CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER BAGS."
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Harris, of the Firm of Skidmore and
Harris, of Manchester, in the County of Lancester, for the Inven-
tion of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER BAGS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Harris at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th August 1873.
I, CHARLES HARRIS, of the Firm of Skidmore and Harris, of Man-
chester, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER BAGS," to be as follows :-
My improvements, consist, first, in an arrangement of mechanism
constructed as follows:-A roll of paper is mounted in suitable bearings
below a guide roller and bed, over which it is drawn in a continuous
sheet by rollers which are situated at the opposite end of the bed, and

page_text: which revolve intermittently. One edge of the paper before passing
over the guide rollers is pasted by means of an endless cord or band
partly immersed in adhesive material, and a vibrating arm supporting a
bowl over which the cord passes allows of the proper application of the
paste to the varying and irregular edge of the paper. The paper then
passes over the guide roller and under two vertical wheels which crease
it where required and support a plate or templet at the point where the
folding into tube form commences; it then passes under curling guides
which fold or overlap the edges of the paper to the width of paper tube
required; the tube then passes under the drawing rollers before men-
tioned which hold it for folding the end; the upper half of the paper
tube is then folded inwards by an horizontal folder fixed crosswise with
the machine and above the tube, this movement also presses the end of
the paper tube against a pasting cord or band placed immediately above
the tube; the top folder then retires, the pasting band retiring at the
same time but in an opposite direction; a presser then falls on the tube,
holding it until the lower half of the tube is folded over by a folder
similar to the before-mentioned but placed below the tube; the closed
end of the tube is then complete, and the entire tube is moved forward
by means of the drawing rollers, a sufficient length being drawn forward
to form the length of bag required; a knife placed across the machine
then descends severing the bag from the tube still held by the drawing
rollers; the bag thus cut off falls upon a table in front of the machine.
The operation being now complete the same process is repeated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said Charles Harris in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 26th February 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES.
HARRIS, of the Firm of Skidmore and Harris, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
3

page_text: give and grant unto me, the said Charles Harris, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Harris, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Harris, my.executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no.
öthers, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term.
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARTUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THe ManufactuRE OF PAPER
BAGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles
Harris, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that 'I, the said Charles Harris, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
My improvements consist in an arrangement of mechanism constructed
as follows:-A roll of paper is mounted in suitable bearings below a
guide roller and bed, over which it is drawn in a continuous sheet by
rollers which are situated at the opposite end of the bed and which
revolve intermittently; one edge of the paper before passing the guide
roller is pasted by means of an endless cord or band partly immersed
in adhesive material, and a vibrating arm supporting a bowl over which
the cord. passes allows of the proper application of the paste to the.
varying and irregular edge of the paper; the paper then passes over a
guide roller and under two vertical wheels which crease. it where
required, and a cross rod supports a plate or templet at the point where
the folding into tube form commences; it then passes under curling
guides which fold or overlap the edges of the paper to the width of the
paper tube required; the tube then passes under the drawing rollers
before mentioned which hold it for folding the end; the upper half of
the paper tube is then folded inwards by a horizontal folder fixed cross-
wise with the machine and above the tube, this movement also presses
the end of the paper tube against an endless pasting cord or band passing.
'

page_text: over pulleys immediately above the tube; the top folder then retires,
the pasting band retiring at the same time but in an opposite direction;
a presser then falls upon the tube holding it until the lower half of the
tube is folded over by a folder similar to the before mentioned but placed
below the tube; the closed end of the tube is then complete, and the
entire tube is moved forward by means of the drawing rollers, a sufficient
length being drawn forward to form the length of bag required; a knife
placed across the machine then descends severing the bag from the tube
still held by the drawing rollers; the complete bag thus cut off falls
upon a table in front of the machine, and the entire operation is
repeated.
In order that this my said Invention may be the more readily under-
stood and carried into practical effect, I have hereunto annexed two
Sheets of Drawings illustrating a machine embodying my improve-
ments.
Fig. 1 is a side exterior view; Fig. 2, a front elevation; and Fig. 3, a
plan of my improved machine for the manufacture of paper bags from a
continuous roll of paper, all drawn to a scale of about one inch and a
half to the foot.
Fig. 4 is a half size plan of the front part of the machine illustrated
in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and representing more particularly the drawing-off
mechanism, the folding and pasting mechanism for the bottom of the
bag, and the cutting-off mechanism. Fig. 5 is a side sectional view of
Fig. 4 through the line a-b; and Fig. 6, a side sectional view of Fig. 4
through the line o―d.
Fig. 7 is a plan or flat view of a paper bag shewing more particularly
the bottom of the bag in the course of formation, viz., with the top half
of the bottom folded in.
Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 are diagrams shewing the folders in various
positions in the act of forming the bottom of the bag.
In all the views A, A, are the cast-iron sides of the framework of the
machine bolted together by the cross pieces A¹ and supporting the table A³.
B is the driving shaft to which a continuous revolving motion is
imparted by the fast and loose pulleys B¹, or such shaft may be worked
by hand. This driving shaft B also carries a fly wheel Band spur
pinion B³ (seen in Fig. 3) gearing into the spur wheel C securely keyed

