US2461214A

US2461214A - Folding machine

Info

Publication number: US2461214A
Application number: US577267A
Authority: US
Inventors: Holms Walter
Original assignee: Dexter Folder Co
Current assignee: Dexter Folder Co
Priority date: 1945-02-10
Filing date: 1945-02-10
Publication date: 1949-02-08
Anticipated expiration: 1966-02-08

Description

- w. HoLMs Feb. s, 1949.

FOLDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 1o, 1945 Patented Fel. 8, 1949 UNITED Q naneent9 corporation :1f-New York Y Y Application Fehmarn 10, 19155, Serial No. 5 .Clin i. (c1. 27e-:68)

This invention relates to folding machines, more particularly to folding machines ofthe welll known buckle type embodying fold plates and feeding and folding rollers acting in conjunction therewith to feed sheets of paper therethrough and fold said sheets by buckling and feeding actions produced thereon.

One of the objects of the presen-t invention is to provide, in a buckletype `folding machine, novel means for positioning the vfold plate sheet stops.

Another object of the invention is Yto provide a buckle type folding machine `hav-ing novel means for accurately and quickly positioning the fold plate sheet stops, said means being so mounted and arranged that the fold .plateado Anot interfere with the sheet stop positioning ,operation.

Another object is to provide :a novel .mechanism whereby the fold plate sheet vstops may `be quickly positioned in a preliminary setting :and then moved with extreme accuracy to a nalset.-

ting', both operations being performed vfrom the free ends of the fold plates.

The above and further objects and novel fatures of the present invention will more fully api pear from the following detail description when the same is read in connection with t-li accom'- panyng drawings. Itis to be eXprssly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only, and are notinte'rided as a deiinition of the limits of the invention, reference for this latter purpose being had primarily to theappended claims. l y

1n the drawings, wherein like reference char'- acters refer to like parts throughout the several Views v l.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section of a buckle type folding machine embody# ing the present invention; v M

Fig. 2 is a bottoni plan view, on a reduced scale, of one of the fold plates shown in 1 Fig. 3 is an enlargedv'fragmentary transverse section on the Ifnet-'3 of Fig. 1; y 'i l y Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section on the line 4--4 `of Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 is a broken vertical longitudinal section, on a larger scale, of one of the sheet-'stopadjiistl ing units shown in Figs. l and 2.

Referring to the drawings, the present .invention is herein shown, by Wayof eXa'rnpleVa'senija :d apiuiitypf of petal-lei. enger riy disposed foie nietes it, fr, feV apn r9 mantenuta@ tgthanibeitd-Cheen; ,o'f the folds niet are to be mede in the Rbl'lrs .to t5 are at their opposite ends in suitable vbe 'gs carried a frame 26, arid are' mi., se and einen bi/ ain 'Suitable meats .ior this nose, P fildrlat. t, t9 r of wellltndwii construction; ea-ch crnfi'sfing grid- The sheets t6 be fbidei are f thereof @ver and ,along einer@ il table @l rehearsed i611 8:2 and'eteriine diesen@ 4 well lsrwwnec si .Cavalaire lsfuepefft suitable, marmer trame ,250; :andfrcllers 12.3 .are driven by-.anr-suitahlemeans:

Infthe pperatenef "t Y v four Ifoldsiare ilo-bemoeien is ,deliveredioygfeed table 2 tu, M which furtheriadvancefsaidzshee .inland along fold plate It untill-the leading edge .of ,the sheet strikes the :Stoll-2311i Saflfplnte.` @han elfigagement :of the .sheet .withstop 2.31m fold `.plate i6; and dueto continued feedingiactiongof rollers lf0;|.;| ,on the' 1,trailing portion y.of said-sheet; l.the latter -is caused :t-o ibuclrle towards .-rciiers im; t2, and enters .between .said rollers, thereby `'forming the -fir'strfold in fthe-sheet'. Theon'ce folde'dislieet is then advanced by @rollers flzl, J2 .into'.andA-long ing edge thereof strikes the stop 23 in said plate, whereupon the sheet is caused to buckle towards rollers I3, I4, and enters between said rollers, thus forming the third fold in said sheet. From rollers I3, I4 the folded sheet passes into and along the yfold plate I9, and upon engagement with the stop`23 in said plate, saidV sheet is caused to bucklejtowards.,rollerjfl4, I5, a'ndenters-between said rollers, thereby forming the fourth fold in the sheet.

