IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CUTTING PRINTED WEBS OF PAPER INTO SHEETS AND FORWARDING, ASSOCI- ATING AND FOLDING THE SAME
Year: 1885

page_text: I WILLIAM CONQUEST of Tudor Street in the City of London, Mechanical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY
FOR CUTTING PRINTED WEBS OF PAPER INTO SHEETS AND FORWARDING, ASSOCI-
ATING AND FOLDING THE SAME" and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The present Invention relates to an apparatus for folding and delivering the
product of a web printing machine, and particularly to an apparatus of this character
which is adapted to deliver in the same form, products of different volume.
There are at present many newspaper printing establishments which desire, at
different times, to issue papers which vary greatly in volume, as for example
half-sheet, full-sheet, and double-sheet papers; and as it would entail great expense,
and be otherwise impracticable, to provide a separate mechanism for each size of
product, it becomes very desirable, in order to meet the wants of such establishments,
to provide a single mechanism, which, by slight adjustments, will be capacitated to
produce all of the desired products.
It furthermore is often desired to use the smaller products as supplements for the
larger, and this fact makes it desirable that the mechanism should be capacitated to
deliver all of its products folded to the same, or substantially the same form.
The present invention consists in a novel organization of mechanism by which
these results are accomplished in a simple, and economical manner.
The details in the construction and organization of the mechanism in which the
invention is embodied are hereinafter so fully explained, and particularly pointed.
out, as to render a more extended preliminary description unnecessary to a complete
understanding of the invention.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan view of a mechanism embodying the invention, the supporting
frame-work, and the gears and other mechanism for communicating motion to the
various parts, being omitted, as such parts will be readily supplied by any skilled
mechanic

page_text: Figure 2 is a side, and figure 3 and end elevation of the same, certain parts being
shown in section in order to more clearly illustrate the construction and operation ;
and
Figures 4 to 17 inclusive are views showing the order in which the folds are
made in different sized sheets.
The specific embodiment of the invention herein shown, will be first described,
after which its different modes of operation will be explained in detail.
The complete delivery mechanism herein shown as embodying the invention,
consists of a web-severing and sheet-associating mechanism, a transverse folding
mechanism, a sheet-forwarding or connecting mechanism, a slitting mechanism, a
longitudinal folding mechanism, which may also act as a sheet-associating
mechanism, a second transverse folding mechanism, and a second longitudinal
folding mechanism, which mechanisms are arranged to act in the order named.
Referring to figures 1, 2 and 3, it is to be understood that 51-52 are the usual
cutting cylinders used in connection with ordinary web printing machines, to sever
the web into sheets of the desired length. The cylinder 51, as here shown, is of a
circumference equal to the length of the sheet to be produced, and is provided
with a severing blade 20 of the usual construction. The cylinder 52 may be of
the same size as its companion, but is here shown as of twice such size, and is
provided with two cutting grooves 21, which co-act with the blade 20. The
cylinder 52 is also provided with two series of sheet-holding pins, 2, located just in
the rear of the grooves 21, and arranged in the usual manner, so as to impale the
leading end of the web after each severance. The pins 2 are provided with
stripper fingers 3, which are mounted upon rock-shafts 22, and operated at the
proper times to strip the sheets from the pins, by means of rock-arms, and a
stationary cam, or by other suitable mechanism.-At the proper distance in the
rear of the grooves 21, the cylinder is provided with two rotating folding blades 23,
which are also of the ordinary construction, and provided with the usual operating
mechanism, and co-operate with a pair of folding rolls 24-25, to fold the sheets
transversely of the cylinder.-It will of course be seen that the retaining and
folding mechanism may be omitted from the cylinder 52, and a separate cylinder
provided with these mechanisms be interposed between the cutting cylinders and
the folding rolls 24-25.
