US2685444A - Apparatus for folding band material - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 3, 1954 Q w|RTH 2,685,444

APPARATUS FOR FOLDING BAND MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed Nov. 25. 1952 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 3, 1954 0. WIRTH 2,685,444 7 APPARATUS FOR FOLDING BAND MATERIAL Filed Nov. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UNITED STATES eaten: orrlce 2,685,444 AIPARATUS FOR FOLDING BAND MATERIAL Otto Wirth, Zurich,

6 Claims. 1

' of the machine as disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 315,293 filed October 17, 1952.

The folding apparatus according to the invent-ion includes a supply reel on which the band material is wound, arm on which the reel is carried, a lever system by which the arm is oscillated back and forth in a horizontal plane for the major portion of its stroke, pulling also the band back and forth, the arm end pulling the band executing an upward movement at the beginning or each stroke and a downward movement at the end of each stroke, and two stacks of fingers located respectively at opposite ends of the travelled by the arm end. The arrangeinent is such that as the end of the arm pulling the band material with it reaches each end of its path, a finger in the stack adjacent that end of the path is pushed to a position over the band. Thus when the arm end and band material moves in the opposite direction the material is folded over the finger so that as the arm end oscillates back and forth, the band material will be piled in folds laid atop one another.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrates a practical embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 i a view in side elevation of the folding machine; Fig. 2 is a top plan view; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with certain elements omitted; Fig. 4 is a view in rear elevation of a sub group of elements of the machine; Figs. 5 and 6' are detailed sections taken on lines -5, 5-8 respectively of Fig. 3; and Figs. 7 and 8 are detail perspectives of certain elements of the machine.

With reference now to the drawings the machine is seen to be comprised of a horizontal base plate I on which is mounted an upright hollow tube 2 which serves as a support for other ele ments. Adjacent the upper end of support 2, a fixed pin 3 extends transversely outward and constitutes a sliding pivot for the upper end of arm 6, the latter being provided at its upper end with a longitudinally extending slot do that receives the pin 3. At a point below pin 3 a lever 5 is pivotally mounted intermediate it ends on the support 2 by means of a transverse pivot pin 6 which extends through an opening in the support. Pin 53 is secured rigidly to lever 5 and hence is oscillatable with the lever in the support. One end of lever 5 is pivotally connected by pin l to an intermediate portion or" arm 4 and the opposite end of lever 5 is pivotally connected by pin 8 to one end of an arcuate lever B. The opposite end of lever ii is pivotally connected by pin Hi to a circular disc H at a point adjacent its rim por- Switzerland, assignor to Micafil A.-G., Zurich-Alstetten, Switzerland Application November 25, 1952, Serial No. 322,427

Claims priority, application Switzerland November 26, 1951 align the projections 25, 25

tion. Disc ii is mounted on a horizontal shaft i2 for rotation about its center, the shaft being supported in a bearing iii upstanding on the base i. Disc ii is rotated by any suitable means and for purposes of illustration there is shown a handie is secured to the disc by which to rotate the same by hand. However the disc can be n10- tor driven if desired.

A reel !5 on which the wound prior to folding is mounted for rotation about its center by a stub shaft ll projecting laterally from arm :5 and located intermediate the lower end of arm t and the connecting point of lever B therewith. Friction braking means (not shown) for the reel it such as by friction contact between the side flanges of the reel and two sheet metal discs may be included to maintain the band material under a slight tension as it is pulled off the reel by the reciprocating movement of arm 4.

The operative nature 01 the interconnected arm i and levers 5, ii is such that as the disc H is rotated, the lower end of arm t will move back and forth along a path as shown by the dash-dot line It will be noted that most of the path is rectilinear with the lower end of arm l moving parallel with the base plate l throughout most of its stroke but in a plane above that of the plate I. At the opposite ends of the stroke, the lower end of arm a moves in a generally vertical direction from its spaced starting points l8, H) at the plane of the plate i along a steep curvilinear path which merges intothe rectilinear portion of the path.

Within the limits of movement of the lower end of an fl and supported on the base plate I for movement transversely thereto are two packages or stacks S, S of fingers 2i? in the form of fiat steel plates. As shown in Fig. 2 these fingers contain longitudinally extending front and rear slots ii which receive pins 22 upstanding on base plate i by which the fingers are guided in their transverse motion. The fingers iii form the fold lines for the successive folds of material produced by the machine and are so arranged as to be projected in sequence beginning at the bottom of the stack at the end of each stroke of the arm i. The mechanism for effecting this result comprises a cradle 23 journalled intermediate its ends for an angular oscillatory movement in a substantially horizontal plane about an upstanding bearing shaft 25 on the base plate l. The opposite ends of cradle 21% are provided with horizontal projections 25, 25', respectively having a thickness equal to that of one of the fingers 2d so as to be able to push against the rear end of the lowermost finger in the stack without disturbing the other ringers. A tension spring is (see Fig. 6) connected at one end to the medial portion of cradle 23 and which establishes a vertically upward pulling force on the cradle is utilized to at opposite ends of the cradle with the next-to-be-actuated finger in band material It is the stack with which that projection is associated. Consequently as the cradle 23 is oscillated about its bearing shaft 2:3 to project the fingers 29 in alternation from the two stacks S, S into the path traveled by arm 4, the cradle will move upwardly on shaft 24.

The cradle 23 is oscillated in timed relation with the movement of arm i to the end that one of the fingers 28 in the stacks will be pushed into the path of the arm when the arm reaches each end of its stroke. To effect this synchronizing action, it will be seen that pivot pin 8, which will be remembered is secured to and oscillates with lever 5, has secured thereon the upper end of a crank arm 2? which therefore will also oscillate with lever '5 and hence also arm To the lower end of arm 2? is connected one end of a tension spring 28, the opposite end of this spring being connected to a lateral projection is on a swingle 30. Swingle 33 is mounted also on the shaft 24 for angular oscillatory movement. Swingle 3i; underlies the cradle 23 and is provided with a pair of upstanding pins 3| which pass through apertures 32 in the cradle arms and exercise a guiding function on the cradle. As crank arm 21 reaches each end of its stroke a torque will be established on the swingle Si? and hence also cradle 23 tending to rotate them about the axis of shaft 24. However in order to prevent movement of the swingle and cradle arm 4 reaches the end portion of its stroke it will be seen that cooperative with opposite ends of the swingle 3Q are latches in the form of levers 33, 33' mounted pivotally intermediate their ends on base plate i Levers 33, 33' are arranged transverse to the plane of movement of arm 5 and the forward end portion of each lever is so located as to be depressed by the lower end of the arm 4 as the latter descends upon reaching the end of its stroke thus raising the rear end of the lever which otherwise lies in the plane of the swingle 3G and is engaged thereby.

With reference now to Fig. 2, lever 33 at the right side of the machine is shown with its rear end engaging the side face of swingle 38 thus locking the swingle and hence also the cradle 23 against movement in a clockwise direction. The swingle and cradle remain locked in the position shown until the lower end of arm 4 has moved to the opposite end end thereof depresses the front end of lever 3 to thereby release the rear end from swingle 3B. The potential torsional force previously created on the cradle 23 by the tensional force in spring 28 is thus enabled the cradle and swingle snap in a clockwise direction and the projection 25 pushes one of the fingers 25 in stack S forward into the path traveled by arm 4. Latch lever 33 at the left side of the machine is thus freed to move into its latching position with the left end of swingle 30. The latch levers 33, 33 may be spring loaded to their horizontal latching positions if desired or may be arranged as shown with lever arms of unequal length whereby the rear end of the lever asso ciated with the longer lever arm will fall by gravity into it horizontal latching position.

The manner in which the machine operates is believed to be obvious from the foregoing description and hence no particularly detailed explanation is believed necessary. However in brief summary, the mode of operation is as follows:

Arm 4 is first placed in the position shown in Fig. 1 and the lowermost finger 28 in the stack S is pushed forward by the projection 25 on except when the of its stroke and the lower to act with the result that "band to be slid easily off the fingers.

cradle 23. The free end of the band material It to be folded is next pulled from the supply reel l5 over a guide hook as, passed between two closely spaced pins 35 projecting laterally from the lower end of arm' A, then carried under the first finger pushed out of stack S and finally anchored to the base plate I by means of pins 36 which upstand from a lateral projection 3? on the base plate. After this is done the machine is started by rotating disc H. Ihe band It, which unwinds from reel I5 is carried along with and generally follows the path as taken by the lower end of arm l, thus moves to the right and has its starting fold line formed by the lowermost finger 2B of stack S. When arm 4 and the band It reach the right end of the machine, latch lever 33 is depressed to release it from the right end of swingle 33 thus permitting it and cradle 23 to snap forward and causing the lowermost finger in stack S to be pushed out over the band [6. Arm l then reverses to thus carry the band around this finger of stacl; S to form another fold in the band at this end When arm 4 reaches its other line at this end of the machine. The cycle then repeats itself until all fingers of both stacks S, S have been pushed out in alternation and a corresponding number of folds in the band layered on top of each other have been formed whereupon the machine is stopped.

To remove the band thus folded in plicate form,

S, S and one of the lease the tension in stacks is then shifted to rethe folds thus enabling the is then cut on" from the supply roll on reel l5 operation again to fold another length of the band.

In conclusion, while I have described and illustrated one practical embodiment of my improved folding machine it will be understood that various modifications of the components thereof may be adopted without however departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for folding band material into plicate form comprising a horizontal base plate, two stacks of fingers disposed on said plate in spaced relation, an arm movably mounted on said plate intermediate said stacks of fingers, means for mounting rotatably on said arm a supply roll of the band material, guide means on said arm for pulling off the material from the supply roll, means for imparting an essentially reciprocatory movement to said arm whereby said guide means and material are caused to travel repeatedly through a constant path the ends of which are located outwardly of said stacks of fingers, said guide means and material traveling horizontally for the major portion of the reciprocating stroke of said arm at a level above the stacks of fingers and then dipping down and back at each end portion of the stroke to a point below the bottom finger in each stack, and means operated in timed relation with the reciprocation of said arm for moving a finger from a stack into a position over the path of travel or the band material each time said arm reaches an end portion of its stroke, said fingers thus establishing successive fold lines for the material as the latter is carried back and forth by said guide means on said arm.

2. Apparatus for folding band material into plicate form comprising a base, two stacks of fingers disposed on said plate in spaced relation, an upright support on said base intermediate said stacks of fingers, an arm having its upper end connected pivotally to said support and being provided at its lower end with guide means for the band material, means for rotatably mounting on said arm a roll of the band material to be pulled ofi by said guide means as the folding progresses, means for anchoring the lead-off end of the band material, means for imparting an essentially reciprocatory movement to said arm wherein the guide means and band material are caused to travel repeatedly through a constant path the ends of which are located outwardly of said stacks of fingers, said guide means and material traveling horizontally in a plane above the base at a level above the stacks of fingers for the major portion of the reciprocating stroke of said arm and then traveling down in the direction of said base to a point below the bottom finger in each stack and back at each end portion of the stroke, and means operated in timed relation with the reciprocation of said arm for moving a finger from a stack into a position over the path of travel of the band material each time said arm reaches an end portion of its stroke, said fingers thus establishing successive fold lines for the material as the latter is carried back and forth by the guide means on said arm.

3. Apparatus for folding band material into plicate form comprising an arm, means for mounting rotatably on said arm a supply roll of the band material, guide means on said arm for pulling off the material from the supply roll, means for imparting an essentially reciprocatory movement to said arm whereby said guide means and material are caused to travel horizontally for the major portion of the reciprocating stroke of said arm and to travel down and back at each end portion of the stroke, a stack of fingers disposed adjacent each end of the stroke of said arm, a cradle mounted pivotally intermediate the ends thereof between said stacks, opposite ends of said cradle being adapted upon oscillation of the cradle to engage and eject fingers from alternate stacks in succession, and means operated in timed relation with the reciprocation of said arm for oscillating said cradle thereby to eject a finger from a stack into a position over the path of travel of the band material each time said arm reaches an end portion of its stroke, said fingers when ejected thus establishing successive fold lines for the material as the latter is carried back and forth by said guide means on said arm.

4. Apparatus for folding band material into plicate form comprising an arm, means mounting rotatably on said arm a supply roll of the band material, guide means on said arm for pulling off the material from the supply roll, a lever system for imparting an essentially reciprocatory movement to said arm whereby said guide means and material are caused to travel horizontally for the mpjor portion of the reciprocating stroke of said arm and to travel down and back at each end portion of the stroke, a stack of fingers disposed adjacent each end of the stroke of said arm, a swingle, a cradle, said swingle and cradle being mounted intermediate their ends for oscillation about a common axis, spaced pins upstanding on said swingle extending through correspondingly spaced apertures in said cradle for guiding the latter, opposite ends of said cradle being adapted upon oscillation thereof to engage and eject fingers from alternate stacks in succession, and means connecting said swingle to said lever system for oscillation by the latter in timed relation with the reciprocation of said arm thereby to eject a finger from a stack into a position over the path of travel of the band material each time said arm reaches an end portion of its stroke, said fingers when ejected thus establishing successive fold lines for the material as the latter is carried back and forth by said guide means on said arm.

5. Apparatus for folding material as defined in claim 4 wherein the said connecting means between said lever system and swingle includes a tension spring for effecting a snap action of said swingle and which further includes latch means disposed at each end of said swingle and normally engaging said swingle to hold the same against movement, said latch means being engageable by said arm upon reaching the end of its stroke to release the same from said swingle thereby to permit said spring to move said swingle with said snap action.

6. Apparatus for folding band material into plicate form comprising a base, an upright support on said base, an arm having its upper end connected by a slidable pivot to said support, means mounting rotatably on said arm a supply roll of the band material, guide means at the lower end of said arm for pulling offthe material from the supply roll, a lever system for imparting an essentially reciprocating movement to said arm whereby said guide means and material are caused to travel horizontally above the base for the major portion of the reciprocating stroke of said arm and to travel down in the direction of said base and back at each end portion of the stroke, a stack of fingers disposed on said base adjacent each end of the arm stroke, a swingle, a cradle above said swingle, said swingle and cradle being mounted intermediate their ends on said base for oscillation about a common vertical axis, spaced pins upstanding on said swingle extending through correspondingly spaced apertures in said cradle for guiding the latter, opposite ends of said cradle being adapted upon oscillation thereof to engage and eject the lowermost finger from alternate stacks in succession, spring means for biasing said cradle in the upward direction, latch means on said base adjacent each end of said swingle for normally engaging and holding said swingle and hence also said cradle against movement, said latch means being released from said swingle when said arm reaches the end portion of its stroke, and means including spring means connecting said swingle to said lever system for oscillation by the latter in timed relation with the reciprocation of said arm thereby to eject a finger from a stack into a position over the path of travel of the band material each time said arm reaches an end portion of its stroke, said fingers when ejected thus establishing successive fold lines for the material as the latter is carried back and forth by said guide means on said arm.

Name Date Priester June 11, 1912 Number

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