Machine for Folding or Stacking Fabrics in Layers Alternating with Flat Plates.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 31st Aug., 1894--Accepted, 20th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Machine for Folding or Stacking Fabrics in Layers Alternating
with Flat Plates.
I, GUSTAV SCHULZE, Engineer, of Linienstrasse, 137, Berlin, in the German
Empire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
For glossing woven fabrics by means of a platen press, a pile is formed by
folding the said fabric forward and backward on a platform, so as to obtain flat
layers, and inserting smooth flat plates of wood or other suitable material between
successive layers or folds, and when the whole length or piece of fabric has been
thus stacked, it is subjected to the required pressure.
This operation of stacking which is usually performed by hand, may be done
automatically by a machine, which imitates the movements of the human hand
and is automatically stopped after a given number of plates have been inserted, or
after it has reached the end of a piece of fabric.
For this purpose I employ three vertically moveable platforms or tables
arranged in a straight row, the first and the third platforms serving to carry the
smooth insertion plates, while the second or intermediate platform serves to carry
the folded fabric.
The frame in which these platforms are mounted supports a horizontally moveable
carriage or slide and the bearings for the drum or axle from which the fabric is to be
drawn off before the process of folding. The said bearings are mounted on the
carriage, so as to move with the same. The mechanism for producing the to and
fro motion of the carriage is arranged in such a manner, that the said motion will
be rapid or accelerated at the beginning of the stroke, and slow or retarded at the
end of the stroke, which is desirable for grasping the plates and for commencing to
lay the woven fabric. The height or level of the platforms is adjusted automati-
cally in such a manner, that at the end of the stroke one of the outer platforms is
lifted by the thickness of a plate, and at, the same time the intermediate table is
lowered by the united thicknesses of a plate and of a layer of the fabric. The
position of the platforms may also be regulated by suitable mechanism operated by
hand. When the intermediate platform has reached or nearly reached its lowest
position, it acts on a suitable disengaging gear, so as to stop the machine.
In the accompanying drawings;
Fig. 1 shows the general construction of a machine embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section along line -z of Fig. 3.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section along line y-y of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a partial plan of the carriage or slide.
Fig. 5 shows on a larger scale the arrangement of the folded fabric and the
intermediate plates.
The machine frame 1 has inside ribs 2 between which are placed the plat-
forms 3, 4, 5 provided with screw spindles 6.
The frame is provided with bearings for the bevel wheels 7, each of which
contains a screw nut for the corresponding spindle 6, and gears with a bevel wheel 9
mounted on a shaft 8. Each of the shafts 8 carries outside the frame a ratchet
wheel 10, operated by lever mechanism 11, 12, 13, or 14, 15, 16, or 17, 18 and
vertical rod 19.
•
Springs 20 are employed to replace the lever mechanisms into their normal
position, and the stroke of the levers is regulated by means of set screws 21, 22, and
adiustable collar 23.

page_text: On the machine frame is mounted the carriage 24 guided by a pair of sliding
blocks or dove-tailed guide bars and carrying a pair of stands 25, which contain
the bearings for the roll of fabric. On one side of the carriage are fixed the
stops 26, 27 provided with inclined planes or faces, and inside the carriage are
fixed the supporting rollers 28. 29, as well as the pressing rollers 30.
On the bolts 31 connecting the sides of the carriage are mounted a set of fingers
or holders 32 which rest on the plates by their own weight and may be operated by
springs.
A pair of guide and tension rollers 35 are held in stones 33 mounted in the
stands 25; which blocks or stones are adjustable by means of springs 34.
(Figs. 2 and 6.)
The upper part of the machine frame is provided on its inside with guide bars 36
(Figs. 2, 3, and 5) which meet the end ribs 2, at right angles, but form with the
intermediate ribs 2 (between the platforms) a clearance space equal to the thickness
of a plate. The vertical ribs 2 and the guide bars 36 serve to guide the plates, the
former also for guiding the platforms.
