IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER-FOLDING APPARATUS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Conquest, of Tudor Street, in the City of
London, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PAPER-FOLDING APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by Richard
March Hoe and Stephen Davis Tucker, both of the City and State of New
York. United States of America.
ealed the 28th May 1880, and dated the 8th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Conquest at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th December 1879.
WILLIAM CONQUEST, of Tudor Street, in the City of London, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER-FOLDING APPARATUS." [A communication
from abroad by Richard March Hoe and Stephen Davis Tucker, both of the City
and State of New York, United States of America.]
This Invention relates mainly to folding apparatus applied to or constituting
part of web perfecting printing machines.
Rotating folding machines as heretofore constructed have generally consisted of
a revolving carrier supporting a folding or creasing blade, either firmly attached to
the carrier or having a reciprocating or rotating motion independant thereof, such
blade serving to crease or double the sheet of paper along the line of its intended
fold, and push it into the bite of a pair of folding rollers or other nipping receiving
devices which complete the folding of the paper.
The use of creasing blades has proved to be disadvantageous in respect of the
inaccuracy of their action and of their liability to cut or tear the paper.
To avoid these and minor objections is the object of the present Invention, which
avoids the use of a folding blade, substituting therefor holding instruments which
seize the paper at the line intended for the crease, and hold it while it is being
folded.
In one arrangement a rotating carrier is provided consisting of a cylinder fitted
with gripping fingers, which seize the edges of the sheet at opposite points of the
line of its intended fold, and carry round the sheet, laying the pendant end over a
stationary roller which sustains that portion of the paper as the cylinder continues
to rotate, and doubles the sheet back upon itself in the line intended for the fold.
C
11

page_text: The further rotation of the cylinder brings the paper under the action of a pressing
roller, which creases and completes the folding of the sheet.
The folding cylinder or carrier is mounted in the frame of the machine, and
rotated by suitable gearing from the web printing machine. The gripping fingers
of the cylinder are shaped so that their ends will lie flat or snugly upon the surface
of the cylinder when in their closed position. These gripping fingers are carried by
or form part of rocking arms mounted on pivots carried by the heads of the cylinder.
These rocking arms are connected together by a transverse rod in such a manner as
to ensure the simultaneous action of the fingers, whether for gripping or releasing
the paper.
By means of the pressure of a coiled spring surrounding this rod the fingers are
raised out of action, and they are caused to grip the paper by means of a fixed cam
acting upon a bowl in connection with one of the rocking arms.
To conduct the sheets to be folded to the cylinder to hold them to the cylinder,
and to guide the folded sheets from the cylinder, tapes and fixed guides are
employed. One set of tapes (carried by tape-rollers geared with the cylinder)
serves to conduct the sheets onto the upper part of the cylinder or carrier, and
permits their leading ends to pass off from the same after being carried over a
quarter of the rotation of the cylinder.
Another set of tapes intended to aid in the doubling and folding of the sheets is
carried by the doubling and pressing roller before mentioned. The pressing roller
is grooved to receive guides for conducting the folded sheet to the delivering
apron.
Machines constructed on the above principle may be caused to impart two or
more parallel folds to the same sheet by providing the cylinder with a second or it
may be a third pair of gripping fingers so placed as to seize the paper at the requisite
points for folding.
A corresponding number of sets of tapes and doubling and pressing rollers will
also be required, the delivery guides being in such case removed from the first
pressing roller.
In place of the doubling roller rigid bars with a rounded face, or curved fixed
plates, or similar opposing surfaces may be substituted.
A modification of the above described arrangement consists in substituting for
the gripping fingers fold determining forks, which, passing through transverse slots
in the cylinder, will pierce the paper in the line of the intended fold, clamp it upon
the cylinder, and present the doubled sheet to the bite of the tapes, which will
carry it under the action of the pressing roller for the completion of the fold.
The cylinder is provided with a suitable number of fold determining forks,
according to the width of the sheets to be folded and the number of parallel folds
required to be made, such forks being arranged in transverse lines across the
cylinder. The forks are carried by rocking arms firmly attached to a rock shaft
journalled in the heads of the cylinder at such a position that the forks may protrude
from and be withdrawn within the periphery of the cylinder. These rocking arms
are vibrated at each rotation through an arm keyed on one end of the rock shaft,
and operated by a cam fixed to the side framing of the machine.
The fold determining forks are preferably made with two prongs, and they are
pivotted to the ends of their respective rocking arms. These forks are provided
with tail pieces having a projection, a shoulder, and a cam face.
