Improvements in Machines for Making Paper and other Tubes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Machines for Making Paper and other Tubes.
I JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this Invention which has been communicated
to me from abroad by The Volta Graphophone Company of Alexandria Virginia a
Corporation organized under the laws of the State of Virginia and having an Office
in Washington District of Columbia United States of America and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This Invention has reference to machines for making tubes of paper being also
capable of making tubes of other material such as metal for example.
Fleretofore paper and paste-board tubes have usually been made from a flat sheet.
Common tubes for boxes and the like have been made by folding the sheet around a
mandril forming either a lap or a butt-joint and fastening the edges with an adhesive
substance. Where better or stronger tubes are desired a thin sheet is commonly
folded a number of times around the mandril until the desired thickness is obtained
and then cut off and its edge secured. Other modes of making paper tubes have
been employed or proposed which it is not necessary to describe here.
By the operation of the machines which constitute the present invention the tubes
are made of long narrow continuous strips of paper wound helically one upon the
other so as to break joints, the adjacent surfaces of the strips being fastened together
by means of glue or other adhesive substance applied while the strips are being
wound. Paper tubes of this character are described in letters patent No. 16384 dated
November 29 1887 for use as the foundation of a tablet for recording speech or other
words in a graphophone but the tubes made in these improved machines are not
limited to this particular application and may be employed for a variety of other
purposes.
The characteristics of these tubes are great rigidity and stiffness combined with
lightness and they are obtained with the most economical use of material and labour.
They are moreover self-sustaining and have no tendency to lose their true cylindrical
shape this being a defect to which tubes made in the ordinary way are frequently
liable.
The object of the present invention is to produce these tubes by machinery in a rapid
and cheap manner and in continuous pieces of any desired length.

page_text: A machine according to this invention comprises principally a core or mandrel of
the proper diameter to produce a tube of the desired size which core or mandrel is
mounted in bearings so as to rotate freely and upon which the strips are helically
wound feeding devices for pushing the tube longitudinally as fast as it is formed,
suitable reels for holding the paper strips and means for applying the glue to one side
of one or more of the strips as they are fed into the machine.
According to one arrangement the core or mandrel is mounted upon an arbor and
connected therewith by a spline and groove so as to have a lengthwise movement
independently of the arbor as well as a rotatory movement in common therewith.
In this form of machine the feeding devices acting on the edges of the strips feed
them along as they are wound and as the strips are attached to the mandrel they
carry the latter along with them but it is preferable to so construct the machine
that the mandrel has no endwise motion and the tube as formed is pushed off the
same by the action of the feeding devices thus enabling tubes of any desired length
(within reasonable limits) to be formed and rendering the operation of the machine
continuous.
For ordinary purposes two thicknesses of paper are sufficient in the manufacture
of a tube but the machine may be adapted to wind three strips or any greater number
without changing it in principle or mode of operation.
The feeding devices employed consist of stationary cams one for each strip and
having helical acting faces. The pitch of each cam face is so proportioned relatively
to the width of the paper strips and the diameter of the mandrel that as the strip is
wound and fed forwards the edges of its adjacent convolutions will just meet neither
overlapping nor leaving any gap between. At each revolution of the core the tube
formed will be advanced a distance equal to the pitch of the cams. The second cam
is similar in construction to the first but it is placed to the right or left thereof
so that the two strips of paper when wound will break joints. A third cam may be
used if a three ply tube is desired.
I am
aware that a machine has been devised for making tubes of metal of
continuous helically wound strips one upon the other by giving the core or mandrel
a longitudinal as well as a rotatory motion. The length of the tubes which can be made
on such a machine is limited to the length of the core and its endwise movement.
Moreover on the completion of each tube the machine must be stopped the strips
cut off the core set back to the starting point and the ends of the strips again inserted
for making a new tube. By means of an improved arrangement hereinafter described
the tubes being continually pushed off the core, can be made in any desired lengths
and can be cut off automatically and there is no necessity for interrupting the
operation of the machine until the reels are exhausted and oven this may be avoided
by attaching the last end of one coil of paper to the first end of the other.
In the former machine the endwise movement of the arbor or core is obtained by
means of gearing whereas in the machine according to the present invention the
longitudinal travel of the paper tube (and of the mandrel also in the first arrangement
herein before referred to) is effected by the action of stationary feeding cams or guides
acting on the edges of the strips themselves.
The tube when formed is of course cylindrical but means are or may be employed
as hereinafter described for changing them into tubes of square hexagonal or other
form of tube having flat sides.
And in order that the said invention may be more fully understood I shall now
proceed to more particularly describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the
several figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure I of the accompanying drawings represents a plan view of one form of
machine Fig. II a front elevation of the same. Fig. III represents a front elevation
of another form of machine Fig. IV a cross section and Fig. V a plan of the same.
Figs. VI and VII detail views of the feed cams, and Fig. VIII a partial perspective
view of another form of core or mandrel.
The form of machine shown in Figures I and II will first be described.

