IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER BAG MAKING MACHINERY
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER BAG MAKING MACHINERY."-A communication
from abroad by George Smith Lewis and Francis Gordon Bates,
both of Springfield, in the County of Hampden, and Charles Henry
Kellogg, of Amherst, in the County of Hampshire, both in the State
TT
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 27th October 1874.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
3 County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER BAG MAKING MACHINERY,"
to be as follows :-

page_text: mechanism for operating the said apparatus, all being arranged and
designed with a view to the greatest simplicity and economy of con-
struction, and to make bags automatically from rolls of paper in the
most efficient manner and more expeditiously than they are produced
with other machines now in use.
The roll of paper is mounted at one end of the machine with its
journals in bearings, which in practice will allow it to rest on a board, and
tension springs will be employed in connection with the roller to prevent
the the roll from overrunning by being quickly started and stopped.
The paper passes over and between guide and feed rolls, which draw
it from the paper roll and present it to a folding table over longitudinal
body folders, the margin of the paper being at same time drawn under a
pasting roll to apply the paste for sticking the edges together for forming
the tube or body of the bag. The pasto roll is supplied by another roll
turning in a paste trough, on which it is pressed by a spring with
sufficient force to turn the feed roll. The paper rests on a carrier
between the feed rolls and the cutters, which carrier moves along over
the folding table when the feed rolls turn, and carries the paper thereon,
and then moves back under the paper to the starting point. The carrier
is moved forward by the rock arms of a rock shaft, which is turned by
a cam on a cam shaft acting against an arm. The carrier turns the feed
rolls by means of belts which pass around loose pulleys on the lower
feed roll and on to pulleys below. A coiled spring being applied to the
shaft of the latter pulleys to pull the carrier back after carrying the
paper forward, and when the cam for operating the rock shaft has
escaped from the arm. These pulleys turning loosely on the axle of the
lower feed roll allow these belts to go back without turning the feed
rolls back, and they engage the roll by ratchets and pawls to turn them
forward when the belts are pulled forward by the carrier.
The paper passes between a stationary cutter below and a movable
cutter above when thus moved on to the folding table, and is cut off by
the latter immediately after the carrier goes back, the cutter being forced
down by a cam acting on the arm of a second rock shaft connected by
arms and a link with a cross head, on which the cutter is mounted, and
which works in vertical guides. The cutter is raised again after the bag
is completed and discharged by means of springs. The cross head also
carries a forming plate, over which the tubular or body portion of the
bag is to be folded, which is moved down upon the sheet of paper at the

page_text: same time that the cutter goes down, and is held while the folders are
performing their work by the cam; and it is also held, after being
allowed a little to free the bag, by the low part of the cam to allow
the bag to be discharged. After this forming plate comes down on
the paper the longitudinal folders are thrown over on the top of it,
folding the paper and sticking the edges together by the pasted margin.
The one folder is a little narrower than the other and acts a little in
advance of it, so that the paper turned over may be overlapped by that
turned by the other, which has the paste by which the two edges are
stuck together. These folders are turned by cams on the cam shaft
acting on arms which are connected to the folders by links, connecting
rods, and straps. One of thesc cams is set a little in advance of the
other to turn one folder a little ahead of the other. Toothed racks on
the connecting rods and segmental wheel on the folders may be sub-
stituted for the straps. After these folders are turned over they are held
while the bottom is folded, and till the bag is ready to be discharged.
They are then thrown back by springs. But before these folders go
back the bottom of the bag is folded and pasted, the first operation being
effected by horizontal folders, which slide and swing forward from either
side and fold in the sides of the end of the tube against the ends of
the longitudinal foldors and the folding table. These folders are hinged
to sliding pieces, and have an arm which causes them to swing by
striking against stops as the slides are moved against the end of the
folding table for folding the sides of the end of the tube. The slides are
connected to rock levers connected in turn with a second rock shaft,
which is turned by cams on the cam shaft acting upon an arm on
said rock shaft. As soon as the sides of the end are thus folded in, a
paster rises up and pastes the upper and lower corners of the folded
bottom above and below the horizontal folders to stick one of said
corners to the middle of the bottom and the other corner to the first.
This paster is pivoted to a vertical slide, and it is thrown up by a rock
arm on the rock shaft, which is worked by a cam on the cam shaft, tho
said rock arm being connected to the paster by a rod. A spring throws
the paster back instantly, while the horizontal end folders remain until
the vertical end folders turn over the upper and lower corners of the bag,
when they go back, being drawn by a spring.

page_text: The vertical end folders are pivoted to their supports, and the upper
one has an arm and a spring to hold it against the paper while the pivot
allows it to swing from the paper and ease its action in case of any
undue resistance of the paper in folding. There is also a little projecting
stud on the upper corner of cach longitudinal folder to throw it off a
little when it comes in contact with the paper, so as not to tear or cut
it. These folders turn back before the end folder rises, so that the studs
do not catch it. The lower folder inclines towards and rests against the
end of the table at its upper edge, and has a coiled spring on its axis to
regulate its pressure on the paper. This folder and the pressure roller
are mounted on the bent bars, which are mounted on arms on a third
rock shaft, which is operated by a lever and a cam on the cam shaft.
A spring pulls this folder and the roller back. The upper vertical folder
is mounted on a cross head on vertical slides connected to rock arms
which are worked by a cam on the cam shaft. A spring pulls up the
folder after it has done its work.
Immediately after the side folders have moved up and before these
vertical folders operate a contrivance to guard the corners against
doubling or crumpling down irregularly, consisting of a pair of arms
jointed to the end of a spring rod and a pair of actuating bars, and
which comes down against the horizontal end folders at the centre of the
bottom of the bag, and by pressing the joint of the arms spreads them
apart between the corners so as to keep them extended, and prevent the
ends from doubling in too soon while the folders act, the said guard at
the same time receding as the folders advance, and escaping from the
corners as the folders move along upon them. This contrivanco is
mounted on a crooked arm, which is carried by the sliding and oscil-
lating shaft, and it rests on the edge of a plate having an incline. The
shaft is moved forward by rock levers and a cam on the cam shaft. The
shaft is moved back by a spring, and the plate on which it rests holds
the guard contrivance as it moves up to and away from the work, and it
is provided with the inclinc to raise it above the discharging rollers,
when it goes back by causing the arm to rise up the inclinc. The
bottom of the bag being thus formed the bag is ready to be discharged
as soon as the folders move away from it, but first the folding plate is
allowed to rise slightly by its cam to lessen the pressure between it and
the discharger over which the under part of the bag lays, and which
consists of the folding table, being a thin plate of the length and width

page_text: of the bag, with its upper surface prepared with rubber or other
substance adapted to adhere to the bag sufficiently to push it off by
friction; it slides forward towards a pair of discharging rolls, being
moved by a rock arm actuated by a cam on the cam shaft. This cam
and rock arm are also employed to apply the paste to the end paster by
means of a pasting roll, which is mounted in crotched arms connected
to the said rock arm, so that it is forced from a feed roll in a paste
trough up on the face of the paster at the same time the discharger is
moved forward; they are drawn back by the spring. The discharger
being in the lower part of the bag, and pushing against the bottom
below the cutter to draw it off from the folder, thrusts the lower edge of
the bottom forwards, and presents it to the discharging rolls, so that in
drawing it between them they fold the bottom down on the upper side
ready for folding up for packing in bales in boxes.
A pair of printing rolls are provided for printing or branding the bags
at the same time they are discharged, which are arranged just in front
of the discharging rolls, the type being on the lower one, under which is
an inking roller, which receives the ink from the ink trough by another
roller, and distributes it on the distributing roller before it comes in
contact with the printing roller. The distributing roller is on a shaft
which drives both the discharging and the printing rolls, and is geared
with the cam shaft by a longitudinal shaft and suitable gearing. The
inking roller is mounted on an oscillating frame, and it is pressed up to
the printing roll by a cam. The roll for taking the ink up from the
trough, which will in practice be below it, is hinged to the frame, and
connected to a rock lever which is worked by a cam on the cam shaft
and by gravity.
It will be seen that all the parts, except the discharge rolls and the
paste roll, are operated positively by the cam shaft, and negatively by
springs, so that the construction is simple, and the machine works faster
than it would if cams were used for making the reverse movements.
The stationary cutter is a strong bar of spring steel, secured at one
end only, and it is set so as to cross the line of the edge of the movable
cutter, and be sprung back by the latter at each operation to ensure the
pressure of the cutting edges together laterally so as to work to best
advantage and to cause them to wear so as to be self-sharpening.

