US1029701A - Paper-bag machine. - Google Patents

Description

W. A. LORENZ & J. MERRITT.

y. PAPER BAG MACHINE.

APYLIOATION IILED JULY 10,1907.

Patented June 18, 1912.

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W. A. LORENZ & J. MERRITT.

PAPER BAG MAGHINB.

APPLICATION IILED JULY 10,1907.

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COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH C0., WASHINEITON. D. C.

W. A. LORENZ & J. MBRRITT.

` PAPER BAG MACHINE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED JULY 10,1907.

Patented June 18, 1912.

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Patented June 18, 1912.

PAPER BAG MACHINE. APPLLGATION FILED JULY 10,1907.

W. A. LORENZ & J. MBRRITT.

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' COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH CO., WASHINGTON, D. C.

W. A. LORENZ & J. MERRITT.

PAPER BAG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1o, 1907.

Patented June 18, 1912.

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Inventors: WMZ/wm JLmvm/z/ l Joseph y JW? Wvtmssasf CoLUMB'IA PLANOGRAPM C0.. WAsmNu'roN, D. C.

W. A. LOREZ @L J. MERRITT.

' PAPER BAG MAGHINE. APPLIOATIQN FILED JULY 10,1907,

Patented June 18, 1912.

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WLLuLm JLmwW/x COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. LORENZ AND JOSEPH MERRI'IT, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGN-- ORS TO UNION PAPER BAG- MACHINE COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PAPER-BAG MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM A. LORENZ and JOSEPH MERRITT, citizens of thel United States, and residents of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PapenBag Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact specification.

The object of this invention is to provide automat-ic mechanism for forming in the open or mouth end of the side tucks of bellowssided paper bags, or paperbag blanks, certain reversed folds which are shown and described. in Letters Patent of the United States to H. M. Farnsworth, 353,010 dated Dec. 28, 1886, so that when the bag is opened for use, these particular folds will turn outwardly instead of inwardly, and thus present a funnel-shaped mouth for the more ready reception of the contents of the bag. rThese folds also assist in maintaining the mouth of the bag in an open condition. For this purpose the upper' or mouth ends of the inwardly tucked bellows plies of the blank are turned outwardly, the innermostbellows fold line being reversed and swung outwardly to positions approximately 90 degrees from their former positions.

rlhe machine of the present invention produces these folds by opening the mouth ends of the tucked bellows plies into flattened triangular folds. Then a blade, herein designated as the reversing blade, is brought against the blank, across the centers of the triangular folds, into approximate coincidence with what were formerly the inner bellows fold lines, upon which lines each of these triangles isthen doubled upon itself by the turning back of the opened out side walls, the reversing blade serving to prevent the said fold line from ret-urning to its original position.

This invention may be embodied in an independent machine by providing it with a. suitable driving mechanism, and by providing means for feeding the blanks or bags to it in proper sequence and register; but we prefer to embody the invention in a machine which operates in conjunction with a paper bag machine for folding the bottoms of paper' bags from bellows-sided blanks,l thus embodying in a single organization an automatic machine for rapidly manufacturing Specification of Letters Patent.

App1caton filed July 10, 1907.A

Patented June 18, 1912. Serial No. 383,083.

bellows sided paper bags having these mouth folds. Vhen thus employed in such an organization the machine of the present invention may perform its operations before the bottom of the bag has been formed, or it may, as herein shown, receive the bags after the bottom forming mechanism has completed the bottom folds.