page_text: The frame consists of standards B fixed on a bed plate A. The standards B are
notched at their upper ends to form bearings for an arbor C which is removably
supported therein being held in place by notched latches which are pivotted at 2 so
that they can be raised to permit of the removal of the arbor C. This arbor carries
a pulley P by which it may be driven though obviously it could be driven by hand if
desired.
A core or mandrel D surrounds the arbor being connected therewith by a spline c
on the said arbor taking into a groove in the core D. The latter therefore
rotates with the arbor but is free to move lengthwise thereof. E and are the
feeding cams.
The part E is tubular and surrounds the core D and the part F which is a segment
of a tube is connected with the tube E by a spring locking finger 8 having a pin 9
which passes through a hole in the part F. The cams can be made in one piece as
hereinafter described. The two cams have helical acting faces e f. The former acts
upon the inner strip of paper 5 and the latter on the outer strip 6. The pitch of cach
cam is equal to the width of the paper strips and the acting surface t of the cam F is
placed to the left of the acting surface e of the cam E a distance equal to one and one
half times the width of the said strips so that the outer strip overlaps the joints
between the successive convolutions of the inner strip or in other words so that the
strips break joint. The part F morcover is so placed as to leave just sufficient space
between it and the core D for the passage of one thickness of paper.
The cam tube E has a projection or pin 17 which is engaged by the locking arm G
the latter being pivotted at 18 in standards supported on the bed plate A and can
be moved forward to disengage the cams when it is desired to move the arbor for the
purpose of removing a finished tube.
The paper strips 5. 6. are supplied from reels 10. 11. and pass on their way to the
core D through guides 12. 13. arranged on a support H obliquely to the axis of the
arbor Cat the proper angle. The guides 12 13. are in the form of flat strips of metal
turned up at the sides to form guiding edges. On top of the strips 5. 6. are placed
plates. 14. 15. which serve both to hold the strips in the guides and to exert a proper
amount of tension thereon. The pressure of the tension plates is transmitted by a
cross bar 16 on the end of a shank, 21. which passes through a hole in the
support H. The cross bar 16 may be pressed against the plates 14. 15. by a spring or
by gravity.
The bar 16 can be turned a quarter turn to permit of the removal of the tension
plates 14. 15. and the insertion of new strips. Stop pins 20 on the plates 14. 15.
engage the ends of the guides 12. 13. and prevent the tensions plates being drawn out
of place by the movement of the paper strips.
Upon a support N between the core D and guides 12. 13 is placed a glue vessel K
provided with a handle & for convenience in removing and replacing it. A small
roller 25 is arranged with its lower part in contact with the glue and the strip 6
as it is drawn forward by the rotation of the core rotates this roller which carries
up and applies to the strip a coating of glue whereby the inner strip 5 and outer
strip 6 are glued together.
The cam piece F carries a spring finger 27 which bears at its end upon the con-
tiguous edges of two adjacent convolutions of the strip 6 to provent buckling.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
The inner strip 5 is passed through its guide and its end is bent and inserted in a
slit 28 in the core D its right hand edge being in contact with the oblique face e of
cam E and this edge is continuously acted upon by the oblique face of this cam as
long as the machine operates. The arbor is then rotated twice and the end of strip 6
is now inserted in the slit 28 the said strip covering the joint between the two con-
volutions of the first strip and the right hand edge of said strip 6 being in contact
with the acting face of the cam F. The arbor is now rotated continuously and as
each coil is formed the partially completed paper tube is fed forward by the cams e f
the said tube being fed forward a distance equal to the pitch of said cams at each
revolution of the arbor C and carrying with it the core or mandrel D. It will be