page_text: filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th March 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her licirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
Licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Melville
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should 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,
usc, cxcrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER BAG MAKING MACHINERY," a communication to
me from abroad by George Smith Lewis and Francis Gordon Bates,
both of Springfield, in the County of Hampden, and Charles Henry
Kellogg, of Amherst, in the County of Hampshire, both in the State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors or ad-
ministrators, 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 dato
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being to the four Sheets of

page_text: Drawings hereunto annexed and to the letters and figures marked
therein (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists of combinations and arrangements of feeding,
pasting, cutting, folding, printing, and discharging apparatus, and
mechanism for operating the said apparatus, all being arranged and
designed with a view to the greatest simplicity and economy of con-
struction, and to make bags automatically from rolls of paper in tho
most efficient manner and more expeditiously than they are produced
with other machines now in use.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of the
machine; Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation; Figure 3 is a
transverse section; Figure 4 is a detail, showing the cutters in sido
elevation; Figure 5 is a plan of the cam shaft, rocker shafts, and
rocker levers inverted; Figure 6 is a detail of the feeding apparatus;
Figure 7 is a detail of the folding apparatus for making the tube;
Figure 8 is a diagram of the sheet cut off and ready for folding to
make the tube; Figure 9 is a diagram of the tube folded and pasted
together; Figure 10 is a diagram of the tube with the bottom folded;
Figure 11 is an elevation of the partly folded bottom; Figuro 12 is an
elevation of the complete bottom; and Figure 13 is a plan of the bag
complete as it is discharged from the machine. Similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
The roll of paper A is mounted at one end of the machine with its
journals in bearings, which in practice will allow it to rest on a board,
and tension springs will be employed in connection with the roller to
prevent the roll from overrunning by being quickly started and stopped.
The paper passes over a guide roll E and between feed rolls G, which
draw it from the paper roll and present it to the folding table H over
the longitudinal body folders I, the margin J being at the same time
drawn under a pasting roll K to apply the paste for sticking the edges
together for forming the tube or body (Figure 9).. The paste roll gets
its supply from the paste roll L, turning in paste trough M, on which it
is pressed by a spring N with sufficient force to turn the feed roll. The
paper rests on a carrier O, P, between the feed rolls and the cutters Q, R,
which moves along over the folding table when the feed rolls turn, and
carries the paper thereon, and then moves back under the
paper
to the

page_text: starting point. The carrier is moved forward by the rock arms 8° 01 a
rock shaft T, which is turned by cam U on a cane shaft V acting
against arm W The carrier turns the feed rolls by means of the
belts X, which pass around loose pulleys Z on the lower feed roll and on
to the pulleys Y below. A coiled spring A' is applied to the shaft of
pulleys Y to pull the carrier O, P, back after carrying the paper forward,
and when the cam U' has escaped from the arm W. The pulleys Z,
turning loosely on the axle of the lower feed roll allow these belts to go
back without turning the feed rolls back, and they engage the roll by
ratchets B' and pawls C¹ to turn them forward when the belts are pulled
forward by the carrier (scc Figure 6).
The paper passes between the stationary cutter R and the movable
on Q when thus moved on to the folding table, and is cut off by the
latter immediately after the carrier goes back, the cutter being forced
down by the cam X* acting on the arm D' of a rock shaft E'. The rock
shaft E' is connected by arms F³ and link G³ with the cross head II³, on
which the cutter is mounted and which works in vertical guides I'. The
cutter is raised again after the bag is completed and discharged by
springs J¹. The cross head I also carries a forming plate L', over
which the tubular or body portion of the bag is to be folded, which is
moved down upon the sheet of paper at the same time that the cutter
goes down, and it is held while the folders are performing their work by
the cam X, and it is also held after being allowed to rise a little to free
the bag by the low part of the cam X³, see dotted line K³, Figure 2, to
allow the bag to be discharged. After this forming plate comes down
on the paper the longitudinal folders I are thrown over on the top of it,
folding the paper and sticking the edges together by the pasted margin J.
The left-hand folder I is a little narrower than the other one, and acts a
little in advance of it, so that the paper turned over may be overlapped
by that turned by the other which has the paste J, by which the two
edges are stuck together. These folders are turned by the cams ()³
acting on arms P³, which are connected to the folders by links R³,
connecting rods T", and straps U2 (Figure 7). One of the cams O is set
∙a little in advance of the other, to turn one folder a little ahead of the
.other. Toothed racks on the connecting rods T' and segmental wheel
on the folders may be substituted for the straps. After these folders are
turned over they are held while the bottom is folded and till the bag is

page_text: R
ready to be discharged. by the cam O³; they are then thrown back by
springs ; but before these folders I go back, the bottom of the bag is
folded and pasted, the first operation being effected by the horizontal
folders a which slide and swing forward from the positions represented
in Figure 3, and fold in the parts 6 (Figure 11) against the ends of the
folders I and the table H. These folders are hinged to the sliding
picces d, and have an arme which causes them to swing by striking
against stops f as the slides & are moved against the end of the folding
table for folding the sides of the end of the tube. The slides are con-
nected to rock levers g by rods h, and these rock lovers are connected by
rods j and arms
8
with rock shaft m', which is turned by cams p* acting
upon its arm n'. As soon as the sides of the end are thus folded in the
paster q rises up and pastes the upper and lower corners r of the folded
.bottom above and below the folders a, to stick one of said corners to the
middle of the bottom, and the other corner to the first, when they are
folded as represented in Figure 12. This paster is pivoted at t to a
vertical slide u, and it is thrown up by the rock arm W' on rock shaft T,
which is worked by cam a³, the said rock arm being connected to the
-paster by rod 5. The spring V' throws the paster back instantly, while
.the horizontal end folders remain until the vertical end folders c¹ turn
over the upper and lower corners r, when they go back, being drawn by
the spring d¹.
The lower vertical folder has a pressure roll e¹ connected with it to
press the ends together after they are folded and stick the paste. This
bottom folder may however be made of a simple plate of metal or any
suitable material with rounded edges, and pivoted in thic arms ¹, bý
which it is worked up and down, as hereafter mentioned, so as to act as
a rubbing and smoothing plate, and so that it will be free to turn on its
axis as may be needed in case the stiff paper does not yield readily,
whereby it will not be so liable to catch and tear the paper as a rigid onc
will, and it will be more certain to fold the paper smoothly than a roller
will.
The vertical end folders c* are pivoted to their supports, and the upper
one has an arm f' and a spring g' to hold it against the paper while the
pivot allows it to swing from the paper and ease its action in case of any
undue resistance of the paper in folding. There is also a little projecting
stud on the upper corner of each folder I to throw it off a little when

page_text: it comes in contact with the paper so as not to tear or cut it. Tho
folders I turn back before the end folder rises so that the studs h¹ do not
catch it. The lower folder inclines towards and rests against the end of
the table at its upper edge, and has a coiled spring j' on its axis j³ to
regulate its pressure on the paper. This folder and the pressure roller e¹
are mounted on the bent bars k', which are mounted on the arms & of
the rock shaft M', which is operated by the lever W' and the cam p'.
The spring a pulls this folder and the roller back. The upper vertical
folder is mounted on a cross head q' on vertical slides 70 connected to
the rock arms n', which are worked by the cam ye. The spring Z¹ pulls
up the folder after it has done its work.
Immediately after the side folders have moved up, and before these
vertical folders operate, a contrivance to guard the corners against
doubling or crumpling down irregularly, consisting of the arms A³, rod
B, spring C, and the actuating bars D³, come down against the folders a
at the centre of the bottom of the bag, and by pressing the joint E³
spreads the arms apart between the corners so as to keep them extended
and prevent the ends from doubling in too soon while the folders act,
the said guard at the same time receding as the folders advance, and
escaping from the corners as the folders move along upon them. This
contrivance is mounted on the crooked arm F³, which is carried by the
sliding and oscillating shaft G³, and it rests on the plate H³, having an
incline I. The shaft G2 is moved forward by the rock levers J* and K",
and the cam 10, being connected to lever J2 by the rod L*, and the rock
levers being connected together by rod M³, the shaft is moved back by
the spring N. The plate H² holds the guard contrivance as it moves up
to and away from the work, and it is provided with the incline I¹ to raiso
it above the discharging rollers when it goes back by causing the arm to
rise up the incline. The bottom of the bag being thus formed the bag
is ready to be discharged as soon as the folders move away from it, but
first the folding plate L' is allowed to rise slightly by the cam K³ to
lessen the pressure between it and the discharger, over which the under
part of the bag lays, and which consists of the folding table H, being a
thin plate of the length and width of the bag, with its upper surface
prepared with rubber or other substance adapted to adhere to the bag
sufficiently to push it off by friction. It slides forward towards the
discharging rolls O, being moved by the rod d³, rock arm e³, cam U³.
This cam and rock arm e³ are also employed to apply the paste to the

page_text: paster by means of the pasting roll g³, which is mounted in the
crotched arms ³ connected to the rock arm e8, so that it is forced from
the feed roll in the paste trough ♬ upon the face of the paster at the
で
same time the discharger is moved forward; they are drawn back by
the spring m. The discharger being in the lower part of the bag, and
pushing against the bottom below the cutter to draw it off from the
folder L', thrusts the lower edge of the bottom forward and presents it
to the rolls C³, so that in drawing it between them they fold the bottom
down on the upper side, as shown in Figure 13, ready for folding up
for packing-in bales or boxes.
N¹ represents a pair of printing rolls for printing or branding the bags
at the same time they are discharged, which are arranged just in front
of the discharging rolls, the type being on the lower one. The ink is
applied to the type by the roll P³, which is pivoted to the frame at O³,
and rests on a spreading roll 0%, which receives the ink from the roll Q³,
which will take the ink up from a trough to be arranged below it in the
practical machine. The roller for inking the type rolls on the raised ribs
or bands V of the type roller, to be kept clear from any part of the roll
except the type to prevent the bags from being blotted, and it is forced up
against the type by the roll 0², which is mounted in the rocker frame A³,
which is thrown up by the spring B³, when the bands V allow it to go
The distributing roller Q is on a shaft R*, which drives both the
discharging and the printing rolls by the wheel S3, and is geared with the
cam shaft V by shaft T", wheels U, V, W², and X³.
up.
It will be seen that all the parts, except the discharge rolls G and the
paste roll K², are operated positively by the cam shaft V, and negatively
by springs, so that the construction is simple, and the machine works
faster than it would if cams were used for making the reverse move-
ments.
The stationary cutter R is a strong bar of spring steel secured at one
end only, as shown in Figure 4, and it is set so as to cross the line of the
edge of the movable cutter and be sprung back by the latter at each
operation to ensure the pressure of the cutting edges together laterally
so as to work to best advantage, and to cause them to wear so as to be
self-sharpening.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of

page_text: 14th. The inking roll P³, spreading roll 0%, and the feed roll Q³,
combined and arranged with the printing roll Nº, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, havo
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-second day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand ciglt hundred
and Avanty five
Witness,
J. WILSON,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)