Improvements on Paper Folding Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements on Paper Folding Machines.
I, LEWIS MUNRO, Mayfield, Dingwall, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
The adoption of several devices to ensure increased accuracy of work, and greater
general efficiency. The improvements have reference to Patent Specification
No. 6464, year 1895. These consist of (1) A sliding perforating needle and
gripping fingers acting in conjunction with other suitable mechanism to prevent
lateral movement of the sheet of paper. (2) The fitting on to and in front of the
second pusher of a small side pusher having a lateral motion, and fitted to draw
the sheet into position laterally for receiving the next fold. (3) Rising and
falling tables which bring the paper in close contact with the folding knife.
(4) The insertion of small wheels in the folding grippers, which, with other adjust-
ments, secure greater compactness of fold, and certainty of the paper being
withdrawn from off the folding knife. (5) A series of moving tongues placed
between the jaws of the folding grippers, which at the proper time eject the paper
on to the table.
(1) In order to prevent lateral movement of the sheet of paper after receiving
the first fold, several devices in conjunction with the first pushing bar are employed.
An upright pin or needle, fitted into a suitable socket, and moving freely in a slot
is attached to the under side of the pushing bar, the pin and its supports projecting
in front, provision being made by means of a groove in the folding table that the
needle only will be above the level of the said folding table. The first gripper,
on giving the first fold to the sheet, and in carrying the sheet with it, draws it
over the point of the needle, on to which, when near the end of its travel, and
before it is finally released from the jaws of the gripper, it is impaled. This is
accomplished by a forked projection attached to the axle of the apparatus for
opening the gripper, striking the sheet on either side of the needle. This same
pusher is also furnished with gripping fingers, which are, by suitable mechanism,
kept open while in the rear part of the machine, and which close as they advance
towards the other end of the machine. A sheet having received its first fold, and
being impaled on the travelling needle, is pushed forward in the usual way by
the pusher, against which it is squared up in course of travel, the slotted arrange-
ment in which the needle is held enabling this to be readily accomplished. As
the sheet is pushed forward, the gripping fingers slowly close on it. When
within three or four inches of the end of the travel, a slightly upward sloping table
on to which the sheet is being pushed, strips the sheet off the needle, the gripping
fingers now preventing the possibility of any lateral movement. In order that
the sheet thus carried forward may be laid in true position for receiving the next
fold, the pushing bar with its gripping fingers still holding the sheet securely, is
brought to a momentary dead halt. During this halt the gripping fingers are
opened by suitable mechanism, and the sheet released, the pusher and its apparatus
now retiring. The momentary halt referred to is secured by a slot arrangement

page_text: on the rods connecting the pushing bar to the levers that give it its travelling
motion. The certainty and the accuracy of this slot arrangement are secured by
brakes which act on the pushing bar at both ends of its travel.
(2) In order to obviate the necessity for shifting the pushing bar when changing
from one size of paper to another, so as to bring the sheet in true position under
the third folding knife, a device is employed in, connection with the second pushing
bar. It consists of a hollowed out rail of iron lying flush with the third folding
table, and swivelled at its outer end to the inner edge of the table. At the other
end the rail is jointed to a rod passing below the table to the ouside of the machne.
This rod, which ends in a screw, passes through a hole in the frame of the machine,
and by the use of thumb screws the inner end of the rail can be moved backwards
and forwards, giving it the necessary degree of shute, according to the requirement
of the size of the paper. In the hollow of this adjustable rail a sliding piece of
iron is fitted which passes under the pushing bar, and is jointed to a piece of
mechanism, fitted on to the gripper, whereby a finger piece, or small side pusher,
"projected in front of the gripper, is given a lateral motion according to the adjust-
ment of the rail. When the pusher is at the rear end of its travel all papers fall
out of the gripper slightly inside the said side pusher. As the pusher advances
with the sheet in front, the side pusher draws in on the sheet, according to the
degree of the shute, pushing it laterally into position under the third folding knife.
In order to accommodate the shifting of the rail, the table is partly formed of
tapered lats of wood or metal, pivotted at one end, and some of which are removable
altogether.
(3) That part of the folding table immediately under the folding knives (except
the uppermost table of all) are made with an upward slope, reaching at the far end
to about the level of the edge of the knife blade. At this end it is hinged, and
by suitable mechanism at the proper time, the other end is made to rise up also
to the level of the edge of the knife, so that when a sheet is being folded, and before
the folding gripper gives it the crease, the sheet is lying in close contact with
the knife. This prevents the rising folding gripper from disturbing the position
of the sheet, and ensures accuracy of fold.
