US2354251A - Folding device - Google Patents

Description

0. FIORE FOLDING DEVIQE July 25, 1944.

Fil ed Aug. 15, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet. l

v INVENTOR. 4 OTTO 101:3

O. FIORE FOLDING DEVICE July 25, 1944.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 15, 1942 INVENTOR. O T T o Fro BY m A270 HNEY- 0. FIORE FOLDING DEVIC E Jul 25; 1944;

5 Sheets-Sheet 5' Filed Aug. 15, 1942 I BY IN V EN TQR. O TTO RICHIE) AJZZ RN o. FIORE FOLDING DEVIC E July 25, 1944'.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug 15, 1942 INVENTOR. Orm F1025, BY 5 k ATTORNEY i l lilll July 25, 11944. '0. mm; 2,354,251

FOLDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

OTTO E055,

Patented July 25, 1944 I UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE 2,354,251

Otto Fiore, Grantwood, N. .L, assignor to William W. Fitzhugh, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New" York Application August 15, 1942, Serial No. 454,897

(c1. 27c ss) 12 Claims.

This invention relates to folding machines and vpaper box and envelope making machines and tomeans and methods for transversely folding blanks and more particularly to methods and devices for folding on a transverse line an advance part of a blank traveling through a folding machine though it is notedthat in some of the claims the invention is not limited to a travelingblank orany particular type of machine nor evento folding an advance part norto folding on a transverse line.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved device and method of this kind by which the blank is folded when traveling at high or' low speed, without the necessity of synchronizingthe blank or the folding with any other movement or operation of the machine or blank.

Z Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved device of this kind which is free of any reciprocating part, which comprises principally fixed parts and which may be adjusted or adapted for. folding a large variety of shapes and sizes of blanks, and is adaptable to a larg variety of, machines and blank carriers.

Additional objects of the invention are to effect simplicity and efficiency in such methods and devices and to provide an extremely simple device or apparatus of this kind which is very speedy, economical, durable and reliable in operation, and costs very little to manufacture and install.

Still other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds; and vwhile herein details of the invention are described in the specification and some of the claims, the invention as described in some of the broader claims isv not limited to these, and many and various changes may bemade without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed in the broader claims.

The inventive features for the accomplishment of these and other objects are shown herein by way of example in connection with machine parts and folding means which briefly stated include means for foldinga blank comprising a rear body portion and a forward flap provided with a trans versescore line nearthe body portion; said ma chine parts including means including lower and upper belts and rollers for supporting and forwardly moving the blank in a horizontal plane with the flap forward. The blank folding means includes an adjustable spring or springs adapted to engage and yieldably slightly upwardl de flect the forward part of the flap as the blank is moved forwardly after which the deflected flap comes into engagement with an upright defleeting plate or plates positively deflecting substantially vertically upwardly the forwardly moving' flap until adjustable fixed stops at'the upper part ofthe plates positively stop the free end of the upwardly moving flap a distance above the plane of the body portion about equal to the distance between the score linea'nd said end thereby positively holding the'fiap in the stopped position as the body portion 'still'in said plane is forced forwardly thereby to cause the flap fold at the score line; after' whichfthe flap is drawn under a foldinglroller at 'tl'i'e lowerlpart" of the plate which then fol'ds and presses the flap onto the body portionas' the body portionj is moved forwardly. v

In the accompanying drawings showing, by way of example, one of many possible "embodiments of the invention, I

Fig. 1 is a fragmental side end elevation showing a portion of a folding machine providedwith my'folding device; i, V

' Fig. '2 is a fragmental plan'on a larger scalethan Fig; 1 showing'the device and adjacent parts of the machine, a' blank in partly folded position being indicated therein;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental sideelevation showing the folding'd'evice; i 1 Fig. 4 is a fragmental transverse vertical sec tionalview, showing the deflector plate in front elevation, the section'be'ing taken substantially on the line 4-4'of Fig. 3, looking in "the direction of the arrows of said line;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional ,view, partly in elevation," showing the part of the mounting means of the folding roller, thesec tion being taken substantially on the'line' 5'5 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction'of the arrows of said' line;

Fig.6 is a ,plan or face view showing one ex ample of many possible blanks that may be folded by this device; j

Figs. '7 to 10 are diagrammatic side elevations showing steps in the folding method.