Springs carried by the rocking arms bear upon the projections of their respective
forks, and thus bring them into the position for piercing the paper. A cam coming
into action upon the outer arm of the rock shaft now causes the forks to advance
and pierce the paper.
When however the forks have passed through the paper
their cam faces will strike against the cylinder, and cause their prongs to press down
upon the paper and hold it firmly till the cylinder in its rotation bas carried the
clamping forks past the doubling bar or roller. When the paper has reached the
bite of the tapes the grip of the forks is released, and the prongs are withdrawn
within the cylinder.

page_text: In adapting the Invention to printing machines provided with apparatus for
dividing up the web into sheets, the second cylinder of the dividing apparatus may
be used for carrying the gripping fingers or forks, and thus a material economy in
space will be effected. This cylinder may receive the paper for folding without the
intervention or assistance of sets of traversing tapes, as above explained.
The last part of these improvements relates to apparatus for counting the sheets
as they are delivered from the machine. For this purpose the folded papers are
received onto an endless travelling belt stretched over a pair of rollers. On the
shaft of one of these rollers is a ratchet wheel provided on one half of the width of
its periphery with a continuous set of, say, 31 ratchet teeth, and on the other with
a single tooth. For driving this ratchet wheel and thereby actuating the roller and
endless belt thereon a pair of pawles is provided. One of these pawles takes into the
ring of ratchet teeth, and drives the travelling belt as each folded sheet is deposited
thereon. This pawle is pivotted upon a rocking arm, mounted upon a fixed
bracket, and vibrated by means of a stud carried by one of the arms of a three-
armed lever having for its fulcrum the shaft of the roller. This three-armed lever
is reciprocated by a connecting rod from a crank or excentric on the axle of the
folding cylinder. Another arm of this rock lever carries the second pawle, which
rides upon the plain portion of the periphery of the ratchet wheel, and engages the
single tooth once during each rotation of the cylinder, thereby moving the belt
roller and the 31 deposited sheets a slight distance forward, thus co... -the sheets
into groups of 31 (or any desired number of sheets, according to the construction of
the ratchet wheel), and separating these groups so that they may be readily
removed.
מי

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Conquest in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th June
1880.
WILLIAM CONQUEST, of Tudor Street, in the City of London, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER FOLDING APPARATUS." A communication
from abroad by Richard March Hoe and Stephen Davis Tucker, both of the City
and State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates mainly to folding apparatus applied to or constituting
part of web perfecting printing machines.
Rotating folding machines, as heretofore constructed, have generally consisted of
a rotating carrier supporting a folding or creasing blade, either firmly attached to
the carrier or having a reciprocating or rotating motion independent thereof, such
blade serving to crease or double the sheet of paper along the line of its intended
fold and push it into the bite of a pair of folding rollers or other nipping and
receiving devices, which complete the folding of the paper.
The use of creasing blades has proved to be disadvantageous in respect of the
inaccuracy of their action and of their liability to cut or tear the paper. To avoid
these and minor objections is the object of the present Invention, which avoids the
use of a folding blade, substituting therefor fingers or holding instruments which
seize the paper at the line intended for the crease and hold it while it is.being
folded.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings Fig. I represents a right side elevation
of the improved folding machine.
Fig. 2, Sheet II., represents the rear or delivery end thereof.
Fig. 3, Sheet III., represents in longitudinal sectional elevation the folding
cylinder or sheet carrier fitted wth folding grippers or fingers, which are shewn
as closed.
Fig. 4, Sheet IV., represents a left hand longitudinal sectional elevation on the
line a, b, Fig. 3, of the machine, as provided with the necessary mechanism for
imparting two parallel folds to a single sheet.
Fig. 5, Sheet V., represents by a longitudinal sectional diagram the mode of
attaching the folding machine to or combining it with a web printing machine,
and,
Fig. 6, Sheet VI., represents by a longitudinal sectional diagram a modified form
of the attachment of the folding machine to a web printing machine.
Figures 7 and 8, Sheet III., represent by an enlarged elevation and plan view
the structure of the counting apparatus.
The folding machine as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, will be first explained.