page_text: •
observed that the longitudinal travel of the core and paper tube is effected solely by
the action of the cam surfaces ef on the edges of the strips 5 and 6. When the
core Dhas reached the limits of its longitudinal movement the machine is stopped,
the strips 5 and 6 are cut off close to the tube the locking arm G is lowered and the
latches lifted. The arbor C with the core D can now be lifted out of the machine
and the finished tube removed. The core or mandrel D is then moved back to the
starting point and the operation repeated.
In the operation of the machine above described considerable time is necessarily lost
in removing a tube replacing the core and inserting the ends of the strips in the
slit 28. This objection is overcome and the operation rendered continuous by the
construction next hereinafter described and illustrated in Figs. III to VII.
In this machine the core or mandrel D) has no endwise motion but is supported and
turns in a long tubular bearing L supported by an upright standard B the left end of
the core being unsupported so that the paper tube as formed can be pushed off. The
core D is driven by a driving pulley P.
The feeding cams are formed by a single metal tube E¹ the construction
being best shown in Figs. VI and VIL. The length of the inner diameter of the
tube E for the greater part of the length of the tube is just sufficient to
enable it to slip over the core 1). The acting edge e of the cam for the inner
strip is formed by turning out the interior of the tube until the radius is enlarged
to an extent equal to the thickness of the paper strip the edge e being helical as in the
arrangement hereinbefore described. The second cam fis formed by the edge of the
tube . It will be seen that the can surfaces e and have the same pitch and are
separated a distance less than (preferably one half of) the width of the strip to be wound,
so that the outer strip will overlap the line formed by the meeting edges of the inner
strip. The tube E' is provided with a slot or opening 31 for the introduction of the
inner strip 5.
A spring 32 is secured to the tube E¹ by screws 33 and bears at its free
This
end upon the outer strip just as it begins to wind itself upon the core.
spring by pressing the outer strip against the inner strip causes the entering edge
to press against and not ride over the edge of the adjacent coil and thus ensures that
the tube being formed is properly fed forward.
The cam tube E¹ can be slipped on or off the coro D. It is held stationary when in
operation by a pin 34 (fig. V) projecting from the bearing line
(fig. VI) in the said tube. The core is provided with a slit
insertion of the onds of the strips 5 and 6.
into a notch 35
28 as before for
The glue vessel K rests removably on a support N and to keep the glue in a fluid
state the glue compartment is surrounded by a hot water bath M (see Fig. IV)..
The roller 25 turns in the glue and coats the underside of the strip 6 as in the
arrangement herein before described.
A pressure roller 26 rests by gravity upon the said strip being carried by a shank 60
sliding freely in the hollow shank 61 of a handle k.
Beneath the core 1) is a roller 40 turning in the fixed end of a support 41 which can
move vertically in a tubular standard 42 being pressed upward by a spiral spring 43.
The roller 40 is thus pressed against the meeting edges of two adjacent convolutions
of sirip and flatiens out any burr that may be formed thus aiding in producing a
perfectly smooth surface. The support 41 may be depressed to lower the roller out of
contact with the paper tube and may be held in that position by a set screw 44.
The tension device for the outer paper strip (see Fig. IV) is placed between the
reel and the glue vessel.
It consists of standard or piilar 50 secured to the bed plate A and a sleeve 51
sliding thereon and pressed upwards against a head or top-plate 52 by a spring 53.
The top plate 52 is secured to the vertical strips 57 which form guides for the edges
of the paper strip. The latter passes between the top plate 52 and the end of the
sleeve 51. The pressure of the spring 53 can be regulated by moving a collar 54
against which the lower end bears upwards or downwards and fixing it in position by
means of a set screw..

page_text: The inner paper strip 5 is passed under the glue vessel K.
The operation is substantially the same as hereinbefore described with reference to
figs. I and II except that the paper tube slides over the core D and is pushed off the
end thereof by the feed cams so that it can be formed in any desired lengths and the
operation of the machine need not be interrupted.
To form tubes having flat sides either square hexagonal or of other polygonal
form in cross-section a core or mandrel such as that shewn in Fig. VIII may be
employed.
As therein shewn the part 1 of the core is cylindrical when the strips are wound
upon it but the part D' is square in cross section. The circumference of the cylin-
drical part is equal to the sun of all the sides of the part D¹. The change of form
from circular to polygonal is gradual the ridges 55 being raised gradually to form the
angles or corners of the square or other angular figure and the intermediate surfaces 56
being curved inward until they merge into the flat sides D¹. As the paper tube is fed
slowly forward by the action of the cams it thus gradually changes its form from
circular to polygonal in transverse section the length of the circumference of course
remaining the same. By these means the formation of square or other tubes is
accomplished while the glue is yet soft it being a comparatively difficult, operation to
change the shape after the glue has hardened.
It is obvious that modifications may be made in the construction of the machine
without departing from the spirit of the invention and that parts of the invention may
if desired be used without the whole.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention 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 of paper or other material the
combination with a rotatory core of stationary feed cams having oblique or helical
faces for acting against the edges of the strips as they are wound upon the said core
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination with the rotatory core of the stationary foed cams having oblique
or helical acting faces the said cams being in different positions relatively to the length
of said core so that the strips break joint substantially as herein before described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination of the rotatory core the feed cams for acting on the edge of the
strips as they are wound the reels a vessel for glue or other adhesive substance
between the said reel and core and a roller for applying a coating of glue to one of
the said strips substantially as herein before described with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.
4. The combination of the rotatory core the feed cams having helical edges for acting
on the strips as they are wound upon the said core and the guide and tension for
said strips substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
5. The combination of the core supported in bearings at one end only and the feed
cams for acting on the edges of the strips as they are wound upon said core and
pushing the tube as formed off the free end of said core substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to figs. III to V of the accompanying drawings.
6. The combination with the rotating core for winding strips of paper into the form
of a tube of the feed cams comprising a sleeve or cylinder having helical acting edges
formed thereon one for each strip composing the tube substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
7. The combination of the rotatory core the feed cams having helical acting edges
and the spring finger substantially as herein before described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
8. The combination of the rotating core the feed cams the roller bearing against
the meeting edges of the outer strip and the spring for pressing the said roller

page_text: against the paper tube substantially as herein before described with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
9. In a machine for forming tubes from strips of paper or other material the
combination with feeding devices for advancing the strips as they are wound of a core
or mandrel circular in cross section where the tube is formed and changing gradually
to the form of a polygon substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
fig. VIII of the accompanying drawings.
10. The combinations and arrangements of parts constituting a machine for making
paper and other tubes substantially as hereinbefore described.