The folded sheets are delivered by rollers I4 and I5 between pairs of feed rollers 29 fordelivery thereby onto a stacking apron, or onto a cross carrier adapted to advance the folded sheets to a second or cross fold section or unit similar to the rst fold section, but disposed at right angles to the latter, for imparting vadditional fold or folds in the sheets at right angles to the foldV and quickly effected. The sheet stop moving means are identical in construction and operation for each fold plate; therefore, a description of said moving means with respect to one of the fold plates will sulce for all of the fold plates.

As herein shown, each fold plate is provided atthe end opposite to the mouth thereof with two brackets 3D which are preferably secured, as by bolts 3l, to the bottom and adjacent opposite` sides of the plate 22 of said fold plate. Brackets project beyond the end 'of' the fold plate, and each is formed with a circular opening 32 (Fig. 5) extending longitudinally therethrough, and with a slot or groove 33 perpendicular to theaxisof opening 32 and passing through the latter and open at the top of said bracket. Brackets 38 are disposed centrally with respect to two of the slots 26, preferably the endmost slots, in plate 22.

Fitted for sliding movement in the openings 3'2 of brackets 30 are'sleeves 34 externally threaded and formed at their inner ends with enlargedV circular heads 35 disposed beneath plate 22. Heads 35 are provided with flatportions 33 (Fig.- 3) adjacent plate 22 in order to provide clearance for sleeves 34. Sleeves 34`are formed with broached openings 31 (Figs. 4 and 5) extending therethrough to receive and guide square bars 38 -for movement longitudinally of the fold plate toward and away from the mouth of said plate. The forward ends of bars 38 are connected with the sheet stop bar 24 adjacentV opposite ends thereof vby shouldered studs 39 which extend loosely through said sheet stop bar and through the endmost slots 26 in plate 22, and are threaded in said square bars. Spacers 40 surrounding studs 39 and disposed between sheet stop 23 and bars 38. hold said stop and bars in proper spaced relation. The outwardly projecting ends-of bars 38 have secured thereto manipulating knobs or handles 4I. Disposed within grooves 33 in brackets 30 and threadedly engaged with sleeves 34 knurled lock nuts 43. Heads 35 of sleeves 34 have threaded therein thumb screws 44 adaptedl to be engaged with bars 38 for releasably connecting said bars with said sleeves.

It will thus appear that when it is desired to effect any considerable movement of sheet stop 23 in any one of the fold plates, this can be conveniently and quickly accomplished from the free or remote` end of the fold plate, by rst loosening thumb screws 44, then grasping knobs 4| and sliding bars 38 and therewith the sheet stop 23 manually toward or away from the mouth of the fold plate until said stop is in a position corresponding approximately to the position desired for making :a particular type or size of vfold in the sheet. This coarse or preliminary setting of the sheet stop 23 is facilitated by graduations 45 on the inner sides of bars 38, which are easily visible and read at the outer ends of the sleeves 34. After sheet stop 23 has been moved to an approximate position as described, the thumb screws 44 are again tightened to connect bars 38 with sleeves 34, whereupon the sheet stop is given a line, final setting which is also quickly and conveniently accomplished from the free or remote end of the fold plate, by rst loosening lock nuts 43, and then rotating the adjusting nuts d2 in the proper direction, resulting in minute axial movements of sleeves 34 and therewith the sheet stop 23 through bars 38, and location of said sheet stop in accurate fold effecting position. Lock nuts 43 are then again tightened to lock the sheet stop 23 in adjusted position. It will be understood that the final line adjustment of sheet stop 23 is made after the folding machine has been started and after I' one or more test sheets have been run through said machine.

It will also appear that due to the pivotal connections 39 for the sheet stop 23 with the bars 38, the latter may be moved within limits independently of each other whereby opposite ends of the sheet stop may be adjusted to square-up the same with respect to the fold plate or with respect to the edge of the sheet moved into contact therewith.

There is thus provided novel means for accurately and quickly positioning the sheet stops in fold plates of buckle type folding machines, without the use of tools. and without injury to the operator in not requiring the operator to reach-in over or under the fold plates, or between two closely spaced fold plates. Additionally, preliminary coarse and final ne adjustments of the sheet stops may both be effected from the remote ends of the fold plates, and in this manner accurate positioning of the sheet stops may be accomplished more quickly and more conveniently, resulting in a decrease in folder set-up time, and in an increase in output of folded sheets.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described in the foregoing specification, and in connection with the first fold section or unit of ,a buckle type folding machine, it is to be expressly understood that said invention may be embodied in any or all of the multi-fold sections or units of such a machine, and that changes may be made therein, particularly in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as will now be clear to those skilled in the art. For example, the brackets 33 and all parts associated therewith may be mounted on the upper plate 2| instead of on the lower plate 22 of the fold plate, and round rods may lbe substituted for the square bars 38.

Further, in the case of small fold plates only one sheet stop moving unit mounted centrally oi the fold plate may be employed. For a denition oi the limits of the invention, reference is had primarily to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a fold plate for buckle type folding machines having a sheet stop associated therewith, means for moving said sheet stop along the fold plate to various positions, comprising a longitudinally movable elongated member connected with said sheet stop and extending therefrom beyond the end of the fold plate opposite to the mouth thereof for rapidly moving said member and the sheet stop therewith longitudinally of said fold plate, a bracket carried by said fold plate at said end, an externally threaded member slidably carried by sai-d bracket and guiding said elongated member ior movement toward and away from the mouth of the fold plate, a nut threaded on said threaded member and held by said bracket against axial movement relative to said threaded member for slowly moving the latter longitudinally of said fold plate an-d said elongated member, and means for releasably connecting said elongated member with said threaded member for movement with the latter upon rotation of said nut.

2. In a fold plate for buckle type folding machines having a sheet stop associated therewith, means for moving said'sheet stop along the fold plate to various positions, comprising a longitudinally movable elongated member connected with said sheet stop and extending therefrom beyond the end of the fold plate opposite to the mouth thereof for rapidly moving said member and the sheet stop therewith longitudinally of said fold plate, a bracket carried by said fold plate at said end, an externally threaded member slidably carried by said bracket and guiding said elongated member for movement toward and away from the mouth of the fold plate, a nut threaded on said threaded member and held by said bracket against axial movement relative to said threaded member for slowly moving the latter longitudinally of said fold plate and said elongated member, means for releasably connecting said elongated member with said threaded member for movement with the latter upon rotation of said nut, and a lock nut threaded on said threaded member.

3. In a fold plate for buckle type folding niachines having a sheet stop associated therewith, means for moving said sheet stop along the fold plate to various positions, comprising a longitudinally movable bar square in cross section connected with said sheet stop and extending therefrom beyond the end of the fold plate opposite to the mouth thereof for rapidly moving said bar and the sheet stop therewith longitudinally of said fold plate, said bar having graduations thereon, a bracket secured to the fold plateY at said end, an externally threaded sleeve slidably carried by said bracket and guiding said bar for movement toward and away from the mouth of the fold plate, one end of said sleeve cooperating with said graduations to determine the location of said sheet stop with respect to said fold plate, a nut threaded on the sleeve and held by said 6, bracket against axial movement relative to said sleevefor slowly moving the latterV longitudinally of said fold plate and said bar, and screw means for releasably connecting said bar with said sleeve for movement with the latter upon rotation cf said nut.

fl.' In a fold plate for buckle type folding ma* chines having a sheet-stop bar slidably mounted thereon, means for moving said sheet-stop bar along the fold plate, `comprising a pair of longitadinally movable elongated members, means for pivotally connecting corresponding ends of said members with said sheet-stop bar adjacent oppo site ends thereof, said members extending from the sheet stop bar beyond the end or the fold plate opposite to the mouth thereof for rapidly moving the same and the sheet stop bar therewith longitudinally of the fold plate, a pair of brackets secured to the fold plate at said end, externally threaded sleeves slidably carried by said brackets and guiding said members for movement toward and away from the mouth of the fold plate, nuts threaded on the sleeves and held by said brackets against axial movement relative to said sleeves for slowly moving the latterlongitudinally of `said fold plate and said members, and means for releasably connecting said members with said sleeves for movement therewith upon rotation of said nuts.

5. In a buckle type folding machine having a foid plate and a movable sheet stop associated therewith, of mechanism for manually lmoving said sheet stop to various positions lengthwise of -said fold plate, comprising an elongated member movable axially lengthwise of said fold plate and extending from saidsheet stop in all positions thereof beyond the end opposite to the mouth of said fold plate, said member being adapted to move said sheet stop through largel increments in opposite directions along said fold plate, means for connecting said member and said sheet stop and for holding the same against relative axial movement, supporting and guiding means surrounding said member and carried by said fold f plate at said end for axial movement relative to said member and fold plate, means for moving said supporting and guiding means in opposite directions axially of said member through small increments, and mean-s for releasably connecting said supporting and guiding means with said member in all relative positions of the latter, whereby said small increment movements will be imparted to said sheet stop.

WALTER HOLMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent: