An Improved Machine for Folding Sheets of Paper, Prospectuses, Circulars, Programmes, and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1589
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec., 1889-1ccepte 1, 25th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Folding Sheets of Paper, Prospectuses,
Circulars, Programmes, and the like.
1, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the firm of G F. Redfern and Co., the General
Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the county of Middlesex, Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication from abroad
by La Société Anonyme Francaise des Bascules automatiques of No. 23, Boulevard
de Strasbourg, Paris, in the republic of France) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of a folding machine which will
automatically fold sheets of paper, prospectuses, circulars, programmes and the like.
The sheets of paper are arranged by hand, on two inclined tables which surmount
the machine, by one or two attendants according to the method of folding adopted,
then after being folded so that the sheets lie within one another they are stored in a
rectangular case fixed in the framework. The folding and piling up of the sheets
takes place automatically by means of motion transmitted to two plates by an
arrangement of brackets and cams, the combination of which constitutes the essential
feature of this invention.
The movable cast iron plates each carry a metal strip and are mounted on axes
sliding in slots forined in brackets cast on the framework of the machine.
On the lower face of each of the plates are four brackets and a projection which
transmit to the plates the movement produced by the rotation of the cams keyed on
the axes.
The brackets are provided with rollers for lessening the friction of the cams which
alternately come into contact with the corresponding rollers. One set of cams serves
to give to the plate a forward movement towards the centre of the machine and the
other set of cains acting on the rollers of the brackets causes it to retake its original
position. The projection which serves to turn the plate upon its axes is operated by
the central can also keyed on the said shaft. The shape of the various cams and
the positions in which they are keyed are such as to cause the strips to alternately
overlap one another and consequently the folding of the paper either in two or
three.
The paper is placed on the two tables which surmount the apparatus by hind by
one or two attendants according to the method of folding adopted. After the
folding operation it is automatically stored in a box fixed to the interior of the
frame work.
Motion is transmitted to the cam shafts by a driving shaft carrying fast and loose
pulleys and a pinion which meshes with a toothed wheel which turns pinions keyed
on the cam shafts.
--
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
The plate on the left hand side is raised but ready to be lowered, the strip of the
other plate is disengaged and rises to fold the sheet of paper placed thereon; a sheet
of paper is placed on the strip of the left hand plate.
The right hand plate is then advanced by its cams during which movement the
left hand plate is lowered and drawn back under the action of its cams which act on
the rollers of its brackets while the strip of the right hand plate advances to fold the
paper thercon over the right hand part of the other sheet of paper and the strip on
which it is placed. A fresh sheet of paper is then placed on the strip of the right
band plate which latter is raised, at the same time raising the left hand part of
the sheet of paper on the other strip, it then advances as the other plate is

page_text: lowered which effects the folding of the last mentioned sheet of paper over the other
sheet of paper.
It will be obvious that the size and proportions of the machine may be varied to
adapt it to the various forms or shapes of paper to be folded.
Dated the 12th day of November 1889.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Folding Sheets of Paper, Prospectuses,
Circulars, Programmes, and the like.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the firm of G. F. Redfern & Co., the General
Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the county of Middlesex, Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication from
abroad by La Société Anonyme Francaise des Bascules automatiques of No. 23,
Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, in the Republic of France) and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
1
This invention relates to the construction of a folding machine which will
automatically fold sheets of paper, prospectuses, circulars, programmes and the like.
The sheets of paper are arranged by hand, on two inclined tables which surmount 2
the machine, by one or two attendants according to the method of folding adopted,
then after being folded so that the sheets lie within one another they are stored in
a rectangular case fixed in the framework. The folding and piling up of the sheets
takes place automatically by means of motion transmitted to two plates by an arrange-
ment of brackets and cams the combination of which constitutes the essential feature 2
of this invention.
In order to enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe how it
can be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which―
Figure 1 is a side view.
Figure 2 is an end view; and
Figure 3 is a plan of the improved machine.
Figures 4 to 7 are vertical sectional elevations showing the positions of the parts
of the machine at different stages of the folding operation.
The movable cast iron plates A, B, each carry a motal strip a, b and are
mounted on pivots o sliding in slots formed in brackets cast on the framework of the i
machine.
On the lower face of each of the platos A, B are four brackets c, c, and a
projection d which transmit to the plates the movement produced by the rotation of
the cams C, C and D keyed on the shafts O.
The brackets care provided with rollers for lessening the friction of the cams
which alternately come into contact with the corresponding rollers. The cams C
serve to give to the plate a forward movement towards the centre of the machine
and the cams Cacting on the rollers of the brackets c', cause it to retake its original
position. The projection d which serves to turn the plate upon its pivots o is
operated by the central cam D also keyed on the shaft O. The shape of the various
cams and the positions in which they are keyed are such as to cause the strips a
and 6 to alternately overlap one another and consequently to effect the folding of the
paper either in two or three.
The paper is placed on the two tables E, F which surmount the apparatus, by
hand by one or two attendants, according to the method of folding adopted. After
the folding operation, it is automatically stored in a box G fixed to the interior of the
frame work.

page_text: Motion is transmitted to the cam shafts O by a driving shaft H carrying fast and
loose pulleys J and a pinion K which meshes with a toothed wheel L which turns the
pinions M keyed on the cam shafts O.
The operation of the machine is as follows :-
The plute B on the left hand side is raised, but realy to be lowered, the strip a
of the plate A is disengaged and rises to fold the sheet of paper m placed thereon; a
sheet of paper, is placed on the strip of the plate B (see figure 4).
The plate A is then advanced by the cams during which movement the plate B
is lowered and drawn back under the action of the cams C which act on the rollers
of its brackets c while the strip a of the plate A advances to fold the paper m over
the right hand part of the paper n and the strip b, (see figure 5).
A fresh sheet of paper in is then placed on the strip a of the right band plate B,
which latter is raised at the same time raising the left hand part of the sheet of
paper n, it then advances as the plate A is lowered which effects the folding of the
paper n over the paper m³ see figure 6.
Figure 7 shows the position of the machine after this operation, the same cycle of
operations can be repented indefinitely.
It will be obvious that the size and proportions of the machine may be varied to
adapt it to the various forms or shapes of paper to be folded.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
1 claim is
The combination of parts forming the improved machine for folding sheets of paper,
prospectuses, circulars, programmes and the like, substantially as herein before
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 17th day of December 1889.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.