AN IMPROVED METHOD OF FOLDING PAPER, AND IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN to be as follows:-
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ROBERT CUNDALL of Leaventhorpe Mill, Thornton, near Bradford, Yorkshire
Printing Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF FOLDING PAPER, AND IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN
to be as follows:-
"
وو
My Invention has reference to that class of paper folding machine which is
employed in folding a sheet of paper a certain number of times into a pamphlet or
book form, and as is well known in the present construction of machines only one
pamphlet or set of leaves can be folded at one operation.
The object of my Invention is to fold a sheet of paper in such machines, so that
when the folded paper is severed in the proper place, there will be two or more
complete sets of leaves or pamphlets.
To carry out my Invention the paper intended be folded is large enough for
the matter composing the pamphlet to be printed upon such sheet-say twice, or
any other suitable number of times.
The sheet of paper is then passed through the machine and if it bas to be folded
four times, it is folded three times in the ordinary manner, and by the ordinary
means that is to say-the paper is folded at right angles to itself for three
successive folds, but the finishing fold is arranged not to be at right angles but
parallel with the last fold consequently the paper is twice the length of the pamphlet,
so that when severed, it forms two pamphlets or books.
In order to arrange the machine to do this it is of ordinary construction, and the
tapes travel one across the other in the usual manner up to the third fold, but
instead of the last set of tapes travelling at right angles to the preceding set of
tapes as is customary, they travel in the same direction therewith-that is to say-
the two last sets of tapes travel in the same direction, consequently the two last
folds of paper are parallel whereby when the paper is severed two, or more books
are produced according to the length of paper when folded.
When folding very small books, such as small pocket time tables and the like,
the tapes in the machine are made to travel all in one direction, so that each fold
of the paper is parallel with each other, consequently the paper is folded into a long
narrow length representing any suitable number of books, which when severed in
the proper places form separate books, the printed matter thereon having been
previously arranged for that purpose.

page_text: •
By these means a great number of books and pamphlets can be readily and
expeditiously folded, whereas in the present construction of machine only one book
can be folded at one operation, consequently the process is slow.
In order to adapt these macbines so as to fold a sheet of paper a less number of
times than the machine is made for say a machine made to fold six times is
sometimes wanted to fold three times, I arrange the machine so that it will deliver
the paper after the third fold by self acting means. To do this I place between
the ends of the travelling tapes, ordinary india rubber rollers between which the
paper is passed to be folded. These rollers are covered in the usual manner on
the upper surface by a sheet metal cover and when the paper has been folded the
required number of times and must pass out of the machine it has to pass over the
covered rollers, but as there is a dead surface at this part, the paper cannot pass
over as there are no rotary movements to assist the paper over the dead surface
onto the travelling tapes, I employ a roller working on the top, and in contact
with the tapes in front of the dead surface, which roller helps the paper forward
onto the tapes on the other side thereof, whereby the paper is delivered out of the
machine in a three fold form.
Instead of employing a roller for feeding a paper over the cover of the india
rubber rollers a pair of reciprocatory nippers or fingers may be used.
When the paper is travelling from one set of tapes to the other to be folded, a
projection or stop piece is employed to stop the paper at a certain spot so as to
ensure the "striker" folding the paper exactly in the middle and for this purpose a
roller on the top of the tapes is employed to carry the edges of the paper forward
up to the stop piece.
When hovever the paper is of such a size that the front edge thereof comes into
contact with the stop piece before the back edge has left the feeding rollers, I cause
the said roller by means of cams, or other means to rise in its bearings, and thereby
release its hold of the paper, and so prevent the paper being creased which would
happen if the roller continued to feed the paper forward after the front edge had
come into contact with the stop piece.
Dated this 12th day of June 1884

page_text: "
I, ROBERT CUNDALL, Leaventhorpe Mill Thornton, near Bradford, Yorkshire
Printing Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for. AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF FOLDING PAPER AND IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN
>>
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :—
The object of my invention is to fold a sheet of paper in such machines so that
when the folded paper is severed in the proper place, there will be two or more
complete sets of leaves or pamphlets.
To carry out my invention the paper intended to be folded is large enough for
the matter composing the pamplet to be printed upon such sheet; say twice, or any.
other suitable number of times.
The sheet of paper is then passed through the machine and if it has to be folded
four times, it is folded three times in the ordinary manner and by the ordinary
means that is to say-the paper is folded at right angles to itself for 3 successive
folds, but the finishing fold is arranged to be parallel with the last preceding fold,
consequently the paper is twice the length of one book as shewn at Fig 1 so that
when severed at the line a two pamphlets or books c and d are formed.
In order to arrange the paper folding machine to fold the paper in the required
manner, it is nearly of ordinary construction, the tapes being caused to travel´
according to requirement for the purpose of carrying the sheets of paper to the
"striker'
and to the folding rollers. Fig 2 of the accompanying drawings
illustrates sectional elevation of so much of a paper folding machine as is necessary
to show the application of my improvements. A is the framing of the machine,
B the driving shaft which gives motion to the several sets of rollers. The paper to
be folded passes through the first set of rollers C to which it gives the first fold, the
paper then traverses down the inclined tapes e until it reaches the horizontal
tapes f, which carrys the paper forward until it comes into contact with the stop
piece D which has been previously guaged to suit the size of paper intended to be
folded.
The paper
then struck by the usual striker E so as to nip the paper between
the second paper of rollers F, whereby the paper is folded a second time.
The paper thus folded drops onto the tapes y, and is again carried forward until
struck between the third pair of. rollers G from which it is fed by the inclined
tapes onto the horizontal tapes i.
So far the paper has been folded 3 times, each fold being at right angles to the
preceding fold, but to cut the folded paper into two, so as to form two pamphlets or
books, such paper must be folded a fourth time and this fold must be parallel with
the last.
To do this the folding rollers H are placed parallel with the roller G as shewn in
the drawings, (and not at right angles as is now the case) so that as the "striker"
comes into contact with the paper it is struck and passed between the last pair of
rollers Hand folded thereby so as to represent two pamphlets as shewn in Fig 1.

page_text: E
Over the last pair of folding rollers H there is placed a stationary plate I shewn in
section Fig 2 and in plan view Fig 3, the folded paper being placed upon the
stationary plate by the tapes i, but as such plate forms a dead surface and has no
motion, it will be apparent that the paper thereon could not get any further than
the tapes i pushed them. I have therefore employed an additional rotary roller J,
which will cause the paper to travel as far as may be necessary, and until the front
edge thereof comes into contact with the adjustable stop piece K. If however the
paper is of such size that the front edge thereof comes into contact with the stop
piece K before the back edge has left the rotary roller J I cause the said roller to
be lifted out of contact with the paper, so as to release its hold thereof and thereby
prevent the paper from being creased which would happen, if the roller J continued
to feed the paper forward after the front edge had come into contact with the stop
piece K.
The means I employ for lifting the roller J from contact with the paper is effected
by a cam M which depresses the lever N supporting the roller J, the said cam being
so timed as to raise the lever at exactly. the same time.
Instead of using the roller J to feed the paper forward over the plates I.
I employ either alone or in combination with the said roller J another set of
tapes L which will carry the paper forward to the stop piece K or out of the
machine as soon as the tapes i had fed the paper far enough onto the tapes L.
These tapes L may be placed in connection with any of the folding rollers so that
if the stop piece K was removed, the paper would be delivered after it had been
folded either once, twice, three, or four times, according to requirement.
When folding very small books, such as small pocket time tables, and the like or
long narrow books, the tapes in the machine are made to travel all in one direction
as shewn in Fig 4, so that each fold of the paper is parallel with each other, con-
sequently the paper is folded into a long narrow length as shewn in Fig 5
representing any suitable number of books which when severed in the places
marked a would form separate books, the printed matter thereon having been
previously arranged for that purpose.
By these means a great number of books and pamphlets can be readily and
expeditiously folded, whereas in the present construction of machine only one book
can be folded at one operation, consequently the process is slow.
By disengaging any of the "strikers" 1, 2, 3 in Fig 4 the tapes L would deliver
the pamphlets after the first, second, or third fold.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
-I-claim-is-
Firstly. In a paper folding machine the use of folding rollers which-in-addition
to being able to fold paper at right angles, shall also have rollers to rotate so as to
make one or more folds in the sheet of paper parallel with the last preceded fold,
whereby paper so folded can be cut to form more than one book or pamphlet in
the manner substantially as herein set forth.
Secondly. The arrangement of folding rollers as shewn in Fig 4 so arranged that
all the folds formed in the paper shall be parallel.