(4) In order to ensure that the folding grippers will not fail to withdraw the
folded sheet from the knives, and that the various folds are made to lie close to each
other, the following device is adopted. Narrow slits are cut out of the edge of the
knives at intervals, and in the upper jaw of the folding gripper immediately
opposite these slits, small narrow wheels having a slight inward spring or tension
are placed. These small wheels, when the folding gripper rises against the knife,
bite through the slits in the knife, against the lower jaw of the gripper, and thus
aid in withdrawing the sheet and keeping the various folds close together.
(5) For ejecting the sheets of paper from the folding grippers a number of
tongues having a forward and backward movement are placed between the jaws of
the gripper. These are actuated by the same mechanism that opens the gripper
at the end of its travel. When the jaws open, the tongues advance and eject the
sheet on to the table.
Dated this Twelfth day of May 1897
WILLIAM JOHN DUNCAN, Solicitor, Dingwall, Trustee and Assignee of the late
Lewis Munro, Printer and Publisher, Castle Street, Dingwall, Ross-shire, N.B., 50

page_text: under Trust Deed, dated 8th May, 1897, granted by the said Lewis Munro in favor
of the said William John Duncan, and Assignation dated 14th June, 1897,
granted by the said Lewis Munro in favor of the said William John Duncan, and
both recorded in the books of Council and Session in Edinburgh, the 13th day of
July, 1897, 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:.
The adoption of several devices to ensure increased accuracy of work and greater
general efficiency. The improvements have reference to Patent Specification
No. 6464 year 1895. These consist of (1) A sliding perforating needle and
gripping fingers acting in conjunction with other suitable mechanism to prevent
lateral movement of the sheet of paper. (2) The fitting on to and in front of the
second pusher of a small side pusher having a lateral motion and fitted to draw
the sheet into position laterally for receiving the next fold. (3) Rising and
falling tables which bring the paper in close contact with the folding knife.
(4) The insertion of small wheels in the folding grippers which with other adjust-
ments secure greater compactness of fold, and certainty of the paper being
withdrawn from off the folding knife. (5) A series of moving tongues placed
between the jaws of the folding grippers, which at the proper time eject the paper
on to the table; all as described below and on the accompanying drawings:-
Sheet (1) Figure (1) is an elevation of pushing bar and impaling (needle) arrange-
ment.
Figures (2), (3) (4) are plans of same.
-
Sheet (2) Figures (5), (6) are elevations of second folding table and pushing bar.
Figure (7) plan of same shewing side pusher for giving lateral movement to the
sheet of paper.
Sheet (3) Figure (8) sectional elevation of sloping table and knife with mechanism
for raising and lowering table.
Sheet (4) Figures (9), (10), sections through pushing bar shewing small wheels
for biting paper and tongues for ejecting paper.
Figure (11) plan of same.
The paper is fed to the folder and the first fold is given exactly as described in
Specification No. 6464 of 1895.
(1) In order to prevent lateral movement of the sheet of paper after receiving
the first fold several devices in conjunction with the first pushing bar are employed.
An upright pin or needle Fig. 1 (1) fitted into a suitable holder Fig. 2, (1) and
moving freely in a slot Fig. 2 (2) is attached to the underside of the pushing bar
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 (3) the pin and its supports projecting in front, provision being
made by means of a groove Fig. 2 (4) in the folding table that the needle only will be
above the level of the said folding table. The first gripper Fig. 1 (5) on giving the
first fold to the sheet and in carrying the sheet with it from the folding knife (5*)
draws it over the point of the needle on to which when near the end of its travel
and before it is finally released from the jaws of the gripper it is impaled on the
needle by a forked arm Fig. 4 (6) attached to the axle Fig. 4 (7) of the roller
Figs. 1, and 4 (8*), which opens the gripper (5) by pressing the spring (8). This
same pusher (3) is also furnished with gripping fingers Figs. 1 and 2 (8) the upper
ones carried by the rod (3) and opened when the rod is turned by the arm (3b)
operated from the main shaft & at other times closed by the spring (3º). A sheet
having received its first fold and being impaled on the travelling needle is pushed
forward in the usual way by the pusher against which it is squared up in course of
travel, the slotted arrangement in which the needle is held enabling this to be readily
accomplished. As the sheet is pushed forward, the gripping fingers slowly close
on it. When the pusher bar is within three or four inches of the end of its travel
the sheet rides up onto a slightly upward sloping table Fig. 1 (9) and is stripped
off the needle the gripping fingers now preventing the possibility of any lateral
movement. In order that the sheet thus carried forward may be laid in true

page_text: position for receiving the next fold, the pushing bar with its gripping fingers still
holding the sheet securely is brought to a momentary dead halt at A (Sheet 1).
