IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR LAYING CARDS OR SHEETS OF METAL INTO" WOVEN OR TEXTILE FABRICS READY FOR THE PRESS. AND ALSO FOR FOLDING MEASURING, OR STRETCHING THE SAID FABRICS, PAPER, AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolphe Drevelle, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR LAYING CARDS OR SHEETS OF METAL INTO"
WOVEN OR TEXTILE FABRICS READY FOR THE PRESS. AND ALSO FOR FOLDING
MEASURING, OR STRETCHING THE SAID FABRICS, PAPER, AND OTHER MATERIALS."
Sealed the 30th December 1862, and dated the 4th July 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolphe Drevelle at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
July 1862.
I, ADOLPHE DREVELLE, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR LAYING CARDS OR SHEETS OF
METAL INTO WOVEN OR TEXTILE FABRICS READY FOR THE PRESS, AND ALSO FOR
FOLDING. MEASURING. OR STRETCHING THE SAID FABRICS, PAPER, AND OTHER
MATERIALS," to be as follows:
At each end of an open box or frame I employ two endless bands facing
each other, and having projections upon them for holding cards or sheets of
metal, between each set of which there is a central box or drawer for
receiving them after the folding; the drawer gradually descending as required.
At the top of the open box of frame there is a plate or frame, through the

page_text: middle of which is passed the material to be folded by causing the plate or
frame to have a to-and-fro motion according to the required length of the
fold. At the two ends of the plate or frame there are claws or fingers for
removing the cards or sheets from the endless bands into the folds, which
with the cards fall into the central box or drawer; or, instead of the endless
bands, moveable frames for holding the cards may be employed.
For folding the material without cards or sheets. I modify the arrangement
by forming in the back and front of the frame two rectangular slots, one
inside the other, and place in the vertical slots a number of rods, against which
the material is brought from one side to the other by the sliding plate or
frame to be folded. In the middle of the frame there is a drawer for con-
taining the folded material, as in the former example, and the front of the
frame is hinged at the position of the drawer in order to remove the folded
material from the rods:
In another arrangement I employ a few rods or bars at each side of the
central drawer working in and out across the frame, by means of levers or
other mechanical contrivance in such manner that there shall be always one
bar at least at each side engaged in the material whilst the other bars are
.moving out of it, the material being folded over the bars by the to-and-fro
motion of a sliding plate or frame.
In all the arrangements, when required, I employ self-acting pressers at
the sides of the drawer in order to press upon the cards, sheets, rods, or bars,
and thereby keep the folded material as close as possible.
filed by the said Adolphe Drevelle in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd January 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ADOLPHE
DREVELLE, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Merchant,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Adolphe Drevelle, Her special licence that I, the said Adolphe
Drevelle, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Adolphe Drevelle, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should

page_text: at any time agree with, and no others, 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 "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR LAYING CARDS OR SHEETS OF METAL
INTO WOVEN OR TEXTILE FABRICS READY FOR THE PRESS, AND ALSO FOR FOLDING
MEASURING, OR STRETCHING THE SAID FABRICS. PAPER, AND OTHER MATERIALS,"
upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Adolphe Drevelle, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and scals, 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 Adolphe Drevelle, 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 state-
ment (that is to say):-
In order that my Invention may be better understood, I have represented
it in the nine Figures of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
Fig. 1 is a plan of the machine; Fig. 2, a longitudinal elevation; Fig. 3,
a transverse sectional elevation of same through A, A, Fig. 2; and Figs. 4,
5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, detached numbers of detached parts on an enlarged
scale.
The machine which I have here represented is constructed with moveable
frames instead of endless bands. The cloth to be folded is placed over the
machine, laying either in folds on a table or rolled up on a beam, from whence
I cause it to descend on a rectangular table suspended by balance weights or
other appropriate means, and capable of being lowered and raised, and on
which the said cloth. is laid in successive folds by a to-and-fro distributor or
folder working horizontally. over the said table. On each side of the said
table I arrange two other moveable tables, on which are placed the cards or
sheets of metal, one of which I cause to be inserted in the fold at each stroke
of the folder. The feeding forward of the cards is effected by two separate
organs, one for each table, whilst the ultimate placing of the said card in the
fold is accomplished by claws or carriers attached to the folder, and following.
its motions. The card tables are made by appropriate mechanism to move
the thickness of a card, or rather more, at each stroke, so as to present a fresh
card for insertion at each successive stroke.
:

page_text: The folding of the tissue and insertion of the card always takes place at
a constant level on the folding table. For this purpose, after each fold and
card is formed, I cause the said folding table to descend the thickness of these
two materials by means of depressing hooks, and when such depression is
effected, I cause other hooks, which I term keeping hooks, to come forward
and maintain the tissue and cards in such position as determined by the
depressing hooks. It will thus be seen that the action of this machine is
automatical throughout, and the end is effected by four separate motions,
first, the folding; secondly, the card feeding; thirdly, raising the card
tables; and, fourthly, the depression of the tissue and cards on the folding
table, together with the retention of the said materials at their proper and
constant level.
a is the tissue or other material to be folded, which is represented by thick
lines; and b the main framing of the machine, in which is caused to travel the
folder c, impelled by the side rods d, d. The folder is represented at one end
of its stroke, and when at the other extremity of the stroke it should be at
the same distance from the centre of the machine; it is provided on the inner
side of the machine with two balanced claws or carriers e, e, for the insertion of
the card, as hereafter described. f is the folding table, which is maintained
in a horizontal position by balance weights, or any other appropriate means;
g, g, represent the cards or sheets; they are piled horizontally one. above the
other on the moveable table i; are the feeding levers working with a
to-and-fro motion for feeding forward a card at each stroke of the folder; for
this purpose they are jointed by rods ¹ to moveable plates 7³, provided inter-
nally with feeding claws ³, Figs. 4 and 5. When working in the direction
of the arrow, Fig. 4, these claws carry forward a plate towards the folder,
whilst at their return stroke, Fig. 5, it will be seen that they pass over the
next card without imparting motion to it. These claws feed the card forward
whilst the holder is advancing, and having raised it on the bridge k, return to
their former position; then the claws e, e, which are similar to those indicated
in Figs. 4 and 5, draw it over the tissue which is deposited on the table by
the return stroke of the folder. Whilst the parts i, j, 1, and are retiring,
the card table i is raised to the requisite height by the rotation of the vertical
screws 1, turning in the nuts attached to the said table, motion being
imparted to the said screws by the bevil wheels 12 and 1.
Although I have shewn but two screws for raising the said table, I may, if
requisite for insuring its accurate horizontal position, employ four screws, one
placed near each of its corners.
I will now describe how the folding table with its tissue and cards is

page_text: descended at each stroke, and how the said materials are maintained in their
required position. For this purpose, as above stated, I make use of two sets
of hooks, one set of which I term the depressing hooks and the other the
Motion is given to these parts by the shafts
retaining or keeping hooks.
m, m, Figs. 2, 6, and 7; in these two latter views I have shewn the said
parts on an enlarged scale, Fig. 6 indicating the keeping hooks at work and
the depressing hooks at rest, whilst Fig. 7 represents the former at rest and
the latter at work. n, n, are the keeping hooks jointed at n', and maintaining
the tissue and plates below at their proper level; since entering in position,
two more plates have been inserted which, at this period of the operation, have
to be depressed by the hooks o,.0. To this end the hooks n, n, are first
drawn back in the position indicated at Fig. 7. by means of the cams n on the
shaft m, and another set of cams acting on the plate o' depress the said plate,
as seen in Fig. 7, the depressing hooks o, o, being jointed to the said plate,
descend with it, and during their descent are caused to run forward so as to
rest on the card by means of a small bowl confined in the fixed race o; this
action being accomplished, the hooks o, o, first assume their former position,
as seen in Fig. 6, and immediately afterwards the hooks n, n, resume the
position indicated in the same Figures. Both sets of hooks will then remain
stationary till two or more plates are laid, when the same operation will be
repeated. The action of the sets of hooks placed on the opposite side of the
folding table alternates with the action of those just described.
It will be perceived that the cards are so disposed as to cross one another
alternately to a certain extent, whereby two essential advantages are obtained
for, this machine, the complete covering by the plates of the extreme folds of
the tissue, and both sets of hooks, by always acting on the bare cardboard or
metal sheets, all injury to the fabrics is completely avoided.
position of the said cards is obtained by the alternate motion of the folder,
which at each stroke throws the plate to the extremity of its stroke, and to this
end the trough in which the folding is effected is made larger than the width
of the said cards.
This alternate
In order to facilitate placing the cards collectively on their respective
tables, as well as for detaching each individuaily by the feeding apparatus, I
prefer making use of a rack, shewn in plan, Fig. 8, and in elevation, Fig. 9.
This rack is composed of stiff paper, tissue, parchment, or other appropriate
material, to which are attached separating sheets rather shorter and narrower
than the cards, the projecting ends of which are thus easily seized by the said
feeding apparatus.
In the above Specification I have confined myself to describing the action

page_text: of one set of feeding apparatus, card table elevating, and working of hooks,
the action of corresponding parts on the opposite side being in all respects
the same, their motion alternating with the former.
Having now described the nature of my improvements, and the best means
that I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practice, I desire it to be
understood that I claim as my Invention,-
First, the arrangement and combination of the individual and mechanical
parts, as above described, for effecting the various operations of the machine.
And, secondly, the machine, as above described, embodying the different
mechanical parts, and whereby its action is rendered automatical throughout.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adolphe Drevelle, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this. Second day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
ADOLPHE DREVELLE. (L.s.)