Improvements in or appertaining to the Method of and Machines for Manufacturing Bags.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1891
Improvements in or appertaining to the Method of and Machines
for Manufacturing Bags..
A communication from abroad by WILLIAM HALL KERR, of Concord, in the
County of Cabarrus, North Carolina, United States of America, Mechanical
Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
The invention relates to an improved method of and machine for manufacturing
bags, and consists in various features hereinafter set forth.
The cycle of operations of the machine may be briefly described as follows:-
The web or sheet of bag material is caused to travel past or through printing
mechanism to receive the printed matter required on each bag. The web is then
folded lengthwise through its middle and is moved forward, with its edges in
alignment, to a sewing mechanism which seams up the edges and thus forms a tube
of the material. The folded material or tube then passes below a cutter which
cuts off the required length for a bag. This length is moved by a pusher,
transversely to the travel of the unsevered tube, to a second sewing mechanism
which sews along one end of the severed portion. The bag thus formed, being
turned inside out, is now complete.
In the drawings:
-
Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved machine;
Figure 2.is a side view of the same;
Figure 3 a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of
Figure 1;
Figure 4 a plan view with the top plate removed, showing the mechanism for
imparting motion to the several mechanisms;
Figures 5 and 6 sectional views on the lines 5-5 and 6-6, respectively, of
Figure 3:
Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10, views illustrating certain details hereinafter referred to;
Figures 11, 12 and 13, views illustrating a certain modification; and
Figures 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 detail views illustrating the construction of the
printing cylinder.
In the preferred construction and arrangement, the bag material passes in
contact with an upright rotary cylinder, and receives the desired imprint, which
will usually be in two or more colours. Passing from the printing mechanism, the
material, which is in the form of a web or strip, is received upon a folder which
folds the material lengthwise through the middle and delivers it to a pair of feeding
rollers mounted upon a bed or framework.
From the feeding rollers, the edges of the folded material pass to a stitching
mechanism, which makes a continuous tube out of the material; suitable rollers
being employed to cause the proper feed of the cloth.
The tube, thus made, passes beneath a reciprocating cutter which is so timed,
relatively to the sewing and feeding mechanism, as to come into action only after
a sufficient length of the cloth tube has passed, to form a complete bag.
After the knife ascends, a pusher takes hold of the severed portion and carries
it across the bed or table at right angles to the direction it previously travelled,

page_text: the pusher being so arranged as to carry the severed tube to a second stitching
mechanism, adapted to sew the tube along the severed edge.
The foregoing statement is designed merely for the purpose of explaining in a
general way the process here involved, and is not to be understood as in any way
limiting the scope of the invention.
Referring again to the drawings
A, a base or frame through the bottom of which passes a large screw A',
Figures 2 and 15; the said screw being provided with a hand-wheel A², by which
it may be readily turned. Resting upon the top of the screw is a plate A³ which
is perforated centrally to receive the stem or spindle A', entering also into a socket
in the end of the screw.
The bag material, as it comes from the loom, is wound upon the spindle and the
latter inserted into the socket made to receive it.
Bolted to the upper face of the base A is an upright plate A³ having an over-
hanging flange A at its upper end slotted to receive the bearings of three upright.
cylinders B, C and D, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 14, the cylinders being
supported at their lower ends by a forwardly-projecting flange and provided with
meshing gears A7. One of these cylinders is also provided with a bevel gear A³,
to which motion is imparted by a similar gear A³ on the shaft B', as shown in
Figure 2.
Cylinder B is a smooth-faced metal cylinder, while the cylinders C and D serve
respectively to print and to ink.
The inking cylinder D is composed (see Figures 1, 14 and 16) of a shaft B²,
heads B³, and blocks or staves B; the heads being secured to the shaft by set
screws B5, and the staves to the heads by bolts B. The staves are turned so as
to form a true cylinder and are covered or wrapped with felt or similar ink-holding
material B'.
It is preferable to make the printing surface Bs of the printing cylinder C in the
form of vulcanized rubber plates B which have their upper and lower edges
bevelled, as shown in Figure 18, to engage with a similarly bevelled wall of a
depression formed in the body of the cylinder C. In order to clamp the plates B³
in position, blocks C¹ are employed, dovetailed into and sliding in grooves extending
longitudinally of the cylinder; the blocks being adjusted and held in their adjusted
positions by means of screws C2 swivelled in the cylinder and screwing into the
blocks, as shown in Figures 17 and 18. These screws may be placed either at the
upper or the lower end of the cylinder, as preferred.