Figure 1 of the drawingsis a plan view of a machine embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine of Fig. 1, looking at the right hand side thereof. Fig. 3 is an end View looking at t-he left hand side thereof. Fig. 4 is an end view in section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a front view in section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. Ll. Fig. 6 is a side view in section of the upper feed roll. Fig. 7 is a plan view and Fig 8 an end view of the lower feed roll. Fig. 9 4is a sectional side view of the lower feed roll, taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a sectional end view of the lower feed roll taken on the line 1.0-10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the blank support, taken on the line 11- `11 of Fig. 1. Fig. 12 is a sectional side view of the blank support taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 13. Fig. 13 is a sectional end view of the blank support taken on the line 1313 of Fig. 12. Fig. lelis an end View of the hollow bearing of the blank support. Fig. 15 is an end view of the same piece, taken in section on the line 15-15 of Fig. 11. Fig. 16 is an end View of a fragment of the blank support, showing the gripping mechanism. Figs. 17 to 24 are outline end views of the mechanism, showing the successive stages of the funnel forming operation. Figs. 25, 26 and 27 are perspective views of the mouth of a bellows-sided bag in successive stages. Fig. 25 shows the blank before it has been folded. Fig. 26 shows an intermediate position of the fold, and Fig. 27 shows the complete and flattened funnel folds.

The organization of mechanism shown and described herein is adapted to be at tached to many of the well-known forms of paper bag machines, the rolls 41 being the delivery rolls of such a paper bag machine. The mechanism herein shown is supported on the uprights 52 and 53, these being secured together in their lower part by the tie pieces 56 and 57, and supported on the legs 54 and 55. The mechanism is driven by a train of gears which receives its motion by meshing the gear 93 with the gear 46 (Figs. 1 and 3) on the paper bag machine Ato which itis connected. The gear 93 is secured to the shaft 62, and the feed rolls 41 receive their motion from the shaft 62, through the gear 45 secured thereto, and the gear 43 secured to the shaft of the feed rolls. The rods 44 serve to tie the paper bag machine and the funnel folding machine together.

The shaft 62 is journaled in the uprights 52 and 53, and has secured to it the lower feed roll 61, between which and its coperating upper feed roll 101 the blanks are received over the blade 42 from the delivery rolls 41 of the bag machine. This machine is adapted to operate on different widths and different lengths of bags, and to that end is provided with means for receiving the different widths and lengt-hs and registering them with the mouth end of the bag in proper relation to the fold mechanism. In most bag machines the bags are delivered bottom end first, which further increases and complicates the compensation required for the proper registration of the different sizes and lengths. The various blank feeding and supporting rolls are made of a circumference and width great enough to accommodate the longest and widest bags to 'be folded, in addition to providing for leaving a suitable space between the succeeding bags, to give room for the folding implements. Hence these rolls travel with a surface speed which is likely to be considerably greater than the speed at which the bags are delivered from the bag machine. In the present invention provision is made for adjustments and compensations to meet these variations in width, length and speed of travel of the bags.

The main blank support, which principally serves as the folding bed upon which the blanks are held during the folding operations, consists, in the present invention, of a mutilated cylinder 126, which is secured to the shaft 127, the right hand end of which is j ournaled in the bearing 129 (Fig. 5) sup'- ported in the upright 52., while the left hand end of the shaft is ournaled in the central sleeve 151, which forms a part of the hollow bearing 148 supported by the upright 53. The shaft 127 has fixed thereon the gear 128, which meshes with and receives rotary movement from the gear 103, which drives the upper feed roll 101 and meshes with a gear 98 on the lower feed roll shaft 62. The gear 93 is mounted upon the shaft 62, and meshes with the driving gear 46, as above described. f

As one of the means for adjusting the various parts of the present machine so as to receive the different widths and lengths of bags from the bag machine and register.

them properly in thisv machine, the gears 93 and 98 are adjustably secured to each other and to the shaft 62, being fixed in their adjusted positions by means of bolts 9"4 and 95. The adjacent faces of the relatively adjustable parts may if so desired be provided with suitable graduations by means of which the machine may at once be adjusted, without experiment, to suit the respective lengths of bags. YThe ends of the shafts 62 and 127 are preferably squared at 60 and 130, Arespectively, to facilitate adjustment of the parts.