Leading from the rolls 24-25 is a pathway or sheet-forwarding or conducting
mechanism, which consists of devices for supporting and advancing the sheets after
they leave the rolls 24-25. This mechanism, as here shown, consists of two series
of tapes 4-5. The first of these series of tapes pass round the roll 24, thence above
rolls 27-29, and downward across the face of a longitudinal folder 54, thence down-
ward around the turning edges of said folder, one half passing around each of said
edges, so that they are brought together in pairs as they pass between the
rolls 30-31, which form the external turners of said folder. This folder may also, as
will hereinafter appear, act as a sheet-associating mechanism. From this point, one
half of this series of tapes pass around a folding cylinder 50, and return around
pulleys 44-45-43 to the roll 24, while the other half pass between the folding
rolls 32-33, and thence above a switch 18 and pulleys 34, to and across the face of
a second longitudinal folder 55. The middle of these tapes passes around a
pulley 39, located at a point near the apex of said folder, while the marginal ones
of said tapes pass around the opposite turning edges of said folder, and are brought
together between the rolls 35-36, which form the external turners of said folder.-
As these two tapes leave the rolls 35-36, they pass in opposite directions around
pulleys 37-38. After leaving the pulleys 38-39, all three of these tapes pass
upward past pulleys 40, and return around pulleys 41-42-43 to the roll 24. The
second series of tapes, 5, which co-operate with the tapes 4 to convey the sheets
from the rolls 24-25 to and across the face of the longitudinal folder 54, pass
between the rolls 24-25, and thence, with their companions, around the rolls 27-29.
From the roll 29, the tapes of this series pass to the pulleys 47, the marginal tapes
of the series passing directly to said pulleys, while the intermediate and middle
1

page_text: tapes pass respectively around pulleys 46 and pulleys (not shown) located near the
apex of the folder 54, before reaching said pulleys 47. From the pulleys 47, all of
the tapes 5 return around the roll 48 to the roll 25.
Located between the rolls 27-29 is a rock-shaft 15, which is provided with rock-
arms 13-14, upon the ends of which are mounted pulleys 28-49, said pulleys being
in such position that, when the shaft 15 is rocked to the position shown in the
drawings, the pulleys 28 will come into contact with, and raise one half of the
series of tapes 4-5, so as to lengthen the path of travel of said raised tapes between
the rolls 27-29, and that, when the said shaft 15 is rocked to the position shown in
dotted lines in figure 2, the pulleys 49 will come into contact with, and press down-
ward the same portion of the tape 5 so as to take up the slack formed by the
lowering of the pulleys 28.-The pulleys 28-49 form an adjusting mechanism by
which the sheet-forwarding mechanism can be so arranged, as will hereinafter
appear, that one of the two sheets which are being carried forward side by side by
the conducting mechanism will be advanced somewhat beyond its companion, so
that when the two arrive at and pass over the folder 54, which will in this case
act merely as an associating mechanism, they will be associated, with the edge
of one projecting beyond the other. The pulleys 40 are mounted in the ends of
arms 12, which are secured to a rock-shaft 11, so that said pulleys can be swung
inward, as indicated by dotted lines in figure 3, to take up the slack in the tapes 4
caused by the lowering of the pulleys 28. The purpose of this arrangement will
be made apparent when the operation of the apparatus is explained.
Co-operating with the tapes 4, to convey the sheets from the rolls 32-33 to and
across the face of the longitudinal folder 55, are a guide 18, and a series of short
tapes 6, which pass around pulleys 19-34 as shown in figure 3.
The internal guides of the longitudinal folders 54-55 consist of two converging
turning bars having their apexes located at or near the bite of their external turners,
but they may be made in other well known forms.
The folding cylinder 50, which is of the usual construction, is here shown as of
a circumference equal to the length of two sheets, and provided with two ordinary
rotating folding blades 17, which are provided with the usual operating mechanism.
This cylinder may, however, if preferred, be of a smaller or larger size, and be
provided with a correspondingly less or greater number of folding blades.
The remaining details of the mechanism will now be described in connection
with an explanation of its different modes of operation, which are as follows:-
While the division and arrangement of the printed matter upon the sheet to be
folded, does not necessarily affect in any degree the operation of folding, yet it will
readily be seen that, in delivering newspapers in a folded condition, it is desirable
that the order in which the folds are made should be determined by the number
and arrangement of the printed pages upon the sheet.-That is to say :-
If the sheet is printed for a four-page or folio paper, it is necessary, in order
that the paper be delivered in a convenient form for use, that the first fold should
be made upon the line between the sides of the pages, and that if the sheet is
printed for an eight-page or quarto paper, the first fold should be made upon the
line between the heads of the pages. (It is of course to be understood that this
statement does not apply to those methods of delivery in which an eight page or
other product is formed, by the association of webs or sheets).
The direction of the first fold, with relation to the travel of the paper through
the machine, will therefore depend in each case upon the manner in which the
forms are placed upon the form cylinder.
