US1886832A - Folding mechanism - Google Patents

Description

.Nov. 8, 1982. 1,886,832

FOLDING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 10.1927 J 3. Sheets-Sheet 1 I nvent or Attorneys Nov. 8, 1932 A. NOVICK FOLDING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 10. 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 8, 1932.

A. NOVICK FOLDING MECHANISM Filed NOV. 10. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet a Attorneys Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES ABRAHAM NOVICK, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO F. L. SMITHE MACHINE INQ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK PATENT OFFICE FOLDING MECHANISM Application filed November 10, 1927. Serial No. 232,272.

This invention relates generally to rotary envelope-making mechanism, and specifically to a flap folding device comprising a part ofsuch mechanism.

An object of the invention is the provision of means for rapidly and accurately folding the closing-flap of the envelope after the side and bottom flaps thereof have been folded and gummed in position, and after the said closing-flap has been creased.

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel envelope-counting mechanism, employed in conjunction with the said closingfiap folding mechanism.

The following is a description of an envelope closing-flap folding device and an envelope-counting device embodying the invention in its present preferred form; but it will be understoodthat various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and without exceeding the scope of the claims.

The invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein the present preferred embodiment is illustrated and in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of aportion of an envelope-making machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line '22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a detail showing a transverse cross-barwith adjustable envelope stops or'gauges mounted thereon; Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the envelope guide and anti-buckling members with an envelope held therebetween in position to be advanced by the stops to the closing-flap fold-- ing rolls; Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5, but showingthe'stops in position wherein the envelope has been advanced into the bite of the folding rolls; and Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic side elevation on an enlarged scale, showing the folding rolls in their sepa rated position, with the envelope in process of being fed therethrough. 7

Likereference charactersindicate like parts I throu bout the drawings- Ref erring to the drawings, 1 denotes :1.

8a to slides 9 and 9a.

velope stop 10, and slide 9a carries a similar envelope stop 1011. Slide 9 is slidably mounted in bedplate 12, and slide 911 is similarly mounted in bedplate 12a. As appears from Figs. land 3, levers 7 and 7 (1, together with their coacting links 8 and 8a, slides 9 and 9a and bedplates l2 and 12a are adjustable transversely to accommodate envelopes of varying lengths. Slides 9a and 9, respectively, are retained in theirslidable positions inbedplates 12a and 12 by gibs such as 1111 and 11. Slides 9 and 9a, respectively, are provided with T-slots, 13 and 13a, co-operative with which are nuts such as 14, which in coaction with bolts such as 15, permit of adjustment of the stops 10 and 10a to any desired position in the slides, in order to accommodate envelopes of varying widths.

Also mounted upon frame 1 are two stanchions 16 and 16a, journaled in which are upper envelope feed roll shaft 17 and lower envelope feed roll shaft 18; and also resilient feed-roll shaft 19 and idler feed roll shaft 20. Attached to upper envelope feed roll shaft 17 is envelope feed roll 21; at

tached to lower envelope feed roll shaft 18- f 24 and 24a, carrying shaft 25, rotatively-supported uponwhich shaft is idler feed roll 26.

Also attached to'rocker shaft 20 is cam lever mo 27, carrying cam roller 28 and cam 29, adapted to maintain said cam roller in contact with cam 30, attached to shaft 31, rotated by means not shown. The function of cam 30, cam roller 28, cam lever 27, rocker shaft 20 and arms 24 and 24a is to move idler feed roll 26 into and out of approximate engagement with lower envelope feed roll 22.

top-actuating rocker shaft 5 has attached thereto a lever 32, pivotally connected to.

which lever is a link 32a, co-operative with which link may be a lever or a plurality of levers (not shown), actuated by a cam (also not shown), attached to cam shaft 31. Attached to depressing member rocker shaft 6 is a lever 33, pivotally connected to which lever is a link 34;, co-operative with which link mayshaft 6 and gauge-actuating rocker shaft 5 are of such conformationand so timed with reference to each other that the idler feed roll 26, the envelope depressing fingers 35a, 35b and 350, and the stop slides 9 and 9a function co-operatively and in proper sequence.

V The mode of operation of the device is as follows: an envelope (indicated by the numeral 36), the side and bottom flaps of which have theretofore been folded and gummed in position and the closing-flap of which has theretofore been creased along the line of the proposed fold, is fed by any well-known velo means (not shown) from the table 37 into the bite of upper feed roll 21 and lower feed roll 22 and carried by said rolls into the position shown in Fig.2 wherein its bottom edge is in contact with stops 10 and 10a and table 4, at the apex of the angle formed by said stops and table. Stops 10 and 100- are so located with reference to the contiguous surfaces of feed rolls 21 and 22 that, with envelopes of the particular over-all width e.,the envelope body width and the enclosing-flap width) which are being han ed,when the bottom edge of the envelope is in the positionlast described, the extreme top of the closing-flap will have passed out of the bite ofthe feed rollers 21 and 22.