page_text: upon a spindle C₁ revolving in a bracket C' bolted to the cast-iron
framework A. The outer extremity of this spindle carries a tappet C*
for actuating the hinged knife herein-after described.
The spur wheel C performs important functions in this machine, for
which purpose it is provided on each side with tappet wheels O' and C*
which are bolted to or cast with such spur wheel, and have projections
or tappets on their peripheries marked respectively C and C. On its
inner side the spur wheel C is further provided with an adjustable crank
pin C³ to which a rod D is connected (seen in Fig. 3, and dotted in
Fig. 1), this rod being connected at its other end to a short arm pro-
jecting from a pawl D¹ mounted at the extremity of the loose arms D*
radiating from the shaft E. An intermittent motion is communicated
to the shaft E by the pawl D¹ taking into the teeth of the spur wheel E¹
(keyed upon such shaft), and causing it to turn a part of a revolution
proportioned to the throw of the crank pin Cs as the rod D is pushed in
the direction of the arrow by the action of the crank pin C³, and to
remain stationary when such rod D and pawl D¹ are drawn in the
opposite direction. The spur wheel E¹ gears with a pinion Es (seen
dotted in Figs. 1, 2, and 6) fixed upon the shaft F (herein-after called
the lower drawing shaft), which in its turn is geared by the spur
wheels F¹ with a shaft F (herein-after called the upper drawing shaft), ·
both of which shafts carry a pair of drawing-off rollers F³, the upper
drawing shaft being mounted in adjustable bearings in the pedestals Fª,
so that by turning the set screws F' the pressure between such drawing-
off rollers may be regulated to the greatest nicety.
The diagonal shaft G is geared at its upper extremity by bevil
pinions G¹ with the lower drawing shaft F, and at its lower extremity by
similar bevil gearing with the letting-off shaft H which carries a pair of
rollers H¹ of the same size as the drawing-off rollers Fs. The roll of
paper H rests upon the periphery of the rollers H', as illustrated, being
mounted upon an axle which is guided at each extremity in slots or grooves
formed in or on the cast-iron sides A of the framework, and seen dotted
in Fig. 1. This letting-off shaft H also communicates motion by the
bevil gearing H³ to the pasting shaft I which passes through a paste
box I' hung loosely upon it so as to allow such shaft to revolve and yet
not carry the paste box round with it. The portion of shaft passing
through the paste box I' has a grooved pulley I³ keyed upon it, andɖ

page_text: from the upper side of such box a support I is hinged (at right angles
to the axis of the shaft I), which carries at its upper extremity a smaller
grooved pulley I. Over these two grooved pulleys I and I' an endless
cord or band I* is stretched, which as the shaft I revolves passes through
the paste contained in the paste box and takes up sufficient of such
paste to apply a continuous streak of the same to one edge of the paper.
as it is unwound from the roll Hº.
I will now proceed to describe how the paper is withdrawn from the
roll H³, then pasted, and afterwards folded longitudinally, one edge over-
lapping the other. The sheet of paper marked J first passes backwards.
over the stretching rollers K mounted in the brackets K³, and in 'pro-
ceeding between these rollers one of its edges on the under side comes
in contact with the endless paste cord I, and thus receives a continuous
longitudinal streak of paste, the paste cord I being adjusted at the
proper angle to apply the paste at the required distance from the edge..
The sheet of paper J then travels in à forward direction beneath a pair
of creasing wheels L, which are adjusted a sufficient distance apart upon
the shaft L³ turning in bearings in the brackets K¹ to crease the sheet of
paper J longitudinally, and of the requisite width of the bags in process
of manufacture. This creasing action prepares the sheet of paper J for.
being folded with one edge overlapping the other, which is performed by
then passing the central portion (or part between the creases) under the
finger bars M, whilst the side with the unpasted edge passes beneath the
left-hand folder M³, and is so folded down; and the side with the pasted
edge is folded overlapping the other edge by the right-hand folder M²,
the extreme or outermost longitudinal edges of such folded paper being
guided beneath the guide edges Mr. The paper tube J' thus formed is
drawn forward self-actingly and intermittently by the drawing-off
rollers F³, which serve also by their pressure to finish the edges of such
paper tube. The outside finger bars M only extend to within a short
distance of the drawing-off rollers F³, but the central finger bar is
extended beyond them, and has fixed at its extremity a metallic guage
plate N (seen dotted in Fig. 3, and upon an enlarged scale in Fig. 7) of
the exact width of the bag being manufactured, this guage plate being
designed and used amongst other important purposes (herein-after
explained) to keep the paper tube J¹ distended to the full width whilst
the bottom of the bag is being formed. The portion of paper tube J¹,
now extending.in front of the drawing-off rollers F³, is caused to rise a

page_text: short distance above the surface of the table A² (as illustrated in Fig. 5,
and Diagram, Fig. 8) owing to its having to pass over a curled tongue O
projecting upwards from a cross bar O'. This cross bar is mounted in
slots Os under the table A², and has cranked rods O³ rising from it, and
passing through the table A³, where such rods at their upper extremities
support a presser bar O', which extends transversely across the paper
tube J, but without touching the same. At each end of the cross
bar O' studs O are fixed, from which depend slotted rods 0%, which are
supported upon arms O' branching from a sleeve O³ mounted loosely
unon the shaft. E
.

page_text: .
such bottom half J' of the paper tube J'over, and presses it on to the top
of the pasted edge, thus completing the bottom of the bag, when
such bottom folder Q and presser bar O' suddenly spring back to their
original position. The drawing off rollers Fs are now caused to revolve
until a sufficient length of the paper tube J extends beyond the stationary
knife R to give the length of bag required when the motion of such
rollers I ceases, and the hinged knife R' immediately descends and cuts
off the bag, which now falls on to the front table V. The hinged
knife R¹ then springs up to the stationary position shewn in Fig. 2, and
the folding mechanism (herein-before described) again comes into action,
and the whole operation is repeated.
It now remains to explain how the several motions are communicated
to the various parts of the machine so as to act at the proper intervals.
The top folder P is geared at one end (outside the bracket P²) by means
of two spur pinions P', with a spur toothed segment P³ keyed upon a
shaft Pe working in bearings beneath the table A³. This shaft P' carrics a
slotted arm P' to which a rod. Ps is connected, which at its other extremity
is jointed to the tappet lever P' mounted upon the fixed stud P10 pro-
jecting from the inner side of the framework A. The tappet lever P° is
provided with a friction bowl P" which is held in contact with the
pèriphery of the tappet wheel O' by the action of the spring P¹ attached
to the under side of the table A³, so that as such tappet wheel revolves
the tappet C upon its periphery comes in contact with the friction
bowl P¹ at the proper instant, and so forces the tappet lever Pº outwards
in order to give the necessary half revolution to the top folder P which
instantly reverts back to its original position after such tappet O® has
passed the friction bowl P" owing to the action of the spring P¹.
The lowering of the presser. bar O* and the requisite half revolution
of the lower folder Q are performed simultaneously by the action of the
other tappet lever S which is mounted upon the same fixed stud P10; but
has its friction bowl S¹ in contact with the periphery of the other tappet
wheel C³ by the action of the spring 8%. Two rods are connected to this
tappet lever S, the one marked 8 being designed to lower the presser
bar O* at the proper instant by being connected to the arm S*, branching
from the sleeve O³ and the other rod marked S³ being arranged to work
the lower folder Q by being connected to the arm. S branching from
the toothed segment S', which is mounted loosely. upon the shaft P

page_text: and is geared with the pinion S° fixed at the outer extremity of the
bottom folder Q.
The action of this tappet lever is as follows:-When the projection or
tappet C' upon the periphery of the tappet wheel C³ comes in contact
with the friction bowl S¹ the tappet lever S is forced outwards, and the
rod S³ communicates a partial revolution to the sleeve O³, and thus
removes the support from the cross bar O¹ which, together with the
presser.bar O' instantly falls by its own weight, and so holds the paper
tube J¹ firmly upon the table A², whilst the lower folder Q is simultane-
ously caused to make half a revolution by the rod S³ acting upon the
toothed segment S', and thus to fold over the bottom of the bag as
herein-before described. The tappet C' having now passed the friction
bowl S¹ by the action of the spring S² the presser bar O' and the bottom
folder Q suddenly resume their original position.
The transverse pasting operation is performed as follows:-―The
grooved pulley T working in the paste box T affixed to the framework
A has intermittent revolving motion imparted to it by the spindle upon
which it is mounted, being extended through the back of the paste box
T¹ where a spur wheel T² keyed upon it gears with the pinion G³ upon
the diagonal shaft G. The endless paste cord T³ passes round the pulley
T and so has travelling motion imparted to it whilst in passing through
the paste box T', such cord also takes up the necessary pasting material
which it carries forward with it, first round the pulley T, then beneath
the pulley To forwards under the pulleys T and T', and finally round
the pulleys T, Tº, and T, when it again passes through the paste box T".
This peculiar arrangement of pulleys being designed to bring the
pasting material as direct as possible to where it has to be applied, and
at the same time to prevent the paste on the outer edge of the cord
being removed by contact with the grooves of the pulleys.
The pulleys T and T' are mounted at the lower extremities of the
pendulous arms T and T, secured by the set screws T¹³ and T¹ upon
the rocking spindle T which is mounted in bearings in the standards
Te and T and has an arm Te branching from it, which is (by the action
of another weighted arm Tu branching from the same spindle) kept
always in contact with the cranked bar P¹ of the top folder P, so as to
lift such pendulous arms together with the pasting cord out of the way

page_text: to permit the bottom folder Q to make its half revolution, and yet to
ensure such pasting cord being in the proper position to meet the paper
tube when it is being raised towards it by the action of the top folder,
and thus assist in distributing the paste over a widened-area ready for
the bottom of the bag to be folded over it.
It now only remains to explain the action of the hinged knife R¹.
This hinged knife is mounted upon a stud U in front of the machine,
and works with its cutting edge against the stationary knife R.. An
arm branching from such knife is connected by means of the weighted
rod U with the bell-crank lever' U' working upon the fixed stud U³;
and the other arm of such bell-crank lever is connected by the rod U*
with a tappet lever U³ working upon the fixed stud U in the bracket U'
fixed securely to the side of the framework A. This tappet lever U³ has
a friction bowl U³ mounted upon its side, which is forced outwards by
the tappet C³ upon the spindle O' at the proper instant for cutting off
the bag, and as soon as such tappet C³ has released the friction bowl U³,·
the knife is caused to rise again instantaneously by the action of the
weighted rod U', which may be also assisted by a spiral extension spring
affixed between the lower extremity of such weighted rod and the floor
upon which the machine rests..
The action of the entire machine may be described as follows:---Being
set in motion when the crank pin C³ 1.1 is in the position shewn in Fig. 1,
a partial revolution of the spur wheel E¹ is first effected by the pawl D¹
taking into its teeth and carrying it with-it in the direction of the
arrows. This spur wheel in its turn communicates revolving motion
to the drawing rollers F, which thus unwind the requisite length of
paper from the roll, and by drawing it beneath the longitudinal folders
M² and M³, so form it into a paper tube which passes beneath such
drawing rollers until sufficient length of such paper tube. (the front edge
of which has previously been acted upon by the folding mechanism to
form the bottom of the bag) projects in front of the stationary knife R
to give the depth of bag required, by which time the crank pin Os (which
is adjustable for this purpose) has arrived at the end of its throw, when
the drawing rollers F immediately stop by the pawl D², disengaging
itself from the spur wheel E¹ and commencing to recede.. The tappet or
cam C³ on the spindle C¹ is now “ timed" to push outward the tappet
lever U, and so acts upon the hinged knife R', which descends and
'

page_text: cuts off the bag, allowing it to fall upon the front table V, and then such
hinged knife immediately rises again by the action of the weight. The
next action of the machine consists in the projection or cam. C on the
cam wheel C*, coming in contact with the friction bowl P" upon the
tappet lever P forcing it outwards, and so actuating the top folder P,
and immediately this has performed its function and sprung up to its
normal position the projection C7 on the other cam wheel comes in
contact with the friction bowl S¹ upon the other tappet lever S, so
actuating the presser bar O* and bottom folder Q as herein-before.
described. The spur wheel C has now completed its revolution and is
again in the position shown in Fig. 1 ready to repeat the operation.
In conclusion I would remark that this machine is capable of pro-
ducing various sizes of bags, for which purpose the guage plate N is
made separate from the central finger bar and made in various sizes, and
the creasing wheels L, finger bars M, drawing-off rollers F³, turning-in
fingers P³, and other essential parts are all adjustable in width to suit
the bag required, whilst the throw of the crank is also adjustable in a
slot formed in one of the arms of the spur wheel C to give the length
or depth of bag required.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
'my said Invention, together with the best methods with which I am
acquainted for carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details, relative
proportions, or dimensions of the various parts of the mechanism herein-
before described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing, as the
same may be considerably varied without departing from the Invention,
but what I claim is,―
1st. The general construction and arrangement of mechanism for the
manufacture of paper bags from a continuous roll of paper, substantially'
as herein-before described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
2nd. The method of mounting the roll of paper and withdrawing the
sheet therefrom; also of pasting one of its longitudinal edges and
folding one edge over the other to form a paper tube, substantially as
herein-before described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
3rd. The top and bottom folding mechanism and method of actuating
the same for forming the bottom of the bag, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.

page_text: 4th. The transverse endless paste cord and method of mounting, sup-
plying, and actuating the same, as' and for the purpose herein-before
described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Harris, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of February, in the 5
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
JOHN G. WILSON,
Patent Office,
71, Market Street,
Manchester.
CHARLES HARRIS. (L.S.)