For convenience, therefore, in describing the operations of the delivery mechanism,
it will first be assumed that the forms are placed upon the form cylinder or
cylinders, so that the columns of matter lie longitudinally of said cylinder or
cylinders, and that the full sheet which the machine is capacitated to produce, is
suitable for an eight page paper. The forms will in such case be arranged so that
the sheet will be printed in the order shown in figure 4. The blades 23 of the
cylinder 52 will be rendered inoperative and the switch 53 will be secured in the

page_text: position shown in dotted lines in figure 2. The pulleys 28-49 will be swung to
the position shewn by dotted lines in said figure, so as to cause all of the tapes 4-5 to
travel in the same plane between the rolls 27-29, and the pulleys 40 will be swung
to the position shown by dotted lines in figure 3, so as to take up the slack thus
formed in the tapes 4.-The slitter 50 will be lowered into operative position, and
the slitter 26 will be raised out of operative position, as indicated by dotted lines
in figure 2. As the leading end of the web enters between the cylinders 51-52, it
will be taken by one set of the pins 2, and carried forward upon the cylinder 52
until it has passed the pulleys 48, when it will be stripped from the pins by the
'strippers 3, and directed between the switch 53 and the roll 25 and into the bite
of the tapes 4-5. When the cylinder 52 has completed one half of a revolution,
the first sheet will be severed from the web, and the other set of pins 2 will take
the freshly cut end of the web and carry it forward in like manner. The sheets
thus directed into the bite of the tapes 4-5 will then pass to the longitudinal
folder 54, by which they will be folded upon the line between the heads of their
pages, as indicated in figure 5, after which they will pass to the folding rolls 32-33,
between which they will be folded by the blades 17 of the cylinder 50, thus
receiving a fold upon the lines between the sides of their pages, as indicated in
'figure 6. From the rolls 32-33 they will be carried by the tapes 4-6 to the
second longitudinal folder 55, by which they will be given a third fold, as
indicated in figure 7, after which they will pass to any suitable mechanism to be
further folded, or to a piling mechanism.-As the sheets pass from the folder 54,
they will be split upon the line of the first fold by the slitter 50, so that the papers,
when delivered, will be in convenient form for reading.
If it should be desired that the full sheet, instead of being printed for an eight
page paper, should be printed for a four page paper, the forms will be placed upon
the form cylinder, or cylinders, so that the columns of matter will lie circum-
ferentially thereof, in which case the sheet will be printed, as indicated in figure 8.
The operation of the apparatus will then be the same as just described, except that
the slitter 56 will be raised out of operativo position, the sheet being folded as
indicated in figures 9, 10, and 11.
If, in either case, it should be desired to produce a product consisting of two
full sheets, it can be done by providing the cylinder 51 with gathering pins 9,
arranged and operated in a manner common to this class of folding mechanism, or
with other suitable gathering mechanism, by which two sheets can be associated
upon the cylinder 52, and folded together by the subsequent mechanism.
If it should be desired to produce a product, consisting of half sheets folded to
the dimensions above described, the gathering apparatus upon the cylinder 51, if
said cylinder is provided with such an apparatus, will be rendered inoperative.
The folding blades of the cylinder 52 will be thrown into operation, and the cam
which operates the strippers 3 will be shifted, so as to allow the pins 2 to retain
their hold upon the paper for a longer time.-The switch 53 will be raised to the
position shown in figure 2, the slitter 26 will be put into operative position; the
slitter 56 will be moved out of operative position, and the pulleys 28,-49, and 40
will be shifted to the positions shewn in figures 2 and 3.