My improved device may be applied to various types of machines or fixtures, and is here shown by way of example, inconnection with the type of machine wherein the blankis conveyed, from suitable feeding means (not here shown), past,

suitable gluing means (not shown) 'on lowercarrier belts I0 (Fig. 1), the blanks being pressed 'upon'the lower belts by upper belts l I and rollers I2, I3 carried in housings l4 andl 5-suitably supported from the frame of the machines. In this type of machine the race bars I6 carrying the lower belts together with the housings are adjustable various distances apart; andsuch maj-r chines have various adjustmentsfor various styles and sizes of blanks or articles made therefrom. But the invention is not limited to usewith any type of machine'orany particular type of blank. i

The operation andrelations of the principal features of my folding device and th machine until the forwardly directed flap 2| engages and is upwardly deflected by the Springs 22 (Fig. 7),

the body portion 23 of the blank being pushed on g by the conveying means until the forward end 24 of the flap rides up the deflector face 25 (Fig. 8) until stopped by the stop shoulder 26 (Fig, 8), the further feeding of the body portion causing the blank to fold on the score line 21, after which the body of the blank being further pushed by the belt and rollers (Fig. 9) pushes the fold at the score line under the rollers 28, as in Fig. after which the folded blank is carried by the belt l0 and rollers 28, 29 to further mechanism (not shown) of the machine for further folding and stacking.

My improved folding device and its relation to the machine will now be described more in detail and is here described by way of example for folding the blank having a body portion 23 having side flaps 30 and the forward flap 2|. all flaps being provided with several adjacent transverse score lines 2|, 3|, 32 on the front flap and 34 on the side flaps all adjacent to the body portion, though it is noted that the device can be used for folding almost any kind of blank.

The new device is shown by way of example applied to a folding machine of the usual type having a pair of suitably supported parallel beltrace bars |6 which as is usual may be relatively adjustable one from the other, each bar being provided with an upwardly opening belt race 38 (Fig. 4) and roller receiving openings 39 in the bottom of the race in which are rotatably disposed axially transverse rollers 40 for supporting the suitably driven forwardly longitudinally moving lower supporting carrier belt portions l0 movable in the race in the direction of the arrow 4| of Fig. 1 on which portions the blanks may be conveyed from the blank feeding means and a gluing means or other operating mechanism, not shown and not a part of the present invention.

My improved device includes a main flap deflecting means 42 (Fig. 3) above said-belts H) to, against and under which the blanks may be conveyed by the lower belt portions I!) in cooperation with the upper rollers |2, I3, and the rollers 28, 29 in roller housings 43. Pulleys 44 at the advance end of the housings |4 support the advance portions of the upper pressure belts II which have their lower courses engageable with and moving in the same direction as the lower belts I, or the blanks thereon, whereby the blanks may be engaged between the upper and lower belts and conveyed toward the main deflective means 42.

The roller housing I5 is secured to the advance end of the pulley housing l4 and carries the downwardly spring pressed rollers |3 for press: ing the blank into good driving contact with the lower belt whereby the blank is firmly pushed into cooperation with one or more springs 22 and the main deflector means 42.

The springs 22 are carried on adjustable strapmetal brackets 45, 50, 5|, (Figs. 3 and 4) carried on said race bar l6. Each bracket comprises a vertical outer portion 45 engaged against the outer flange 46 of the race bar and having a vertical slot 41 therein in which is received a clamping screw 48 passed through said slot and away as at 14 (Fig. 4) to expose said roller.

screwed into one of a plurality of tapped holes 49 in said flange for adjustably clamping the bracket against the flange. Said bracket includes a lower yoke portion 5|! unaware race bar near the advance end of the roller housing l5 and an upright arm 5| extending upwardly to near the path of the blank, and provided with a small bore 52 inclined upwardly toward the main deflector means and receiving a spring wire 53 held in said bore by set screws 54 and comprising a spring coil 55 adjacent to the upright 5| and the upwardly and forwardly inclined preliminary deflector spring 22 biased to cross the path of the blank, and adapted to engage and upwardly deflect the forward flap 2| before the latter reaches the main deflector means 42, i