During this halt the gripping fingers are opened by suitable mechanism and the
sheet released the pusher and its apparatus now retiring. The momentary halt
referred to is secured by a slot arrangement Fig. 1 (10) on the rods connecting the
pushing bar to the levers that give it its travelling motion. The certainty and the
accuracy of this slot arrangement are secured by stops Fig. 1 (11) which act on
the pushing-bar at both ends of its travel.
2. In order to obviate the necessity for shifting the pushing bar when changing
from one size of paper to another so as to bring the sheet in true position under the
third folding knife a device is employed in connection with the second pushing bar
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 (12). A hollowed out rail Figs. 5 and 7 (13) of iron lying flush
with the third folding table is pivotted to the table at (13) and at one end is
joined to a screwed rod Figs. 5, 6 and 7 (14) fixed to the table at (15), and by the use
of thumb screws Figs. 5 6 and 7 (14") the end of the rail can be moved backwards &
forwards giving to the rail the necessary inclination according to the size of the
paper: In the hollow of this adjustable rail a sliding piece of iron Figs. 5 and
7 (16) is fitted which passes under the pushing bar and carries a roller (16) moving
in a slot Figs. 5, 6 and 7 (17) on the bar (12) whereby a finger piece Figs. 6 and
7 (18) or small side pusher protruding in front of the bar is given a lateral motion
according to the adjustment of the rail. When the pusher is at the rear end of
its travel the sheets fall out of the gripper above slightly to the right of the said
side pusher. As the bar (12) advances with the sheet in front of it, the piece 16
slides in the rail and the side pusher moves to the right Fig. 7 pushing the sheet
laterally into position under the third folding knife. In order to accommodate the
shifting of the rail, the table is cut away (Fig. 7) and the opening partly filled by
tapered laths of wood Fig. 7 (19) or metal pivotted at (193) some of which are
removable altogether. 3. That part of the folding table (9) immediately under the
folding knives (except the uppermost table of all) is made with an upward slope
reaching at the upper end to about the level of the edge of the knife blade. At
this end Fig. 8 (20) it is hinged and at the other end it rests on a rod (21) raised
at the proper time by levers (21) operated from the main shaft to the level of
the edge of the knife, so that when a sheet is being folded and before the folding
gripper gives it the crease, the sheet is lying in close contact with the knife Fig. 8 (23).
This prevents the rising folding gripper from disturbing the position of the
sheet and ensures accuracy of fold.
4. In order to ensure that the folding grippers will not fail to withdraw the
folded sheet from the knives and that the various folds are made to lie close to
each other, the following device is adopted. Narrow slits Fig. 8 (22) are cut out
of the edge of the knives Fig. 8 (23) at intervals, and in the upper jaw of the folding
gripper Figs. 9, 10, 11 (24) immediately opposite these slits small narrow rollers
Figs. 9 and 11 (25) carried by springs (25) are placed. These small rollers when
the folding gripper rises against the knife, bite through the slits in the knife against
the lower jaw of the gripper, and thus aid in withdrawing the sheet and keeping
the various folds close together.
5. For ejecting the sheets of paper from the folding grippers a number of
tongues Figs. 10 and 11 (26) having a forward and backward movement are placed
between the jaws of the gripper. These are actuated by the same mechanism
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 (27) that opens the gripper at the end of its travel. When the
jaws open the tongues advance and eject the sheet on to the table.
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 what I
claim is:
(1) A sliding perforating needle and gripping fingers acting in conjunction with
wat lateral movement of the chest of

page_text: (2) The fitting on to and in front of the second pusher of a small side pusher
having a lateral motion and fitted to draw the sheet into position laterally for
receiving the next fold.
(3) Rising and falling tables which bring the paper in close contact with the
folding knife.
(4) The insertion of small wheels in the folding grippers which with other
adjustments secure greater compactness of fold, and certainty of the paper being
withdrawn from off the folding knife.
(5) A series of moving tongues placed between the jaws of the folding grippers
which at the proper time eject the paper on to the table.
גידי
L 11
CHISIS tray or araren 1898.
W. J. DUNCAN,
Solicitor, Dingwall, Applicant,
Care of Carpmael & Co.,
24, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.