A New or Improved Machine for Making Paper Tubing.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1891-Accepted 16th May, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Machine for Making Paper Tubing.
I HENRY BIRKBECK Patent Agent of 34 Southampton Buildings Chancery
Lane London in the County of Middlesex (a communication to me from abroad
by Edwin Truman Greenfield Electrician a citizen of the United States domiciled
at 236 W. 14th Street in the City of New York in the County of New York and
State of New York United States of America) 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 object of my invention is to provide a new or improved machine for making
strong and durable tubes in any desired length from paper strips.
The invention consists in mechanism for shaping a paper strip so as to form a
core combined with mechanism for automatically winding and pasting two paper
strips spirally and one upon the other on said core.
The invention further consists in the construction and combination of parts and
details as will be fully described and set forth hereinafter and then finally pointed
out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure i is a plan view of my improved machine for making paper tubings parts
being broken out.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation of the same parts being broken out.
Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale on the
line 3-3 Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale on the
line 4-4 Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 Figure 2.
Figure 6 is a plan view of the automatic reversing clutch for the tube gripping
and carrying devices.
Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same.
Figure 8 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same on the line 8-8
Figure 6.
Figure 9 is a similar view on the line 9-9 Figure 6.
Figure 10 is a plan view of one of the tube gripping and conveying devices.
Figure 11 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same on the line 11-11
Figure 10.
Figure 12 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same on the line 12--12
Figure 10.
Figure 13 is a plan view of parts of the machine showing the devices for sawing
off the tubes at proper lengths.
Figure 14 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same on the line 14-14
Figure 13.
Figure 15 is a longitudinal elevation of the sawing device.
Figure 16 is an inside face view of the cam wheel for shifting the saw.
Figure 17 is a detail horizontal sectional view of the guide for the core strips,
and also shows in plan view the paper guides and other parts.
Figures 18 19 and 20 are enlarged detail transverse sectional views on the
lines 18-18 19-19 and 20-20 respectively of Figure 17.
Figure 21 is a detail view of the paper strip winding guide and a cross section of
the core on the mandrel.
Figure 22 is a similar view showing both strips on the core.
Figure 23 is a longitudinal view of a piece of tubing made by the machine
showing the core and the two covering strips.
Figure 24 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 24-24 Figure 23.

page_text: Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout.
The frame A is provided with legs A¹. At the rear of said frame a curved
bracket A is provided for holding the reel B containing the coiled strip of paper
for forming the core of the tube. Said reel B is mounted on a bar B¹ terminating at
one end in a pivot B that is mounted to turn in the free end of the bracket A' and
the opposite end of said bar B-terminates in a tubular pivot B2 that is mounted to
turn in the piece B³ at the rear end of the machine frame. Said tubular pivot B'
is provided with a tapering end piece B' through which the mandrel C projects.
The inner end of said mandrel is connected with a block C₁ which in turn is bolted
to the adjacent enfl of the bar B' the outer edge of said block being rounded to
form a continuation of the outer surface of the mandrel as shown in Figures 17
and 18.
A curved guide piece C' is bolted to the top of the block C¹ and the bottom
plate C below said block C'is provided with a curved recess as shown in Figure 18
said curved guide piece and the curved bottom recess serving to confine the strip
of paper a after it has been passed against the rounded edge of the block C'.
The paper strip a which is unwound from the coil of paper in the reel Bis
guided between the guide rollers D and D' on the bar B' and then passes over the
roller D2 which has the convexly rounded edge and is arranged adjacent to one end
of the block C' as shown in Figure 17. The paper strip which is thus bent
Ushaped in cross section by the roller D2 is pressed against the rounded outer
edge of the block C¹ by the roller D³ mounted on the bar B1 adjacent to the
rounded edge of the block C₁ and which roller D' is provided with a concave
circumferential groove as shown in Figures 17 and 18.
As the paper strip thus bent transversely passes through the tapering tubular
end piece B it is closed and forms a tubular core that is to say it is pressed com-
pletely around the mandrel C on which it slides so that its longitudinal edges will
be but a short distance from each other as shown for example in Figure 20. A
short distance from the outer end of the tapering end piece B* the free end of a
spring strip D rests against the joints of the tubular core thus formed and keeps the
edges of the same in contact with the mandrel as shown in Figures 17 and 20. A
short distance beyond the end of said strip B' the covering strips are wound upon
the core spirally and the means for guiding and feeding said covering strips will
now be described.