A is a cylindrical carrier mounted on a shaft A' which turns in bearings in the
main frame B. The shaft of this cylinder is driven by any suitable arrangement
of gearing from the printing machine or otherwise. C is a set of endless tapes for
delivering sheets of paper in succession to the folding cylinder. These tapes pass
from a roller C¹ over and around the cylinder A and back to the roller C. D is a
set of endless tapes for holding the paper to the cylinder until the forward end of
the sheet arrives at a perpendicular position. These tapes pass around a set of
rollers D1, D2, D3, and receive motion from the roller D¹. E is a set of tapes
carried by rollers E¹, E, for supporting the paper while in a folded state and serving
to pass it forward to a fourth set of tapes F carried by rollers F1, F2, F3, whereby
the folded paper is delivered out of the machine. Keyed to the shaft A' is a spur
wheel A which gears into pinions on the axles of the rollers D¹, E', and F', and
thereby a travelling motion is imparted to the tapes.
This cylinder A is provided at its opposite ends with operating grippers or fingers
G, G, which are suitably shaped or bent so that their ends will lie flat or snugly

page_text: upon the surface of said cylinder when in their closed position. These grippers or
fingers are mounted on shafts G', G', which turn in bracket bearings on the heads
of the cylinder. Keyed to these shafts are rock arms which are connected together
by a rod G2, whereby the movement of one gripper may be imparted to the other,
and the two will thus be caused to move in concert. This rod G2 is surrounded
by a coiled spring G³, which being confined between a stop plate on the cylinder
and an adjustable collar on the rod will hold the grippers open. Gis a rock arm
on the shaft of one of the grippers and riding upon a stationary cam G³ fast to the
frame work. Thus constructed the grippers or fingers will be carried around with
the cylinder A, while the rock arm G riding upon the high part of the cam G³ will
close said grippers against the pressure of the spring G³. As soon as the arm
has passed the high part of the cam the spring Gs will open the grippers or
fingers.
A set of
The tapos C which constitute the conductors for conveying the sheets in succession
directly into this folding machine may receive said sheets from a feed table fixed
directly over the said tapes, in like manner as are the feed tables of cylinder printing
machines, a suitable vibrating gauge governing the position of each sheet passing
to said tapes and onto the cylinder A; and the roller D¹ of the tapes D may have a
slight rising and falling motion so timed as to drop, seize, and carry forward the
sheets at the proper time, as is also common in cylinder printing machines.
The tapes E aid in both the following and delivery of the sheets.
guides or rods H is rigidly fixed so as to protrude into grooves in the roller E¹,
said guides H extending in an inclined direction from the roller down to the bed
plate of the machine. These rods H are supplemented by conductors H¹ which are
curved to coincide with the upper and outer surfaces of the roller E, and extend
into groove in the periphery of the cylinder A. These conductors, together with
the tapes
d guides H, form a delivery channel for single folded sheets. The
devices thus far described are capable of imparting a single central transverse fold
to the sheets, which operation will now be explained.
the
Vila
A sheet fed to and conveyed into this apparatus by the tapes C and D will be
held to the rotating cylinder A and carried forward to the point where the tapes D
leave the cylinder. At this point the leading end of the sheet will leave the
cylinder A and drop downwards, as shewn in Fig. 4. When the centre of the sheet
has fairly entered upon the cylinder the grippers or fingers G, which up this time
have been held open by the operation of the spring G³, will be closed upon the sheet
by the operation of the cam G5, tbus clamping the sheet at its edges upon the
cylinder at opposite points of the line of the intended fold. This operation of the
grippers may be effected according to the shape of the cam at any time of their
passing round with the cylinder from the point where the tapes C and D enter onto
the cylinder to that at which the tapes D leave it. When the grippers pass the
latter point they will cause the sheet to cease to pass off from the cylinder
continuing to move with it, the line upon which it is held by the grippers or fingers
now becoming the leading portion, which being carried into the nip of the tapes E
will draw the forward end (now the drooping portion) over the doubling roller E³,
and cause the same to be lapped against the rear portion of the sheet, said sheet
being then doubled in its centre, and the two halves or front and rear portions of
the same being laid together. As the central fold (now the leading edge) is fairly
between the tapes E and the under surface of the cylinder, the low part of the
cam G³ is reached by the rocking arm G, and the spring G³ again operates to open
the grippers or fingers G, thus releasing the folded sheet and leaving wholly in
control of the tapes E and cylinder surface, it being carried onward and pressed or
smoothed by the action of the pressing roller E. When this point is reached the
folded sheet will be guided over the pressing roller E' and down in front of the
guides or rods, whenco it will by its momentum follow the guides and descend
upon a delivery board or any common delivery device, such as the travelling
endless belts I, which running over pulleys or rollers I, I, will carry off the
successive sheets in the direction of the arrow.