1t is desirable for certainty and uniformity of action in delivering the bags from the delivery rolls 41 tothe feed rolls 61 and 101 to grip the bag with the latter rolls before it is released from the rolls 41. If delivered from one of these rolls to the other and faster traveling roll in the ordinary way, without any compensating devices, the tendency would be to stretch the bags and tear them, or to make their registration uncertain or irregular by reason of slipping between one or the other of the pairs of rolls. To compensate for this difference in speed between the rolls; and also for the differences in the length of time during which the bags are gripped by these rolls, due to their varying lengths, means are provided for pushing back the front end of each bag a definite and predetermined extent, differing for each length of bag, so that the bag may be unifo-rmly gripped at its front end between the faster traveling feed rolls 61 and 101, before its rearward end is released by the delivery rolls 41, without causing any such tension as to tear the bag or interfere with its correct registration. For this purpose the roll 61 is provided with a registering blade or finger 64, which, as the front end of the bag B reaches the feed roll 61, pushes that leading end backwardly (Fig. 17), thus bending or buckling the bag and providing an amount of slack equaling or exceeding the amount that will be taken up by the faster traveling' feed rolls, between the time that they grip the bag and the time that the latter is released from the delivery rolls 41. A suitable portion vof the periphery of the roll 61 or 101 or bo-th is relieved ad- Y jacent to the position of the finger 64, so as to receive and guide but not to grip the corresponding portion of the bag, leaving it free to be pushed back between the relieved portions of the rolls.

The finger 64 (Figs. 8 to 10) is pivoted on the stud 76 carried by the roll 61, and has teeth 75 cut in its hub, which engage with a sector gear 74, secured to the shaft 65 journaled in the roll 61. Motion is imparted to the finger 64 during the rotation of the roll 61, by means of the arm 66 secured to the outer end of the shaft65 and held by the spring 73 against the stationary cam 68.

The hub of this cam extends through and is supported by the upright 52, and forms a bearing for the shaft 62.

1n order to adjust this part of the mecha- 5 nism to bags of different lengths as well as to allow adjustment for slight variations in bags of the same nominal length, the cam 68 is made circumferentially adjustable, having secured to its outer end the worm gear 69 (Fig. 2) which meshes with t-he worm 70 journaled in the bracket 72 supported on the upright 52. The shaft of the worm is provided with the knurled head 71. Motion may thus at any time be imparted to the worm gear 69, and the circumferential position of the cam 68 be adjusted relative to the time of rotation of the roll 61, whether the machine is in operation or not.

As the forwardly projecting free front ends of the bags are liable to be deflected sidewise, especially when pushed backward as above described, a pair of centralizing fingers 7 9 (Figs. 7 to 10) are provided, which have a movement toward each other as the blank passes to the roll 61, so that the edges of such bags as may be out of center are engaged by one or the other of these fingers, and pushed to a central position. These fingers are pivoted on the studs 80, carried by the blocks 81 held in the support block 82 which is fitted into a recess provided for it by cutting away a portion of the periphery of the roll 61, to which it is secured. The hubs of the finger 7 9 are provided with-sector gears 83, which mesh with the teeth 77 cut in the hub of the registering finger 64. The motion of the latter thus serves to impart the required movement to the fingers 79. In order to provide adjustment for varying widths of bags the pivot blocks 81 are fitted to slide in ways provided in the support 82. The right and left hand screw 84 passes through holes tapped for it in the sliding blocks 81, and is secured against endwise movement by the block 86, which fits between the two collars 85, and is secured to the support 82. Motion imparted to the screw 84 by means of the knurled head 87 thus serves to draw together or separate the two lingers 79, the length of the teeth 77 permitting the necessary sliding movement of the sectors 83. A check-nut S8 secures the parts in any desired position of adjustment.

The upper feed roll 101 is journaled inl the uprights 52 and 53, being supported at its right hand end by the shaft 102 (Fig. 6) to which it is secured, and which rotates in the bearing 104. The left hand side of the roll is provided with a long hub 110 which rotates in the bearing 105. Motion is imparted through the gear 103 secured to the hub 110 which meshes with the gear 98 on the shaft 62. The roll 101 is provided in a part of its periphery with the presser feet 106 which are arranged in a series of pairs at each end of the roll, each foot being provided with a spring 107. Thus the bags are firmly held in spite of varying thicknesses at the folded bottom or elsewhere.

A portion of the cylindrical surface of the roll 101 is cut away on the side opposite the presser feet 106, forming a recess 111 (Fig. 4) one side of which forms the wall 112of a suction chamber, this wall being provided with slits or perforations 113,lead ing to the interior of the roll, which is made hollow for this suction purpose.v As the mouth end of the bag comes in contact with this surface, the upper and lower plies thereof are separated by means of this suction chamber and a coacting suction chamber carried by the blank support 126, this separation of the two plies causing the side tucks to open so as to permit the certain entrance of the folding devices. The long hub 110 of the roll 101 is made hollow and connects the inside of the roll with the pipe 114 (Fig. 3) leading to the main suction pipe.154, which is connected with suitable exhausting apparatus, not shown.

Disposed between the feed rolls 61 and 101 and adjacent to the blank support 126 is the deflecting plate 121 supported on the rod 122, secured by a set screw in the lug 123, on the tie bar 57. It is the function of this plate to deiiect the bag from between the rolls 61 and 101 to the adjacent surface of the blank support 126; and for this purpose the cylindrical surface of the roll 61 is provided with grooves or slots 63, into which fit corresponding projections of the plate 121. The end of the plate nearest the blank support is bent downward so as to provide space for the opening out of the mouth of the bag.

The rotating blank support 126 carries one or more sets of folding beds, and gripping and folding devices to which suitable movements are imparted as the blank support rotates. The machine herein shown is provided with two sets of these devices, but only one of these sets needs to be described, it being'understood that the construction and mode of operation of the second set is similar thereto, and that these devices alternate in their operation upon the succeeding blanks.

The gripping device consists of a pair of grippers 131, located on each side of the blank support. For convenience in assembling, the pair of grippers and their attendant mechanism are contained in the gripper box 133 (Figs. 11 and 16) which fits in a recess 132 formed to receive it in the blank support 126. The grippcrs are pivotally vsupported on the studs 134, appurtenant to the box 133, and the hub of each gripper forms a pinion 135. The right hand pinion meshes with the rack 136 on its inner side, while the left hand pinion 135 meshes with the rack 137 on its outer side. The two racks'136 and 137 are fitted to slide in the box 133, and are secured together by the connecting block 138, which joins their inner ends. The rack 136 is provided on its outer end with a stud 140, which engages the fixed cam 142,secured to the bearing 129. By means of this cam the racks receive a reciprocating motion as the blank support 126 rotates, and the grippers 131 are therefore thrown alternately into or out of engagement with the cylindrical surfaceV of the blank support. The spring 139 secured at one end to the box 133. and at the other end to the block 138 serves to hold the stud 140 against the cam 142. A bracket 141 secured to the side of the blank support 126 supports the inner end of the stud 140, which is flattened off so as to be free to slide therein during the reciprocating movement of the racks.

The surface 146 standing at an angle to and joined to the cylindrical surface of the blank support 126 is provided with a number of slits or perforations 147 leading to the interior of the blank support 126, and forms the outer wall ofthe suction chamber 145, which coperates with the surface 112 of the upper feed roll 101.

Pneumatic communication between the suction chamber 145 and the exhausting apparatus is made tln'ough the hollow bearing 148 (Fig. 5) which joins the pipe 153, connected with the main suction pipe 154. An opening 149 (Figs. 11 to 15) formed by cutting away a part of the outer shell of the suction bearing 148 where it projects within the blank support 126, serves to connect the interior of the latter at regularintervals with the exhausting apparatus. This connection takes place, however, only during that portion of therotation of the blank support at which the chambers 145 are opposite the opening 149. The position of the latter is such that the suction becomes operative upon each chamber 145 as soon as the mouth of the bag reaches the surface 146, and becomes inoperative before the mouth end leaves the blank support. The curved plate 150 which is secured to the inner edge of the surface 146 and extends across the entire width of that surface assists the action of the suction surfaces 146 and 112, closing up the rearward side of the space acted upon by j the suction.

162 mounted for movement toward and from the blank support 126 on the slide 163 (Figs. 1 and 5) fitted to ways in the brackets 164 secured to the sides of the blank support 126. The reciprocating movement is imparted by means of the roll or stud 165 secured to the slide 163, t-raveling in the stationary cam 166 secured to the bearing 129. The retaining blade 162 is rigidly secured to the slide 163 and it is its function to assist in defining the triangular fold lines, and also to coperate with the suction surface 146 in holding down the lower ply of the blank during the upward folding of the upper ply. The swinging blade 161 is mounted for rotation on an axis substantially in alinement with the intersection of the angular surface 146 and the cylindrical surface of the blank support, and'is secured to the shaft 172 which is journaled in bearings formed in the projections 17 0 and 171 of the slide 163, and is rotated by means of the pinion 173 which is secured to its outer end and meshes with the sector gear 174 pivoted on the stud 175 appurtenant to the bracket 164. The sector gear 174 is provided with an arm 176 carrying a roll stud 177 which is held in engagement by the spring 179 with the fixed cam 178 secured to the bearing 129. The outer edges of the blades 161 and 162 vare inclined at an angle of approximately 45 de grees with their inner edges, and serve to locate and define the inner inclined lines of the fiattened triangular folds.

The adjustment of the folding and retaining blades 161 and 162 so as to vary the distance of their Zone of movement from the center of the blank support 126 is provided for by the adjusting screw 167 (Fig. 5) tted in the lug 168 on the upright 52, the inner end of the screw being tapped into the cam 166, which controls theV reciproca-ting movement of the blades 161 and 162.

As the folding upward of the end of the uppervply has a tendency t-o raise the rest of that ply from the blank support, and thus interfere more or less with the accurate formation of the flattened triangular folds, the retaining fingers 181 are provided, which swing down against the upper ply and hold it down (Figs. 21 and 22) thereby confining ythe folds to their proper limits. Each finge-1' 181 is carried by a sha-ft 182 journaled in a projection 171, and is provided with a pinion 183 on its outer end, which meshes with the pinion 184 o-n the shaft 17 2 of the folding blade. The rotation of the folding blade thus serves to impart a suitabley coacting motion to the finger 181.

Each set or Vsection of theblank support is also provided with a reversing blade 191 (Figs. 4 and 5) which is mounted to swing toward and from the center line of the flattened triangular folds, and reverse those folds along the said center line, remaining against the folds long enough to prevent them from returning to their original position, when the upper ply is folded back toward the lower ply. The blade 191 is mounted upon the arm 192, which is pivoted by means of the shaft 193 to the bracket 194, secured to the blank support 126. One end of the shaft 193 extends outside of the blank support, and is provided with an arm 195 to the end of which is secured the roll stud 196 held in engagement with the stationary cam 197 by the spring 198, the cam 197 being secured to the bearing 129 and preferably made integral with the gripper cam 142. The outer surv face of the blade 191 is shaped to the same curvature as the cylindrical surface of the blank support 126, so that when it is in engagement with the center line of the triangular folds (Figs. 22 and 23), this surface forms a continuation of the outer surface of the blank support, concentric with its axis of rotation.

Inasmuch as the bottom or forward ends of the longer bags may extend for some distance along the surface of the blank support ahead of the grippers 131, means are provided to hold this end to the blank support, so that it may pass properly over the plate 217 to the tape 224, and the upper delivery roll 221. These means consist of the bifurcated sector 201 (Figs. 1 and 4) mounted on the shaft 202 journaled in bearings in the uprights 52 and 53, and driven by means of the gear 203 meshing with the gear 128.

After the reversing blade 191 has been brought against the center line of the flattened triangular folds (Fig. 22) the folding blades 161 are swung backwardly toward the blade 162, thus folding the upper ply back to its original position, but with the reversed side tucks turned forwardly instead of inwardly, after which the blades 161 and 162 are withdrawn from the tucks of the bag. The folds are then flattened by passing under the segment 211 (Figs. 1, 4 and 23) which presses them down upon the curved surface of the blade 191. The segment 211 is carried on the shaft 202, being supported by means of the pin 205 on the arms 204 (Figs. 1 and 2) which extend from the hub 208 of the sector 201. By means of the spring 213 the inner end of which bears against the abutment 207 on the hub 208, the segment 211 is permitted to yield so as to adapt itself to variations in the thicknesses of the bags, the projection 212 being held against the lug 206 on the hub 208 so as to limit the outward action of the spring.

The plate 217 which serves to direct the forward end of the bag to the belt 224 is secured to the bar 218 supported in the uprights 52 and 53. The belt 224 is carried by the roll 221 and the pulley 225. The former is secured to the shaft 222 journaled in the uprights 52 and 53 and driven by the gear 223, and the latter is mounted on the bracket 226 supported on Ways provided therefor on the tie bar 56. A screw 227 provides for any necessary adjustment of the tension of the belt. 230 carried by the rod.23l supported in the bearing 232 in the tie bar 57 serves to direct the end of the bag from the blank support over the belt 224 to the belt 236, from which it passes to the belt 241, which carries it away from the machine, the funnel folds being still further flattened by passing between the roll 221 and the belt 236. The belt 236 is carried by pulleys 237 and 240, the former of which is mounted for rotation in the bracket 238 appurtenant to the tie bar 57, while the latter is mounted on the yoke 239 which is pivoted on the shaft of the pulley 242, thus providing means for taking up the slack in the belt. The yoke 239 is secured in position by well-known devices, not shown. The pulley 242 serves as the inner support of the belt 241.

The consecutive operation of this machine as a whole is as follows :w-The bag B is delivered from the rolls 41 over the blade 42 to the roll 61, in approximately the condition shown in Fig. 25, its leading end striking the finger 64 which pushes it backward to a suitable extent, while the rolls 41 continue to feed it forward, thus creating a slack in it as shown in Fig. 17, to an extent suited to the length of bag. The bag then passes forward between the rolls 61 and 101 (Fig. 18), the presser feet 106 adapting themselves to any variations in the thickness of the bag, so as to move it forward by a substantially equal pressure upon the roll 61. The plate 121 then directs the bag from the roll 61 to the surface of the blank support 126, where its edges are gripped to that surface by the closing down of the grippers 131. When the rear o-r mouth end of the bag reaches the roll 101 it is opposite the recess 111 (Fig. 19) so that the suction through the perforations 113 in the surface 112 draws the upper ply away from the lower ply, thus slightly distending the mouth of the bag, which distention is still further increased as soon as the mouth end reaches the blank support (Fig. 20), as the suction through the perforations 147 in the surface 146 then becomes operative and acts upon the lower ply of the bag. The blades 161 and 162 are then moved into the side tucks which have been opened by the separation of the upper and lower plies. The swinging blades 161 are then forwardly turned on their axes, thus folding the upper ply upward and away'from the lower ply, the latter being meanwhile held in place by the blades 162, as well as by the suction through the surface 146, thus opening out the mouth Vend of the bag into flattened tri- The stripper plate angular plies (Figs. 21 and 26), the outer edges of the blades 161 and 162 serving to locate and define the inclined inner lines of the folds. The retaining fingers 181 are now swung backwardly and engage the upper ply of the bl-ank on the forward side of the folding blades 161, carrying the ply downward, and thereby assisting to stretch the paper into pro-per position and defining the cross fold on the upper ply. The reversing blade 191 is then swung forward and engages these folds along their center line 188 (Fig. 22). While the blade 191 remains in this position the swinging blades 161 are turned back on their axes toward the blade 191 (Fig. 23), thereby returning the upper ply ofthe blank to its first posi* tion, and doubling the triangular side folds upon themselves upon the fold line 188 around the edge of the blade 74, thus reversing the folds upon that line, and leaving it in substantial coincidence and alinement with the axes of the swinging blades and thereby forming on each side of .the blank the two V-shaped funnel plies 187 (Fig. 27 The folding blades 161 and 162 are now withdrawn entirely out of the tucks, and the pressing segment 211 engages the upper ply of the blank pressing it against the rounded surface of the reversing blade 191, and thus flattening the folds. Meanwhile, the forward or bottom end of the bag has passed under the sector 201 over the plate 217 and the belt 224. The grippers 131 release their hold about this time, thus allowing the forward end of the bag to be deflected from the blank support vby the stripper plate 230, which directs it to the belt 236. The bag thus passes from the belt 236 to the belt 241, by which it is carried away from the machine. The reversing blade 191 withdraws from the mouth fold just before therear end of the bag leaves the blank support (Fig. 24) the suction through the surface 146 having by this time become inoperative. Both the upper and lower folds are thoroughly flattened by passing between the belts 224 and 236, the bag being delivered in approximately the condition shown in Fig. 27, in which view, however,l the blank is open to a slight eX- tent, so as to represent more clearly the character of the funnel folds 187 produced by this operation.

The terms upper, lower, right, left, forward,7 backward, and similar terms denoting relative positions are herein used in their relative and not their absolute sense, inasmuch as many of the parts may be reversed, inverted or transposed in many ways that will be obvious to the mechanic or designer. The mechanism herein shown and described may also be modified as to dimensions, amplitude of movement and in many other obvious ways to suit different sizes of bags or to meet various conditions of service.

It will also be apparent that some of these devices, and particularly the devices for receiving and registering bags or blanks which are liable to be delivered to the machine irregularly or at different speeds, are applicable to various other machinery, including printing, pasting or folding machines for paper bags or blanks, or similar articles. Those devices are made the subject matter of a divisional application, Serial No. 519,983 filed by us under date of September a5, 1909.

W'e claim as our invention 1. Means for forming the described funnel folds in the mouth end of a bellows sided bag blank, including a rotary Vblank support provided with a. suction surface, a pair of feed rolls for feeding the blanks to the said blank support with the mouth end of the blank in register wit-h the said suction surface, one of the said feed rolls being also provided with a suction surface registering with the mouth end of the blank, a pair of sustaining blades mounted to move into the side tucks of the blank, to bend down and hold down the lower ply thereof, and a pairV of folding blades also mounted to move into the side tucks of the blank and fold the upper ply upwardly, the said sustaining blades and folding blades coacting with the said suction surface of the blank support and of the feed roll to Open the mouth end of the blank and form the said triangular folds therein.

2. Means for forming the described funnel folds in the mouth end of a bellows-sided bag blank, including a rotary blank support, means for turning the mouth end of the lower ply of the blank inwardly within the rotary path of the blank, means for folding the mouth end of the upper ply outwardly from the rotary path of the blank to form the triangular folds between the said plies, and retaining fingers for moving the upper ply downwardly to close the said plies together adjacent to the said triangular folds.

3. Means for forming the described funnel folds in the end portions' of a bellowssided bag blank, including a rotary blank support, means for turning the mouth end of the lower ply of the blank inwardly within the rotary path of the blank, means for folding the mouth end of the upper ply outwardly fromthe rotary path of the blank to form the triangular folds between the said plies, retaining fingers for moving the upper ply downwardly to close the plies together adjacent to the said triangular folds, and means for operating the retaining lingers in proper time relation to the operation of lifting the mouth end of the upper ply.

va pair of retaining fingers mounted to swing backwardly toward the said folding blades to close the said upper and lower plies together substantially adjacent to the said triangular folds.

5. Means for forming the described funnel folds in the mouth end of a bellowssided bag blank, including a rotary blank support, means for turning down the mouth end of the' lower ply of the blank inside the rotary path of the blank, means inoluding a pair of folding blades for turning the mouth end of the upper ply of the blank outwardly from the rotary path of the blank to form the described triangular folds between the said upper and lower plies, and a pair of retaining fingers mounted to swing backwardly toward the said folding blades to close the said upper and lower plies together substantially adjacent to the said triangular folds, and driving means connecting the said blades and the said fingers to move them coincidently.

In witness whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VILLIAM A. LORENZ. JOSEPH MERRITT. Witnesses:

EDWARD H. LORENZ, HANS MALLNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

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