If the half sheets to be produced are to form four-page papers, the forms will be
placed upon the form cylinder or cylinders, so that the columns of matter will lie
parallel therewith, and so that the sheet will be printed in the order indicated in
figure 12. As the leading end of the web enters the bite of the cylinders 51-52,
it will be taken by one set of the pins 2, and carried forward upon the cylinder 52,
until the line between the sides of its pages is in proper position opposite the
rolls 24-25, at which time the blade 23 will come into operation, and fold the
sheet upon said line into the bite of said rolls, it being at or about the same
time released from the pins 2, and severed from the web.-As the sheet, now folded
to the form indicated in figure 13, passes over the roll 27, it will be severed upon
the line between the heads of its pages by the slitter 26, thus forming two four-
page products, By reason of the arrangement of the sheet-forwarding mechanism,

page_text: and which is effected by the changed position of the pulleys 28, one of these sheets
will be obliged to travel a longer distance than the other, before it reaches the
longitudinal folder 54; from which it results that said sheet will arrive upon the
folder slightly in the rear of its companion, as indicated in figures 3 and 14. The
two sheets, one slightly behind the other, will then be conducted over the folder 54,
the turning edges of which will in this case act simply as sheet turners, which
turners, together with the tapes, will form a sheet-associating mechanism to bring
the sheets together, and cause them to be associated with the edge of one projection
beyond the other, as they enter the rolls 30-31, as indicated in figure 15. The
sheets having in this case been folded transversely by the blade 23, will not arrive
at the rolls 32-33 in such position as to be folded by the blades 17, but will arrive
just in time to have their leading ends acted upon by said blades, and be directed
between said rolls without being folded. The pairs of sheets associated, as shown
in figure 15, will then pass to and over the second longitudinal folder 55, by which
they will be folded, as indicated in figure 16, which will reduce them to the same
form as the folded full sheets before described, after which they will pass directly
to the piling mechanism.
By reference to figure 16, it will be seen that, although the two sheets thus pro-
duced are folded one within the other, the end of the inset sheet projects beyond
the other sufficiently to allow it to be readily grasped and withdrawn without
unfolding. It is also found, in practice, that a large pack of sheets thus folded can
be grasped by their opposite ends and drawn apart at a single operation.
It will thus be seen that by simply causing the sheets to be associated in such
position, that the edge of one will project beyond the other, it becomes possible to
fold and deliver both by the same mechanism, and in such condition that they can
be readily separated when desired. The effecting of the association of the sheets
in this condition is a feature of great importance, and constitutes one of the principal
features of the present invention.
It will readily understood that, instead of causing one of the sheets to travel a
greater distance than the other, in order to cause them to be associated with the
edge of one projecting beyond the other, the same result may be accomplished by
retarding or accelerating one of the sheets during its travel between the rolls
27-29, or by temporarily arresting one of the sheets. This may be done by means
of moveable stops or grippers.
If it is desired that the small product, just described, shall be a half sheet or two
page paper or supplement, the forms will be placed upon the form cylinder or
cylinders, so that the columns will be circumferentially thereof, and so that the
sheets will be printed, as indicated in figure 17.-The sheets will then be folded
transversely by the blades 23, as indicated in figure 18, after which they will be
split by the slitter 26, and further folded as indicated in figures 19, 20, and 21, in
the same manner as already described in connection with figures 14, 15, and 16.
If it should be desired to deliver either of the products mentioned without the
final fold, it may be done by shifting the switch 18 to the position indicated in
dotted lines in figure 3, so that the sheets, instead of passing to the longitudinal
folder 55, will pass between the switch 18 and tapes 7, and be conveyed directly
to a piling mechanism.
If it should be desired to deliver one portion of the sheets with the full number
of folds, and the remainder with a less number, the switch 18 may be automatically
operated, so as to direct one portion to the folder 55, and the remainder to the
tapes 7.
When half sheets are being produced, and the entire product of the machine is
to be delivered by the tapes 7, it will not be necessary that one sheet of the
associated pairs should be advanced beyond the other, as shown in figures 15
and 20, and consequently the pulleys 28-49- and 40 may, in such case, be moved
to the position shown in dotted lines.
When it is desired to deliver the half sheet product, with only one fold, it may
be accomplished by omitting the first fold, and directing the unfolded full sheet

page_text: between the tapes 4-5, in the manner described in connection with figures 4 and 8.
The full sheet will then be split by the slitter 26, or 56; preferably the latter, and
the two halves which will then be associated between the rolls 30-31, will be folded
together between the rolls 32-33 by the blades 17, and delivered by the tapes 7, in
the form shewn in figures 6. and 10.
When this method of delivery is adopted, it will usually be found most desirable
to put the associating mechanism upon the cylinder 51 into operation, so that two
or more full sheets may be associated before they are sent to the longitudinal
folder. This will cause each pack folded by the blades 17 to consist of four or
more duplicate sheets, which will be found very desirable when the product is for
the carrier, as it will greatly facilitate counting and handling, while the single fold
will not materially interfere with the separation of the papers from each other.