On one of the standards of the machine frame two coils of paper strips E and G
are mounted. The paper strip e from the coil E passes between two tension or
friction rollers E' and E' mounted on a projection of a box E³ containing some
suitable paste. The strip E is passed diagonally through the said box E³ from the
top at the rear end to the bottom at the front end where said strip passes through
a slot E in the front of the box at the bottom. A vertical sliding and adjustable
doctor E' scrapes off the surplus paste from the upper surface of the strip. Said
strip then passes to the core as shown. The paper strip g from the other coil of
paper is passed over the friction rollers G¹ and under a tension spring G' and then
passes directly to the core. Said strip g is not provided with any paste. Two
spring wires E' are secured adjustably on a standard E' of a bracket E on the
machine frame and the free ends of said spring wires E' press the paper strip e upon
A yoke F is pivoted on the machine frame and is provided with a pro
jecting rod F on which a tube F can slide which tube is provided on its free end
with a weight F3 and with a downwardly projecting guide piece F provided at its
lower end with an arm F which is so bent that one edge of the same serves for
guiding the paper strip 9 while the same is being wound on the core as shown in
Figures 17 and 22.
the core.
By means of a thumb nut and screw the guide arm F is held on the guide
piece F and is provided in its bottom with a segmental recess adapted to rest on
the top of the tube and serving for guiding the stripe as the same is being wound
on the tube as shown in Figures 17, 21 and 23. The strip e is wound on the core
from the top and the strip g from the bottom.

page_text: For the purpose of permitting said guides to give so as to prevent rupturing the
strips or uneven winding or doubling the sliding tube F" is connected with the
rod F1 by a spiral spring Fa surrounding the rod F¹. This entire device can be
raised and swung out of the way when not required and can be easily lowered when
the machine is to operate. At said guide device the two strips e g are wound on
the core as shown and thus the tube is complete the same consisting of the core
formed by the strip a and the inner or primary covering formed by the strip e
wound on the core spirally in one direction and the other covering formed by the
paper strip g wound upon the spiral stripe in the same direction. The stripe in
passing through the paste in the box E³ is covered with paste on both sides and
thus when wound upon the core it completely closes the same and is pasted upon
said core by the paste applied on one side of said strip. As the paper strip
applied to and wound directly upon the outer paste covered face of the strip e it
adheres firmly to the same and no paste whatever appears on the outer surface of
the tube thus formed. The mechanism thus described merely produces the paper
tube out of the three strips.
And it now remains to describe the devices for moving the tube in the direction
of its length uniformly and constantly so as to cause a proper spiral winding of the
strips without straining bruising or crushing the tube thus formed. Rotary move-
ment is imparted to the tube by the rod or bar B' which is driven by a pulley B
on one end of the same over which the driving belt B passes. A screw spindle H
is mounted longitudinally on the frame of the machine one half of which spindle is
provided with a right hand screw thread and the other with a left hand screw
thread as shown in Figures 1 and 2. A guide rod I is fixed on the frame of the
machine parallel with the screw spindle H but at the opposite side of the frame.
On said spindle H two gripping devices are mounted which constantly move in
opposite directions as the left hand screw thread acts on one and the right hand
screw thread on the other and thus whatever may be the direction of rotation of
said spindle the gripping devices are always moved in opposite directions.
Said gripping device is shown in Figures 10 11 and 12. It consists of a frame J
mounted to slide on the main machine frame A and is provided with apertures
through which the spindle H the rod I and the central longitudinal shaft K of the
machine can pass. In the bottom of said frame J a sleeve K' is mounted to rotate
which sleeve is provided with a key that can slide in a longitudinal groove K³ in
the shaft K. On one end of said sleeve a cog wheel K is formed that engages a
cog wheel K on a sleeve K mounted to turn in the upper part of the frame J and
through which sleeve K a sleeve L passes which is provided at one end with a
flanged collar L that is embraced by the forked end of an arm L² the opposite end
of which is secured on a friction sleeve L³ mounted to slide on the rod 1. The
sleeve L through which the paper tube passes and the inner diameter of which
sleeve is such that the tube fits quite snugly in the same is provided with three
longitudinal slots L in which jaws L' are mounted in such a manner that they can
move toward and from the centre of the sleeve said jaws consisting of strips or
blades guided by pins L. Each jaw L is provided in its outer edge with a
notch L' for receiving the free end of a cam La pivoted between lugs on the
sleeve K. The tubular pivot B2 on the bar B¹ carries a cog wheel M which
engages the cog wheel M¹ on the driving shaft K so that when the mechanism is in
operation said shaft K is rotated and by means of the cog wheels K and K rotates
the sleeve K at all times in the same direction that the tube that is being formed
rotates and also at the same speed. As the completed tube moves from left to
right it follows that the gripping device must grasp and hold the tube while moving
from left to right but must not act on or grip the tube while the gripping device is
