US2794482A - Pad folding machine - Google Patents

Description

June 4, 1957 H. GANZ PAD FOLDING MACHINE 9 Sheefs-Shqet 1 Filed April 6, 1955 A-Me Y fwwz.

ATTORNEYS f Zlun 4, 1957 H. GANZ PAD FOLDING MACHINE Filed April 6, 1955 9 Sheets-$heet 2 INVENTOR ENE 7 ATTO egg? H. GANZ PAD FOLDING MACHINE .June 4, 1957 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 6, 1955 77 ATTORN EYS I June 4, 1957 H. 'GANZ 2 ,794,482

PAD FOLDING MACHINE INVENTOR l exv/Pr n/vz June 4, 1957 H. GANZ PAD FOLDING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 6. 1955 z w M y W. W W/ 24: 5 PAL; W) A 1 5. a a h g2. w E

June 4, 1957 H. GANZ PAD FOLDING MACHINE 9 Shees-Sheet 7 Filed April 6. 1955 June 4, 1957 H. GANZ PAD FOLDING momma 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed April 6, 1955 INVENTOR l/E/VRY 6 7 v I Z w /z/ ll :12

BY W w ATTORNEYS;

June 4, 1957 H. GANZ PAD FOLDING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed April 6, 1955 INVENTOR 627x047 6 NZ ,wagm ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent F PAD FOLDING MACHINE Henry Ganz, West Englewood, N. J., assignor to Johnson & Johnson, a corporation of New Jersey Application April 6, 1955, Serial No. 499,716

16 Claims. (Cl- 154-29) The present invention relates to the art of folding pad blanks of flexible material and although the invention has a wide range of utility, it is particularly useful in connection with the art of cutting and folding surgical gauze pad blanks.

A useful form of surgical gauze pad comprises a sheet of absorbent filler material, such as attenuated cotton, a

sheet of unwoven fabric facing one side of the cotton sheet and a sheet of gauze facing the opposite side of the cotton sheet. The facing sheets are rectangular, substantially co-extensive in shape and size and substantially in registry and the filler sheet therebetwe'en is also rectangular in shape but smaller than the facing sheets and is centrally located edgewise with respect to the facing sheets. The sides of the facing sheets projecting beyond the corresponding sides of the filler sheet are infolded over the body of the pad and the ends of the facing sheet projecting beyond the corresponding ends of the filler sheet are folded inwardly over the body of the pad. The rectangular surgical pad blank, constructed and bordered as described with marginal folds, is quadrantly folded for use, first by folding doubly along one medial line of the blank and then folding doubly again along another medial line at right angles to the first medial line.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved machine for infolding the end sections of a flexible pad blank.

Another object of the invention is to provide -a new and improved machine for infolding the end sections of a flexible pad blank in a manner to converge the side edges of the resulting endfolds towards their outer free ends, and to insure thereby the presentation of neat square corners in the final quadrantly folded pad.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved machine for doubly folding the bordered pad blanks for the first fold along their medial lines in succession by cyclic operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved machine for correlating the infolding of the end sections of the bordered pad blank and the first folding of the blank doubly along its medial line, to perform these operations almost simultaneously.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of folding the ends of the pad blank and doubly folding the blank along its intermediate section, so that both of these operations are performed almost simultaneously.

In carrying out certain features of the present invention, a continuous flexible pad strip (which may comprise a continuous facing piece of gauze and a continuous facing piece of unwoven fabric withintervening sheets of cotton filler spaced therealong and with the side edges of the facing pieces folded inwardly) is moved past a cutter and cut into individual blanks centrally between the sheets of the cotton filler. These side bordered pad blanks, after being cut, are carried into the field of operation of a folding device which serves to fold the ends of the blank and at the-same time fold the blank doubly 2,794,482 Patented June 4, 1957 about its center line. This folding device, in accordance with the more specific aspects of the invention, comprises two hollow rotary folding rolls disposed side by side and having perforations in certain parts of their peripheries in communication with the roll interiors, which in turn are maintained cyclically under vacuum. Located opposite these folding rolls are three folding knives movable toward and away from the rolls. These folding blades are located so that the intermediate blade is opposite the region where the two folding rolls come together and the two outside folding blades are located just beyond the peripheries of the two rolls. A pair of folding jaws flank the two rolls and are moved cyclically towards and away from these rolls. The pad blanks as they are cut off from the continuous strip are supported on the two rolls and the folding blades are moved towards the rolls. The intermediate blade folds the middle section of the blank into the bite of the rolls, while the outside folding blades partially fold the ends of the blank inwardly. During this operation, the terminal sections of .the end folds are gathered to converge and set in the sides of the end folds. At the same time, the two folding jaws move inwardly towards the rolls to lap the partially folded end sections of the blank against the body of the .pad and conformably against the perforated sections of the rolls to complete the end folds. Approximately at the same time, the rolls are placed under vacuum and the rolls are rotated in opposite directions towards each other. This action causes the blank to .be fed through the bite of the rolls, while the end folds are suctorially retained against the rolls with their side fold edges converging as described, until the blank passes completely through the bite. This operation will complete the folding of the blank along its intermediate section and will also serve to crease sharply the intermediate fold lines and the end fold lines, thereby producing a neat compact pad. This pad may again be doubly folded in any suitable manner, to produce the final quadrantly folded pad.

Although the invention is described herein in connection with the manufacture of a specific type of surgical pad having specific component elements, as far as cerstain aspects of the invention are concerned, the invention could be adapted to the folding of any other type of flexible pad.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the present invention are apparent from the following particular description and from inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the folding machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail in side elevation of a part of the machine for operating the jaws by which a section of the continuous pad strip is fed into the field of action of the folding device;

Fig. 3 is a top plan and sectional view taken approximately along the lines 33 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 4 is a perspective of one of the folding rolls;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the machine taken approximately along the lines 5-5 of Figs. 1 and 6;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the machine taken approximately along the lines 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a secn'on of the folding device taken along the lines 77 of Fig. 6, and shows this device in one of its initial stages of a folding cycle, and in a position in which a forward section of the continuous flexible strip is on the verge of being grasped by jaws and drawn thereby into the field of operation of the folding device;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of part of the folding device shown in a later stage, at the time the forward section of the continuous strip has been brought directly over the 3 Y folding rolls and after it has just been severed to form a blank;

I ing blades;

Fig.10 is a vertical section of part of the folding device at a still later stage, in which the ends of the blank have been completely folded, the blank is being fed through the bite of the two rolls and the folding blade ar on f their return stroke; 7

T Fig; 11 is a perspective showinga stage 'of thdfdl'ding operation corresponding to that shown in Figl'9;

,-Fig.- 12 is a side view partly in s'ectidn'shoWing the folding jaws, which cooperate with the. folding "rol s. to complete the folding of the ends of theblank and'showing the vacuum in thefolding rolls;

thefmechanisrn for moving said jaws towards'and 'away from the rolls; a

' Fig. 13 is' a side elevation partly-in section oftheme'chanism for operating the. valve "whichlcyclically controls Zmeans by whioh'these rolls are rotatedduring'eertain phases of operation;

' Fig. 15 is a detail inside elevation of the machine showing the control valves for the vacuum system and 1 part of the drive for the conveyor which carries"away the pads after they have been folded by the machine of the present invention;

Fig. 16 is a perspective of a blank, the sides and the endsof which have been folded, the ends having been folded by the machine of the present invention and shows Fig. 18 shows the final pad produced by doubly fold- I ing the pad of Fig. 17 to produce a surgical gauzepad in p which the basic blank is quadrantly folded, this last stage double type adapted to operate simultaneously on two continuous flexible gauze strips side by side. However,

in the following description, reference to a single strip is made for the sake of simplification, it being understood that the operations described may be duplicated for the -other strip in connection with a double machine.

Referring to Figs. 1 and of the drawings, the machine of the present invention operates on a continuous flexible pad strip 10 comprising a continuous piece 11* of gauze along which are spaced rectangularsheets 12 of absorbent filler material, such as thinned-out or attenuated cotton.

\ Facingthese cotton sheets '12 is a continuous piece 13 of suitable absorbent facing material, such as un-Woven fabric. 'The' two continuous facing pieces 11 and 13 are of the same width and in registry and the longitudinal jside margins of these pieces project beyond the sides of the cotton sheets 12 and are folded over to form the continuous side folds 14 :"The continuous flexible pad strip 10, constructed as "described, is fed from a supply roll (notshown), and advanced over a series of guide rolls or rods 15, andover of the stripadjacent to said bed) until the strip reaches.

a bed 16 (with the gauze piece 11 on the bottom face the field of operation of a cutting device 17. A pair'of the region of the cutting device 17 and pull a section 10 of this strip of predetermined length beyond said cutting device, whereupon the cutting device cuts off the section transversely from the rest of the strip at a regioncentrally between successive cotton sheets 12. This cut section 10 the rn'a'chine of the flexible strip 10* constitutes the blank upon which the machine of the present invention operates to form the pad shown in Fig. 17, which later may be doubly folded in any suitable manner to form the finished pad shown in 5 Fig. 18.

The blank 10 before being folded is flat and substantially square and comprises the gauze facing sheet 11 (see Fig. 16 which shows the blank but after the end sections have been infolded by the machine of the present inven- 10 tion) and the unwoven fabric facing sheet 13 with the absorbent cotton filler sheet 12 therebetween, the ends of these facing sheets 11 and 13 projecting beyond the ends of the filler sheet, and the sides of these facing sheets which project beyond the sides of the filler sheet being 16 folded inwardly to define'the side folds 14. This blank 10, in the condition described just after severance, is in the field of action of a folding device 20 as shown in Fig. 8. Said folding device, operating on the blank 10, folds the projecting ends'of the facing gauzesheet 11 20 and unwoven fabric sheet 13 inwardly to form endfolds 21 on the blank, as shown in Fig. 16. At the same time,

the folding device 20 folds the blank 10 doubly along a medial line 22 to form the pad shown in Fig. 17; This pad after being folded is delivered to a conveyor 23 (Fig.

25 l) and carried to a station where it may be foldedagain in any suitable manner, to form the complete pad shown in Fig. 18, or otherwise further processed.

' Referring now more in detail to the construction of the machine, the continuous flexible pad' strip 10, after passing from the supply roll (not shown) over the series of guide rolls or rods 15 (Fig. 1), passes over the bed 16 (Figs. 1, 5, 7 and 8) and into the field of operation of the cutting device 17. This supporting bed 16 cooperates with agravity weighting plate 25 (Figs. 1 and 5.) to hold the strip 10 transversely near the region of the cutting device 17, while the cutting device is severing the section from the-strip. The bed 16 and weighting plate 25 are moved relatively towards each other to clamp the strip 10, not only during cutting operation but after cutting operation while the jaws 18 and 19 are returning to grip the forward edge of the continuous strip 10 for the drawing of the next strip section, and are moved relatively apart to release the strip after the jaws 18 and 19 have taken hold to pull thenext section of the strip 10 into the field of operation of the folding device 20. l t

45. To permit the jaws 18 and 19 to pick up easily the-for- .ward cut end of the strip 10 the bed 16, which is in the .forrnof a plate, hasa seriesof spaced fingers 27 (Figs.

:15, 7. and 48) at its forward end.. The bedplate 16 is i mountedon aishaft 28 (Fig. l) for swingingmovernent thereabout and. is operated for that purpose .by any suitzable. means, as. for.examp1e,.by means of acrankand i-connectingj rod device 30 indirectly through a cam from a .1 motor 31', in timerelation, to

described.

