US2070297A

US2070297A - Machine for folding cloth articles

Info

Publication number: US2070297A
Application number: US660484A
Authority: US
Inventors: John E Preston
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1933-03-13
Filing date: 1933-03-13
Publication date: 1937-02-09
Anticipated expiration: 1954-02-09

Description

Feb. 9, 1937. J. E. PRESTON MACHINE FOR FOLDING CLOTH ARTICLES Filed MaICh 15, 1933 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR- E. P EsToN,

Feb. 9, 1937. J. E` PRESTON 2,070,291

MACHINE FOR FOLDING CLOTH ARTICLES Filed March 15, 19:53 7 sheets-sheet 5 .llfllIl/lIl//flI/A 'Il :hwn 44 271/1/1//1/1'1/1/1/1//1/1//1 lll/l//l//l/l/ I y 22 Ejle 28 29 21 3M. a2', Y 21 38 38 2;?. iii

INVENTOR- 27 Jon-N E. PREsToN,

` A ORNEY- Feb. 9, 1937. J. E PRESTON 2,070,297

MACHINE FOR FOLDING CLOTH ARTICLES Filed March l5, 1935` 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig--l- :m14 man):

t l Jia-ww! a2 35 N 75" 37 llll [Illu/4 Feb. 9, 1937. .1. E. PRESTON MACHINE FOR FOLDING CLOTH ARTICLES Filed March 13, 1935 '7 Shzeetg-Sheet 5 INVENTOR- JoHN E. PREsToN @TTORNEY- J. E. P'REsToN 2,070,297

MACHINE FOR FOLDING CLOTH ARTICLES Fbb.9,l937.

Filed March 15, 19:55 'i sheets-sheet 6 INVENTOR- Jol-IN E. PR sToN,

Feb. 9, 1937. 1 E -PRESTON 2,070,297

MACHINE FOR FOLDING CLOTH ARTICLES Filed March l5, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOR .Jol-IN E. PRE TON,

T NEY Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNli'ED STATES PATENT CFFICE MACHINE FOR FOLDING CLOTH ARTICLES Claims.

My invention relates to machines for folding cloth articles such as towels and other articles of more or less limited dimensions.

Such machines have a special utility in laundries.

Although such articles are usually made according to more or less standard specifications, they are likely to vary somewhat in size and in fact individual articles vary from time to time due to difference in shrinkage in the wash.

The present invention constitutes improvements in machines of the type of the Preston and Solrolow Patent 1,858,565.

One object of the present invention is to simplify the folding mechanism and make it more reliable and uniform in its action.

Another object is to increase the speed of operation.

Another object is to provide a machine which can be operated continuously.

Another object is to provide a construction which eliminates hand feeding.

Another object is to provide an automatic feed of such a nature as to faciiltate inspection of the articles.

So far as the folding mechanism per se is concerned it embodies broadly the invention of Patent 1,858,565 and certain improvements of the Preston and Sokolow application 563,280 filed September 26, 1931, but it has been further simplied and improved in details with respect to such features as the first gripping and stretching mechanism, the creasing device, the first transverse folding mechanism, and the second transverse folding mechanism, etc.

ln combination with these improvements I have provided automatic feed mechanism which picks up the articles from a stack, turns them over and deposits them consecutively in position to be acted on by the folding mechanism.

As will be seen from the former patent, above referred to, the folding operation embodies the following steps:

(l) The gripping of the opposite ends of the article and stretching it along a predetermined line, by means of the first end gripping jaws.

(2) rllhe folding of the front edge of the article over the central portion by means of a sliding plate.

(3) The turning over of the rear edge by a transverse rod.

(4) The gripping of the folded portion by the rear edge grippers.

(5) The completion of the fold of the rear edge over the front edge and the center by the transverse rod.

(6) The creasing of the longitudinally folded article in the center by a swinging plate.

(7) The gripping of the creased portion by feed 5 v rollers which draw the partially folded article downwardly into a guide chute or trough.

(8) The extraction of the partially folded article from the trough and its final folding by a horizontally movable plunger and finally its de- 10 livery from the folding mechanism to a stacker.

The mechanism of the previous patent and application was fed by hand and required an intermittent action of the mechanism to permit of the hand feed. According to my present invention the mechanism is designed to operate continuously and I have provided means for automatically feeding articles to the folding mechanism. This automatic feeding mechanism includes pick-up devices which engage the front edge of the successive articles in a stack and insert them consecutively in temporary holders, from which they are automatically stripped by vtraveling grippers which turn them over and carry the successive articles to the folding mechanism where they are successively deposited in position to be operated upon in the manner above described.

