Improvements in Sheet Folding Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Sheet Folding Machines.
I, EDWARD THOMAS CLEATHERO, of The Hollies, Barrington Road, Altrincham,
in the County of Chester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows;
-
The first part of the present invention relates to improvements in sheet folding
machines. In the latter as heretofore constructed, each set of rolls has been
mounted at right angles to the adjoining set, or two sets have been mounted
parallel with each other when it has been desired to make two folds in succession
in that relative position.
It consists in means by which the position of any given fold or set of rolls can be
changed from one of angularity to one of parallelism with the next fold or the
adjacent rolls. In carrying the invention into effect, the set of rolls and all that
appertains to it, are mounted in or on a circular frame. The latter is made
capable of a circular motion on a fixed frame, through the desired are and in either
direction. Any suitable mechanism may be adapted to move and drive the rolls.
The folding knife is mounted so as to be capable of working in any of the
positions which the rolls are moved into. That capacity is secured, preferably,
by a ball jointed centred or a link motion.
The second part of the invention relates to mechanism for preventing the sheet
rebounding from the front stops. In carrying it into effect, I provide a stop
self-acting in virtue of its resilience. It consists of one or more plate springs.
They are mounted so as to overhang the path of the sheets, being aligned with
the direction which the latter take, and also bent down towards the surface over
which those sheets travel, until they touch it with an elastic touch, where they are
all bent up at a right angle therewith and in a line transverse with the said
direction, and then bent a second time but forwards over the path above men-
tioned. The spring stop is connected to a clip which grips a rod standing parallel
with the path of the sheets, so as to be adjustable thereon according to the
size of them.
The action of this second part is as follows. Each sheet travels forward with
strength enough to lift the spring stop which then shuts down behind it as soon
as it has passed. As the stop had been previously adjusted with its vertical
front edge at a distance from the front stop equal to the corresponding dimension
of the sheet, the latter cannot rebound.

page_text: improvements in Singa
I, EDWARD THOMAS CLEATHERO, of The Hollies, Barrington Road, Altrincham,
in the County of Chester, Engineer, 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 present invention relates to improvements in sheet folding machines.
Referring to the accompanying figures,
Figure 1 is a plan or elevation; and Figure 2 is a section taken along the
line 2-2 of Figure 1, illustrating the first part of the invention.
Figure 3 is an elevation, Figure 4 is a plan and Figure 5 is an end elevation
of the second part of the invention.
In sheet folding machines as heretofore constructed, each pair of folding rolls
has been mounted at right angles to the adjoining pair, or two pairs have been
mounted parallel with each other when it has been desired to make two folds in
succession in that relative position.
The first part of the present invention consists in means by which the position
of any given pair of folding rolls (excepting the first pair when it is fixed in the
first folding position, as it preferably is) can be changed from one of parallelism
with the first or with any other pair of the whole series thereof, to one of right
angles with the said first or any other pair respectively. It is illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2. These include only one table and its feeding and folding
devices as, no matter how many there may be, each differs from the others only
in size. 1, 1 are the feeding rolls for feeding the sheets to be folded, on to the
table 3, upon which the folding is to be effected. 4, 4 are the top guides
and 5, 6, the bottom guides for the sheet from the rolls 1, 1 on to the said table.
2, 2 are the folding rolls. 7 is the folding blade; 8, 8 the side stops; and 9, the
front stop. The feeding rolls 1, 1 and the guides 4, 5 and 6, are supported inde-
pendently of the table 3, the folding rolls 2, 2, and the folding blade 7. All the
parts just mentioned are so far of the same construction and act in the same way
as heretofore; but according to the present invention the table 3, the folding
rolls 2, 2, and the blade are all mounted in or on a circular frame 21 capable of
a circular motion in or on a fixed frame 22, in such a way that the folding
rolls 2, 2, and blade 7, may be set at either a right or any other angle with the
sheet feeding rolls 1, 1, or parallel therewith. The axis of that motion is, pre-
ferably, coincident with the centre of the table 3.
The folding rolls 2, 2, have their bearings preferably in the circular frame 21,
and the folding blade 7 is pivotted upon either the table 3, or upon the said
frame 21.
The guides 23 are fixed to a bar 24. This latter is held to the table 3 detachably,
as by bolts and nuts 25 passed through lugs 26, 26, and the table 3.
The bar 24 and front stop 9 are detached from the table 3 before the position of
the latter is changed, and then screwed or bolted again to the side of the table
opposite the feeding rolls 1, 1, additional holes being provided for that purpose
as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1. Any suitable mechanism for turning
the frame 21 upon the frame 22; for holding the former to the latter in either of
its working positions; and for driving the folding rolls 2, and the folding blade 7,
may respectively be made use of.
The means constituting the above described first part of the invention are
applicable to a folding table irrespective of its position, whether horizontal, vertical,
or oblique, and to all the tables of a series. Thus, assuming that the first of a