In order to guide or direct the material properly between the printing cylinder
and the impression cylinder, an upright roller C³ is mounted upon the base A,
Figures 1 and 14; and, to secure a uniform impression and an equal distribution of
the ink, adjusting screws C are provided, Figures 1, 2 and 14, by means of which
the cylinders B and D may be moved toward and from the cylinder C at either or
both ends.
As the bag material unwinds from the spindle, it passes in contact with the
roller C³ and then between the cylinders B, C, which, rotating toward each other,
feed the material along at the same time that they print upon it.
After leaving the cylinders, the cloth is folded lengthwise through the middle by
means of a folder E, bolted at one end to the frame A of the printing mechanism,
and at the other end to the bed or table F of the sewing and cutting mechanism,
which is about one half as high as the frame A A³. One arm D' of the folder is
bolted to the flange A and extends downward diagonally to the table F, or to an
arm D² secured thereto, while the other arm D³ extends upward from the over-
hanging flange of base A to the arm D2 and connects with said arm as shown in
Figures 1 and 2.
This folder E causes the material to double or fold lengthwise, and is so arranged
relatively to the printing cylinder and table F that the edges of the material
lying upon the table shall be in line with the printing cylinder, thereby avoiding

page_text: any twisting of the material such as would interfere with an even and easy feeding
of the same.
Mounted in brackets or hangers D' projecting from the receiving end of the bed
or table is a pair of rollers D', between which the folded cloth passes; motion
being imparted to the lowermost roller by means of a shaft D, carrying at one end
a worm D', to engage a worm-wheel Z, Figure 4, and at the other end a bevel
gear D engaging with a similar gear D' on a cross shaft E'.
These rollers are enlarged at their ends, as at E2, and are covered throughout
the greater part of their length by a wrapping E³ of rubber or felt, the enlarged
ends E2 being knurled or roughed in order that they may take a firm hold upon the
bag material.
It will be noticed that the folding is done in such manner as to bring the fresh
printed surface on the inside of the tube, and, if the rollers D' were made to bear
with force upon the cloth throughout their length, they would cause the printing to
transfer. It is to prevent this that the rollers are made to press upon the cloth
only at the edges of the tube, the intermediate portions of the rollers serving
merely to keep the material flat and smooth.
The upper roller D is turned by friction only, and its shaft is provided with a
bevel gear-wheel E' to mesh with a similar gear Eª carried by a shaft E' journalled
on the upper side of the table F, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
The bed or table F is slotted as at E³, Figure 3, and projecting downward into
this slot are double boxes or bearings E, which receive a second pair of feed
rollers E similar in all respects to the feed rollers D³, the shaft of the upper
roller being provided with a bevel gear F¹ to mesh with a similar gear F2 on the
shaft E', as shown in Figure 1.
Between the rollers E. and D is a stitching mechanism G of any desired
construction; motion being imparted to the said sewing mechanism from the
shaft E, by means of gears F3 and F, Figures 1 and 4, secured respectively to the
shaft E, and the shaft of the sewing machine.
As the folded material passes from one set of rollers D to the other set E', its
edges are stitched by the sewing or stitching mechanism G and the material thereby
formed into a tube.
H indicates a vertically reciprocating cutter or knife which extends transversely
across the tube and severs the same into lengths of predetermined size.
The feed of the material by the rollers D, E, continues during the cutting
operation and the material has a tendency to bank up, but this is compensated for
by providing the table with the recess E³, Figure 3, before referred to, the material
dropping down into the recess or depression during the short interval of time
occupied in cutting.
Immediately in front of and parallel with the knife or cutter is a rubber-
covered roller F5 journalled in bearings on the table, and provided at one end
with a worm-wheel F receiving motion from a worm F7, which is carried at
the upper end of a shaft F projecting up through a slot in the table, as shown
in Figures 1, 4 and 8.