. Thus, in the operation of the folding device,

"the upper end of the closing-flap is freed from the positive forward urge resulting from pressure of the cooperative feed rollers 21 and 22 upon the envelope, clearing the bite of the feed rollers by a slight margin only,

so that, for the brief interval of. time during which the envelope remains in the position indicated in Fig. 2, the frictional contact be tween the end of the closing-flap and one or both of the feed rollers will be sufficient to afiord a slightly forward urge to the envelope which will cause it to square or align itself against the stops. Hence, any shifting of the envelope with reference to the line of contact with the feed rollers which may have been brought about during the progress of transportation' will be corrected, and the folding of the top flap will take place correctly along the creased line. Immediately after the envelope has assumed this position, and through the action of. the cam and lever above described as actuating link 34, lever 33 and rocker-shaft 6, said rocker-shaft is oscillated, depressing fingers 35a, 35b and 350, and cansing them to carry the envelope downward to the position shown in Fig. 5. In the progress of this downward movement, the closing-fiap is wiped over the surface of feed roll 22, resulting in the preliminary folding of the flap along the line of a crease previously formed therein. As the fingers 35a, 35b and 350 oscillate with reference to the axis of shaft 6, the outer ends of said fingers, in their downward movement, 'will, of course, describe the are of a circle. It is contemplated that the various parts of the device shall be so proportioned" and adjusted that the extreme ends of the fingers shall initially contact with the envelope along aline slightly above the crease; and that, in the course of the downward movement, the arcuate path of travel of the ends of the fingers will cause this position of contact to progressively shift toward the body of the envelope, so that,

when the envelope is passing the line of nearest approachof the fingers to the feed roll 22, the ends of the fingers will be in alignment with such crease. Thereafter, when the envelope has been carried to the point indicated in Fig. 5, the ends of the fingers will be slightly below the preliminarilyformed fold.

With some classes of envelopes, it is not desirable toemploy an abrupt fiat fold of the closing-flap-a gradual or generally curved fold being preferred.- The hereinbefore described coaction of fingers 35a, 35b

and 350 with roll 22 produces a preliminary v fold of the latter type.

Referring now to Fig. 5: Fingers 35a, 35b and 350 exert only slight pressure upon the envelope, such pressure being insuflicient to interfere with the advance of the envelope between table 4 and said fingers, under the urge of movable stops 10 and 10a, but sufficient to force most of the air out of the envelope and to prevent undesirable buckling of the envelope when it is pushed forward. With the envelope in the position shown m Fig. 5., the cam and levers actuating lmk 33 and lever 32 now cause oscillation of shaft 5, r

and, through lever 7 and 8,-stop slides 9 and 9a, together with their attached gauges 10 and 10a, are moved downward and to the left, as shown in Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 7 The stops push the envelope while held between fingers 35a, 35b and 350 and the table 4 to the position shown in Fig. 6, wherein its upper creased edge enters the bite of the lower feed roll 22 and the idler feed roll 26, which rolls have immediately theretofore been brought into more or less close contact by the action of cam 30, cam roller 28, cam

rocker-shaft 20 and to lower feed roll 22, as controlled by the size and contour of the cam 30. Regardless, however, of the degree of pressure intended to be used for the particular class of envelopes being handled, it is important that such pressure be confined tothe immediate vicinity of the line of the fold, rather than being applied .to the entire body of the envelope, as otherwise the still undried-gum employed on the side flaps and on the closing-flap may be extruded from the side flaps and cause the inner front and back surfaces of the envelope to adhere. The localization of pressure is further desirable for the reason that air might otherwise become pocketed in the envelope and be so compressedas to burst the same in its passage between the feed rolls. For these reasons, idler feed roll 26 is permitted by cam 30 to remain in contact with the envelope only until the upper edge of the latter has entered the bite of resilient feed roll 23 and idler feed roll 26, whereupon cam roller 28 is engaged by the elevated portion of cam 30, cam lever 27 is raised against the tension of cam spring 29, rocker-shaft 20 is oscillated, arms 24: and 24a are moved downwardly and to the right, and idler feed roll 26 is disengaged from its position of approximate contact with lower feed roll 22, wherein it applied folding pressure to the envelope.