page_text: series of tables is horizontal, Figure 1 is a plan of it and its folding devices.
The second table of the series would be vertical, and the same figure turned till
the feeding rolls 1, 1, are at the top, is an elevation of it and its folding devices.
The second part of the invention consists in an improved device for preventing
the sheet 18 fed on to the table 3, rebounding from the front stop 9.
It is
illustrated in Figures 3 to 5. The device consists of one or more flat bar springs 14.
Each one is mounted upon any suitable rod 15 so as to be adjustable therealong
by any suitable device, such as a clip 16 made fast to the spring and a tightening
screw 17 working through the two halves of the clip. Each spring is also aligned
with and overhangs the path of a sheet 18, as it is delivered on to the table 3,
and, further, it is bent downwards towards the said table until it touches it
with an elastic touch. At that point it is bent up along a line at right angles
with the path of the sheets, till it stands perpendicular to the table 3, thereby
presenting a vertical surface or shoulder 19 to the sheet 18. It is then bent forward
over the path of the sheets as shewn at 20, to prevent the edge of the sheet 18
getting above and over the shoulder 19, but such bending forward may be
dispensed with.
The rod 15 is supported over the table 3 by any suitable
means. The action of this second part is as follows. All the springs 14 are adjusted
upon their rod 15 so that their shoulders 19 are aligned with each other at a
distance from the front stop 9 equal to the corresponding dimension of the sheet,
or to a little more than that. As the springs 14 possess the proper degree of
resilience, they are lifted by each sheet 18 as it is sent forwards on to and over
the table 3. It then passes under the shoulders 19 whereupon the latter spring
down upon the table 3 behind the sheet and keep down. The invention does not
place any limit upon the number of springs, any convenient number from unity
upwards may be made use of.
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:
1. The herein before described combination in a sheet folding machine, of
folding table, folding rolls and folding blade, all capable of being turned to hold
the folding rolls and blade at any angle or parallel with any other pair of folding
rolls.
2. The herein before described combination in a sheet folding machine, of
folding table with its folding rolls and folding blade; and fixed frame upon
which the said folding table, rolls and blade, are capable of being turned together.
3. The hereinbefore described combination in a sheet folding machine, of
folding table, folding rolls and folding blade; circular frame carrying the said table,
rolls and blade; and fixed frame on or in which the said circular frame can be
turned.
4. The herein before described combination in a sheet folding machine, of
folding table with its folding rolls and folding blade; circular frame carrying the
said table, rolls and blade; fixed frame on or in which the said circular frame can
be turned; and devices for turning the said circular frame and holding it to the
fixed frame.
5. The herein before described combination in a sheet folding machine, of
folding table with its folding rolls and folding blade; circular frame carrying the
said table, rolls and blade; fixed frame on or in which the said circular frame
can be turned; and mechanism for turning the said circular frame with its
folding table, rolls and blade through the desired angle and holding them
to the fixed frame.
6. The herein before described combination in a sheet folding machine, of
a series of folding tables each with its folding rolls and folding blade and capable
of being turned through an angle with reference to the preceding pair of rolls.
7. The herein before described combination in a sheet folding machine, of
a series of folding tables each with its folding rolls and folding blade and capable

page_text: of being turned through an angle with reference to the preceding pair of rolls;
and mechanism for turning each table independently of the others of the series,
through the desired angle."
8. The hereinbefore described combination in a sheet folding machine, of
a series of folding tables each with its folding rolls and folding blade and capable
of being turned through an angle with reference to the preceding pair of rolls;
mechanism for turning each table independently of the others of the series, through
the desired angle; and means for supporting the several tables of the series in
their respective positions.
9. The herein before described combination in a sheet folding machine, of
a series of folding tables, each with its folding rolls and folding blade and capable
of being turned through an angle with reference to the preceding pair of rolls.,
mechanism for turning each table independently of the others of the series, through
the desired angle; means for supporting the several tables of the series in their
respective positions; and mechanism for holding them in their respective selected
positions.
1.
10. The herein before described combination of feeding rollers and one or more
pairs of folding rolls each with its table and folding blade together capable of
being turned through an angle with reference to any other pair, table and blade,
or witli reference to the feeding rollers.
11. The hereinbefore described combination of feeding rollers, one or more pairs
of folding rolls each with its table and folding blade together capable of being
turned through an angle with reference to any other pair, table and blade, or
with reference to the feeding rollers; means for supporting the said table or tables
and mechanism for so turning them.
12. The hereinbefore described improved spring device for preventing the sheet
rebounding from the front stop.
13. The combination in a sheet folding machine of feeding rolls; folding table
with its folding rolls and folding blade; fixed under frame upon which they can
be turned for the purpose set forth; and the improved spring device for preventing
the sheet rebounding from the front stop.
Dated this 5th day of April 1899
CHAS. S. WOODROFFE, Fel. Ch. Inst. P. A.
Agent for the Applicant.