moving from right to left. For example as shown in Figure 11 the jaws L' are not
in position for gripping the tube. Assumed that the gripping device shown in
Figure 11 is moving from right to left and that at a certain time the direction of
rotation of the screw spindle H is reversed (whereby the direction of movement of
the gripping device is also reversed) the sleeve L will not reverse as rapidly as the

page_text: remaining part of the grip for the reason that said sleeve is held by the arm L'
which in turn is connected with the friction sleeve L' sliding on the rod I. It thus
follows that when the direction of the gripping device is suddenly changed to the
movement toward the right the sleeve I will remain stationary on account of the
friction between the sleeve L' and the rod I for a very short time and during
the time that said sleeve remains stationary and the remaining parts of the grip
move in the direction toward the right the pivot ends of the cams L move a short
distance toward the right in relation to the sleeve L and in so doing force down-
ward the jaws L' which are pressed gently against the outer surface of the tube but
nevertheless with sufficient force to grip or grasp said tube which is thus carried
along with the gripping device in its movement toward the right. The friction of
the sleeve L on the rod 1 is overcome and said sleeve moves with the rest of the
gripping device in the direction toward the right. If then again after a certain
time the direction of the movement of the gripping device is reversed the sleeve L
again remains stationary for a very short time and the pivot ends of the cam L are
moved in the direction toward the left in relation to the sleeve Land it thus follows
that the lower ends of the cams L8 swing upward thereby releasing the jaws which
no longer bind on or grip the tube thus permitting the gripping device to pass
along the tube in the direction toward the left without in any way affecting said
tube. As the machine has two gripping devices which always move in opposite
directions it follows that one of the gripping devices at all times engages the tube
which is thus constantly being moved in the direction toward the right. As has
been said above the sleeve containing the gripping device is being constantly
rotated in the same direction as the tube and at the same speed and thus there is no
possibility of in any way injuring or defacing the exterior face of the tube or in any
way interfering with the movement of the same. As there is no interruption what-
ever in the formation of the tube it is very essential that the device for reversing
the direction of rotation of the screw spindle shall be so constructed that there
shall be no lost motion whatever and thus no interruption whatever in the longi-
tudinal movements of the tube
The clutching device will now be described. The screw spindle H is provided
with two collars N and O which are fixed thereon and between the same an
eccentric Pis fastened on said spindle and said eccentric P is surrounded by
another eccentric Q which is loose thereon and said eccentrics are so arranged that
the thicker part of one eccentric is adjacent to the thinner part of the other as
shown in Figure 9 and the circumference of the outer eccentric Q will be concentric
with the spindle H. The outer eccentric Q is provided with an upwardly pro-
jecting lug Q which is arranged between the ends of the two sleeves R R mounted
loosely on the spindle H as shown in Figure 7 and each is provided with a fixed
cog wheel R
The cog wheel R¹ of the left hand sleeve is engaged by the cog
wheel R of the tubular spindle 132 and the cog wheel R' on the left hand sleeve is
engaged by a cog wheel R³ on the shaft K (Figures 3-5 and 6) so that said
wheels R R on the two opposite sleeves R R are rotated in opposite directions.
On each sleeve R a circumferentially grooved collar S is mounted in such a manner
that it cannot turn on the sleeve but can slide on the sleeve in the direction of the
length of the same and in the groove of each collar S the prongs of a fork S¹ rest
which forks are secured on a longitudinal sliding rod Sarranged in suitable
bearings at the side of the main frame A and also passing through an aperture in a
lug J2 on one of the gripping devices as shown in Figure 1. On said rod S' two
stops S are fixed against which the lug J2 of the said gripping device can strike
thereby moving said rod in the direction of its length either to the right or left.
As shown in Figure 7 the spindle H is engaged with the right hand sleeve R and is
rotated with the same the left hand sleeve R being disengaged from the spindle. If
now the lug J2 strikes against the left hand stop S³ on the rod S2 and moves said
rod in the direction toward the right both collars S are moved toward the right
hand and the pin S on the right hand collar S is moved out of the path of the
lug Q on the eccentric Q and the pin S on the left hand collar S is moved into

page_text: the path of the lug and will eventually strike that lug thereby turning the outer
eccentric slightly on the inner eccentric P and thereby causing said eccentric Q
to bind on the left hand sleeve R at the same time disengaging the eccentric Q
from the right hand sleeve R so that thereby the motion of the screw spindle is
reversed. If the lug J2 on the gripping device (Figures 1 and 2) strikes the left
hand stop S³ the rod S2 is moved in the direction toward the left the pin S' on the
left hand collar S is moved out of the way of the lug Q and the pin S³ on the
right hand collar S is moved in the path of the lug which it strikes thereby
turning the eccentric Q so that it binds on the right hand sleeve R and is dis-
engaged from the left hand sleeve R whereby the direction of rotation of the
spindle H is again reversed.