page_text: In order to count the delivered folded sheets there is attached to the driving
roller 11 of these endless belts I a counting mechanism 'K that is constructed as
follows:
The shaft Is of the belt driving roller carries at one end outside of the framework
a double ratchet wheel k, l, provided at k with a continuous set of ratchet teeth,
and at k¹ with a single tooth; this ratchet wheel is actuated to rotate the roller I'
and move the endless belts I by means of pawls k, s, which engage respectively
with the teeth and k¹. The pawl k² carries a weighted arm ke, which holds it in
contact with its ratchet teeth; this pawl is pivotted loosely upon a stud projecting
from a slotted rocking arm pivotted to a bracket on the main framing. The
rocking arm is vibrated by means of a stud carried by an arm of a three
armed lever that turns freely upon the shaft of the roller I', the stud passing
through the slot in the working arm. The three-armed lever is actuated by a
connecting rod k pivotted excentrically to the side of the toothed wheel A2 of the
cylinder A. The arm of the three-armed rock-lever carries the pawl ³, which
rides upon the plane periphery of the ratchet wheel, and once during each rotation
thereof engages the tooth, which may be held to duty either by gravity or a spring.
As each folded sheet is deposited upon the belts I the connecting rod k vibrates
the three-armed lever, which through the pawls 2,³, actuate the ratchet wheel
and consequently move the belt roller I and deposited sheets a slight distance
forward. When however the ratchet wheel has been so far rotated by the
pawl as to permit the pawl to pass behind the tooth k', said pawl will when
vibrated forward engage said tooth and rotate the roller I¹ a considerable distance,
thus moving the accumulated sheets a distance from the guides H. The part k of
the ratchet wheel has thirty two teeth, and the throw of the pawl is equal to the
feed of seven of these teeth, consequently when twenty five folded sheets have
been deposited upon the belts I the pawl will rotate the ratchet wheel and
roller such a distance as to carry such sheets bodily forward, and thus distinctly
separate a printer's quire from the next batch of sheets, which will afterwards
accumulate one by one until a second quiro is completed, at which time a repetition
of the action of the pawl will take place. This mechanism it will be understood
may be constructed to count any desired number of sheets.
In adapting the folding machine to put two folds into the sheets of paper
supplied thereto, the additional parts to be now described in connection with
Fig. 4, are employed.
The cylinder A is provided with a second set of grippers or fingers G*, which
grippers or fingers are constructed, mounted, and operated as are those herein before
described, being however so placed in said cylinder as to occupy a position with
respect to the fingers G suiting the relation, the second fold is intended to bear to
the first. In this instance the fingers G* are at points about forty degrees distant
from the fingers G, so that they will double the once folded sheet (which in extent
is a little less than the circumference of the cylinder A) in its centre. When two
sets of grippers are used the second set will be operated by the cam G**
secured to the framework at the end of the cylinder opposite to the cam G³.
In producing the second fold the tapes F are used; these tapes run for a short
distance in contact with the cylinder A, then pass over the pressing roller F' and
return over a roller F³. In combination with the tapes Ċ the tapes F form &
delivery passage for the twice folded sheets; these tapes are illustrated in Fig. 1
(though useless in producing folded sheets) in order to show their relation and that
of their driving roller to the other mechanism. In this arrangement as the
sheets are not to be guided through the channel formed by the guides H
and conductors H', said conductors are removed out of operation, as is shewn
in Fig. 4.
With the machine thus organized each sheet delivered to the cylinder A will be
at once folded as before described, its leading edge being released as stated, and
allowed to pass over and droop from the roller D2, but as its two plies or front and
rear portions are lapped or doubled together by the action of the doubling roller E³,

page_text: and enter between the tapes E and the surface of the cylinder A, the rock arm of
the gripper G will ride upon the high part of the cam G**, and the grippers will be
closed down upon the opposite edges of the once folded sheet at points corresponding
to a line passing through its transverse centre and thus held, said sheet will be
carried upwards toward the doubling roller F2, between which and the surface of
the cylinder it will be so doubled or lapped as to lay the two halves of the same
upon each other.