The main deflecting means 42 (Figs. 3 and 4) comprises a pair of members 42 oneover each race bar, the members 42 being movable with the race bars as the latter are adjusted toward or from each other in accordance with the width of the blank to be folded. Each member 42 comprises an upright deflector plate 56, having a de-' flector face 25 facing said roller housing IS in a plane transverse to the length of said bars l6, said plate joining or being integral with the rear roller housing 43 joining the lower part of the deflector plate 56, and a tapering flange 51 extending rearwardly of the outer edge of the plate. Said roller housing 43, comprises side walls 58, 59 (Fig. 5) and transverse cross-piecesfili spaced along the housing and connecting the upper part of the side walls and each provided with a central vertical bore 6| in which is slidably received an upright stud 82 of a roller truck 64, 55 under each cross-piece comprising a transverse-intermediate piece 64 joining the lower end of the stud and a longitudinal side piece 65 joining the outer end of the intermediate piece, adjacent .and parallel to a side wall 58 and provided at its ends with spindles 66 transverse to the housing and receiving pressure rollers 28, 29 rotaryon the spindles and pressed into engagement with the lower belts H) or blanks thereon, by meansof a spring 61 on each stud compressed between the cross-piece 60 and intermediate piece 54 for pressing the rollers against the belt beneath, thereby to hold a blank in firm driving engagement with the lower belt. Other means for pressing the roller downwardly may be used and similar means may be used for pushing down the rollers I2, I3. A longitudinal supporting bar 10 (Figs.'2 and 3) formed on or secured to each rear roller housing 43, plate 56 and flange 51 extends along and is adjustably engaged with the outer face of each roller housing I5 and provided with a longitudinal slot 1| in which is received an adjusting screw 12 received in tapped holes in the side of the roller housing, for clamping the deflector member different distances from the roller housing depending upon the length of the blank flap.

The pressure roller 28 nearest the deflector face 25 is substantially tangential to the deflector face, the lower part of the deflector face being cut The springs 22 engage the forwardly moving front flap 2| (Fig. 7) and raise its advance end 24 to en gage the deflector faces 25 somewhat above the adjacent roller 28, whereby continued movement of the blank causes the flap to slide up upon the deflector face 25. A stop plate 15 adjustably disposed across the upper part of said deflector face 25 is provided with an inwardly beveled lower face forming transverse stop shoulder 23 against lwhich the advance end 24 of: the forward'flap is pushed and stopped as the 'blank is. advanced (Fig. 3). Said deflector face and stop'plate are respectively provided with slots 16, TI crossing at right angles and receiving a clamping bolt '18 and having a nut behind the deflector and a headengaging. the stop plate in the countersunk slot ll, whereby the plate may be adjusted both laterally and vertically... An adjustable vertical retaining bar 80 disposed on the exposed face of the stop plate I5 and extending below the stop plate and diverged away from the deflector face is provided with a verticalslot 8| in which is received a clamping bolt ,82 passing through the stop plate and having an inner head 83 engaged in a countersink in the stop. plate. A nut 84 engaged with the bar serves to adjustably clamp the bar on the stop plate with its lower end projecting to serve asa precautionary means to guide the flap to the stop shoulder 26 (Figs. 8 and.9) The retaining bar 80 may be omitted if desired.

The operation of the folding device will be easily understood from the foregoing and need now be only briefly summarized as follows;

As is'usual in machines of the type'indica'ted, I

the .race bars 16 arepositioned oradjusted a distance apart to accommodate the blank to be folded, so that parts acted upon will beflrmly held and driven. vThe distance between the housing 15 and the deflector plate 56 is also adjusted bymeans of the screw 12 (Fig, .3) in accordance with the length of the blank. The plates 15 are pushedilaterally to approach each other in accordance with the width of the front, flap, and are adjusted vertically to make the distance from the shoulder face 26 to'the top of the'belt lportions lO equal to the distance between the free edge of'the flap and the fold line, in this case themiddle fold line 21 on which it is desired to fold the blank. v,

, The finger piece 80 may be omitted if desired, but may beused as an extra precaution If used it is adjusted as conveniently as possible not to interfere with the flap positions of Figs. 8 and 9,

and prevents the flap from accidentally missing contactwith the shoulder 26.

Thecards are fed one at a time bythe feeding means (not shown) and pass along on the lower belts l0 past the gluing means (not shown) or other operating device, if any, and then pass along in the direction of the'arrow 4| (Fig.1) withthe flap 2| forward, the blank being pressed on the lower belt's by the upper belts l I and roll- 'erl2,'l3."" h i I The blank is then carriedforward until the I vided'with a transverse score line hearsthe body portion; said. method comprising supp'or ting 'a'nd forwardly moving, until folded; thercardb'oard blank in a flat horizontal plane. witlrithe flap .i'niti'ally forward; .yieldably slightl'yupwardlyde flecting'the forward. partof the flap as the-blank is-moved forwardly; .then positively deflecting substantially vertically upwardlythe forwardly moving -flap; engaging; and positively'tstopping the free end of the upwardly moving flap .a"- distance "above the plane 'of the body portion equal to the distance between the score line and said end, while the body portion vfin said pl'ane "is forced forwardly thereby. to cause the flap to fold attthe' score line; and'then foldin'g-andcpressin'g the flap onto the body 'portionwhile the body portion is'moved forwardly. l

2. A machine for folding .a cardboard blank having a rear body portionand a forward flap provided withaitransverse score line. near the body portion; said machineic'ompri'sing means for supporting and forwardly moving until fold ed, the blank in'a horizontal flat plane: with the flap initially forward; means for yieldably slightly upwardlydeflectinggthe "forward part of the flap'as the blank is .moved. forwardly; meanslfor y then positively deflecting;substantially, vertically upwardly the deflected forwardly moving flap; means for positively stopping the freeend of the upwardly moving flap a'distance above the plane of the body portion equal to the distance-between the score line and said end While the bodyposiflap is upwardly deflected by the springs 22 and ridesup on the 'face' 25 until stopped by the shoulder 26, causing the flap to fold on the line 2' "(Fig. 6); Further travel of the blank causes I thefo l'd line 21 to be pushedunder the roller 28 andbe folded, the bolt I B and rollers l3 firmly conveying the blank until theyare firmly enga'gedfby the rol1ers"2 8 and passed on under the rollers '29 for further operations or stacking.

The very light weight very yieldable spring. 22 cooperates with parts 56 to 84 in a way to allow suchpartsto be heavy and very strong and .to

I bestationary in use, to allow these parts .to operate on cardboard blanks passing in close successionv at extremely high speed, and at' much higher speed than would be Possible if the assembly of parts 56 to .84 were required to oscillate. The spring 22 being very light and yieldable can be depressed by cardboard blanks moving at very high speed without injury to the tioned insaid flat plane is formed forwardly therebyto cause the flap to fold at the score-line and means for then folding and pressing the flap onto the body portion while the body moved forwardly.

3. A device for folding blanks each comprising a forward flap provided with a transverse score line; said device comprising means forsupporting the blank as it is moved forwardly with the flap forward; a stationary flap deflecting means adjacent to the path. of the flaps and positioned and constructed to engage and deflect-the flap as the blank is moved forwardly; a-yieldable deflecportion --is tor before said stationary means said deflecting means including a guide means to constrain the and :a stationary stop to stop the forward end of the flap as the deflected blankis forced along and positioned a distance from the plane of the supporting means a distance equal to the distance from the free-end of the flap to the score line to cause the flap to foldat the score linea the blank travels to the guide means.

4. A device-for folding a blank comprising a forward. flap= provided with a transverse sc'ore line; said device comprising means forconveying and supporting the blank'as it is moved forwardly with the flap-forward; flap deflecting means adjacentto the path of the flap. and'positioned and constructedto engage 'anddeflect the flap as the blank'is moved forwardly; said deflecting means includinga fixed member'having a deflecting face facing substantiallyfthe dias the blank is 'moved'on said face; the stop means-being positioned to cause the flap to fold at the score .line as the part of the blank to the rear of the score line'is forced forwardly.

5. Mechanism for. folding blanks each comprising'a iforward flap provided with a trans-- verse' score line; said mechanism comprising means'for conveying the blank forwardly with the flap forward; yieldable means to engage and slightly deflect the forward end of the flap as it is conveyedyflap deflecting means near the path of the' flap, and positioned to be engaged byz'the deflected flap as the blank is conveyed; said deflecting means comprising a fixed member having a deflecting face facing the direction from which-the blank comes; and a stop disposed across said face and positioned to engage and stop 'the forward end'of the forward flap as the blank is conveyed to cause the flap to fold at the score line and cause the flap to fold back on the blank and pass adjacent tothe deflecting means.

6. A folding device for use with a means for conveying a transversely scored blank, said device comprising a substantially upright member; means for mounting the member over the path of the blank; said member having a deflecting face faced toward the'on-coming blank; a pressing means mounted at the lower end of said face substantially to press a folded blank to the conveying means; a downwardly faced stop shoulder at the upper part of said' face; yieldable means to deflect upwardly the forward end of the blank before it reaches said face.

'7. A folding'devicefor use with a machine having belts for conveying a blank forwardly with a flap of the blank forward, said folding device comprising one or more upright deflecting plates; means for relativelylaterally adjustably mountmg each upright plate over the path of the conveyed blank; said plate having a deflecting face faced toward the on-coming blank; a roller mounted at the lower end of said face substantially to the rear of the deflecting face thereof above the belt and substantially flush with said deflecting face; and an adjustable stop plate disposed across the upper part of said face and forming a lower stop shoulder positioned to engage the forward end of the forward flap.

i 8. A device as in claim '7 including an upwardly -incline d spring; and means to mount the spring on the machine in position to deflect the flap upwardly before it reaches said face. i

9. Mechanism for folding a blank provided with a transverse score line formingrrear and forward portions, said mechanism comprising conveying means for conveying the blank forwardly with the forward portion forward; a device to deflect the forward end of the forward portion from the plane of the rear portion and adapted to be depressed to allow the rear portion to remain undeflected; deflecting means having a deflecting face facin said device and positioned to be engaged by, and to deflect further, said forward portion as the blank is conveyed; and a stop across said face positioned to engage the forward end of the forward portion and positioned from said plane a distance to cause the blank to fold at the score line while said rear portion is in said plane; and means to press the forward portion back upon said rear portion as the-rearrportion is conveyed forwardly by the conveying means.

10. Mechanism for folding a blank comprising a body and a forward flap, said mechanism comprising conveyingmeans disposed side by'side for conveying the blank forwardly with the flap forward; a device'between said conveying means projecting into the path of the body with enough force to deflect the "forward end of the flap from said path and adapted to be "disposed to allow the body to remain insaid path; flap deflecting means havinga deflecting face facing said device and positioned to be engaged by the'deflected flap as the blank is conveyed; guide means ad'- jacent to said path and substantially to the rear of said face to engage and hold the blank on said conveying means; and a stop disposed across said face positioned to engage the forward end of the flap and positioned from said path a distance to cause the flap to fold at a predeter mined line while said body portio-n is'in said path and the device is depressed to cause the'forward flap to be engaged by said guide means,'as the blank moves forward, and be folded back upon said body and pass under the guide'means with said body.

11. Mechanism for folding blanks each comprising a body portion and a forward flap provided with a transverse score line,said mechanism comprising conveying means'including supporting means movable in spaced parallel paths in the same plane for conveying the blanks forwardly substantially in said plane with the flap forward, and pressing means forlpressing the blanks to the supporting means; a forwardly inclined wire spring between said'paths yieldably projecting in the path of the flap and adapted to yieldably engage and deflect away from said plane the forward end of the flap as it is 0on veyed; a stationary deflecting means having a deflecting face at right angles to said plane and facing said spring; a roller mounted at the lower end of said face substantially to the. rear thereof and positioned and mounted to engagethe blanks passing under the roller; and a stop disposed across the upper part of said face and positioned to engage the forward end of the forward .flap and positioned from said plane a distance to cause the flap to fold at the score line :while said body portion isin said plane and the spring is depressed to cause the forward flapto be engaged by said roller, as the blank moves forward, and be folded back upon said body portion and pass under the roller. r I

12. A method of folding a cardboard, blank provided with a transverse score line forming a rear portion and a forward portion, said method comprising supporting and forwardly-moving un-- til folded, the blank in a flat plane with the forward portion initially forward; yieldably slightly deflecting, from said plane, the forward por: tion as the blank is moved forwardly; then positively further deflecting the deflected forwardly, moving forward portion to. a positionsubstantially at right angles to said plane; maintaining the forward portion in the plane of saidposition while positively stopping the free end of the upwardly moving forward portion a distanc e above said fiat plane of the rear. portion. equal to the distance between. the score line and said end.

while the rear portion in said ,planeis being forced forwardly thereby to cause, the blank to bend at the score line while the portions are in planes at right angles to, each other; and then folding and pressing the forward portion onto the rear portion while the rear portion is moved forwardly in said flat plane. V I j OTIO FIORE.

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