US2692398A - Form folding machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 26, 1954 K. w. JONES 2,692,393

FORM FOLDING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1953 e sheets-sheet 1 Inventor 4 Kermit W Jones Oct. 26, 1954 w JONES 2,692,398

FORM FOLDING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 26, 1954 w, JONES 2,692,398

FORM FOLDING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Kermit WJonea Oct. 26, 1954 K. w. JONES 2,692,398

FORM FOLDING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 26, 1954 w JONES 7 2,692,398

FORM FOLDING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1953 s She'eis-Sheet 5 Kermit WJones Patented Oct. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FORM FOLDING MACHINE Kermit W. Jones, Ipswich, Mass assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Fleming'- ton, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey 7 Application July 8, 1953, Serial No. 379,223

18 Claims. 1

This invention relates to machines for folding the margins of work pieces, and more particularly to machines of the type in which a substantial portion of the margin of a work piece, such as a shoe upper, is folded in a single operation as distinguished from machines in which the margin is folded progressively or in a step-by-step manner. Machines of the type to which the invention relates are known as form folding machines and the invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine of the type shown in the Booth et a1. Patent No. 1,095,699, granted May 5, 1914, although it will be understood that the invention is not thus limited in its application.

In folding the margins of shoe parts and particularly quarters such as are used in the manufacture of mens Goodyear welt shoes, it is highly desirable that the quarter along the eyelet rows and the rounded corners connecting the edgesof the eyelet rows with the portions of the quarter forming the top line of the shoe be folded to a predetermined contour. If the folding of the uarter results in any departures from the predetermined desired contour, this will become apparent when the shoe is lasted and some distortion of the upper may be required in order that the edges of the eyelet rows be in the proper positions. Accordingly it has been found desirable in the manufacture of high quality shoes requiring great precision in folding the marginal por-' tions of the eyelet rows to employ for the pur- ,pose, form folding machines, for at least these I portions of the quarters, the remaining portion of the quarter being satisfactorily folded in a progressive type of folding machine. B'y limiting the folding in the form folding machine" to the margins of the eyelet rows and to the rounded corner portions at the upper extremities thereof, the same folding instrumentalities may be employed for folding quarters for various sizes of shoes.

It has been found that even with the use of conventional form folding machines such as that shown in the aforementioned Booth at al. patent equipped with appropriately shaped folders,

' former plates etc., the convex curves between the eyelet row and the top margin of the quarter are not always folded to precisely the same shape. One reason is that in such machines there has been no adequate control of the formation of pleats when the material is folded so that the exact contour of this curved portion cannot be accurately predicted.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved form folding machine arranged to fold work pieces having eonvexlycurved arginal portions to an exact pledetlfnlihe'd olltolli. To this end and in accordance with a feature' of the invention, improved means are provided for forming pleats in the margin of the work which is to be folded at the convexly' curved portion, and to maintain the pleats thus formed during the folding operation.

In order that one set of folding instrumentalities may suflice for folding the aforesaid portions of quarters for different sized shoes the folding operation is not performed along that portion of the quarter which forms the top margin of the shoe except at the corners between the top margin and the eyelet row's' since such folding may be done with sufficient accuracy by a progressive type of folder. However, the folding by the form folder must be terminated abruptly as Otherwise an objectionable joint will appear between the portions folded by the two different types of folding machines at which portions for a. short distance the margin will not be folded over sufiiciently. Accordingly, in accordance with another object of the invention, provision is made for folding the margin up: to a predetermined point beyond which no foldingis effected by the form folding machine. To this end and in accordance with a further feature of the invention, the folding machine is provided with .a folding finger which during the folding operation moves inwardly over the margin of the work and presses downwardly thereon so that the fold terminates at a predetermined point along the margin.

The above and other features of the invention including various details of construction and novel combinations of parts will now be described with reference to the drawings and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an angular View of one form of machine in which the invention is embodied; I

Fig. 2 is an angular view of the folding instrumentalities shown in Fig. 1 but on a somewhat larger scale;

Fig. 3 is an angular view of certain of the folding instrumentalities;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the folding instrumentalities, the parts at the right of the figure being shown in the positions they assume at the beginning of a folding operation, and the parts in the left side of Fig. 4' being inthe positions assumed at a later stage in the folding" operation;

Fig. 5 is an angular view, partly in section; or a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3, but ona larger scale:

the work support [2. the upper surface of the folding plate I4 is in Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the folding instrumentalities of the machine;

Figs. 7 to 13 are vertical sections throught a portion of the folding instrumentalities showing them in diiferent positions during the folding operation, these views being taken along the line -VIIVII of Fig. 4;

Fig. 14 is a view on the line XIVXIV of Fig. 4; and

Figs. 15 to 18 are vertical sections illustrating the operation of the fingers which determine the extent of the folded portions.

The machine comprises a base I!) on which is carried a work support l2 in the form of a flat plate the rearward edge of which is shaped to correspond to the marginal contour of the work piece to be operated upon. The work support I2 is readily removable so that it may be replaced by one having a difierent shaped rearward edge portion to correspond to the particular work to be operated upon, the mounting of the support being similar to that shown in the Booth et al. Patent No. 695,438, granted March 18, 1902, and

being fully explained therein.

A folding plate 14 having a forward edge portion shaped complementally to the rearward edge portion of the work support I2 is mounted on a carrier I6 for vertical movements and for forward and rearward movements with respect to With the machine at rest,

substantially the same plane as the upper surface of the work support l2. Secured to the upper surface of the folding plate I4 is a gage IS the forward edge of which corresponds in shape to the forward edge of the folding plate i l but is spaced rearwardly thereof so that a work piece W may be placed on the work support with the edge in contact with the gage l8 and the marginal portion defined by such edge, which portion is to be folded, extending beyond the work support and overlying the folding plate M, as shown in Fig. '7.

Provision is made for clamping the work piece after it has been properly positioned on the work support and for this purpose a clamping plate 20 is provided. This clamping plate is carried in spaced relation to a clamp bar 22 by pins 24 and spacing washers 25 as shown in Fig. 14. The washers 26 are slightly thicker than the thickness of a former plate 28 which is provided with slots 30 to receive the washers 26, this former plate being arranged to move forwardly and rearwardly of the work support l2 with respect to the clamping plate and clamp bar. The former plate has secured to its upper surface a pair of semi-circular flanged members 32 which are in turned secured to vertically extending tubes 34 carried by the forward ends of rods 35 (Fig. 6) slidable in sleeves 38, the rearward ends of which are mounted in a crosshead (Fig. 1). Springs 42 normally maintain the rods 3% in their rearmost positions as shown in Fig. 6 in which the rearward edge of the former plate, which has a contour corresponding to that of the rearward edge of the work support l2, lies adjacent to but slightly rearwardly of this edge of the work support.

Secured to the forward ends of the sleeves 38 are circular members 44 which surround the rods 36 and into which are threaded screws 46, the lower ends of which are received in holes in the clamp bar 22 as indicated in Figs. '7 to 12.

.A pair of lock nuts 48 provides means for maintaining the clamp bar in the proper spaced relaupon the body thereof.

4 tion to the sleeve 38 and hence in the proper relation to the former plate 28.

The above work engaging elements are those which are common to the machine of the present invention and the machine of the Booth et al. patents mentioned above, and, as will be clearly understood from a study of the aforementioned patent, the machineoperates as shown in Figs. 7 to 13. The work piece W is first placed on the work support I2 with the margin to be folded overlying the folding plate hi and the edge of the work contacting the gage l8. Upon depressing a treadle, the crosshead 49 (Fig. l) pivots about a shaft 50 whereupon the clamping plate 20 moves into contact with the work as shown in Fig. 8 and the former plate 28 occupies the position shown in that figure. A clutch is now engaged, causing rotation of a cam shaft 52 (Fig. 1) whereupon a lever 54 moves forwardly and acts through a;spring 56 against a plate 58 to hold the crosshead 4!] in the position to which it was moved upon depression of the treadle so that the clamping plate 25 remains in contact with the upper surface of the .work throughout the folding operation. The folding plate M now rises to turn the margin of the work upwardly against the forward edge of the former plate 28 until the folding plate finally reaches a position as shown in Fig. 10 above the upper surface of the work support l2. The folding plate then moves forwardly to fold the margin of the work over the upper surface of the creaser plate, as shown in Fig. 11, which is then withdrawn (Fig. 12) by forward movement imparted to the rods 36 (Fig. 6) by which the former plate is carried whereupon the folding plate moves downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 13, pressing the folded margin of the work back The downward movement of the folding plate 14 is augmented by arms 60 (Fig. 1) through the forward ends of which are threaded screws 62 arranged for engagement with the upper surface of the folding plate M. These arms are carried by sleeves 64 which are in turn secured to levers 66 journaled on studs 68 and carrying followers 19 received by grooves 12 in cams Hi carried by the cam shaft 52. At a predetermined time in the pressing operation, the arms 60 are moved downwardly whereby pressure is transmitted through the screws 62 to the folding plate l4 following which the arms are again raised, the folding plate moved upwardly and then rearwardly, finally returning to the position shown in Fig. 7. For a more complete description of the mechanism by which the aforesaid operations take place, reference is made to the aforementioned Booth et a1.

patents.

The forward edge of the folding plate 24 has a pair of straight portions 16 (Figs. 2 and 3) arranged to contact the marginal portions of the quarter along the eyelet rows. The straight portions 16 merge with curved serrated portions 18 arranged for engagement with the curved portions of the quarter between the eyelet rows and the top margin of the quarter. These portions 18 are serrated to insure the formation of uniformly spaced pleats in the curved portions so that curves of a predetermined contour are formed during each folding operation. Cooperating with the serrated portions are clamping members or distributors all which serve to clamp the margin of the work on the folding plate above the serrated portions 1 8 as shown in Fig.

8, whereupon during upward movement of the .stops I secured to the sleeves 38.

folding plate, as shown in Fig. 9, the work is drawn tightly around the upper edges of the serrations to assist in the formation of the pleats. The front faces of the distributors 80 are concavely curved to conform generally to the curvature of the serrated portions I8 as shown in Fig. 3. To maintain the pleats thus formed during forward movement of the folding plate I4 to turn the margin of the work about the edge of the former plate 28, retarders 82 are provided and operate as shown in Fig. 11 to hold the pleated marginal portion of the work against the serrations in the folding plate I4.

The distributors 80 are carried by the lower ends of pins 84 which are slidable vertically in brackets 86 secured to the gages I8. Each distributor 80 rests on a head 88 (Fig. 6) formed at the lower end of its pin 84 and a spring 90 actsbetween the bracket 86 and the distributor to move the distributor downwardly into clamping engagement with the marginal portion of the upper. With the machine at rest and the parts in position for the presentation of a work piece to the machine, the distributors are held in elevated positions as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. For this purpose there is secured to the upper'end of each pin 84 an inverted L-shaped bar 92 the lower edge of which is arranged, with the parts positioned as in Fig. 6, to rest on the upper face of the retarder 82. The retarder moves downwardly with the former plate 28 at the start of a cycle of operation whereupon the springs 90 urge the distributors 80 into contact with the work. a

The retarders 82 are carried at the lower ends of arms 94 the upper ends of which are in the form of sleeves 96 surrounding the sleeves 38. The sleeves 96 are slidable along the sleeves 38 and are urged rearwardly by springs 98 toward Turning of the sleeves 96 about the sleeves 38 is prevented 'by forwardly extending arms I02 of the stops I00 received by grooves in the sleeves 96.

Inasmuch as the present machine is intended to fold the margin of the quarter only along the eyelet rows and the curved portions at the tops of the eyelet rows, means are provided for terminating the folding abruptly at predetermined points adjacent to the curved portions. This facilitates subsequent folding of the top margin .of the quarter by a progressive type folding machine to provide a smooth folded edge throughout the extent of the folded margin. For this purpose a pair of fingers I04 (Figs. 3 and to 18) is provided. These fingers are shaped as illustrated, the upper portions extending outwardly away from each other providing work engaging surfaces I06 arranged for engagement with the margin of the work as the fingers move progressively, as shown in Figs. 15 to 18.

Associated with the folding plate I4 is a plate I08 movable vertically with the folding plate but engaging the edge of the work support and not moving forwardly during forward movement of the folding plate in the folding operation. The function of the plate I08, as described in the aforementioned patents, is to prevent the margin of the leather springing back to its original position when the folding plate I4 moves to a position above the work support I2. The front edge of the plate I08 has the same general contour as that of the folding plate I4.

Secured to the plate I08 is a supporting plate II0 (Fig. 5) for the fingers I04. These fingers are pivoted to the supporting plate H0 at H2 6 and the lower ends of the fingers are connected by a tension spring II4 which acts to move the upper portions of the fingers outwardly toward folding position. The work support I2 is provided with a recess IIG, the edges of the support at the recess being inclined upwardly and inwardly toward each other to providecam surfaces Ill against which the upper portions of the fingers bear during upward movement of the plate I08 with the folding plate I4. As shown in Fig. 15, the margin of the work extends over the recess II6 for engagement with the upper portions of the fingers I04. Thefolding plate I4 is provided with a recess II8 (Fig. 5) for receiving .the supporting plate IIO during forward movement of the folding plate I4 in the folding operation. A cover plate I20, secured to the upper surface of the folding plate I4, :closes the top of the recess II8.

During upward movement of the folding plate I4 the fingers I04 move from the positions shown in Fig. 15 to the positions of Fig. 16, turning upwardly and inwardly the margin of the material, as shown in Fig. 16. Upon downward movement of the folding plate in the fold pressing operation the fingers move to the positions shown in Fig. 18, whereupon thework engaging portions I06 of the fingers I04 press themargin and define the extent of fold by the machine.

In the operationof the machine, a quarter, the margin of which is to be. folded, is presented to the machine with its edge in engagement with the gage I8. At this time the parts are in the positions shown in Figs. 1, 7 and 15. Upon depression of a treadle, the crosshead 40 pivots about its supporting shaft whereupon the work is clamped in position by the clamping plate 20, the parts occupying the positions shown in. Fig. 8. The retarders 82 move downwardly when the treadle is depressed since they are carried by the sleeves 38 surrounding the rods 36 supported by the crosshead 40. Consequently the springs 90 move the distributors downwardly into the positions shown in Fig. 8. This depression of the treadle causes engagement of the clutch, as described in the aforementioned patents, causing forward movement of the lever 54'and thus holding the crosshead in the position to which it was moved by depression of the treadle. The folding plate I4 now moves upwardly into the position shown in Fig. 9, turning the margin of the work upwardlyagainst the adjacent edge of the former plate 28. During this movement of the folding plate, the distributors tension the margin of the work over the upper edges of the serrated portions 18 thus forming uniformly spaced pleats throughout the curved portions where the margin is to be folded. At the same time, the fingers I04 move upwardly into the positions shown in Fig. 16, the springs urging the upper ends outwardly as soon as the fingers clear the former plate 28, thereby turning the margin of the work at the location of the fingers aroundthe former plate, as shown in Fig. 16. At this point in the cycle of operations th parts are positioned as in Fig. 10, following which the folding plate I4 starts to move forwardly, turning the margin of the Work over the top surface of the former plate, as shown in Fig. 11. During this movement of the folding plate the curved pleated portions are yieldingly held against the front edge of the folding plate by the retarders 82 so that the previously formed pleats areretained, thus insuring the formation of portions of. predetermined curvature with no variations in curvature from one piece of work .to the next. Following movement of the folding plate [4 into its forwardmost position, the former plate 28 is moved forwardly until it is clear of the folded margin, the parts then being positioned as shown in Figs. 12 and 14. The folding plate I4 is now moved downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 13 to press the folded margin. 31-- multaneously the fingers I04 move downwardly,

whereupon the work engaging'portions [06 press the margin of the work as shown in Fig. 18, thereby defining the limits of the folded portions.

The folding plate now moves upwardly and rearwardly, then downwardly, returning to its starting position, during which time the former plate 28 moves forwardly and upwardly, the retarders 82 engaging the L,-shaped. brackets 92, thereby to lift the distributors above the upper surface of the folding plate l4 to permit insertion of a new piece of work thereunder.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a form folding machine, a folding plate arranged to turn the margin of a work piece upwardly relative to the body portion thereof, said plate having a concave work-engaging portion provided with vertically extending serrations, and means associated with said portions of said plate for maintaining the work under tension While the margin of the work is being turned upwardly.

2. In a form folding machine, a folding plate arranged to turn the margin of a work piece upwardly relative to the body portion thereof, said plate having a concave work-engaging portion provided with vertically extending serrations, and a yielding clamp member for holding the margin of the work under tension over said concave workengaging portion.

3. In a form folding machine, a folding plate arranged to turn the margin of a work piece upwardly relative to the body portion thereof, said plate having a concave work-engaging portion provided with vertically extending serrations, a yielding clamp member for holding the margin of the work under tension over said concave work- 'engaging portion, and means operative after the margin of the work has been turned upwardly for yieldingly holding the upturned margin against said serrations.

4. In a form folding machine, a folding plate, means for operating said plate first to turn the margin of a work piece upwardly with respect to the body portion thereof and then to turn the margin back over the body portion, the contour of the work-engaging edge of said plate complementing that of the work to be folded and 'having a concave portion for folding a convexly curved portion of the margin of the work, said concave portion having vertically extending serrations arranged to form pleats in the work, and means cooperating with said plate fortensioning the work at said concave portion as the margin of the work is turned up.

5. In a form folding machine, a folding plate, means for operating said plate first to turn the margin of a work piece upwardly with respect to the body portion thereof and then to turn the margin back over the body portion, the contour of the work-engaging edge of said plate complementing that of the work to be folded and having a concave portion for folding a convexly curved portion of the margin of the work, said concave portion having vertically extending serrations arranged to'form pleats in the work,

means cooperating with saidplate for tensioning the work at said concave portion as the margin of the work is turned up, and other means cooperating with the plate for yieldingly holding the upturned marginal portion against the serrations during operation of the plate to turn the marginal portion of the work back over the body portion.

6. A form folding machine having a vertically and horizontally movable folding plate for turning the margin of a work piece upwardly and then back upon the body thereof and for pressing the margin against the body of the work piece, said folding plate having a work-engaging edge, the contour of a portion at least of which is concave, said concave portion having vertically extending serrations arranged to form pleats in that portion of the work engaged by the concave portion during upward movement of the folding plate, and means acting on the workfor tensioning the work at the concave portion during said upward movement of the folding plate.

7. A form folding machine having a vertically and horizontally movable folding plate for turning the margin of a Work piece upwardly and then back upon the body thereof and for pressing the margin against the body of the work piece, said folding plate having a work-engaging edge,

the contour of a portion at least of which is concave, said concave portion having vertically extending serrations arranged to form pleats in that portion of the work engaged by the concave portion during upward movement of the folding plate, and means cooperating with said folding plate for yieldingly clamping the margin of the work thereon in the vicinity of said concave portion during upward movement of said plate.

8. A form folding machine having a vertically and horizontally movable folding plate for turning the margin of a work piece upwardly and then back upon the body thereof and for pressing the margin against the body of the Work piece, said folding plate having a work-engaging edge, the contour of a portion at least of which is concave, said concave portion having vertically extending serrations arranged to form pleats in that portion of the work engaged by the concave portion during upward movement of the folding plate,means cooperating with said folding plate for yieldingly clamping the margin of the work thereon in the vicinity of said concave portion during upward movement of said plate, and means for yieldingly holding the upturned margin of the work against said serrated portion during horizontal movement of said folding plate.

9. A form folding machine having a vertically and horizontally movable folding plate for turning the margin of a work piece upwardly and then back upon the body thereof and for pressing the margin against the body of the work piece, said folding plate having a work-engaging edge, the contour of a portion at least of which is concave, said concave portion having vertically extending serrations arranged to form pleats in that portion of the work engaged by the concave portion during upward movement of the folding plate, and a yielding clamp member carried by and movable with said folding plate, said clamp member having a curved face corresponding generally to the curvature of said concave portion and arranged to tension the work asit is acted upon by said serrated portion.

10. A form folding machine having a vertically and horizontally movable folding plate for turning the margin of a work piece upwardly and then-back upon the body thereof and for pressing the margin against the body of the work piece, said folding plate having a work-engagingedge, the contour of a portion at least of which is concave, said concave portion having vertically extending serrations arranged to form pleats in that portion of the work engaged by the concave portion during upward movement of the folding plate, a yieldingly clamp member carried by and movable with'said folding plate, said clamp member having a curved face corresponding generally tothe curvature of said concave portion and arranged to tension the work as it is acted upon by said serrated portion, and means operative with the machine at rest for holding said clamp member in spaced relation to said folding plate to facilitate presentation of a work piece to the machine.

11. A form folding machine having a vertically and horizontally movable'folding plate for turning the margin of a work piece upwardly and then back upon the body thereof and for pressing the margin against the body of the work piece, said folding plate having a, work-engaging edge, the contour of a portion at least of which is concave, said concave portion having vertically extending serrations arranged to form pleats in that portion of the work engaged by the concave portion during upward movement of the folding plate, a yielding clamp member carried by and movable with said folding plate, said clamp member having a curved face corresponding generally to the curvature of said concave portion and arranged to tension the work as it is acted upon by said serrated portion, and a yielding member located in the path of horizontal movement of said folding plate and arranged for engagement with that portion of the upturned margin of the work piece engaged by the serrated portion of the folding plate.

12. In a form folding machine, a folding plate having a work-engaging edge which includes a concave portion having vertically extending serrations, a work support adjacent to said folding plate for supporting a work piece with its margin overlapping the work-engaging edge of said folding plate, means for thus clamping the work piece on said work support, a former plate associated with said clamping means having an edge portion generally complemental to the workengaging edge of said folding plate and about which the margin of the work is turned thus defining the line of fold, means for causing relative vertical movement of said work support and of said folding plate whereby the margin of the Work piece is turned upwardly relative to the body portion thereof, and means engageable with the margin of the work in the vicinity of said concave portion for tensioning the work as the margin is drawn over the serrations.

13. In a form folding machine, a folding plate having a work-engaging edge which includes a concave portion having vertically extending serrations, a work support adjacent to said folding plate for supporting a work piece with its margin overlapping the work-engaging edge of said folding plate, means for thus clamping the work piece on said work support, a former plate associated with said clamping means having an edge portion generally complemental to the workengaging edge of said folding plate and about which the margin of the work is turned thus defining the line of fold, means for causing relative vertical movement of said work support and of said folding plate whereby the margin of the work piece is turned upwardly relative to the body portion thereof, and means for yieldingly clamping the margin of the workpiece to said folding plate over said concave portion whereby the margin of the work is tensioned over the serrated portion during the folding operation to assist in forming uniformly spaced pleats.

14. In a form folding machine, a folding plate having a work-engaging edge which includes a concave portion having vertically extending serrations, a work support adjacent to said folding plate for supporting a work piece with its margin overlapping the work-engaging edge of said folding plate, means for thus clamping the work piece on said work support, a former plate associated with said clamping means having an edge portion generally complemental to the -workengaging edge of said folding plate and about which the margin of the work is turned thus defining the line of fold, means for causing relative vertical movement of said work support and of said folding plate whereby the margin of the work piece is turned upwardly relative to the body portion thereof, means for yieldingly clamping the margin of the work piece to said folding plate "over said concave portion whereby the margin of the work is tensioned over the serrated portion during the folding operation to assist in forming uniformly spaced pleats, means for causing relative horizontal movement of said work support and said folding plate to turn the upturned margin of the work back over the body thereof, and means for yieldingly holding the margin of the work against said serrated portion during such relative movement.

15. A form folding machine for operating on a portion only of the margin of a work piece comprising a work support, a folding plate adjacent to said work support and arranged to receive said portion of the margin of a work piece carried by said work support, means for clamping the work piece to said work support, means for moving said folding plate vertically to turn the margin of the work piece upwardly, for then moving it horizontally to turn the margin back over the body portion and then for moving it downwardly to press the folded margin throughout a predetermined extent of the marginal portion of the work, and means supplementing the action of the folding plate to fold a limited portion of the margin immediately adjacent to said folding plate clearly to define the end of the folded portion.

16. A form folding machine for operating on a portion only of the margin of a work piece comprising a work support, a folding plate adjacent to said work support and arranged to receive said portion of the margin of a work piece carried by said work support, means for clamping the work piece to said work support, means for moving said folding plate vertically to turn the margin of the work piece upwardly, for then moving it horizontally to turn the margin back over the body portion and then for moving it downwardly to press the folded margin throughout a predetermined extent of the marginal portion of the work, and means supplementing the action of the folding plate to fold a limited portion of the margin immediately adjacent to said folding plate clearly to define the end of the folded portion, said means comprising a folding finger operable through an opening in said work support.

17. A form folding machine for operating on a portion only of the margin of a work piece comprising a work support, a folding plate adjacent to said work support and arranged to receive said portion of the margin of a work piece carried by said work support, means for clamping the work piece to said work support, means for moving said folding plate vertically to turn the margin of the work piece upwardly, for then moving it horizontally to turn the margin back over the body portion and then for moving it downwardly to press the folded margin throughout a predetermined extent of the marginal portion of the work, and means supplementing the action of the folding plate to fold a limited portion of the margin immediately adjacent to said folding plate clearly to define the end of the folded portion, said means comprising a folding finger movable With said folding plate through an opening in the work support and movable laterally with respect to the work support to wipe over the margin adjacent to said folding plate.

18. A form folding machine for operating on a portion only of the margin of a work piece comprising a Work support, a folding plate adjacent to said work support and arranged to receive said portion of the margin of a work piece carried by said work support, means for clamping the work piece to said work support, means for moving said folding plate vertically to turn the margin of the work piece upwardly, for then moving it horizontally to turn the margin back over the body portion and then for moving it downwardly to press the folded margin throughout a predetermined extent of the marginal portion of the Work, and means supplementing the action of the folding plate to fold a limited portion of the margin immediately adjacent to said folding plate clearly to define the end of the folded portion, said means comprising a folding finger pivotally carried by said folding plate, means acting on the folding finger to move it laterally with respect to the work support, said work support having an opening through which the folding finger moves, the margin of said opening being inclined to hold the finger in a retracted position until it extends through said opening after which the finger is free to be moved to turn the margin of the work over the body portion thereof, said finger being moved downwardly with the folding plate to press said turned-over portion of the margin.

No references cited.

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