..;..The upper Weighting plate 25,. atits forward end, has f a seriesof fingers 32 (Figs.,5, 7'and 8) similar torthe ,fingers 27- on the bed plate 16 and in vertical registry there with. The-rear section of the weighting plate 25 is connected to a heavybar 33 (Figs. 1 and 5), which in 50; turn is connected at its ends to levers 3 4 rigidly secured to the shaft 2 for rotation therewith.- Through the ac tr'on of-gravitx the levers 34 tend to press yieldably the Qupper plate 25 rigid therewith against the strip 10. on the bed plate 16 during cutting action, so that this. plate exerts aconstant holding pressure on the strip during such actionfregardless of its thickness or any variations there- "inJ' MThe upper plate25 also acts to maintain holding jpressurei on the forward end of the strip 10 until the jaws18 and 19 have returned to grip the forward end for the other operations to be thenext run.

{Ifo release the strip 10 from the plates 16 and so 1 that a length thereof may. be pulled by the, jaws 18 and -19, the upperplate 25 may also be moved away from the l wsrsgl .1 Th m m an. b s 'spte pby a s a i andfiqanesfias devi e @6 .(Fia lmri ea d rectly through a cam-from the motor 31 in time relation to the other operations to be described and acting to drive positively the shaft 28 rigid with the upper plate 25in a direction to swing said upper plate away from the bed 16 but allowing said upper plate and said shaft to move'in the opposite direction by the action of gravity for the purpose indicated.

The jaws 18 and 19 (Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 7 )which grip the forward end of the flexible strip 10 from between the plates 16 and 25, pull out a section of predetermined length thereof for severance and then release the severed section for folding-are located one over the other. The

lower jaw 18 in the form of a plate is maintained in horizontal position and is reciprocated towards and away from the plates 16 and while maintaining its horizontal level. For that purpose, the jaw plate 18 is mounted on a carriage comprising two cross-heads 41 rigidly interconnected and slotted to receive respective guides 42 aflixed to the frame structure 43 of the machine. The jaw plate '18 is rigidly secured at its sides to these cross-heads.

The drive mechanism for reciprocating the carriage 40 horizontally towards and away from the strip holding plates 16 and 25, comprises a pulley 44 (Fig. 1) on a shaft 45 driven from the motor 31 through a belt 46. On the shaft 45 is a sprocket 47 driving a sprocket 48 on a shaft 50 by means of a chain 51. The shaft 50 extends across the machine and, near its ends, carries respective crank arms 52 pivotally joined to respective connecting rods 53 at one end, the other ends being pivotally connected to respective upstanding lever arms 54, pivotally secured at their lower ends at 55 to the frame structure of the machine. The upper ends of these lever arms 54 are pivotally connected to respective links 56 (Figs. 1 and 2), which in turn are pivotally connected to the rear ends of the cross-heads 41 on the carriage 40.

With the drive mechanism described, as the crank arms 52 rotate, they oscillate the lever arms 54 back and forth, causing the carriage 40 to reciprocate horizontally along the guides 42 and'the lower jaw plate 18 carried by the carriage to move horizontally therewith.

The upper jaw 19 inclines downwardly towards the lower jaw 18, as shown in Fig. 7, and is also carried by the carriage 40 for reciprocating movement therewith. In addition, the upper jaw 19 has a rocking movement during its horizontal reciprocating movement, to move the jaws 18 and 19 cyclically towards and away from each other, so that the forward end of the strip 10 may be gripped from between the jaws 16 and 25, pulled out until a section of this strip of predetermined length has been drawn out for severance and released for folding.

To mount the upper jaw 19 on the carriage 40 for horizontal reciprocating movement therewith, the rear side of the upper jaw plate 19 is rigidly connected to a bar 69 (Figs. 5 and 7), the ends of which have journals 61 in bearing plates 62 secured to the inner sides respectively of'the cross heads 41 of the carriage 40. To rock the jaw 19 during its horizontal reciprocating movement, the two carriage cross-heads 41 have mounted on their rear side bearings 63 (Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 6) for a rock shaft 64. Rigidly secured to this rock shaft 64 is an arm 65 pivotally connected at its outer end to a link 66, which in turn is pivotally connected to one end of an arm 67 (Figs. 1, 5 and 7), the other end being rigidly secured to the bar carrying the upper jaw 19.

The shaft 64 is rocked during reciprocation of the carriage 40, thereby rocking the upper jaw 19 towards and away from the lower jaw 18. The mechanism for rocking the shaft 64 comprises a sprocket 78 (Fig. 1) on the shaft 71 driven from a sprocket 72 on the shaft 50 through a chain 73. On the shaft 71 is a sprocket 74 driving a sprocket 75 on a shaft 76 through a chain 77. This shaft 76 carries a sprocket 78 which drives a sprocket 79 on a shaft 80 through a chain 81. On the shaft 80 is a cam 82 in follower engagement with a roller 83 on a substantially horizontal lever arm 84 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6), one end of which is pivotally supported at 85v on a fixed axis, the

other free end having a slot to receive a fixed guide post 86. As the cam 82 rotates, the arm 84 (being in follower engagement with the cam through the roller 83) is oscillated up and down about its fixed pivotal support at '85.

To transmit the oscillating movement of the arm 84 to the upper jaw 19, an arm 88 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6) secured to the rockshaft 64 near one end carries a roller 90 seated on the upper edge of the arm 84. Since the rock shaft 64 is carried by the carriage 40, and the arm 84 is fixed against translation, the carriage 40, as it reciprocates horizontally, causes the roller90 to ride along the upper edge of the arm 84. The roller 90, is maintained in contact with the upper edge of the arm 84 through a spring 91 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6), anchored at one end to one of the carriage cross-heads 41 and secured at its other end to an arm 92 afiixed to the rock shaft. This spring 91 may be employed to maintain the roller 83 on the lever arm 84 against the cam 82, or a spring 89 may be employed for that special purpose.

With the arrangement as described, as the carriage 40 is reciprocated towards and away from the strip holding plates 16 and 25, the roller 90 rides along the upper edge of .the arm '84. While-thecarriage 40 is approaching the strip holding plates 16 and 25, the high part of the cam 82 is in engagement with its follower roller83, the lever arm 84 is therefore in elevated position and the jaws 18 and 19 are opened. As the carriage 40 on its forward movementapproaches close to the end of its stroke towards the strip holding plates 16 and 25, the low part of the cam 82 comes into engagement with the follower roller 83 and causes the lever arm 84 to be lowered about its pivot support at 85. This causes the upper jaw 19 to move downwardly (Figs. 1 and 7) towards the jaw 18 to grip the forward end of the strip 10 between the two plates 16 and 25. By the end of the forward stroke of the carriage 40 towards the plates 16 and 25, the two jaws 18 and 19 will have come together to grip the forward end of the strip 10 During the rearward stroke of the carriage 40 towards the left (Figs. 1 and 7.), the low constant part of the cam 82 is operating on the follower roller 83, maintaining the two jaws closed on the forward end of the strip 10. This causes the jaws 18 and 19, so clamped on the forward end of the strip 10 to pull out a length of the strip. When the carriage 40 reaches the end of the rearward stroke towards the left, the cutting device 17 comes into action, causing severance of the rear end of the section of the strip 10 drawn out. Immediately thereafter, the high part of the cam 82 comes in contact with the follower roller 83 and causes the upper jaw 19 to move away from the lower jaw 18, thereby releasing the cut section, whereupon the folding device 20 takes over.

To facilitate gripping of the forward end of the strip 10 by the jaws 18 and 19 at the end of the forward stroke of said jaws, without interference from the jaws 16 and 25, the lower jaw 18 is in the form of a plate but is slotted at its gripping edge to define a series of fingers (Figs. 5 and 7) staggered with respect to the vertically aligned fingers 27 and 32 of the plates 16 and 25, and the upper jaw 19 consists of a series of fingers 191, their gripping ends 102 being offset from their bodies to maintain these ends parallel to the fingers 100 on the lower jaw 18 during strip gripping action. The upper jaw fingers 101 are in vertical alignment with the lower jaw fingers 100 and staggered with respect to the fingers 27 and 32 of the plates 16 and 25. By means of this construction, the aligned fingers 100 and 101 on the jaws 18 and 19 are able to enter the spaces between the aligned fingers 27 and 32 of the plates 16 and 25 to grasp the forward end of the strip 10 without interference between the two sets of jaws 18 and 19 and the plates 16 and 25.

After a predetermined section of the flexible strip 10 has been drawn by the jaws 18 and'19 in the manner described, the cutting device 17 comesinto actionv tosever rthis section in a region nearathe plates 16 and 25-'to form *the'pad blank 10, while theseplates are holding the strip therebetween. 'This cutting device (Figs. 1 a'nd'S) comprises' a lower cutting *block'110 affixed to the frame structure of the machine and av vertically reciprocable upper cutting blade 111-connected to a beam 112, which in turn is secured at its ends to a pair of vertical slides 113 movable vertically in guides 114 respectively. The mech anism for reciprocating the upper knife 111 in time relationwith the other operations of'them'achine, comprises a shaft 115 (Fig. 1) driven from the shaft St through a sprocket and chaindrive 116 and carrying crank arms 116 at its ends'connectedtothe' slides through connecting rods 117.

After a section of the flexible strip 10 has been drawn out: by the jaws18 and 19 and severed as described to form the pad blank "10, the jaws' are opened up to release the blank, whereupon the'folding mechanism 20 takes over. This folding mechanism 20 comprises a pair of towards the folding roll 120 mounted on a fixed axis.

The blank 10 is adapted to be folded across its medial section between the rolls 120'and 121 and at its ends against the peripheries of the rolls to form the end folds 21 (Fig. 16). To assist in the formation of these end folds 21, the rolls 120 and 121 are hollow and cyclically in communication with a source of vacuum and have respective banks 135 and 136 of suction holes extending along the rolls and communicating with the interiors. thereof. These suction holes 135 and 136 serve to hold the end 'folds 21 against the body of the blank and the end sections of the body of the blank opposite said folds against the peripheries of the rolls 120 and 121, while the medially folded blank is going through the bite of the rolls. For that reason, the rolls 120 and 121 are so geared that the banks 135 and 136 of the suction holes thereon are spaced equal distances from the bite of these rolls.

For pushing the blank 10 into the field of action of the folding rolls 120 and 121 and for initiating the different folds therein, the folding device 20 includes a folding blade unit 140 (Figs. 1, 6 and 7) above the folding rolls and above the path of horizontal reciprocating movement of the jaws 18 and 19. Said folding unit comprises a horizontal frame beam 141 carrying the different folding I blades to be described and connected at its ends to slides 142, each guided for vertical movement on the corresponding side of'the machine in guides 143 and 144 (Figs. 1 and 6). Rigidly connected to the beam 141 on opposite sides thereof are two folding blades 145 and 146 (Figs. 6 and '7) adapted to initiate folding of the end sections of the blank 10 to form the end folds 21 and located for that purpose near the outsides of the two rolls 126 and 121.

These outside blades 145 and 146 are connected to the a beam 141 tolpermit adjustments in the distances of these blades from said beam, and to accommodate thereby pad blanks 10 of different sizes. For that purpose, the blade 145 is' connected to the'beam 141 bymeans of studs 147 passing through holes 148 in the blade, through a block 150 and through a spacer 151 and threaded into the beam. The blade 146 is similarly connected to the beam 141 by means of studs 152 passing through holes 153 in the blade, through a'block 154, and through a spacer 155 and threaded into the beam. The blade holes 148 and 153 areverticallyelongated toiperinit adjustments in the vertical positions 'of the blades 145 and 146 and of -other thickne'sses,'-accordf g to the desired spacings of the blades ifrdm'theeefiter'of the;beam'141.-'

