US2410059A - Means for folding newspapers and the like - Google Patents

Description

oct, 29, 1946. K C, GARRISON 2,410,059 l MEANS FOR FOLDING NEWSPAPRS AND THE LIKE Filed April 1Q 1942 IN VEN TOR. Y /E/V/VETH 0 64E/@50N Patented Oct. 29, 1946 OFFICE MEANS FOR FOLDING NEWSPAPERS AND THE LIKE Kenneth C. Garrison, Norwalk, Calif. Application April 1, 1942, Serial No. 437,233

2 Claims.

l My invention relates to a means for and method of folding newspapers.

It has become extremely diliicult to obtain the necessary materials for securing newspapers in folded conditions. In order to overcome such scarcity it will and has become necessary to fold newspapers in a different manner, in order to make delivery thereof convenient. Such new method of folding, however, requires considerable time and labor, often resulting in delayed deliveries.

The principal object of this invention is to provide means whereby newspapers may be folded and secured in such folded condition by simple means, and also to provide means for so folding and securing or fastening the newspaper by automatic means, thus greatly reducing the time of delivery.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a novel and simple machine which will quickly fold the newspaper in the desired condition and fasten the newspaper after being folded.

An important object also of this invention is the provision of a machine of this class in combination with a conventional printing press from which printed newspapers are issued in stacked or overlapping order, my machine being adapted successively and wholly to separate newspapers from each other before being folded.

Another objectof this invention is to provide a machine of this class in combination with a printing press from which newspapers are issued with their ragged edges foremost, that is, with the initial folded portions innermost, my machine providing means for reversing the printed and partially folded newspaper and directing the same with the folded portions foremost.

A further object of this invention is to provide aV novelly folded and fastened or sealed newspaper.

'A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel method of mechanically folding and securing or sealing the newspaper in the desired folded condition.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, I have devised a novelly folded and secured or sealed newspaper, a novel method of Yfolding and securing or sealing the same, andA a novel mechanism for folding newspapers, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of a newspaper preparatory to folding by the usual printing press;

Fig. 2 is a view of the newspaper as it is issued from the printing press;

Fig, 3 is a perspective View of the newspaper after being folded by my machine;

Fig. 4 is a schematic view in plan showing my machine, in one form, for folding, and fastening, securing or sealing the newspaper;

Fig. 5 is a schematic view thereof in elevation of a newspaper printing press, and successive newspaper reversing unit, separating unit, and folding unit of my machine; and,

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken respectively through 6 6, '1 -'1, and 8 8 of Fig. 4.

Newspapers are customarily delivered by printing presses, as shown in Fig. 2, after having been double-folded twice, as indicated by dotted lines a and b in Fig. l. It is customary for newsboys in some localities to receive the newspapers folded in this manner and to fold the same again along fold lines designated c and d, as shown in Fig. 2, and to hold the same in such folded condition, shown in Fig. 3, by a, rubber band, preparatory to delivery. With my new folding machine shown in the drawing, the newspapers are folded in a similar manner and are held, fastened, or sealed in such condition by a staple or staples.

In the conventional high speed newspaper printing press, the newspapers are delivered folded, as indicated in Fig. 2, in stacked or overlapping order, and also with the ragged edge foremost, that is, with the fold along the line b innermost, the delivery being made on orby a suitable conveyor means extending from the printing press.

In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing, I have shown my folding machine A in combination with such a, printing press B, and provided with a newspaper reversing unit C and a separating unit D interposed therebetween, for successively reversing the individual newspapers so that said fold, along the line b, is foremost, and also for` wholly separating the same from each other.

The folding unit of my machine will first be described. It is shown as having a chute l which receives, at one end, the newspapers from the printing press B. This chute is supported on a frame 2 which carries the other elements of the unit A.

The folding portion consists of successively or progressively arranged angularly inwardly directed and inwardly curved fold forming plates 3 and 4, which are commonly known. These.

plates are located at opposite sides of the chute, and may be formed as a part of the chute.

Along the chute, and opposite the forming plate 3, are pairs of rollers 5, 6, and 1 which are arranged transversely of the chute, one roller of each pair being positioned above and others below the chute. The chute has transverse openings la, Ib, and lc opposite the respective pairs of rollers 5, ii, and "l, Through these openings operate the rollers to receive the newspapers between the rollers of each pair. It will be noted that the bottom of the chute, at the receiving side of the rollers, is lower than the portion at the feed side, as shown in the drawing, in order to assure the newspaper being redirected to the top side of the chute. The rollers 5 are shown as extending across the whole of the chute, while the rollers 6 and l are shorter, being spaced from the edge at which the folding plate 3 is positioned. These three pairs of rollers feed the newspaper along the chute and cause the opposite edge to be folded over or .turned inwardly bythe folding plate 3.

Along the opposite edge of the chute, and opposite the folding plate 1l, are vpositioned other pairs of rollers 8 and '9 which are similarly mounted on the frame and also similarly positioned with respect to the 4chute and to each other. The rollers Band "S cause successive newspapers to be fed forwardly at one edge While the opposite edge is folded over or turned inwardly Vby the fold forming plate d. The rollers '8 `and 9 also crease the newspapers at the portion folded b-y the folding plate 3.

Also mounted on'theframe'and in similar relation with respect'to the chute, is another pair of rollers l which are spaced from the end of the folding plate d. The rollers of the latter pair cause the newspaper to be creased at the portion folded by the folding plate l4.

:It will be here noted that at the lateral portions of 'the .chute i, -at which no folding means or feed or creasing rollers are located, I have provided upwardly and inwardly curved retaining flanges Id which are adapted Yto .hold the newspapers in the chute while they are fed from one end of the chute tothe other.

In order to fold Vthe rnewspapers as herein stated, the same Ymust be separated or `fed individually into the folding portion or unit A of the machine. Therefore, in order to obtain this result, the newspapers issuing from the printing press in stacked or overlapping order, must'be separated, or individualized. Such separating means or unit, designated D herein, is shown as consisting of awide chute H .having two successively-arrangedpairs of transverse rollers l2 and i3. The chute ll is shown as an :extension of the chute l. The'rollers i2 and 'i3 are positioned in the Asame relation 'with respect to the bottom ofthe chute as described above in connection with the other rollers. The rollers Al2 are speeded so that their surfacespeed is approximately six times that ofthe speed 'of the newspaper issuing from the printing press, or printing press conveyor. And the speed of the rollers I'3 is such that the surface `speed thereof 'is approximately twice that'of the rollers li2. Thus, vas the newspapers are fed into the rollers 12, they yare literally `grabbed at considerable speed, causing "at lea-st partial separation of the Vnewspapers from each other as they are fed from the printing press. If such newspapers are Vnot wholly separated by therollers l2, such separation, or segregation may be .completed by the rollers i3, -or 'by further stages. The'newspapersare tnenlin condition to 4 be folded by the folding unit A, described above.

The reversing unit C, referred to above, and as shown in the drawing, precedes the separating unit D, or is interposed between the separating unit and the printing press, for taking the newspapers as they come from the press and reversing them so that the second mentioned folded edges b are foremost, and then feeding such reversed newspapers into the separating unit D. The newspapers are fed from a horizontal portion or path C1 to an upperly inclined path C2, and thence to a downwardly inclined path C3 and back to a horizontal portion or path C4, from which the reversed newspapers are fed into the separating unit D.

As shown in the drawing, the newspapers are conveyed in the horizontal position C1 between a horizontal conveyor 2| and a horizontal portion of a triangular conveyor 22. These conveyors 2l and 22, as well as the ones which will be hereinafter referred to, are preferably continuous coil springs, as are now in common use.

The lower sides of the inclined portions C2 and C3 are provided by another triangularly operating conveyor 2.3, the belts or springs thereof extending around one of the drums 2la operating the conveyor 2|. The upper portion of the path C2 is provided by an upwardly inclined extension 22a of the conveyor 22. As the newspapers are ejected beyond the upper portion of the conveyor 23, they are forced to pass over the drum 23e at the vertex portion of the conveyor 23, causing the folded portion of the newspaper to be thrown to the other inclined portion of the conveyor 23. The upper side of the portion or path C3 is formed by means of a straight portion or side V2da of another triangular conveyor 24, which is similarly constructed. The conveyor 24 has one side 2lib which provides the upper side of the portion C4 of the path of the unit C. The lower side of the por-tion C4 is formed by another horizontal conveyor 25, the belts or springs of which extend around one of the lower drums over which the belts or'springs of the conveyor 23Y extent. Above 3 the conveyor 24 is a guide 26 against which the newspapers are thrown after they pass above the drum 23a and by which they are directed to pass, with the folded edge foremost, Vbetween the conveyors 23 and 24.

After the newspapers are folded, as described, they are fastened, held, or sealed, in such a condition by -a fastening means 3l which is here shown as a stapler, the stapling portion being provided in the head 31a thereof, and thedie 3lu being provided below the chute 1, as" shown.

It is obvious that the reversing unit is omitted if newspapers are issued from the printing press,V

or discharge conveyor thereof, with the folded edges foremost. llt is also obvious that lthe separating unit may be omitted if the newspapers are issued from the printing press, or discharge conveyor thereof, singly, or in separated condition. It is further obvious that such separating or individualizing mechanism may be provided in the newspaper press itself, or inthe discharge conveying means thereof, or after the reversing unit.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination, and arrangement of parts. and portions, and have suggested certain vmodifications thereof, I do not wish toV be limited to the same, Vbut desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination, and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

.I- claim: Y

'1. In a newspaper folding machine, a guiding means for guiding newspapers atwise, a pair of successive folding devices at opposite sides of the guiding means for folding successively the edges of the newspaper at the opposite sides of the guiding means inwardly over the middle portion of the newspaper, rollers in association with the guiding means, rollers being located opposite the respective folding devices for feeding the separate newspapers successively through the folding devices with which the rollers are associated, the rollers opposite the second successive folding device being also arranged to crease the fold produced by the first folding device, and other rollers positioned progressively beyond and in substantial alignment with the second folding means for creasing the fold produced by the latter.

2. In a newspaper folding machine, a guiding means for guiding newspapers atwise, a pair of successive folding devices at opposite sides of the guiding means for folding successively the opposite edges of the newspapers, at the opposite sides of the guiding means, inwardly over the middle portion of the newspaper, separate roller means in association with the guiding means and in association with each of the folding devices, one of the roller means being located opposite each of the folding devices for feeding the separate newspapers successively through the folding device with which the latter roller means are associated, the roller means opposite the second successive folding device being also arranged to crease the fold produced by the first folding device, and other roller means positioned progressively beyond and in substantial alignment with the second folding means for creasing the fold produced by the latter.

KENNETH C. GARRISON.

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