'Ihe details of the mechanism and the method of operation will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following specification:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the folding mechanism and parts of the feeding apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail of one of the gripping abutments for the first folding step.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail showing a lost motion connection of the pick-up device.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the machine, parts being broken away and the supply stack being omitted. 40

Fig. 5 is a detail front elevation of one of the movable gripping members for the first folding step.

Fig. 6 is a detail plan View showing the parts of the pick-up devices.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the folding mechanism.

Fig. 8 isa an enlarged fragmentary transverse section showing parts of one of the gripping devices and the foldin'g bar for the second folding step.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary transverse section showing parts of the folding mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a left hand end elevation of the ma- 55 chine, parts of the feed mechanism being broken away.

Fig. 1l is a fragmentary section showing part of the reduction gear drive.

Fig. is a view from the right hand side of part of the pick-up and feed mechanism on a larger scale. .v

Fig. 16 is a detail rear View and section of one of the feed gripper-s, the section'being on the plane of the line lS-l of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a detail front View of one of the pickup devices.

Fig. 18 is a side view of the same.

Fig. 19 is a front View showing a pair of devices of modified construction for picking up an article and holding it in position to be grasped by the feeding jaws, the parts being in the position which they occupy when the article has been picked up.

Fig. 20 is a front View of one of the pick-up devices after it has released the article.

Fig. 21 is an edge view or side elevation of the device with the parts in the position of Fig. 19.

Fig. 22 is a bottom View of the stripper plate of one of the devices.

Fig. 23 is a side view showing one of the pickup arms.

The frame of the machine embodies a base plate 2li and side plates 2li and 2B".

The top of the machine has central plate sections 21, 2l and a rear plate 2i which are stationary and a front slide plate 22 which is slidable over the central plates for performing the first folding action. This slide plate 22 is carried by a transverse bridge member 22', whose ends travel on guide tracks 26a: formed as a part of the framework. This plate 22 may be slotted at 22 and connected to the bridge 22 by clamp screws 22x so as to permit adjustment of the plate 22 horizontally toward and from the center of the machine.

In the form shown, power for driving all of the various mechanisms is derived from an electric motor 23 which is belted to the pulley 22. This drives a shaft 25 through the worm 2li and the gear `25. The shaft 25 drives the main cam shaft 26 through

gears

25 and 26. The slide 22 is actuated by a cam 2l on the shaft 26, which cam coacts with a roller 2l on the lever 2l". This lever is connected by a link 21x to the bridge 22 which supports the slide 22. The spring 21a is connected to the lever 2l to move the slide 22 toward the front of the machine.

In each side of the machine is located a pair of gripping members for engaging the ends of the article and stretching it along predetermined lines. Each pair of gripping members consists of ayielding abutment 28 and a swinging finger 29. The nger 29 is carried by an inclined shaft having a bevel pinion 29' on its lower Aend meshing with 'a bevel gear Si! on the shaft Sil. Arm 30" is secured on the shaft 3D and pulled in one direction by a spring 30x and in the other direction by a link 3l Slide 32 is connected at one end tov the link 3l and operated by the cam 32 on the shaft 26. The abutment 23 carried by a rack 28 is reciprocated by a gear 26". This gear is secured to an arm 33 which is under tension of the spring 33' and carries a roller 33". This roller is in a position to be engaged by a projection 3ft carried by the bridge 22' and operable with the bridge and the sliding plate 22.

The parts are so constructed and timed that the finger 2S is swung into position over the article to grip it against the abutment 28 which is beneath the article, such gripping action taking place before the rear edge of the sliding plate 22 reaches the line along which the fabric is gripped.

Just before the first folding action takes place the projection 3d engages the roller 33 and rotates the gear 2S so as to move the rack 28 and the abutment 28 laterally away from the vcenter of the machine. The left hand abutment A28 moves in the opposite direction at the same time. so that tension is applied at the opposite ends of the article to stretch it and hold it securely while the sliding plate 22 moves toward the rear to perform the first folding action. By mounting the gripping finger 29 on an inclined axis I am able to obtain the necessary clearance to bring the finger into action without the necessity of any cam action.