Although, as here shown, the cylinder 50 is not provided with means for retaining
the leading ends of the sheets upon its surface, it is to be understood that it may
be provided with any of the approved devices for this purpose. It is also to be
understood that the various series of tapes need not be arranged in the precise
manner herein shown, but may be arranged in any convenient manner to accomplish
the purposes intended. In some cases, it will be found desirable to cause the
tapes 4 to pass directly from the roll 32 to the pulleys 40, the longitudinal folder 55
being provided with independent tapes.-By having the tapes arranged in this
manner, the rolls 35-36, and the tapes which co-operate with the folder 55, can be
rendered inoperative when the sheets are directed to the tapes 7.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention consists, not so
much in specific improvement in the various mechanisms forming the whole delivery
apparatus, as in the general organization and combinations of mechanisms contained
therein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention as communicated to me from abroad, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, I declare that what I claim is
1. The combination with a sheet-forwarding and associating mechanism, arranged
or adjusted to associate a plurality of sheets with the edge of one projecting beyond
the other, of a sheet-folding mechanism arranged to co-operate therewith to fold the
associated sheets, all substantially as described.
2. The combination with a sheet-folding mechanism arranged to fold a plurality
of sheets lying side by side, of a sheet-forwarding and associating mechanism
arranged or adjusted to associate the sheets so folded with the edge of one projecting
beyond the other, and a sheet-folding mechanism arranged to cooperate therewith
to fold the associated sheets, all substantially as described.
3. The combination with a sheet-forwarding or conducting mechanism, and a
sheet-associating mechanism consisting of sheet turners and tapes, said mechanisms
being arranged or adjusted to associate the sheets with the edge of one projecting
beyond the other, of a sheet-folding mechanism arranged to cooperate there with, to
fold the associated sheets, all substantially as described.
4. The combination with a sheet-forwarding or conducting mechanism, consisting
of devices for supporting and advancing a plurality of sheets side by side, and
arranged or adjusted so that one sheet may be advanced beyond the other, of a
sheet-associating mechanism consisting of sheet turners and tapes by which the
sheets are associated, and a sheet folding mechanism arranged to co-operate there-
with to fold the associated sheets, all substantially as described.
5. The combination with a sheet-forwarding or conducting mechanism, as that
formed by the tapes 4-5, of sufficient width to receive a plurality of sheets side by
side, of an adjusting mechanism by which the portions of the conducting mechanism
occupied by different sheets may be made of the same or of different lengths, all
substantially as described.
6. The combination with a mechanism for folding a sheet transversely, and a
mechanism for slitting the same, of a sheet-forwarding mechanism and a sheet-

page_text: associating mechanism consisting of sheet turners and tapes, said forwarding and
associating mechanisms being arranged or adjusted to associate the two parts or
sheets thus formed, with the edge of one projecting beyond the other, and a sheet-
folding mechanism arranged to cooperate therewith, to fold the associated sheets,
all substantially as described.
7. The combination with the series of tapes 4-5, of the pulleys 28-49-40, arranged
to act upon a portion of said tapes for the purpose set forth, substantially as
described.
8. The combination with a longitudinal folding and slitting mechanism, of a
transverse folding mechanism, and a second longitudinal folding mechanism, said
mechanisms being arranged to operate upon the sheets in the order named, all
substantially as described.
9. The combination with an associating mechanism, of a longitudinal folding and
slitting mechanism, a tranverse folding mechanism, and a second longitudinal
folding mechanism, said mechanisms being arranged to operate upon the sheets in
the order named, all substantially as described.
10. The combination with a tranverse, a longitudinal, a second transverse, and a
second longitudinal folding mechanism arranged to operate upon the sheets in the
order named, of a slitting mechanisın, a pathway, as that formed by the tapes 4-5
for conducting the sheets from the first to the second folding mechanism, and
means by which the sheets passing along in one side of said pathway may be
caused to gain upon those passing along in the other side of said pathway, all
substantially as described.
11. The combination with a web-severing and sheet-associating mechanism, of a
transverse, a longitudinal, a second transverse, and a second longitudinal folding
mechanism, arranged to operate upon the sheets in the order named, a slitting
mechanism, a pathway, as that formed by the tapes 4-5, for conducting the sheets
from the first to the second folding mechanism, and means by which the sheets
passing along in one side of said pathway may be caused to gain upon those passing
along in the other side of said pathway, all substantially as described.