When this is accomplished the rock arm of the grippers G*
passes off from the high part of its cam G5*, and the spring opens the grippers to
release the leading edge which is then carried into the conducting channel formed
by the tapes, as above described, that direct it to the action of the pressing rollers
F1 and between the rollers C and F3, whence it may be conducted off to be again
folded either parallel or at right angles, or it may fall upon a suitable receiving
table or be conducted to any piling apparatus. This folding apparatus in either of
its described forms or further modified to produce a third fold if desired may be
combined with a web printing machine, so as to fold the sheets produced thereby.
Two such arrangements are shewn in Figures 5 and 6, where the shaft of the
cylinder A is shewn as provided with a spur wheel for transmitting to the shaft,
through a train of wheels, motion from the cylinder printing machine.
In the arrangement shewn at Fig. 5 the feeding tapes C, D, are extended so as
to pass around rollers or pulleys D², C², just in advance of the cutting cylinders L, L,
of the printing machine; or they might pass around said cutting cylinders, occupying
the spaces where the cutting blades are broken away. In such case said tapes must
be speeded to run somewhat faster than the cutting mechanism in order to accelerate
the movement of the leading end of the web, and thus separate or detach the
partially severed sheet from the web, and even when the cutting cylinders entirely
sever the web and thus form the sheets, it will be desirable, though not essential,
to accelerate these tapes so as to provide for a slight separation of the sheets. With
these tapes thus extended the pulleys or roller C* may act as a returning roller for
the tapes D, as in Fig. 5, whereby said tapes are bent so as to aid the proper
seizure of the sheets between said tapes and the surface of the cylinder A, or the
roller C may be omitted entirely, as in Fig. 6. In the arrangement shewn in Fig. 5
the tapes C run from the roller C³, over the bending roller C, and passing a short
distance in contact with the surface of the cylinder A, thence return under the
roller Cs to the roller C, and the tapes D pass from the rollers D2 over the leading
roller C*, nearly encircling the cylinder A, thence pass over the roller D¹ and return
to the roller D2 over the rollers D³ and D'.
These tapes thus conduct the sheets to the cylinder A, and within the range
of action of the folding mechanism, and the arrangement of the parts is such that
the folding mechanism delivers its product in a direction away from the printing
machine.
In the arrangement shewn in Fig. 6 the gearing is such that the cylinder A
rotates in a direction contrary to that shewn in the preceding Figures, and the
taping is nodified as follows:-
The tapes C run from the roller C² directly onto and nearly around the cylinder A,
being returned over a pressing roller D³ and under a tape roller D'.
The tapes D
run from the tape roller D2 directly on to the cylinder A, bearing upon a portion of
said cylinder, and return under the roller D' and over the roller D. The tapes F
run from the doubling roller F in contact with the cylinder A, over the pressing
roller D³, over the roller Dº (that is now arranged in close proximity to the roller D),
and return over a bending roller D'. The tapes C, F, thus form a delivery channel
leading to the rollers D', Do, from grooves in which extend a set of conductors H³
and a set of guides or rods H³ that lead to the endless belts I. The sheets may be
once folded and delivered over the pressing roller E¹, as before described; or the
adjustments for making two folds having been made as hereinbefore explained, the
twice folded sheets will be guided over the pressing roller D³, and passing between
the tapes C and F will thence be directed in the apparatus, Fig. 5, to any form of
delivery mechanism, as hereafter explained, or in the apparatus, Fig. 6, be directed

page_text: by the conductors H2 down before the guides or rods H³ to the belts I. When the
sheets are to be twice folded by the apparatus, Fig. 6, the guides H' will be
removed in order not to obstruct the movement forward of the sheets to the
succeeding folding and doubling tapes F. The arrangement of the delivery tapes
and rollers for the twice folded sheets may, as is apparent, be independent of the
tapes C, which would then leave the roller D³ a mere guide roller for the return of
said tapes C. Either or both of the deliveries for the sheets may conduct them to
any piling mechanism, or to folding mechanisms constructed and arranged to impart
one or more folds to said sheets in the same direction or at right angles to the
preceding folds.
The cam for operating the fingers may be grooved if desired so as to impart
positive movements in both directions to the fingers or grippers, thus avoiding the
use of springs. The doubling rollers, so far as their function of forming an opposing
surface operating in conjunction with the grippers or fingers to lay or double the
front and rear ends of the sheets together, and thus finish the folding, is concerned,
may have substituted for them rigid bars with rounded faces, or curved fixed plates,
or any similar opposing surface over which the two plies of the sheet are drawn.
