IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER BAGS AND IN THE MACHINERY FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown, of the Firm of Brandon
:
and Morgan-Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, South-
ampton Buildings, London, and 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER BAGS AND IN THE MACHINERY FOR
THEIR MANUFACTURE."-A communication from abroad by Luther
Childs Crowell, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-
Brown at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 11th November 1873.
I, WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-
Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings,
London, and 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER BAGS AND IN THE MACHINERY
FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to a new construction or formation of a paper

page_text: bag, and to a method and mechanism for producing such formation.
The new bag is made from a continuous strip of paper by forming a
narrow fold at each of the two opposite edges of the strip, applying
paste on the inner surface of the folded edge for half of a bag forming
length of the paper, then applying cement on the outer surface of said
folded edge for the whole or for half of the bag forming length, then
folding said length by a cross fold at the centre so as to bring the
respective folded edges at the respective sides together, the bag length
or the length having the edges thus united being severed from the con-
tinuous strip and forming a bag, having a whole or uncemented bottom,
and having at each side inwardly projecting edges, which being pasted
together to close the sides are also pasted to one side and to one side
only of the main portion of the bag within the bag, the edges thus
extending into the bag but not forming salient projections.
The organization of a machine for forming such bags consists
primarily in a combination of guide rolls, paste applying wheels, edge-
turning or folding devices, and devices for forming the centre fold,
binging the two bag forming halves together and severing and
delivering the bags made as described, such mechanism as generally
described being as follows:-At one end of a frame is the paper roll, 2
whose shaft turns in suitable bearings. From this roll the paper passes
by and against a guide roll, and thence by and against a cylinder over
a plate to and under another guide roll to and over another guide roll to
the centre folding, severing, and delivering mechanism, and in its
progress by these rolls and cylinders its edges are folded over and the 2
cement is applied to and under such edges. In this operation paper
may be used of a width to form one bag or a series of bags end to end
or in one line, or the machine may be made to form several lines of bags
side by side.
Beyond the outer end of each cylinder a paste applying wheel is fixed 3
upon the roll, and beyond the inner end of each cylinder is a cor-
responding paste applying wheel. The edges of the two wheels of each
cylinder as they rotate dip into a paste trough, and as the paper and the
rolls come into contact the rolls apply paste to the paper near to the
edges thereof.
After leaving its cylinder each strip passes over a guide plate and
between two curved fingers, which fingers extend over the opposite ends
3

page_text: of the plate and bend and fold under the opposite edges of the paper, as
the strip passes over the plate and down to another guide roll the paper
passing under this roll which causes the pasted edges to adhere to the
main portion of the strip. The strip with the folded edges then passing
over another guide roll to other cylinders. The paste wheels take
from the paste trough a constant supply of cement, but for each
bag forming length paste is only to be applied to half of such length,
provision being made for scraping the paste from each wheel edge.
intermittently and automatically, so that for each bag length paste will
first be applied to half of such bag length, and then the paste will be
stripped from the wheel edge, so that in its continued contact with the
paper no paste will be applied to the paper for the other half of such
bag length. The paste wheels in fact apply paste for a length of paper
sufficient to form a bag, and then omit to paste for a corresponing length,
but as the bag lengths are severed alternately half-way between the
pasted portion and then half-way between the unpasted portion the
result is that half of each length is pasted and half unpasted. The
opposite edges being then folded by the fingers the pasted portion will
be cemented to the body of the strip, leaving the unpasted portion free
or loose. The strip with its folded and half-pasted edges pass over
another cylinder and over two paste wheels at the opposite ends of such
cylinder, the cylinder and wheels being fixed on a loosely rotating shaft,
and the paste wheels being just beyond the ends of the cylinder and
dipping into a paste trough. The lapped or folded edges of the strip
being undermost the wheels are so placed that these edges ride over the
wheels which apply a continuous line of paste to the outer surface of
such edges.
The paste might be applied only to half of the length of edge of each
bag forming length, but is is more readily applied continuously or to the
whole length from the paste wheels; each strip passes under the roll an
thence up against the back of a cylinder, and over said cylinder,
down between it and another cylinder, and by-passing between these
two cylinders the paper for a bag forming length is folded at the centre
of its length, thereby bringing the paste applied edges together and
forming a bag, the bag being completed by severing the bag length, the
bags being delivered and piled as delivered.
A measuring mechanism and a printing mechanism are sometimes
used in connection with the bag forming mechanism to automatically