When the sliding plate 22 reaches the rear limit of its movement it occupies the position shown in Fig. 8 and while it is at this point a transverse bar 35, which is to perform the second folding step, moves forwardly over the rear edge of the plate 22, followed immediately by the rear edge gripping member 36 under tension of the spring 36 to grip the rear folded edge against the stationary abutment jaw 3i. The bar 35 is carried by the links 32 at opposite sides of the machine, which links are supported by a carriage having side members :i8 outside the frame and having an inside sliding member 38 guided inside the frame and connected to a lever 39 which is actuated by a cam 4i) pressing against the roller 39.

A spring 39" pulls the upper end of the lever 39 toward the front of the machine and the cam di) serves to move the upper end of the lever toward the rear of the machine.

The side members 38 are hinged to the pins 4! which extend through the side plates of the machine and are supported by the rollers lll which rest on top of guide tracks lil. In this way it will be seen that the bar is so mounted that it can be lifted upwardly out of the way if desired, thus providing an additional feature of safety should the operator get her hand beneath the bar.

The mechanism for driving the sliding plate 22, the bar 35 and the grippers 3S is so timed that the grippers come into action to hold the rear edge of the partially folded article immediately after the bar 35 has started to move over the rear edge of the plate 22. As soon as the grippers come into action the sliding plate 22 is retracted. It will be noted that the plate 22 is slotted at 22a to allow for the action of the grippers 36 and 3l while the sliding plate is at the rear of its travel.

The creasing plate l2 is hinged to the bar 42 which is carried by the framework constituting a part of the carriage which supports the rear folding bar 35. This creasing plate A2 is normally supported on a guide 113. The lower edge of the creaser plate is so shaped that the creaser plate rises as it moves forwardly. At the eXtreme forward end of the stroke the heel of the creaser drops off the guide roller 43 and the plate drops down and engages the center of the folded article to crease it. This creasing movement may be accelerated by a spring 42:6'. The hook-like tip 42" overlaps the front edge of the folded article and tends to prevent it from creeping. A slotted link 44 connects the lower end of the gripping member 36 with the bridge 22' which carries the sliding plate 22 so that when the sliding plate is retracted to its limit the gripping member 36 is retracted before the crossbar 35 gets back to the rear gripping members.

As the rear carriage and crossbar 35 move to the rear the heel of the creaser 42 rises over the guide roller 43 so as to retract the creaser.

When the plate 22 returns forward of the grip pers 29 the latter are retracted by the action of the cams 32'. When the projection 34 is retracted forward of the roller 33" the spring 33 moves the arm 33 and gear 28" so as to retract the abutment 28 when the gripper finger 29 is retracted. The cam 32' is shaped so as to properly time the action of these gripper fingers.

In some cases it may be desired to delay the retraction of the fingers until the partially folded article has been drawn away by the rollers 45, 45', to be described.

In the center of the machine between the top plate sections 2|, 2| but below the level thereof are arranged two rollers 45 and 45', preferably provided with soft rubber faces, between which the creased center of the partially folded article is inserted. These rollers are mounted on shafts 46 and 46' which are geared together at their rear ends. Shaft 46 is driven from the main cam shaft 26 by gears 41 and 41', shaft 48 and gears 49 and 49', the latter being on shaft 46. When the central portion of the longitudinally folded article is creased and driven into the bite of the rollers 45 and 45', these rollers carry it downwardly drawing the ends from the table plates 2|, 2|.

Beneath the space between the rollers 45 and 45' are located two troughs or chutes 50 and 56' adapted to receive the folded article delivered from the

rollers

45 and 45. In the lower part of the chute 56' is located a stop 50" which serves to limit the downward travel of the article at such point as is desired.

Between the two

sections

50 and 50 is a passageway 59 and in line with this passageway is a plunger member which is supported by arms or levers 52 and 52', which are hinged at their lower ends in such a manner as to pro*- vide an approximate parallel motion action so that the plunger 5| moves in a substantially horizontal plane as the levers swing on their hinges. One of the levers is connected to a link 53 which is guided at its other end by the stud shaft 54 which carries a cam 54. Roller 53 on the link 53 is drawn into engagement with the cam 54' by means of the spring 54" which is connected to the link 53. The shaft 54 is driven from the shaft 25 by bevel gears 56 and 56'.