Shaft F8 is provided with a bevel gear G' to mesh with a similar gear G² on the
shaft E, and passes freely through a yoke G³ hung or pivoted on the shaft E', as
shown in Figures 4 and 8. The shaft De hercinbefore referred to is supported by a
similar yoke G, Figure 4.
This
Mounted on the shaft F is a block or thumb piece G³ pivotally connected to the
upper end of a rod G6, which latter is carried by an arm G7 projecting from one of
the upright guide rods G8 of the cutter frame, as shown in Figures 4 and 8.
cutter frame comprises two upright cylindrical guide rods G³, G, connected at
their upper ends by a cross-head G³ and at their lower ends by a cross-head H¹;
the latter cross-head carrying a pin or stud H2 to work in the groove or way H³ of
a cam or eccentric H4, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5.
This cam is mounted upon and rotates with a shaft H³ journalled in brackets

page_text: or hangers H secured to the underside of the bed or table F, as shown in
Figures 2, 3 and 4.
The cutting blade H acts in conjunction with a fixed blade H secured to the
table, and has its edge inclined so as to produce a shearing action, as will be readily
understood.
A coiled spring H³ encircles the lower end of the rod G and bears at opposite
ends against the arm G7 and a shoulder or nut H upon the rod, the spring serving
to hold the worm F' up into engagement with the worm-wheel F on the shaft of
roller Fs.
Of course, if the roller F' continues to rotate during the cutting operation, it
causes the material to bank up as before stated; and to avoid this is provided the
construction shown in Figure 8, by means of which the shaft worm F7 is carried
out of engagement with worm-wheel F at each descent of the cutter, as will be
readily understood.
During the cutting operation the roller remains stationary and prevents the feed
of the material, but as soon as the knife rises, the arm G7 carries the worm up into
engagement with the worm-wheel. While the roller F³ remains at rest, the
rollers D and E and the sewing mechanism G continue in operation and the
material that is sewn drops down into the recess E as before stated. As seen in
Figure 3, the roller I, which rotates at the same speed as the feed rollers D' E,
has a greater diameter than the said rollers, so that the slack of the material,
which drops into the recess Es during a pause in the movement of the roller F³,
is taken up again in the succeeding period of rotation of said roller. The same
effect can be produced by so gearing the rollers that the roller F³ rotates at a
greater speed than the rollers D' E', the diameter of all these being the same.
Instead of automatically disengaging the gearing of. roller F, it may be accom-
plished by hand by merely pressing down upon the thumb piece G and overcoming
the force of spring H.8.
Mounted upon the bed or table, but raised a distance from the face thereof, are
two parallel guide rods I, I, which extend at right angles to the line of movement
of the tube being cut; the said rods being adapted to receive a sliding pusher J of
the form represented in Figures 1 and 6.
This pusher, at certain predetermined intervals, takes the severed bag section
and moves it at right angles to the line of travel of the tube before it is cut, and
upon reference to the drawings it will be noticed that the pusher is about as wide
as the severed bag section long.
The pusher comprises a cross-bar or frame I' fitting and free to slide back and
forth upon the rods I and plate 12 hinged or pivoted to the cross-bar or frame,
as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6, and adapted to bear at its lower edge upon the bag
material.
The lower face of the pusher plate I may be roughened in order to take a
firm hold upon the cloth, and may have either a continuous bearing edge or a
notched edge as preferred.
In order to cause the proper reciprocation of the pusher, an upright lever I³ is
employed, connected at its upper end by means of a link I with the pusher plate I²
as shown in Figure 6.
This lever is pivoted at its lower end upon a pin or bolt I", seated in a slotted
lug of the table F, as shown in Figure 6 to provide for adjustment, and is
provided with a bifurcated block 1' to which it is pivotally connected.
The arms Is of block 17 are provided on their outer faces each with a stud 1°
adapted to work back and forth in grooves J' on the inner faces of a bifurcated
bracket J secured to the underside of table F, as shown in Figure 4, so as to steady
and guide the block in its movements. Block I also embraces a cam J³, fast upon
shaft H, and is provided with a stud J', to engage the cam groove J³, as shown in
Figures 4 and 6.
Now as the cam J³ rotates, acting through the block 17, it causes the lever I³ to

page_text: swing back and forth upon the pivot I and carry with it the pusher, but owing to
the fact that the link I is connected to the plate I above the pivot of the latter,
the said plate will be rocked on its pivot slightly and raised off the cloth
preparatory to moving backward.