page_text: remove the bags in fixed quantities as they accumulate, and to auto-
matically print upon each bag the name of the manufacturer or any
other matter desirable to print thereon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 13, Rue
Gaillon, Paris, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Morgan-Brown, Her
special licence that I, the said William Morgan-Brown, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Morgan-
Brown, 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,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER BAGS, AND IN THE MACHINERY FOR THEIR MANU-
FACTURE," a communication to me from abroad by Luther Childs Crowell,
of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Morgan-Brown, my executors.
or administrators, 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 date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Morgan-Brown, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention relates to a new construction or formation of a paper
bag, and to a method and mechanism for producing such formation:
The new bag is made from a continuous strip of paper by forming a
narrow fold at each of the two opposite edges of the strip, applying
paste on the inner surface of the folded edge for half of a bag forming
length of the paper; then applying cement on the outer surface of said
folded edge for the whole or for half of the bag forming length; then
folding said length by a cross fold at the centre so as to bring the
respective edges at the respective sides together, the bag length or the
length having the edges thus united being severed from the continuous
strip and forming a bag having a whole or uncemented bottom, and
having at each side inwardly projecting edges, which being pasted
together to close the sides are also pasted to one side and to one side
only of the main portion of the bag within the bag, the edges thus
extending into the bag, but not forming salient projections.
The organization of a machine for forming such bags consists primarily
in a combination of guide rolls, paste applying wheels, edge turning or
folding devices, and devices for forming the centre fold, bringing the
two bag forming halves together, and severing and delivering the bags
made as described.
The Drawing represents an organization embodying the Invention.
Figure 1 shews the machine in side elevation; Figure 2 is a plan of
it; Figure 3 is a sectional elevation made double the size of Figures 1
and 2; Figures 4 and 5 are details.
a, a, denote the two uprights of a frame connected by suitable cross
rods b, the frame supporting the various rolls and other mechanism. At
one end of the frame is the paper roll c whose shaft turns in suitable
bearings. From this roll the paper passes by and against a guide roll d,
and thence by and against a cylinder e, over plates f, to and under a
guide roll g, to and over a guide roll over and against a cylinder i, and
5 under a guide roll k, as seen in Figure 3, to the centre folding, severing,

page_text: and delivering mechanism; and in its progress by these rolls and
cylinders its edges are folded over and the cement is applied to and
under such edges. In this operation paper may be used of a width to
form one bag or a series of bags end to end or in one line, or the
machine may be made to form several lines of bags side by side; and
the Drawing shews a machine designed to form from one strip of paper
two series or lines of bags side by side, the strip of paper being of the
width of two bags, plus the width of the four inwardly folded edges at
the opposite sides of the two strips cut from the single strip. The strip
of paper in running from the roll e by the roll & passes to the action of
a disc cutter e fixed on a loosely rotating shaft m, the edge of the cutter
playing in a peripheral groove n in the roll d, said roll being also a loose
roll. The paper is thereby divided, and the two strips pass over twin
cylinders e fixed on a loose shaft j.
Beyond the outer end of each cylinder a paste applying wheel o is
fixed upon the roll, and beyond the inner end of each cylinder is a
corresponding paste applying wheel p. The edges of the two wheels o, p,
of each cylinder as they rotate dip into a paste trough q, and as the
paper and the rolls come into contact the rolls apply paste to the paper
near to the edges thereof.
After leaving its cylinder e each strip passes over a guide plate f and
between two curved fingers 8, which fingers extend over the opposite
ends of the plate, and bend and fold under the opposite edges of the
paper as the strip passes over the plate and down to the guide roll g, the
paper passing under the roll g, which causes the pasted edges to adhere
to the main portion of the strip, the strips with the folded edges then
passing over the guide roll to the cylinder i. The paste wheels o, p,
take from the paste trough a constant supply of cement, but for each
bag forming length paste is only to be applied to half of such length.
Provision is therefore made for scraping the paste from each wheel edge
intermittently and automatically, so that for each bag length paste will
first be applied to half of such bag length, and then the paste will be
stripped from the wheel edge, so that in its continued contact with the
paper no paste will be applied to the paper for the other half of such
bag length. For this purpose there is combined with each roll a doctor
or scraper t fixed to and extending from a bar u, which bar is shewn as
fixed to the outer ends of levers v, whose inner ends, which may have

page_text: rolls, are intermittently operated by cams won a shaft x.
The bar u
may be raised by a spring y when the paste wheels are to be free from
the doctors, but when the cams act upon the levers they force down the
bar u, bringing the scrapers or doctors into contact with the paste wheel
edges so that they strip the paste therefrom and prevent their applying
paste to the paper. The paste wheels in fact apply paste for a length of
paper sufficient to form a bag, and then omit to paste for a corresponding
length, but as the bag lengths are severed alternately half-way between
the pasted portion and then half-way between the unpasted portion the
result is that half of each length is pasted and half unpasted. The
opposite edges being then folded by the fingers & the pasted portion will
be cemented to the body of the strip, leaving the unpasted portion free
or loose. From the roll h each strip with its folded and half pasted
edges passes over a cylinder i and over two paste wheels a², 62, at the
opposite ends of such cylinder, the cylinder and wheels being fixed on
a loosely rotating shaft e³, and the paste wheels being just beyond the
ends of the cylinder and dipping into a paste trough d. The lapped
or folded edges of the strip being undermost the wheels are so placed
that these edges ride over the wheels, which apply a continuous line
of paste to the outer surface of such edges.
The paste might be applied only to half of the length of edge of
each bag forming length, but it is more readily applied continuously or
to the whole length. From the paste wheels each strip passes under the
roll k and thence up against the back of a cylinder e³, and over said
cylinder down between it and another cylinder ƒ³. The cylinder e³ is
fixed upon the shaft, and has gears 92 meshing into and driven by
gears at the opposite ends of the cylinder f³, which latter cylinder is
fixed upon the driving shaft *. The cylinder e³ has extending across it
two cutter bars k from which project pins t, and the pins of each bar
in turn take the paper near the end of one bag forming length (the
paper being subsequently seized by the teeth m³ at the edge of the bar),
and draw it forward as the cylinder rotates. The cylinder e² also carries
two folder bars n² placed midway between the bars k², and also two guide
bars o² and two slacker bars p³. The other cylinder f³ has two guide
and bed plates q², at one edge of each of which is a movable jaw plate ³,
and adjacent to the outer edge of each plate is a stationary jaw 8*.
As the cylinders rotate the edge of each folder bar n³ passes between

page_text: the edges of the jaws ³, 8³, said edges being open and closing as the
plate enters. The jaw is held open normally by suitable springs ť
acting against arms u³ extending from the jaw, said arms being pivoted
atv and from one or each pivot extends an arm w³, that as the jaw r³
and jaw 8³ come together strikes a stationary cam x³ and closes the jaws,
holding them closed until the arm passes the cam, the springs t³ then
forcing them open.
As the paper passes to the cylinder e³ it is impaled upon the pins 1º,
and such pins draw it forward laying it over the edge of the folder bar n³
the edge of the bar meeting the paper at half the length of the portion
thereof to form a bag. As the cylinders rotate this edge presses the
paper between the open jaws ³, 82, and said jaws immediately close upon
the paper, the bar på yielding to slacken the paper as the bar n² enters
the jaws; said slacker bar p² is held out by two stationary cam wheels y³
until the folder bar n³ enters the jaws, pins 23 at the ends of the bar
sliding over the outer portions of the wheels, as or just before the folder
bar enters the jaws; the pins dropping inward to a portion of the wheels
of less diameter, thereby producing the slack of the paper required in its
entering between the jaws ³, 8. Before the pins again seize the
paper the slacker bar is again thrown out. The jaws having nipped the s
paper at the centre of a bag forming length draw the fold around with
the cylinder until the fold passes between the curved outer surface of
the guide and bed plate q³ and a presser roll a', and as the fold reaches
this roll the jaws open and let the fold free, the folded paper being then
drawn back by the roll and cylinder.
To permit the impaled edge of the paper to move back such edge may
be simply torn from the impaling pins, or they may be automatically
withdrawn.
To withdraw the pins they may be made to extend from a rod b³

page_text: paper over such edge, the bar being preferably provided with jaw teeth
to insure the cut. As this edge necessarly projects beyond the
concentric surface of the cylinder the presser roll a³ is formed with a
groove or recess ƒ³ to receive such projecting edge. Or the roll may be
so hung as to yield when this edge passes it, for which purpose it may be
journalled upon levers having springs that yield as the plate strikes and
passes the roll. Or the roll may be journalled in stationary bearings
and the plate q³ arranged to yield. As the paper passes between the
roll as and plate its folded and cement applied edges will be brought
into contact at the respective opposite sides of the paper, thereby
completing the bag, which as it passes beyond the roll a³ is dropped
upon a table h³.
To count the bags as they are delivered there may be combined with
the machine a mechanism by which the bags as they are piled or
delivered by the roll shall be pressed forward whenever the accumula-
tion reaches a certain number. For this purpose a mechanism,
substantially as follows, is preferred. At one end of the shaft x is
fixed a crank arm 2³, connected by a link k³ to an arm & jointed loosely
to a rocker shaft m³; jointed to this arm is a pawl n³ resting against a
ratchet wheel o³, which is also loose upon the shaft, and is or may be
held by friction. Fixed upon the shaft m³ is a wheel p³ (as seen in
Figure 5) having in its periphery one notch q³, into which at proper
times drops a drag pawl pivoted to the inner side of the ratchet
wheel. At the outer side of the ratchet wheel is a stationary guard
plate having a rim concentric with the outer edges or points of the
ratchet teeth, and extending just beyond such teeth. The ratchet
however has one tooth which extends beyond the others, and when
the pawlcomes over such tooth it meshes into it.
several bags are
At each rotation of the cylinder f' and shaft
formed and delivered (the mechanism shewn being designed to make
two bags in line and two lines of bags), and at each rotation the pawl
arm is thrown forward, and the shield or guard holds the pawl n³
out of contact with the ratchet until near the end of its stroke; it then,
passing beyond the shield and engaging with a tooth of the ratchet,
turns the ratchet the space of one tooth. This it continues to do until
the ratchet reaches such position that the pawl in its back stroke drops

