GB1016692A - Improved length measuring device for automatic folders - Google Patents

Abstract

1,016,692. Folding articles. THOMAS BROADBENT & SONS Ltd. April 5, 1962 [APril 11, 1961; Feb 14,1962],.Nos.12937/61 and 5596/62. Heading D1S [Also in Division F2] Each of a series of articles coming from an ironer 1 is folded by a blade 3 between rollers 4 about a line which divides its length in a predetermined ratio irrespective of the length of the article. The article passes from the inner into a nip formed by a conveyer 2 moving at a constant speed and a length measuring roller 7; roller 7 drives, through intermediate gears 9 a gear wheel 8 which can drive a cam 10 through an electromagnetic clutch 11, the transmission ratio being determined by the intermediate gears 9 but in this case being such that cam 10, when clutch 11 is engaged, moves through a peripheral distance equal to half the length of article passing under roller 7. Cam 10 is alternatively driven through an electromagnetic clutch 13, by a motor 12 which has a constant speed such as to give cam 10 a peripheral speed equal to the speed of conveyer 2. In operation, a photo-electric switch 15 is actuated by the leading edge of the article as it moves under roller 7 which in turn causes clutch 11 to be engaged so that cam 10 is rotated by roller 7 (motor 12 also being started by means of a micro-switch 14). Cam 10 is rotated by roller 7 until the trailing edge of the article passes the photo-electric switch 15 which then disengages clutch 11 and engages clutch 13 for cam 10 to be driven by motor 12. The cam then continues to be rotated until it has performed one revolution at which moment the centre point of the article (whatever its length) has reached a point X, a fixed distance from roller 7; micro-switch 14 is simultaneously operated by cam 10,this time to stop motor 12 and actuate a time delay relay which has a time lag such that the centre point of the article moves from the point X to be level with rollers 4 before the relay operates and causes an air actuated folder knife 3 to push the article between the rollers 4 and cause it to be folded about its middle point; the folded article is then carried away by a conveyor 6 which may lead to a stacking, device, a deliver table or a further folding mechanism. The article may be folded in any other ratio by suitable selection of the transmission ratio between roller 7 and cam 10. More than one device may be provided together with an automatic cycling switch so that successive articles from the ironer are dealt with by different devices to further forms micro-switch 14 is replaced by a photo-electric switch and intermediate gearing 9 is replaced either by a pulley system or by arranging roller 7 to drive a tacho-generator which feeds, through a pulse shaping and amplifying circuit, a synchronous motor driving cam 10, the motor being alternatively driven by pulses from a tacho-generator driven by the conveyor 2.