GB542445A - Improvements in or relating to machines for folding fabric and other flat limp articles - Google Patents

Abstract

542,445. Machines for folding diapers and like flat articles. AMERICAN LAUNDRY MACHINERY CO. July 8, 1940, No. 11389. Convention date, Oct. 16, 1939. [Class 42 (ii)] Fabric articles of a soft, flimsy or limp nature are folded upon a machine having a flexible steel wire, small wire coil, round leather belt or other narrow supporting means on which the article is draped along a line of fold, short endless belts 3 for advancing the article, and a folding blade 22 for engaging the once folded article while it is draped to produce a transverse fold in it. The supporting means runs between the walls 17 of a saddle-shaped plate which forms a table portion 15 supporting the feed belts 3 and gradually merges into the vertical parallel walls 17 over which the article drapes. An inverted U-shaped plate 21 forms a continuation to the walls 17, and has arranged within it a switch 100 operated by the edge of the article to cause the folding blade 22 to be actuated. The blade 22 pushes the draped article between vertically extending rollers 25, 26 which complete the folding, the folded article passing between the roller 26 and a spring- pressed holding plate 30. A second switch is provided and is actuated by the edge of the folded article to cause the plate 30 to be swung away from the roller 26, and the folded article falls by gravity over a curved plate to the stacking mechanism. The stacking mechanism includes a lifting plate 38 fitting within the lowermost portion of the curved plate, and stacksupporting plates 40, 41. Theoplates 40, 41 have lateral movement towards and from one another, so that after the article upon the lifting plate has been lifted with the plate 38, the plates 40, 41 are moved inwardly to support the article when the lifting plate is lowered.