In moving forward, the initial movement of the link and lever will rock the
plate 12 and cause its lower edge to bear upon the cloth preparatory to feeding the
latter to the second sewing mechanism on the completion of the movements of
the lever.
The cams operating the cutter and the pusher are so timed that, just the instant
that the cutter severs the projecting end of the tube, the pusher will take hold of
the severed section and carry it out of the way and into position to be stitched
along the end.
The relative position of the cams are illustrated in Figures 9 and 10.
The pusher plate I carries the severed section to a second stitching or sewing
mechanism which receives motion from a gear-wheel Jo secured to the main driving.
shaft J, the said stitching mechanism being adapted to sew the bag tube transversely
or across the end, as shown in Figure 1.
In order to steady and guide the bag as it is being sewn, a roller J8 is mounted
in an overhanging arm or bracket Jo secured to the top of plate F, as shown in
Figures 1 and 2, the roller being arranged advisably directly opposite the sewing
mechanism K.
On the end of shaft of roller J8 is worm-wheel K' to which motion is imparted
by a worm K the said worm being carried at the upper end of a shaft K³. This
shaft is supported by a yoke K journalled upon the main driving shaft J', and is
provided with a bevel gear K³ to mesh with a similar gear K on shaft J.
Figures 1, 2, 4 and 7.
The main shaft J' is provided with a bevel gear-wheel K' to engage a similar-
gear K on shaft E, as shown in Figures and 4 and is also provided with a
bevel gear K and fast and loose pulleys L and L.
M indicates a shaft supported at one end by a bracket or hanger N secured to
the underside of table F, Figure 4, and supported at the opposite end by a yoke O
hung upon the main driving shaft. The shaft M is provided at one end with a bevel
gear to engage the gear K, and at the other end with a worm Q to engage a
worm-wheel R secured to shaft H³.
At the opposite end of shaft H is a gear-wheel S, which engages with an idler T
engaging with a gear V on shaft B', as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4.
In Figures 11, 12 and 13 is shown a modification of the pushing mechanism or
that mechanism which feeds the severed bag section to the second stitching
mechanism.
The shaft H is provided with a cam J³, which serves to actuate a pivoted lever [3.
which carries at its upper end the pusher J the said pusher being provided with
an upwardly extending loop V, made to receive a rod W, which latter is secured at
one end to the bracket J and at the other end to an arm X projecting from the.
upper cross head G of the cutter.
A coiled spring Y, secured to the bed or table and to the lever, actuating in
conjunction with the cam, causes the proper throw of the lever.
Now, just the instant the cutter begins to rise, it will elevate the rod W so that
when the pusher is drawn back, preparatory to taking hold of a new severed
section, its loop, riding up the rod, will raise the lower edge off the table so as not
to interfere with the feed of the tube.
When the cutter descends, it allows the pusher to rest upon the cloth.
Under either of the arrangements shown the purpose of the pusher is merely to
start the severed bag section under the roller J, the said roller and stitching-
mechanism causing the further proper travel.
It is apparent that, in lieu of the rotary printing roller shown, a reciprocating
printing apparatus may be used, the two forms of printing mechanisms being
recognised equivalents of each other to a certain extent.

page_text: i
So too, the printing apparatus or mechanism may be arranged upon the frame or
table so as to print the bag after it is folded into tube-form.
Moreover, it will be understood that, although cloth is the only material which
has been specifically mentioned herein, the invention is applicable to making and
printing bags of any textile material usually employed for such articles, and some
parts of the invention will even be found applicable to making and printing bags of
paper or the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, 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:-
1. In a machine for the manufacture of bags from a continuous strip of material,
the combination, with the printing mechanism, of a folder constructed and arranged
substantially as described to take the printed strip and lay its longitudinal edges
one upon the other; a sewing mechanism adapted to unite the edges of the folded
strip a cutter for severing the tube thus formed; and a second sewing mechanism
for uniting one end of the severed section, the whole combined and arranged for
operation substantially as described.
2. In a machine for the manufacture of bags from a continuous strip of material,
the combination, with a printing mechanism, of a folder adapted to fold the printed
strip through the middle with its edges lying one upon the other; and a sewing
mechanism or mechanisms for uniting the edges of the folded strip, all combined
and arranged to operate substantially as described.
3. In a machine for making bags from a continuous strip of cloth, the combination
of mechanisms for folding the strip longitudinally and placing its inner faces in
opposition throughout, means for holding the edges of the folded strip in alignment,
and a sewing mechanism adapted to stitch the opposing edges together and thereby
to form a seam, which, when the bag is turned, shall have its edges within the bag,
all substantially as described.
4. In a bag machine, the combination, with a printing mechanism adapted to
print the bag material before folding, of a stitching mechanism, a folding device
adapted to fold the bag material lengthwise through the middle with the printed
face inside, and a feed roller or rollers for passing such folded material in a flat
condition through the stitching mechanism, the said roller or rollers being reduced
in diameter between the ends and adapted to bear forcibly upon the cloth at one
or both ends only, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. In a bag machine, the combination, with a table having an opening or recess E³,
of a stitching mechanism, a continuously-rotating feed roll or rolls on one side of
said opening, an intermittently-acting cutter on the other side of said opening and
an intermittently-acting feed roll or rolls interposed between said opening and
cutter, substantially as described.
6. In a bag machine, the combination, with a suitable sewing mechanism, of a
reciprocating cutter, a feed roller, and intermediate connections substantially such
as shown, whereby the roller is adapted to be thrown out of action by the cutter on
its forward stroke, substantially as described.
7. In a bag machine, the combination, with a suitable sewing mechanism, of a
reciprocating cutter, a feed roller provided with operating mechanism adapted to
be automatically thrown into and out of operation by the movements of the cutter,
and means substantially such as shown for throwing said operating mechanism out
of operation manually, without stopping the action of other parts of the machine,
substantially as described.
8. In a bag machine, the combination, with a sewing mechanism and suitable feed
devices adapted to sew and feed the material lengthwise, of a cutter adapted to
sever the material transversely into bag lengths as it comes from said sewing
mechanism, a second sewing mechanism adapted to receive the severed section and
sew one end thereof, a pusher movable horizontally and adapted to carry the severed
section from the cutter to the said second sewing mechanism, and means for

page_text: imparting the required motion to the various parts at the proper times, substantially
as described.
9. In a bag machine, the combination, with two sewing mechanisms and their
feeding devices, of a pusher for carrying the material from one mechanism to the
other, and means, independent of the sewing mechanisms or their feeding devices,
for raising or elevating the pusher as it recedes, substantially as described.
10. In a bag machine, the combination, with a bed or table and guides or
supports I, I, of a pusher J comprising a frame or cross-head I working on said
guides and a pivoted plate I2 mounted on the frame, a lever 1, a link connecting
the lever with the said plate above the pivot of the latter, and a cam or eccentric
for moving the lever, all arranged substantially as and for the purposes described.
11. In a bag machine, the combination, with the table F, and the sewing
mechanism K thereon for sewing one end of the severed section of material, of an
overhanging arm Jo, a feed roller Js carried by said arm and bearing upon the
opposite end of said section, and mechanism for rotating said roller at a surface
speed equal to the speed of the feed device of said sewing mechanism, substantially
as described.
12. The improvement in the method of manufacturing bags in one continuous
cycle of operations, which consists in folding the strip lengthwise through its middle,
moving the same forward longitudinally, sewing the edges of the folded strip,
severing the folded and sewn strip and moving the severed sections transversely to
the line of travel of the folded strip, and finally sewing the severed section across
one end.
13. The improvement in the method of making bags, consisting in severing from
a longitudinally folded and moving strip of cloth a length sufficient for the formation
of a bag; moving the severed section transversely to the line of travel of the
folded strip; and finally stitching the severed section along the line of the cut; the
whole constituting a continuous cycle of operations.
14. The improvement in the method of manufacturing bags in one continuous
cycle of operations, which consists in, first, printing upon the continuous web or
sheet of bag material, second, folding the printed sheet lengthwise through the
middle and sewing its edges so as to form a tube; third, severing sections of the
required length from the tube and moving each such severed section transversely to
the tube; and fourth, sewing cach severed section across one end.
Dated this 26th day of January 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.