At the sides of the chutes 50 and 50' opposite the plunger 5| are located two rollers 51 and 51' which are geared together as shown in Fig. '1 and driven by a chain 58 from the shaft 54. The plunger 5| moves horizontally through the throat or passage 56X to extract the partially folded article from the chutes and insert it between the bite of the

rollers

51 and 51. This plunger 5| is also preferably provided with guard flanges 5|' to prevent the plunger from being drawn in between the rollers 51 and 51'.

A conveyor belt 58' is preferably provided which connects the roller 51 'with a roller 59 so that the folded articles as they are drawn from the chute sections 50, 50' are automatically fed onto the conveyor belt 58 and discharged to the stacker 60 of any suitable type. The chain 6| connects the sprockets 62 and 62' so that the shaft 63 is driven from the shaft of the roller From this shaft 63 the stacker mechanism is driven (not shown).

In order to lay the articles on the machine in a properly timed relation with respect to the folding mechanism I provide two overhead conveyor chains 65, one at each side of the machine supported on sprockets 66 at the rear and 61 at the front. These sprockets are supported respectively on the

shafts

68 and 69. The rear shaft also has a sprocket which is connected to a sprocket 1I by chain 12. Sprocket 1| is on the end of the main cam shaft 26, previously mentioned.

The shaft 69 is supported by a pair of brackets 13 and does not rotate although the sprockets 61 rotate freely on it. The conveyor chains 65 are provided with gripping jaws spaced apart at intervals so as to engage and deliver the articles at proper intervals to the folding mechanism above described. Each gripping unit consists of a pair of jaws and 16 mounted on a stud shaft 11 which is supported in side plates 18 which form parts of a link of a chain. The jaw 15 is pinned or keyed to the stud shaft 11 and has a tail piece 15' adapted to engage one of the sleeves or roller elements 18' of the chain.

The other jaw 16 has a similar tail piece 16', K

also adapted to engage the other sleeve or roller 18" of the same link. This jaw member 16 also has a shoulder 16" engaged by one end of a spring 11', the other end of which is secured to the stud shaft 11 so that the spring tends to hold the jaws in gripping engagement as shown in the upper part of Fig. 15 and in Fig. 16.

A crank 19 is also pinned or keyed to the stud shaft 11 and adapted to engage a cam 80 which is fixed on the shaft 69. As the chain 65 moves in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l5 the end of the crank 19 engages the cam 80 and rotates the shaft 11 until the tail piece 16' engages the sleeve 18".

Jaws 15 and 16 are thus carried around intr? the position shown in the lower part of Fig. 15, the increasing radius of the cam portion 8U serving to swing the crank 19 and the attached stud shaft 11 and jaw member 15 into the fully open position. The front edge of the article 8| is then grasped between the jaws 15 and 16 which snap together as the crank 19 leaves the tip of the stationary cam 80'.

As the conveyor ch-ain continues to move the articles are carried successively to the folding mechanism, as illustrated in Fig. 14.

Near the rear of the machine at the right of Fig. 14 (and the left of Fig. 10) are arranged stationary stops 82. These stops are arranged in the path of movement of the projections 16" so that as the conveyor chain continues to move the stop tilts the jaw member 16 and retracts it from the other 'jaw member and releases the article 83 in position for it to drop into its proper position on the folding mechanism. As soon as the grippers pass the stops 82 the jaws snap together and travel back with the upper run of the chains.

This feeding action constitutes what may be called a semi-automatic feed because as thus described it would be necessary for the operator to insert the respective articles by h-and into the successive pairs of gripping jaws as they pass beneath the front of the machine. To facilitate supply to the machine I preferably provide a carriage 84 on which a stack of the articles to be folded is arranged. This carriage may be supported on a platform 85, which platform would be lapproximately three times the width of the article and the length of the car 84 would be twice the width of the article. In other words, the car 84 is adapted to carry twostacks of articles, one of which is always -available for feeding the machine and the other of which may furnish a reserve supply to be moved into position when the other stack is exhausted.

It will be seen that the operator is in a position to inspect the upper surface of each article at the top of the stack and as the articles are successively fed away from the top of the stack they are automatically turned over so that the operator can inspect-the bottom side.

In order to make the machine fully automatic from the stack to the completely folded -article I preferably provide automatic pick-up mechanism operated in synchronism withthe feed chains and grippers.