In order to obviate, for the reasons set forth, the undesirably high pressure upon the envelope which would result from its passage through hard and unyielding rolls in feeding it from the machine, the invention embodies the novel feature of a highly resilient feed roll 23, the pressure exerted by which is adequate to frictionally feed the envelope, but, at the same time, is insufficient to cause extrusion of the gum, adhesion thereof, or "pocketing of air. This resilient roll is here illustrated as being in the form of a bristle brush, but it will be understood that other expedients may be employed for the accomplishment of the purpose, such, for example, as a roll faced with sponge rubber, or provided with a pneumatic rubber covering.

The invention also'embodies a novel form of envelope counter, the construction .and operation of which are as follows: an oscillating shaft 37 a actuates a counter (not shown), which counter may be of any wellknown construction. Clam-ped to this shaft is an arm 38, having an upwardly projecting portion 39, a curved portlon 40,.and a lip portion 41 (Figs. 2 and 5). Referring to Fig. 1, envelope depressing finger 35b is provided with an aperture, 42, intowhich the curved portion 40 of arm 38 is adapted to enter when said finger is depressed. Lip portion 41 restricts the upward movement of arm 38 by contacting with the solid portion of gripping finger 356. When the aperture 42 of the gripping finger is covered by an envelope interposed between said finger and the curved portion 40 of said arm 38, the

downward pressure of the-finger is transmitted through the envelope to the arm, thereby oscillating the shaft 37a and actuating the counter. If, however, the machine should at any time be running without envelopes passing therethrough, the absence of means for closing aperture 42 insures against the counter operating.

The device comprises simple, inexpensive, efficient and rapidly-acting means for folding the closing-flap of envelopes and for counting such envelopes. It possesses several advantages over existing device, among which advantages are the following: accuracy in folding is assured by reason of initially feeding the envelope against a stop for the purpose of aligning the same. As the body of the envelope is not bent or curved at any stage of the closing-flap folding process, the possibility is obviated of distorting the said portion to which there has been applied gum which is not thoroughly set. During the preliminary folding operation, there is expelled from the envelope the greater portion of any contained air which, if entrapped therein, might, by reason of the pressure of the final folding rolls, cause the envelope to burst. The device affords means for effecting either a gradual or generally curved fold, such as is preferred in some classes of envelopes; and, alternatively, an abrupt flat fold, such as is required in other classes of envelopes.

While I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters for folding an end flap of a blank comprismg means in the form of rolls acting to feed the blanks and to fold them, a stop against which the blank is fed by said feed rolls, a stationary guide receiving the blank from the feed; rolls and directingit crease foremost Y between said folding rolls, means for moving operative to apply pressure to an envelope,-

7 means for pushing said envelopeinto engagement with said pressure rolls, and a resilient roll co-operative with one of said pressure rolls to discharge the envelope from the machine.

3. In envelope closing-flap folding mech- I anism, the combination of a driving folding roll, a co-operative idler folding roll, a spring normally maintaining said idler roll in operative relationship with said driving roll and a cam opposing said spring to retract said idler roll from said operative relationship.

4. In envelope closing-flap folding mechanism, the combination of a driving folding roll, a co-operative idler' folding roll, rotatable upon a shaft carried by an arm, a rocker shaft supportin said arm, a lever actuating said rocker shaft, a spring controlling said lever, a cam roller carried by said lever and a cam co-operative with said cam roller and opposing said spring to move said lever. and oscillate said shaft, arm and idler roll.

5. In envelope closing-flap folding mechanism, the combination of folding rolls and a resilient discharge roll coacting. with one of said folding rolls, said resilient roll presenting isolated points of contact with material passed thereover;

6. In an envelope making machine, closingflap folding mechanism comprising a driving enve ope from the machine.

and means'for movin'g'same so as to wipe the envelope flap over a portion of the surface of 8. The meehamsm as set forth in claim 7 including means for advancing the partially folded flap into the bight of said folding'rolls.

9. The mechanism as set forth in claim 8 including a resilient roll cooperative with one of said folding rolls to discharge the In testimony whereof I have aflixed signature to this specification.

1 ABRAHAMNOVICK.

. folding roll, a cooperating idler folder roll and means for feeding envelopes to said rolls, a mounting for said idler roll and means for oscillating said mounting to move said roll into and out of operative contact with said driving roll during a revolution of saidcooperating rolls, said means last mentioned tion to be varied.

permitting the period of contact per revolueffective width at least substantially equal to the length of the line of fold of the flap to be folded and disposed so as to include the envelope between it and said roll last mentioned

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