It is obvious that the taping of this folding apparatus in any of its forms may be
considerably modified. Thus, the series of tapes C, D, leading the sheets or end of
the web to the cylinder A may be so arranged as to perform the function of carrying
this sheet or the web into a position within the range of action of the grippers or
fingers carried by the cylinder, hence without passing around said cylinder. In like
manner the tapes E may be omitted, whereupon the sheet folded by being drawn
between the doubling roller and the cylinder may, when its leading or doubled edge
is released, be propelled onward by the action of the pressing roller; or if such
roller is omitted simply to drop bodily into a proper receiving device. So too in
double folding the tapes F may be omitted, whereupon the once folded sheet seized
by the grippers G* on the line of its second fold will have its head released at the
proper moment thereafter so as to droop downward, when it will be doubled on its
second folding line between the doubling roller F and cylinder, and be propelled
onward by the pressing roller F', and delivered therefrom in a manner similar to
that described for once folded sheets.
As a modification of the means for holding the paper to the rotating cylinder in
the line of the intended fold or folds, I use the arrangement of holding instruments
which may be termed fold determining forks, and mechanism for actuating the
same, shewn in combination with doubling and pressing tapes and rollers in
Sheets VII., VIII., and IX.
This modified construction of folder is shewn in Sheets X., XI., and XII., in
connection with a web printing press from which it receives the printed sheets
directly.
Fig. 9, Sheet VII., represents a right hand side elevation of the folding machine
when standing at the feeding end of the machine.
Fig. 10, Sheet VIII., represents a plan or top view of the machine; Fig. 11,
Sheet IX., is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the folding machine arranged so
as to impart a single traverse fold to the sheets of paper; Figures 12, 13, and 14 of
the same Sheet illustrate the action of the fold determining forks, and the parts in
combination therewith; Figures 15 and 15 shew detached in front and edge views
the firm of fold determining forks which I propose to employ; Fig. 16, Sheet X.,
and Fig. 17, Sheet XI., illustrate an arrangement of folding mechanism as con-
nected with a web printing press arranged to impart two parallel folds to each
sheet.
Figures 18 and 19, Sheet XII., show the double folder connected with a web
printing press by fast running tapes.
Referring now to Figures 9, 10, and 11, A is the cylinder or paper carrier; B is
the framing of the machine; and C, D, and E are the tapes, with their respective
rollers, for carrying the paper through the machine, and delivering it in a folded
state on to a suitable receiver, as above explained.. G, G, are the instruments for

page_text: holding the paper to the cylinder A in the line of the fold intended to be made.
In these Figures only one set of holding instruments is shewn, but as will be here-
after explained, two or more sets may be used to impart a corresponding number
of transverse folds to the paper. These instruments are mounted within the
cylinder A, and reach the paper through slots made in the cylinder for the purpose
of piercing the paper and holding it firmly under the pressure of their flattened
points.
They are preferably made with two prongs g, as shewn at Figures 15. The two
pronged instruments or forks g are provided with a tail piece g₁ to receive the
pressure of a spring, as will be presently explained, and they are each provided
with a shoulder gå at back, which limits their back motion by striking against a
stud or projection on the arm that carries the fork. The fork is also provided with
a cam shaped projection g³ in front, which provides for the rocking of the fork to
nip the paper after piercing it.
Each fork g is pivotted to an arm C, and the arms G₁are keyed to a transverse
rock shaft G², having its bearings in the heads of the cylinder or paper carrier. This
rock shaft, see Fig. 9, is fitted with a cross head G³, which carries at one extremity
a bowl that bears upon a fixed cam G*, carried by the framing B, and concentric
with the cylinder.
This cam may, if thought desirable, be grooved to receive the bowl of the cross
head, but in the Figures it shewn as held to the periphery of the cam by the
pressure of a rod G5, which iointed to the opposite end of the crosshead to
that which carries the bowl, antides in a fixed guide Go, carried by the cylinder
head. Surrounding the rod 931 coiled spring G7, which lies between a collar
hus ensures that the bowl of the crosshead
on the rod and the fixed guide, a
shall bear against the cam G.
Fitted to the arms C₁ are springs g, which bear against the tail pieces g² of the
forks, and hold them in a proper position on their carrying arms for piercing the
paper. When the moment for the advance of the forks has arrived, the cam G' will
by rocking the shaft G2 throw forward the arms G¹, on which the forks are
mounted, and cause the prongs g to strike through the paper, the paper being held
down against the thrust of the forks by the sustaining roller D. At this time the
cam shaped projection 9³ will press against the edge of the slot in the cylinder
through which the prongs pass, and thereby the fork will be caused to rock on its
fulcrum, and press down the prongs upon the paper. To ensure this action, the
edge of the slot is suitably chamfered to offer a proper bearing surface for the cam
projection g³.