page_text: passes the roll it is held in (to hold the opposite plate in position for
the action of the cutter bar) by guides d', under which the ends of the
plates pass after leaving the roll. To insure proper rotative movement
of the roll as when the types e* are used it is provided with a gear
pinion meshing into and driven by the gear h². The types may be
supplied with ink by any suitable inking mechanism.
Figure 6 will serve to illustrate the disposition of the side folds of the
bag, the view being a section of the bag with the edges or folds so far
separated as to clearly shew their relation to each other. The two
parts g, h, of each edge fold come together when the paper is folded at
its centre, and one or both of the contiguous surfaces having paste
applied thereto the surfaces of course unite. This union alone would
leave a fin-like projection extending into the body of the bag; and if
the opposite surface of each fold had paste applied to it then both would
unite to the adjacent surfaces of the bag, contracting the width of the
bag and forming two stiff fins at its opposite edges. Instead therefore
of cementing each of such surfaces cement is only applied to one, and
the otherwise fin-like projection then adheres to or becomes one part of
one side of the bag, leaving the bag of full capacity to the extremes of
the opposite edges, both inwardly folded edges g, h, being united to the
adjacent surface it.
In the operation of the machine the strip of paper passes from the
paper roll cover a guide roll d, and thence over the cylinder e, bringing
its under surface at the edges into contact with the perimeters of the
paste rolls o, p, said rolls applying paste intermittently as before
described, or so that only half of each bag forming length is pasted by
them. Then as the paper passes between the fingers 8 they form a
narrow fold, which fold in the paste applied part will adhere to the
surface against which it is folded as the paper continues its progress by
the guide rolls g, h. From the roll h the paper passes over the cylinder i,
and the outer surface of the folded edges passes against the perimeters
of the paste rolls a², 6, by which paste is continuously applied to such
surfaces. Thence the paper passes to and under the guide roller / to and
over the cylinder e² down between it and the cylinder ƒ, being by said
cylinders doubled or folded at the centre of each bag forming length,
and severed for such length, and the paste applied edges being brought
together and adhering to form the bag, the completed bag being delivered

page_text: upon the table h³, from which the accumulating bags are removed by
the pins y³.
The same method and the same or substantially the same mechanism
may be used to form a square bottomed bag, it being simply necessary
to make an additional loose and wide fold in the paper, the two folds
forming shaped inward projections when the bag is closed, and the
cemented and united edges in such case extending outward from the
inner angle of such fold, and being united to the surface at one side of
such angle.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the 1
said Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would
have it understood that what I claim is,--
1. The combination and arrangement of mechanism substantially as
described for forming bags from a continuous sheet or roll of paper by
folding over the opposite side edges of the paper intermittently, applying 1
paste to the inner surfaces of the paper so folded, or to be folded for half
of each bag length, applying paste to the outer surface of the folded
edges by the wheels a³, 63, and then folding each bag length at the
centre of its length by the folder bar n³, and bringing the outer surfaces
of the folded edges together and severing each bag length.
2. In combination with mechanism for forming bags side by side, as
described, a cutter for dividing the paper substantially as described.
3. In combination with the pasting, folding, and severing mechanism
the cylinder plates q³ formed and arranged to print the bags substantially
as described.
4. The process or method of forming bags from a continuous sheet of
paper by forming at each of the opposite side edges a narrow fold,
applying paste to the inner surface of half of each bag forming length
of such folds, applying paste to half or the whole of the outer surface of
each bag forming length of such folds, so that such surfaces will adhere,
and then folding each bag forming length at the centre of such length,
bringing the folds together, the severing of the folded length completing
the bag.
5. A paper bag formed of a strip of paper folded at the centre of its

page_text: of the folds being also cemented to the adjacent inner surface of the bag,
all substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan-Brown, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN. (L.S.)