At
On that side of the machine opposite the one at which the rod S3 is arranged a
sliding rod T is arranged which is suitably guided in the frame of the machine and
provided at one end with the head T' adjacent to the wing U' of a frame U mounted
to slide lengthwise on the rod I and also to rock on said rod. A spring U'
surrounding said rod rests against a collar U³ fixed on the rod and against the
sliding frame U and serves to press the same in the direction toward the left.
the end of said sliding frame is a sliding sleeve V through which the paper tube m
passes said sleeve being provided with a notch V. The sleeve V is also provided
with a wing V2 resting against the forward end of the frame U and provided with
an aperture through which the rod I passes. The spring U presses said wing V
against the end of the frame U. A circular saw W is mounted on a suitable shaft
journaled in the top of the frame U and provided with a pulley W₁ over which a
driving belt passes. A ratchet wheel n is mounted on a pin n¹ projecting from the
frame A and said pin n' carries a rocking pawl lever on the lower end of which a
pawl o' is pivoted that can engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel n a suitable
spring of serving to keep the pawl engaged with the ratchet teeth. The pawl o
pivoted on the machine frame serves as a check for the ratchet wheel and prevents
return movement. At regular intervals cams p are attached to the wheel n and
project beyond the teeth and they are adapted to act on an adjustable cam piece
on the arm or wing U₁ of the swinging and sliding frame U. The outer end of the
rocking pawl lever o is connected by a rod r with a blocks secured on the sliding
rod T which block can be acted upon by the lug t on the forward gripping or
clutching device as shown in Figure 1. Three cam pieces p are shown on the
ratchet wheel n but more or less may be used according to the length at which the
tubes are to be cut off.
Every time that the forward gripping device moves to the right its lug t strikes
the blocks on the rod T thereby moving said rod to the right and causing the
head T on the end of said rod to strike against the sliding and rocking frame U
and to move the same to the right in the direction of its length thereby compressing
the spring U2. At the same time the connecting rod r is moved to the right and
the pawl o' on the lower end of the rocking lever o engages a tooth on the ratchet
wheel n.
When the gripping device or clutch moves to the left the expanding
spring U presses the frame U to the left causing a like movement of rod T and
the connecting rod and thus in turn causes the pawl o' to rotate the ratchet
wheel n the distance of one tooth. At every third tooth on the ratchet wheel na
cam piece p acts on the cam piece on the frame U thereby swinging the upper
end of said frame U and the circular saw W in the direction indicated by the
arrow Figure 14 causing the rotating saw to pass into the notch V₁ in the tube V
and to cut off the rotating tube m passing through said sleeve or tube V. After
the cut has been made and the cam piece » moves from under the saw the frame U
swings back and remains in this position for the next two forward movements of
the front gripping device and at the third forward movement the saw is again
swung in the direction of the arrow and cuts off the tube. The tubes can thus
be cut off in any desired lengths by merely arranging the cam pieces p in a different
manner on the ratchet wheel n. The entire saw frame U is moved in the direction
of the length of the tube as soon as the lug t of the gripping device strikes the

page_text: blocks so that the saw W moves forward at the same speed with the tube that it is
to cut. But the saw is only brought in position for sawing every third time that
the saw frame is moved lengthwise with the tube.
The upper pulley over which the belt for the pulley W₁ passes may be arranged
to shift at the same time with and in the same direction as the pulley W' but this
is not necessary if the belt is made of sufficient length.
In order that the operation of the machine may be distinctly understood it will
be briefly recapitulated. The paper strip a is unwound from the coil of paper in
the reel B is bent over lengthwise by the rollers D2 and D' to form a U shaped
core on the mandrel C.
It is then bent over by the tapering piece B' to form a
tubular core and then the strip e provided with paste on both sides is wound on the
core spirally and immediately thereafter the strip which is not provided with
paste is wound over the strip e spirally and the tube is thus formed. The tube is
seized by the jaws of one grip and moved in the direction toward the right the
other grip at the same time moving toward the left without gripping the tube.