It will now be understood that as the sheets are fed to the machine by the
tapes C and D (which for this purpose may be extended to rollers situate near the
cutting cylinders of the web printing machine, as hereinafter described), they will be
carried round by the rotating cylinder A until the bowr of the crosshead G³ arrives
at the largest radius of the cam G, at which time the forks will be thrust
outwards through the sheet overlying the cylinder, as shewn in Fig. 12, and at the
level of the axis of the roller D. As the cylinder rotates the cam face g³ will
instantly bring the forks to the holding position shewn at Fig, 13, at which time
the sheet is ready to pass a doubling bar M, fixed in brackets, bolted to the maiu
framing.
The action of this bar will be to lay the pendent end of the sheet over that part
which is still in contact with the carrier A, and as the carrier continues to rotate,
the sheet will be taken up by the tapes E and rollers E', which will complete the
folding of the paper, and deliver it out of the machine onto a piling table or to a
delivery apparatus. So soon however as the sheet is caught by the tapes E, the
forks will be withdrawn to the position shown at Fig. 14 by the further action of
the cam G on the bowl of the crosshead G³. I have not thought it necessary to
shew the cam G detached, as its lines are clearly indicated at Fig. 9.
The tapes D and E (as in the previous described arrangement of folding

page_text: mechanism), have their motion from a spur wheel on the shaft of the cylinder A,
through pinions keyed to the shafts of the rollers D2 and E', the tapes C in this
arrangement being driven direct from the cylinder A.
Figures 15 shew the fork made with V-shaped teeth instead of prongs, as at
Figures 15, for piercing the paper at the line of fold.
Figures 16 and 17, Sheets X., XI., shew a mode of adapting the folding mechanism
to one of the cutting cylinders of a web printing machine, Fig. 16 shewing the
Invention as adapted to single folding, and Fig. 17 shewing it as adapted to double
folding. In these views, N is a cylinder carrying the cutting blade, and N' is the
cylinder which carries the elastic bed for receiving the pressure of the dividing
knife. This cylinder serves also the part of the paper carrier A, and it is suitably
fitted with holding instruments, whether fingers, as first described, or fold
determining forks, as subsequently described.
O is the impression cylinder, from which the web of the paper passes to the
cylinders N, N. When in the bite of these cylinders the forward end of the web
is impaled by pins projected from inside the cylinder N immediately in rear of the
cutting blade, and the continued rotation of the cylinders will bring round and into
action upon the paper the gripping fingers or forks with which the cylinder N¹ is
furnished. The cylinder N is provided with grooves, and serves as a sheet
sustaining cylinder against the thrust of the forks G. As these cylinders still
continue to rotate, the cutting apparatus will be brought round and caused to act
upon the paper, whereby the sheet will be severed from the web, and simultaneously
the impaling pins will again come into action upon the web of paper immediately
in rear of the cutting blade. n, n, are the impaling pins which are arranged to
reciprocate in sockets formed in the cylinder shell. These pins are pivotted to
arms n' keyed to a rock shaft n³ carried in the heads of the cylinder N. Keyed
to one extremity of this rock shaft is an arm n³, carrying a bowl which rides on a
cam n fixed to the main framing. As therefore the cylinder N rotates, the pins n
will be protruded and drawn back as desired.
n³ is the cutting blade, and no the elastic bed for receiving the pressure of the
blade, or a cutting slot may be substituted therefor. Fig. 16 shews the cylinder N
fitted with the gripping device described with reference to Sheets VII., VIII., and
IX., and as similar letters of reference of reference are applied to corresponding
parts, no further description of the same will be required.
The sheet of paper when gripped by the forks G is disengaged from the cylinder
N by the withdrawal of the pins n; and as the cylinders continue their rotation
the paper will be advanced to the doubling roller E¹ of the tapes E, which will
double the sheet upon itself, and advance it to the nipping roller E2, which will
complete the single folding. Guide bars H' entering grooves in the cylinder N',
will strip the folded sheet from that cylinder (the sheet being meanwhile released
from the grippers G) and deliver it out of the machine. For the couvenience of
readily converting this arrangement of mechanism into a double folder, a
reciprocating endway motion is imparted to these guide bars, such motion being so
timed as to be clear of the cylinder when the second set of grippers is in action
and carrying the sheet from the tapes E to the tapes F. This will be better under-
stood by reference to Fig. 17, which shews the sheet held by the second set of fold
determining forks or grippers G* and carrying the sheet forward for the second
folding, the roller E' serving in this case as a sheet sustaining roller.
As the gripping forks G* pass the guide bars H', the sheet will be doubled back
upon itself, and the tapes and rollers F, F, F, will complete the second folding and,
deliver the folded sheet from the machine by the aid of fixed guides H³ and
delivering rollers and tape H, H7.
The guide bars H' are formed into a grid by transverse bars or a frame which
moves freely in ways at the sides of the machine. To the underside of the guide
bars or frame is pivotted a forked connecting rod J embracing the shaft of the
cylinder N'. This rod J carries a bowl that enters the groove of a suitably cut

page_text: cam J keyed to the shaft of the cylinder N', and from the rotation of this cam the
guide bars H receive their reciprocating motion.
The impression cylinder O and the cutting and folding cylinders N and N' are
geared together by spur wheels keyed on their shafts, and receive their motion
from the last impression cylinder O of the web printing machine.
Pinions on the shafts of the rollers E¹, F¹, and F, gear with the spur wheel of
the shaft N¹, and thus transmit motion of the tapes E and F at the required speed.
A spur pinion on the shaft of the roller H gearing with the pinion of the roller F°
serves to give motion to the delivering tape H7.
Another mode of arranging this folding mechanism in connection with a web
printing machine is illustrated in Figures 18 and 19, Sheet XII.
The cutting cylinders L, L, there shewn represent the web severing mechanism
common in such printing machines, from which cylinders the severed or partially
severed web is conducted to the rotating cylinder or carrier A by means of fast
running tapes C, D, arranged as follows:-
The upper set C passes under and over guide and pressing rollers C₁, C*, thence
under the cylinder A, over and under other guide rollers C¹, and back to the
starting point near the cutting cylinders. The tapes D pass around the rollers D'
and run parallel with the tapes C in spanning the distance between the cutting
cylinders and the folding cylinder. As these tapes move at a greater surface speed
than the cutting cylinders, they will by nipping the paper to the rollers over which
both sets of tapes pass detach the sheets from the well and provide a working space
between successive sheets.
The third set of tapes E run parallel with the portion of the tapes C extending
beyond the cylinder A, and serve by their aid to deliver the folded sheets from the
machine.
The fold determining forks and their operating mechanism fitted to the cylinder
A do not differ from the arrangement already described. The forks aiding the
production of the first fold co-operate with the sheet sustaining roller C* in
piercing the paper, and with the roller F* in doubling, laying, or pressing the sheet,
while the forks aiding the production of the second fold co-operate with the roller F*
which then serves as a sheet sustaining roller, in piercing the paper, and with the
pressing roller in doubling, laying, or pressing the sheet, the latter roller also acting
as a means for directing the sheet towards the delivering apparatus.
These rollers F✶ and C are here shewn as spring seated, and it is apparent that
the doubling and pressing rollers before mentioned might be similarly mounted.
It will be understood that in place of the doubling bar M, Fig. 11, Sheet IX., a
roller may be substituted which will still perform the doubling function.
"
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in Paper
Folding Apparatus," as communicated to me from abroad, and having explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First. The arrangements of mechanism for single and double folding, as described
with reference to Sheets I. to VI. of the Drawings, both inclusive.
Secondly. The employment of a rotating sheet carrier fitted with automatically
acting grippers or fingers for holding the sheet upon the carrier while it is
presented to a doubling or folding roller or its equivalent, for the purpose above
set forth.
Thirdly. The arrangement of mechanism above described for counting the sheets
of folded paper in batches as delivered from folding machines, for the purpose
above set forth.
Fourthly. The modified arrangement of sheet gripping apparatus, as described
with reference to Sheets VII., VIII., and IX., and in combination there with a
roller or rollers for sustaining the paper on the rotating carrier against the thrust
of the pointed grippers.
Fifthly. The application to sheet cutting mechanism of the folding apparatus, as
described with reference to Sheet X.

page_text: Sixthly. In combination with a rotating carrier having two sets of fold
determining grippers the reciprocating guides or bars, described with reference to
Sheet XI.
:
In witness whereof, I, the said William Conquest, have hereunto_set_their
hands and seals, the Eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM CONQUEST. (L.S.).