Above the intermediate ribs 2, the guide bars 36 are provided with pawls 37
which rest on the ribs 2, and serve to prevent the return of the plates from the
platform 3, but are lifted during the insertion of a plate. The carriage is set in
motion from a crank-shaft 38, by means of connecting rod 39, lever 41 and
connecting rod 42. The machine is stopped, when the platform 3 meets the
arm 44 mounted on the shaft 43, thereby acting on the belt shifter 50).
The inachine works as follows;
The platforms 4 and 5 are placed in their lowest position and the platform 3 into
its highest position, by means of cranks 45 (Figs. 1 and 3), while the smooth
plates 46 to be inserted are laid on the platforms 4 and 5.
The cloth beam 51 with the cloth 47 is laid upon the bearings 25, the fabric
introduced between the guide and tension rollers 35 and the laying rollers 28, 29
and then fixed to the platform 3. If the machine is now started, and the carriage
moves in the direction of the arrow A, Fig. 2, the springs 34 (Fig. 6) are strained
so that the rollers 35 get into the mid-position. The laying rollers 28, 29 deposit
the fabric 47 upon the platform 3, the fingers 32 grasp the uppermost plate 48 of
the platform 4, shove it upon the layer of fabric over the platform 3, while the
plate itself lifts the pawl 37, and the pressing rollers 3 prevent the plate from
being bent upward. The fingers 32 above the platform 5 pass empty over the
plates. When the carriage gets near the end of its stroke, the stop 26 (Fig. 1)
presses against the lever 16, whereby the ratchet wheel 10 and consequently also
the tooth wheels 7, 9 are caused to make a partial revolution, and the platform 5 is
shifted upward by the thickness of a plate.
During this time, the stop 27 presses with its inclined face against the sliding
rod 19, thereby setting in motion the corresponding ratchet wheel 10 and bevel
wheels 7, 9, and causing the platform to descend by the thickness of a plate and a
layer of fabric. When the carriage has completed its stroke, and begins to return,
the fabric wound off, becomes slack for a moment, and a fold might easily be
produced upon the layer. To prevent this, I have provided tension rollers 35,
which are shifted in the opposite direction by the springs 34, and keep the wound-off
fabric stretched, until a new layer of the same is being deposited. The tension of
the springs 34 must be less than the inertia of the cloth beam, in order that the
springs may be again stretched as the fabric is being wound off. At the same time,
as the carriage reaches the end of its stroke, and the inserted plate is fully deposited
on the platform 3, the latter releases the pawls 37, which now drop upon the
ribs 2 and prevent the plate from being shifted back upon the platforms 4 or 5.
(Figs. 2 and 5.)
Dated this 2nd day of Docambar 1892
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Machine for Folding or Stacking Fabrics in Layers Alternating
with Flat Plates.
I, GUSTAV SCHULZE, Engineer, of Linienstrasse 137, Berlin, in the German
Empire, 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 :-
For glossing woven fabrics by means of a platen press, a pile is formed by
folding the said fabric forward and backward on a platform, so as to obtain flat
layers, and inserting smooth flat plates of wood or other suitable material between
successive layers or folds, and when the whole length or piece of fabric has been
tbus stacked, it is subjected to the required pressure.
This operation of stacking which is usually performed by hand, may be done
automatically by a machine, which imitates the movements of the human hand and
is automatically stopped, after a given number of plates have been inserted, or after
it has reached the end of a piece of fabric.
For this purpose I employ three vertically movable platforms or tables arranged
in a straight row, the first and the third platforms serving to carry the smooth
insertion plates, while the second or intermediate platform serves to carry the
folded fabric.
The frame in which these platforms are mounted supports a horizontally moveable
carriage or slide and the bearings for the drum or axle from which the fabric is to
be drawn off before the process of folding. The said bearings are mounted on the
carriage, so as to move with the same. The mechanism for producing the to-and-
fro motion of the carriage is arranged in such a manner, that the said motion will
be rapid or accelerated at the beginning of the stroke, and slow or retarded at
the end of the stroke, which is desirable for grasping the plates and for commencing
to lay the woven fabric. The height or level of the platforms is adjusted
automatically in such a manner, that at the end of the stroke one of the outer
platforms is lifted by the thickness of a plate, and at the same time the intermediate
table is lowered by the united thicknesses of a plate and of a layer of the fabric.
The position of the platforms may also be regulated by suitable mechanism
operated by hand. When the intermediate platform has reached or nearly reached
its lowest position, it acts on a suitable disengaging gear, so as to stop the
machine.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 shows the general construction of a machine embodying my invention ;
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section along line - of Fig. 3;
Fig. 3 is a transverse section along line y-y of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a partial plan of the carriage or slide;
Fig. 5 shows on a larger scale the arrangement of the folded fabric and the
intermediate plates.
The machine frame 1 has inside ribs 2 between which are placed the
platforms 3, 4, 5, provided with screw-spindles 6.
The frame is provided with bearings for the bevel wheels 7, each of which
contains a screw nut for the corresponding spindle 6, and gears with a bevel
wheel 9 mounted on a shaft 8. Each of the shafts 8 carries outside the frame
a ratchet wheel 10, operated by lever mechanism 11, 12, 13, or 14, 15, 16, or
17, 18 and vertical rod 19.
Springs 20 are employed to replace the lever mechanisms into their normal
position, and the stroke of the levers is regulated by means of set screws 21, 22,
and adjustable collar 23.

page_text: On the machine frame is mounted the carriage 24 guided by a pair of sliding
blocks or dovetailed guide bars and carrying a pair of stands 25 which contain
the bearings for the roll of fabric. On one side of the carriage are fixed the
stops 26, 27 provided with inclined planes or faces, and inside the carriage are
fixed the supporting rollers 28, 29, as well as the pressing rollers 30.
On the bolts 31 connecting the sides of the carriage are mounted a set of fingers
or holders 32 which rest on the plates by their own weight and may be operated
by springs.
A pair of guide and tension rollers 35 are held in stones 33 mounted in the
stands 25; which blocks or stones are adjustable by means of springs 34.
(Figs. 2 and 6.)
"
The upper part of the machine frame is provided on its inside with guide
bars 36 (Figs. 2, 3, and 5), which meet the end ribs 2 at right angles, but form
with the intermediate ribs 2 (between the platforms) a clearance space equal to
the thickness of a plate. The vertical ribs 2 and the guide bars 36 serve to guide
the plates, the former also for guiding the platforms.
Above the intermediate ribs 2, the guide bars 36 are provided with pawls 37,
which rest on the ribs 2, and serve to prevent the return of the plates from the
platform 3, but are lifted during the insertion of a plate. The carriage is set in
motion from a crank shaft 38, by means of connecting rod 39, lever 41 and connecting
rod 42.
The machine is stopped when the platform 3 meets the arm 44 mounted
on the shaft 43, thereby acting on the belt shifter 50.
The machine works as follows:
The platforms 4 and 5 are placed in their lowest position and the platform 3
into its highest position, by means of cranks 45 (Figs. 1 and 3) while the smooth
plates 46 to be inserted are laid on the platforms 4 and 5.
The cloth beam 51 with the cloth 47 is laid upon the bearings 25, the fabric
introduced between the guide and tension rollers 35 and the laying rollers 28, 29
and then fixed to the platform 3. If the machine is now started, and the carriage
moves in the direction of the arrow A, Fig. 2, the springs 34, Fig. 6, are strained,
so that the rollers 35 get into the mid-position. The laying rollers 28, 29 deposit
the fabric 47 upon the platforms 3, the fingers 32 grasp the uppermost plate 48 of
the platform 4, shove it upon the layer of fabric over the platform 3, while the
plate itself lifts the pawl 37, and the pressing rollers 30 prevent the plate from
being bent upward. The fingers 32 above the platform 5 pass empty over the
plates. When the carriage gets near the end of its stroke, the stop 26 (Fig. 1)
presses against the lever 16, whereby the ratchet-wheel 10 and consequently also
the tooth wheels 7, are caused to make a partial revolution, and the platform 5 is
shifted upward by the thickness of a plate.
During this time, the stop 27 presses with its inclined face against the sliding
rod 19, thereby setting in motion the corresponding ratchet wheel 10 and bevel
wheels 7, 9, and causing the platform to descend by the thickness of a plate and
a layer of fabric. When the carriage has completed its stroke, and begins to
return, the fabric wound off, becomes slack for a inoment, and a fold might easily
be produced upon the layer. To prevent this, I have provided tension rollers 35,
which are shifted in the opposite direction by the spring 34, and keep the wound-
off fabric stretched, until a new layer of the same is being deposited. The tension
of the springs 34 must be less than the inertia of the cloth-beam, in order that the
springs may be again stretched as the fabric is being wound off. At the same
time, as the carriage reaches the end of its stroke, and the inserted plate is fully
deposited on the platform 3, the latter releases the pawls 37, which now drop upon
the ribs 2 and prevent the plate from being shifted back upon the platform 4 or 5.
(Figs. 2 and 5.)
During the return motion of the carriage, the same process repeats itself in the
opposite direction, but from the table 5 a plate is shifted on to the fabric, the
table 3 moves downward and the table 4 upward. The raising and lowering of
the tables may be regulated by increasing or diminishing the stroke of the

page_text: levers 16, 13, or by shifting the connecting rod 19, by means of the screws 22, 21
or the ring 23, and thereby varying the rotation of the wheels 7.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A folding machine comprising in its construction three tables automatically
adjustable in a vertical direction, and a carriage 24 adapted to move to and fro over
the same, said table serving also as a support for the fabric to be folded, for the
purpose of guiding the fabric over the table 3 and inserting into its folds the plates
alternately from the tables 4 and 5, substantially as described.
2. In a folding machine of the type specified, an adjustable automatic device for
changing the position of the table, comprising stops 26 and 27 fixed to the
carriage 24 and provided with inclined planes, said stops being adapted to act on
levers 13 or 16 or on connecting rod 19, so as to set in action ratchet mechanism 10,
for the purpose of imparting a step-to-step rotary motion to the bevel wheels 7
formed into a screw nut, and to lift the tables 4 and 5 alternately after every stroke
for the thickness of a plate, and to lower the table 3 for the combined thickness of
a plate and a layer of fabric, substantially as described.
3. In a changing device as specified above, a mechanism for regulating the same,.
comprising set screws 21, 22, or adjustable ring 23, for the purpose of shifting the
point of application of the levers 13 16 or of the connecting rod 19, at will and
limiting the stroke of the same, substantially as described.
4. In a machine of the type specified by clause 1, the combination of laying
rollers 28, 29, with a cloth tension mechanism comprising a pair of rollers 35.
adjustable in the axle bearings 25 and actuated by springs 34, for the purpose of
laying the fabric over the inserted plates and preventing the formation of folds,.
substantially as described.
5. In a machine of the type specified by clause 1, the arrangement of feeders 32,.
guide ledges 36, guide rollers 30, and drop-levers or pawls 37, for the purpose of
shifting a plate over the fabric laid out, and to prevent the bending upward of the
said plate and the removal or displacement of the plate lying under the fabric,.
substantially as described.
6. In a machine of the type specified by clause 1, an automatic disengaging
device, adapted to operate a lever 44 and a belt shifter 50 as soon as the depositing
table has reached its lowest position, for the purpose of placing the belt on a loose
pulley and stopping the machine, substantially as described.
Dated this 30th day of August 1894
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents..