side of which and parallel with the same, the rails h' h³ are fastened to the
transporting frame from below
Upon each of these rails h' h³ 27 conical points arranged in equal distances from
one another, are rivetted.
.
At the ends of these rails h'h' are also four spiral springs 2¹2 2³ which are
held by corresponding pins.
Two iron rails k¹ are arranged upon these spiral springs and are provided

page_text: +
with circular holes corresponding with the conical pins of the rails h¹ h³, so that
the points of the pins protrude from the said holes or perforations, and which said
pins serve to hold the straw placed upon them.
The straw is placed upon this elastic bed over which a flap closes consisting of
the 3 rails
ri.
The flap moves on hinges which are fastened to the upper part of the side c³ of
the guide frame. By means of a bolt m the flap is pressed down tightly upon the
straw. The transport frame is packed with straw in the following manner.
The
hinged flap 13 is opened to the left so as to form a level with the iron rails k¹ k³
to the elastic bed of the straw transporting frame f₁ ƒ ƒ³ ft. A sufficient
quantity of straw required for the wrapper to be sewn is then properly arranged
over the rails of the flap and the iron rails kk and another bar laid accross the
straw at the inner side f¹ of the transport frame. The flap is then closed and
fastened by means of the bolt m. This operation has the effect of sharply braking
the straw and producing a double layer of the same.
The flap is now opened and the rail removed after which the said flap is
again closed and the straw is ready for sewing. The toothed wheel n in gear with
the rack g of the straw transport frame f is arranged upon the spindle o, which
revolves on its journals and is fastened crossways under the guide frame c² c³ ³ c².
The said spindle o also carries the coupling consisting of the lever p', the pawl p
and the ratchet wheel p³ to which the crank lever p' is affixed, which has its
fulcrum on the outer side of the guide frame-A spiral tension spring p³ causes
the angle lever p' to press the ratchet wheel p³ firmly against the toothed wheel g.
On turning the angle lever to the left the wheels are disengaged from each other
and the angle lever held fast by a projection of the knob p.
The lever p¹ alone is firmly attached to the spindle o, and receives its upward
and downward movement through the excenter rod g which is connected with the
driving shaft by means of an excenter.
The driving shaft r is set in motion by a treadle which is connected with two
fly wheels and the cord pullies attached to the same. The rectangular frames is
fastened between the standards a¹ a² of the machine frame by means of 4 screws,
which said rectangular frame serves as guide for the vertical spindle t which is
connected with the driving shaft r by means. of a crank disc and a connecting rod.
The two vertical spindles u and v are moveably attached to the connecting
frames (Fig 1 and 8 to 11). The upper spindle u carries at its lower end a wheel u
provided with teeth only on the one half of its periphery.-The lower spindle v
carries on its upper end a like wheel v¹. Both wheels u¹ and v¹ can by the turning
of the spindle be brought to gear with each other and cause a revolution of the
spindle whereby a spiral spring arranged underneath the half toothed
wheel v, is put under tension.
At the upper end of the spindle u the jointed arm u³ is arranged which touches
against the annular rail w attached to the under side of the straw transporting
frame as soon as the said straw transporting frame is set in motion. The lower
part of the spindle has two surfaces against which the two wheels x1 x lean,
which said rollers move upon pivots which are pressed together by a tensional
spiral spring (Fig: 8 and 9) which said pivots form two levers upon the
lug and are kept asunder at their rear ends by the pressure spring 28.
These said levers catch into a recess of the vertical rod t as soon as the angular
bar w has touched the jointed arm u³ and after the spindle v has made a quarter
of a revolution.
This causes the upwards and downwards movement of the two needle rods y' y³,
one of which is fastened on each side of the lug ³-A hooked needle is screwed
into the upper ends of each of the needle rods y y.-The needles in their
upwards movement pass through the straw placed upon the transporting frame
and enter the sewing cylinder C, thus beginning the sewing process as described
by Fig: 11.
The needles z have at their upper end a large sharp point z' and at their lower

page_text: end form a hook z³, which can be closed by means of a hinged arm 2 and so
converted into an eye, the said arm 2 can however be turned entirely down
The cylinder consists of two halves in the lower half of which the novel
mechanism invented by me is attached. The upper half is hinged to the lower
half of the cylinder and forms the lid which can be readily raised in order to
facilitate the introduction of the threads into the mechanism. On the inner side
of the lid is an axle or spindle B with two pressure pins as journals, which said
axle is connected to the lever running through the lid or upper half of the
cylinder.
The lever B in connection with the axle C acts as follows:-
As soon as four stitches have been sewn and pressure is applied to the lever C
the thread claws or clamps D¹ D* in the cylinder 6 are opened so as to free the
ends of the threads in sewing further. An arm E is attached to the centre of the
needle bar u¹ and is connected to a driving rod F which is attached to a double
angle lever G and serves to move the guide rod H, which is hung in a fork, to and
fro towards the interior of the cylinder.
Two suitable grippers or clamps I' I are attached to the guide rod in the
interior of the cylinder. Both threads employed are guided, in the interior of the
cylinder in the following manner. A bracket K is screwed onto the upper end
of the standard a¹ and serves to receive the two balls of thread. L' L2-Each ball
lies in a capsule M¹ M² by means of which the necessary tension according to the
thickness of the thread is attained by means of suitable tension devices. The
threads are in any case fed through eyes N¹ N' beneath the capsule and over a
small roller O¹ or 0 into the cylinder b through the rear lever carrier P' and the
front lever carrier P' and from here through the 2 tension levers Q'Q' and back
through the lever carrier P¹ P' into the thread claws, grippers or clamps D¹
and D².
In order to be able to catch each thread by the correct clamp or gripper after a
wrapper has been sewn and the threads are to be severed, the following operations
are carried out.-By means of the treadle the spindler is set in motion and the
knob p is pressed, which causes the lever p' to spring over the projection thereby
imparting its movement to the wheel g. The advancing straw transporting frame
causes a pressure against the jointed arm u³, the lever slides a catch into the
notches of the vertical rod t, and the needles z begin their upwards motion into
the cylinder, where they catch their threads, and so the sewing operation
commences as before described.
The guide R is arranged around the cylinder b whereby the sewn straw, through
the advancing of the straw transporting frame is compelled to lay itself around
the cylinder b.-The thread ends are secured by a few closing stitches. At the
moment the last stitch is made the action of the needles ceases by their automatic
releasing movement which takes place at the moment the jointed arm u' has
reached the end of the angle rail w. In order to remove the finished wrapper the
cutting of the threads is effected by the joint lever S which is provided with
a wooden handle, which latter is fixed outside of the upper part of the standard a'
(Fig 1).
The aforementioned angle lever S is raised upwards with the left hand until the
thread nippers or clamps D'D', which are provided with an incline on one side,
have each passed over the isolated jointed arms T¹ T'; the opening of the thread
nippers or clamps D' D³ therefore takes place by means of their inclined ends
which are pressed against a spring by the jointed arms T¹ T*.
When the inclined surfaces of the thread nippers or clamps D¹ D' have reached
their highest point, they catch while open, the threads and at the same moment
the inclined surfaces of the same pass over the jointed arms T₁ T². The snapping
in of the parts denotes that the angle lever S must be lowered.-The thread
clamps D¹ D' are attached to the guide rod U which said rod is in connection
with the angle lever S. In lowering the lever $ the rod U. is pushed back.

page_text: The arms TT turn simultaneously on the inclined ends of the clamps D' D'
to the rear.
If the threads are now securely caught by the clamps or grippers D¹ D' the
same are severed by means of an automatic severing device arranged beneath
the mechanism in the cylinder 6 by pressing on the lever whereupon the
finished wrapper or covering can be drawn from the cylinder. Before removing
the finished wrapper or covering from the cylinder b the frame must first be let
down somewhat to the rear on the two pivots or journals.
A suitable stud W is screwed into the guide frames on which said stud a lever
arm X provided with a spring and projection and revolving on a centre, is fixed-
On pressing the lever arm X to the left an angle arm y is pushed out from behind
the nose of the lever arm X. The angle arm y turns on its centre z in the
standard a¹ is connected to a driving rod y' moveably attached to the side c¹ of the
frame and draws the frame by its superweight to the rear so that the removal of
the finished wrapper or covering is facilitated.
By lightly pressing on the front part of the frame the angle arm y is again
drawn behind the nose or projection to the lever arm and the frame assumes its
former position so that the transport or travelling frame can be drawn into its
forward position ready to recommence work.
Having now described my said invention for Improvements in machines for
manufacturing straw wrappers or coverings for bottles and other similar objects
I wish it to be understood that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is :-
1. The construction employment and application of my said improved machine
for manufacturing straw wrappers or coverings for bottles and other similar objects
substantially as and for the purpose described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
2-The construction and arrangement of the cylinder b which is attached to
the upper end of the standard a and over which said cylinder the straw is
so sewn that a wrapper or covering for bottles and such like is formed sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described and shown in the accompanying
drawings
3-The construction arrangement and employment of the entire mechanism
located in the cylinder for carrying out the sewing operation and in special the
two thread clamps or grippers D¹ D' which by the movement of a lever u always
holds the threads fast before the said threads are severed in order to free the
finished sewn wrapper or covering and to permit the said wrapper or covering
to be withdrawn from the cylinder b so that it is not necessary to rethread the
needles in the cylinder 6 which remains constantly closed substantially as and for
the purpose described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
4. Strengthening or enlarging the cylinder b so as to be able to sew wrappers
or coverings of various sizes without being compelled to have recourse to a second
machine for such said purpose substantially as and for the purpose described and
shown in the accompanying drawings.
5. The construction arrangement and employment of the entire lower part of
the machine as double sewing machine with two hooked needles with flap and
points acting simultaneously in combination with the mechanism in the cylinder b,
and the operation of the needles upwards thus making sure that the person operating
the machine cannot be injured substantially as and for the purpose set forth and
shown in the accompanying drawings.
6. The construction employment and application of the straw transporter with
two rows of conical pins running parallel to each other on which said rows of pins
two perforated rails carried by special springs are guided and on which latter the
straw is laid substantially as and for the purpose described and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
7. The self regulating tension device for both threads and the arrangement

page_text: of the parts in such manner that the thread for sewing can be taken direct from
the ball of thread without any preliminary spooling substantially as and for the
purpose described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Otto Wolff have hereunto set my hand and seal
this Seventeenth day of October in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.