Every time the forward gripping device completes a stroke in one direction or the
other it moves the rod S2 longitudinally whereby the direction of rotation of the
screw spindle H is reversed in the manner before stated and then the gripping
device which travels loosely on the tube in the direction toward the left reverses
and gripping the tube moves toward the right and the gripping device that has just
moved the tube to the right is disengaged from the same and travels loosely to the
left. For every third movement of the forward gripping device in the direction
toward the right the circular saw is swung against the tube formed and cuts off the
same. The machine thus produces tubes constantly and continuously without any
interruption or break. The tube is at all times moved forward positively is not
subjected to any undue strains and there is no lost motion whatever that might
cause any irregularity in the formation of the paper tube.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a machine for making tubes from strips the combination with a rotating
reel mounted on a bar having a tubular pivot a mandrel secured to said bar and
projecting through the tubular pivot and a tapering end piece on the tubular pivot
through which tapering end piece the said mandrel passes substantially as set
forth.
2. In a machine for making tubes from strips the combination with a rotating
reel formed on a bar provided with a tubular pivot a mandrel secured to the bar
and projecting through the said tubular pivot a block having a rounded edge at the
inner end of the mandrel and a roller having a concave circumferential groove
adjacent to the curved edge substantially as set forth.
3. In a machine for making tubes from strips the combination with a rotating
mandrel a rotating tube surrounding it a tapering end piece in said tube through
which tapering end piece the mandrel passes and a spring strip the free end of
which rests against the mandrel a short distance beyond the said end piece substan-
tially as set forth.
4. In a machine for making tubes from strips the combination with a rotating
reel of a tube connected with the reel to rotate with the same end of a rotating
mandrel passed through the tube and connected with the tube of a guide for
guiding two strips upon a core on the mandrel and springs for pressing one of said
strips upon the core on the mandrel substantially as set forth.
5. In a machine for making tubes from strips the combination with a rotating
reel tube and mandrel of a pivoted frame a rod on said frame a tube surrounding
the rod and connected therewith by a spring and guides for strips on the swinging
end of said rod substantially as set forth.
6. In a machine for making tubes from strips the combination with means for
forming a core from a strip of means for covering the core two reciprocating

page_text: clutching devices adapted to grip or clutch the tube formed on said core which tube
clutches or gripping devices constantly travel in opposite directions substantially as
set forth.
7. In a machine for making tubes from strips the combination of mechanism for
forming a core from a strip of paper and mechanism for covering said core with two
reciprocating tube gripping or clutching devices mounted to constantly travel in
opposite directions and of a screw having a right and left hand thread and engaging
parts of said gripping devices or clutches substantially as set forth.
8. In a machine for making tubes from strips the combination of means for
forming a core from a strip and mechanism for covering said core with two recipro-
cating tube clutching or gripping devices mounted to move in opposite directions a
screw spindle having right and left hand threads and engaging projections on said
gripping devices and a means for automatically reversing the direction of rotation
of the screw spindle substantially as set forth.
9. In a machine for making tubes from strips the combination of means for
forming a core from a strip and mechanism for covering said core with reciprocating
clutching devices for gripping the tube and of a swinging saw frame operated from
one of the gripping devices substantially as set forth.
10. In a machine for making tubes from strips the combination of means for
forming a core from a strip and mechanism for covering said core reciprocating
gripping devices a sliding and swinging saw frame and means for bringing said
sliding and swinging saw frame into operative position which means are actuated by
one of said gripping devices substantially as set forth.
11. In a machine for making tubes from strips the combination of means. for
forming a core from a strip and mechanism for covering said core with reciprocating
gripping devices or clutches a sliding and swinging saw frame a ratchet wheel
operated from one of the gripping devices and cams on said ratchet wheel for
inclining the saw frame substantially as set forth.
12. In a machine for making tubes from strips the combination of means for
forming a core from a strip and mechanism for covering said core with reciprocating
gripping devices or clutches a sliding and swinging saw frame a reciprocating rod
operated from one of the gripping devices a pawl lever connected with said rod a
ratchet wheel operated from said pawl lever cams on said ratchet wheel for inclining
the saw frame a head on said reciprocating rod for pushing the saw frame in the
direction of its length and a spring for pressing the saw frame in the reverse
direction substantially as set forth.
13. In a machine for making tubes from strips the combination with a mandrel
and mechanism for applying strips on said mandrel to form a tube of a paste box
and means for guiding one of the strips through said paste box from the top at one
end to the bottom at the opposite end substantially as set forth.
Dated this 20th day of January 1891
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Patentee.