This automatic pick-up mechanism includes arms 81 secured on the opposite ends of the shaft 88. On the shaft 88 between the

collars

88 and 88" is loosely mounted the hub of a crank 89. The collar 88 and the hub of the crank are provided with projections or lugs which furnish a lost motion connection between the shaft 88 and the crank arm. The crank arm is connected by a link 90 to the shaft 26, on which the right hand end as viewed in Fig. 14 slides. The shaft has a cam 9| (see Fig. 13) and the link 90 has `a roller 90 which is pressed by the spring 90" against the cam so that the cam 9| intermittently operates the link 90 and the crank 89 and the arm 81. rIfhe front end yof each of the arms 81 is provided with a pick-up point 92. This pick-up point may be connected to the arm 91 in various ways. For instance, as shown in the drawings a rod 93 is secured to the upper end of the arm 81 and supports a hub 93. The hub 93 is pro-vided with a reduced portion 94 which rotatably supports the arm 92 which carries the pick-up needle 92. A spring washer 94 is interposed between the member 92' and the adjusting nut 94 so that frictional connection is afforded between the carrier for the pick-up needle and the hub 93. The carrier 92 is permitted a limited rotative movement on the support 94 by reason of the projection 95 which plays between the adjustable stop screws 96 and 96 which are carried by the hub 93.

As the arms 81 are dropped down by the action of the cam 9| the pick-up needles 92 strike and dig into the front edges of the top -article in the stack as shown by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 14. The force of the blow is suicient to rotate the carrier members 92 anti-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 18 or clockwise as viewed in Fig. 14, thus bringing the projection 95 of each pick-up against the set screw 96. The cam 9| then moves the connecting link 90 forwardly and raises the arm 81 into the position shown in Figs. 14 and 15. 98 is a stationary abutment against which the front edge of the article engages to strip it from the pick-up pins 92, as shown in Fig. 15.

The spring plate 99 is carried by a shaft 99 which is supported in the bracket 13 on a level beneath the conveyor chains. This shaft 99 carries at one end a wiper segment |00 of curved form, as shown in Fig. 15. Each arm 81, previously described, has at its end a roller 81 adapted to coact with the wiper segment |00. In the lower position of the pick-up arm, as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 14, the wiper segment |00 and the spring plate 99 hang downwardly. When the pick-up arm is lifted by the action of the cam 9| the roller 81 engages the wiper segment |90 and rocks the shaft 99' soas to lift the spring plate 99 and press the front edge of the article 8| against the abutment plate 98 just as the pick-up pin 92 is disengaged.

The front edge of the article is thus held stationary while the open jaws of the gripper unit move into position as shown in Fig. 15 to grasp the edge of the article as the crank arm 19 slips off the end of the cam tip 80.

As the pick-up arm 81 reaches the upper eX- the next pick-up stroke the points will be directed downwardly for insertion into the material. The impact'of the downward blow tilts the pickup ngers up again slightly, the movement being limited as above described by the location of the

set screws

96 and 96.

From this it will be seen that the action is fully automatic from the stack through the folding operations, previously described. The lost motion connection shown in Fig. 3 between the arm 89 and the shaft 8S permits the pick-up arms to descend to the top of the stack of articles and follows the stack downwardly as the articles are consecutively removed.

In the form shown in Figs. 19 to 23 the pickup arms 81 carry the short transverse shafts 93 as in the form shown in Figs. 4, 14, l5, and 1'1. Each shaft 93 carries a bracket |05 which in turn carries a pivot shaft |09` which is mounted so that it can oscillate in the bracket but is held frictionally by the pressure of the spring |01. Each shaft |06 carries an elbow |08 which has a foot plate |09. This elbow has two spaced shoulders H0, I0 adapted to engage a stop screw which is adjustably mounted in the bracket |05 so that the oscillation of the elbow on its shaft is limited by the stop screw point between the shouldersll, ||0.

Each elbow member |08 carries a rocker arm l2 which is pivoted on the stud I3. The spring H4 tends to tilt the arm ||2 into the position of Fig. 19, where the pick-up points 92 project through the holes H5 in the plate |09. Preferably I provide a number of the points so as to distribute the strain and also so as to more certainly insure the pick-up action.

When the arms 81 are moved downwardly by the action of the cam 9|, the tips ||6 of the elbows |08 engage the top article on the stack and the points 92 stick outwardly into the fabric 8| and stretch it as shown in Fig. 19 until the shoulders H0 engage the screws In order' to maintain the plates |09 substantially parallel as the stack of articles is depleted I provide parallel link connections ||1 and ||8.

