A New or Improved Apparatus for Folding Garments and Fabrics.
Year: 1897

page_text: I, JAMES HESELWOOD, of Woodhouse Square, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows: →
My invention refers to apparatus for folding garments and materials, and my
object is to effect the said folding in a more efficient and easy manner than has
hitherto been possible when folding materials by hand.
According to my invention, I provide a headstock which is situated at the side
of a table, and the said headstock carries a mandril on one side of which a hand
wheel is situated, the opposite side carrying a cross head. The ends of the cross
head carry two parallel rods which run parallel with the continuation of the axis of
the mandril, and a removable distance piece is provided on the ends of the rods
for the purpose of keeping them at the required distance apart.
The material to be folded, is drawn over one of the rods, and on the handle being
turned the material is folded over the rods, from which latter, on the removal of
the distance piece and the consequent slackening of the rods, it can be slipped off
in a folded state.
The rods may be provided with tubular covers, which may revolve in bearings
on the ends of the rods, and the cross head may be constructed in two adjustable
portions thus enabling the distance between the two rods to be adjusted at will.
The apparatus may be fitted to a table or it may be separate therefrom, and if
desired an additional removable rod may be mounted in open bearings in front
of the folding rods, for the purpose of giving the material an independent fold
prior to passing it through the folding machine.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Folding Garments and Fabrics.
I, JAMES HESELWOOD, of Woodhouse Square, Leeds, in the County of York,
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:-
My invention refers to apparatus for folding garments and materials, and my
object is to effect the said folding in a more efficient and easy manner than has
hitherto been possible when folding materials by hand.

page_text: In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I will proceed to describe
same with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which similar letters refer to
like parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is an end view of an apparatus constructed according to my invention,
and Figures 2 and 3 are respectively a side elevation partly in section and a plan
of the same apparatus. Figure 4 is a sectional end view of a modified form of the
said apparatus.
A is a headstock, which is situated at the side of a table B, and C is a mandrel
carrying a wheel D on one of its ends and a cross head E on the opposite end. The
ends of the cross head E carry two parallel rods, which are composed of interior
rods, having bearings G at their ends, and tubes H mounted on the said bear-
ings G. J is a distance piece, having two sockets K at its ends for the reception
of the ends of the parallel rods, and the said distance piece J is carried on an arm L
which is pivoted on a bracket M carried on the table B.
The material to be folded is drawn over one of the rods, and on the handle being
turned, the material is wound over the rods; until it is all held folded on the said
rods. On the turning of the arm L and the removal of the distance piece J, the
ends of the rods are released and consequently bend slightly towards each other,
and the material can then be removed in a folded state.
The tubes H by being mounted in bearings G, as above described, are free to
revolve at will, thus preventing any strain upon the material during the folding
operation.
Instead of the cross head E being constructed in one piece as seen in Figures 1,
2 and 3, the said cross head is shewn at Figure 4 to be constructed of two adjust-
able portions E and E¹, which slide in a boss E2, thus enabling the distance between
the two rods to be adjusted at will.
The apparatus may be fitted to a table, or it may be separate therefrom; and
if desired, an additional removable rod may be mounted in open bearings on the
table in front of the folding rods, for the purpose of giving the material an inde-
pendent fold prior to passing it through the folding machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim
is:-
1. The headstock A, carrying the cross head E with the parallel rods on same,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The combination of the headstock A, mandrel C, wheel 1), cross head E, in-
terior rods F, bearings G, tubes H, distance piece J, sockets K, arm L, and
bracket M, substantially as and for the purposes set forth..
3. The cross head composed of the adjustable portions E and E¹ sliding in a
boss Es, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 21st day of June A.D. 1898.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.