When the arms 81 rise with the pick-up de- Vices and the article 8|, the lingers ||9 strike the stops |20 so that the pick-up points 92 are retracted and the article is stripped from the points by the plates |09 just as the gripping jaws 75 CII l5, 'I6 (previously described) come into position. Such a construction does not require the cam |03 or the stripper 99 of Figs. 14 and 15.

In some cases it may be desirable to provide means for assisting in the alignment of the stacked articles so that they will be picked up and delivered to the carrier jaws in a more uniform manner. For this purpose I may provide a gage |2| near one edge of the stack. The stack in such case is carried by a tray 8f3 which is supported on an anti-friction support 85 to facilitate movement by the operator to bring the edge of the top article into its proper position with respect to the gage |2|.

The gage` may be carried by arms |22 hinged on shaft 88 and provided with segments l 23 which have frictional engagement with stationary pads |24. The gage can be automatically moved downward step by step by the action of adjustable abutment screws carried by the brackets |85 on the outer ends of the arms 8? so that the operator merely inspects the articles and brings the top article. into position at each stroke of the machine.

By making the stops 82 adjustable it is possible to vary the position at which the jaws release the articles.

It should be understood that while I have illustrated a complete machine for performing the various movements described that some of the advantages of the invention might be utilized with portions of the machine or various combinations. It should also be understood that various changes might be made in the construction and adjustment in details or in the timing of the various movements.

The terms used in the claims are to be construed as broadly defining the structures necessary for performing the respective functions.

I claim: A

1. In a machine for folding cloth articles, means for penetratingly engaging the front edges of successive cloth articles in a stack and lifting the front edges of the successive articles, and means for gripping the front edges of the articles and turning them over and delivering them to the folding means.

2. In a feed device for a folding mechanism, a traveling conveyor, .a series of gripping units carried by the conveyor each consisting of two hinged coacting jaws, tripping means for opening said jaws at a predetermined point in the travel of the conveyor to receive an article, means for automatically closing said jaws, and tripping means for opening said jaws at another predetermined point to discharge said article.

3. Feeding mechanism for a folding machine Comprising a conveyor, grippers carried by the conveyor, a pick-up member for lifting one edge of an article to the grippers, means for temporarily holding the lifted edge and means for actuating the grippers to carry away the article from the holding means.

4. Feed mechanism for a folding machine comprising a conveyor having gripping units, a pickup device for lifting articles into the path of movement of the gripping units, and a holding device actuated by the pick-up device for transferring the articles from the pick-up device to the gripping units.

5. Feeding mechanism for a folding machine of the character described comprising conveyors having gripping units, means for placing in the path of movement of the gripping units articles to be folded, means for grasping an edge of each article to hold it stationary as the gripping units approach, means for causing the gripping units to grasp an edge of the article, and means for subsequently releasing the gripping units to discharge an article held thereby.

6. Feeding mechanism for a folding machine comprising conveyors carrying gripping units, each gripping unit including two independently movable gripping fingers, cam devices for opening said ngers to permit the insertion of the edge of an article to be folded, a spring for causing said fingers to grip the .article when the cam action ceases and means for releasing the article after a predetermined travel of said conveyors.

7. In a folding machine, a shiftable stack, automatic pick-up means for taking articles from the stack successively, and a positioning gage adjacent the stack actuated by the pick-up means.

8. In a folding machine, vertically movable devices at opposite sides of the machine having pick-up points adapted to engage in the opposite edges of a fabric and stretch it laterally, and means for controlling the engagement and disengagement of the pick-up points as the devices rise and fall,

9. Feeding mechanism for a folding mechanism comprising swinging pick-up arms, a carrier hinged to each arm and having a pick-up member, stops for limiting the hinging movement of the carriers on. the respective arms, means for holding said carriers in position to engage an article when the arms descend but permitting the carriers to tilt after engaging the article, and means for disengaging the article from the carrier.

10. Pick-up means for a folding machine comprising vertically movable supports, rocker members pivotally carried by said supports and having bottom plates adapted to swing outwardly away from each other when the supports descend to pick up an article, arms hinged to said rocker members and carrying pick-up points adapted to project through the bottom plates, and means for automatically retracting said points when the supports rise with the rocker members to a predetermined height.

JOHN E. PRESTON.