i The folding blade unit 14fl also includes agcenter-folding blade 160 adapted to-tuck (the medial section of the blank 10 into the bite of the folding rolls 120 and 121 to initiate the center fold of the blank. Thiscenter folding .blacle 160 is resilientlysupported to preventbreakage due to'acciden'talimpact'orshock, and for that purpose; the folding blade is connected by means'of. studs 161 to a pair of vertical-rods 162 passing through respective slide bearings 163 in-*the beam'141; 4 The upperends ofthese rods 162 carry respective nuts :164 serving to limit down- 7 -warc l movement of the folding'blade 160,3.I1d strong "coil springs l65 en circling' said rodsbear atone end against the'underside of thebearn141 and at their other1ends bearagainst collars'166 seated onisaid rods, toiur'ge normally the foldin'g blade, downwardly. These springs 165 are strong'enough'td cause normally the folding blade 160 to move with the beam 141 but areemployed as-a precaution in caseundue stresses'on the blade are encountereias for'lexample by jamming. f

- --In addition to the three'folding blades 145,146 and 160,

- the folding blade unit 140 carries a device for clamping a section of the blank'lfl against the folding roll 120 during the operation of folding thepad'about the rolls 120 and 121-n This claniping device comprises a bar 170 made of resilientmaterial, such as rubber, and secured to the lowerends of a'pair of vertical rods 171 passing through respective slide bearings 172 on the beam 141. These rods 171 are spring pressed downwardly by coil springs 173, bearing 'at'gtheir upper ends against the underside of the beam'141 and bearing at their lower ends against shoulders 174 on the rods.

With the "foregoing arrangement, asthe folding blade llnit l4tl moves downward, the threefolding blades 145,

146 and160, begin their-folding operations on the blank 10, which has dropped onto the foldingrolls 120 and.121

* after being released. from the jaws 18 and 19. Thefold- ,the blank 10 on the folding roll 120 during this phase performs two functions. It permits the center folding blade 160 to pull the rear end of the blank 10 clear from the cutting bladeson the cutting device 17, in case this rear end has adhered to either of these cutting blades, and it anchors one half of the blank opposite the folding roll against said roll and in fixed position, thereby causing the other half of the blank opposite the other folding roll 121 to slide over the latter roll and around the center folding blade 160, as the folding blade unit continues its downward movement and to adjust itself positionally as the folding proceeds.

The end folds 21 on the pad blank 10 must be gathered at their outer ends to converge the sides of these end folds so that they do not project beyond the sides of the blank. To that end, a series of tucking blades 177 (Figs. 6 and 7) forming part of the folding blade unit 140 are connected to each of the folding blades and 146. These tucking blades 177 extend transversely of the folding blades and are adjustably secured thereto. For that purpose, each folding blade 145 or 146 has a slot 178 extending therealong, and each tucking blade 177 is connected to its corresponding folding blade'by means of a bracket block 180 secured to the folding blade by means of a bolt 181 passing through said block and through said slot. The tucking blade '177 is connected to one side of the block 180 by means of studs 182 and at its lower end has a bevel 183 to form a V-tuck in the end section of the blank 10 as it is being folded back against the body of the blank by the folding blad e 145 or146, as be more fully. 'de- 9 The folding blade unit 140 is reciprocated vertically in time relation with the horizontal reciprocating movement of the jaws 18 and 19. The mechanism for so operating the folding blade unit 140 comprises a shaft 185 (Fig. 1) carrying a crank arm 186 at each end oscillated angularly by a link 187 from the corresponding lever arm 54. At each end of the shaft 185 is another crank arm 188 connected to the corresponding slide 142 through a connecting rod or pitman 190. Since the two slides 142are connected to the ends of the frame beam 141 of the folding blade unit 140, it is seen that the vertical movements of the slides 142 in the guides 143 and 144 cause this folding blade unit to reciprocate vertically.

As the blank is released from the jaws 18 and 19, it drops onto the folding rolls 120 and 121. The blank 10 then rests on the folding rolls 120 and 121 as shown in Fig. 8, but since the blank is longer than the width of the combined folding rolls, the ends of the blank project beyond the outsides of the rolls and must be supported. A pair of fixed vertical walls 195 and 196 (Figs. 3, 7, 8 and 11) flanking the folding rolls 120 and 121 have their upper edges substantially flush with the top surfaces of the rolls, so that the blank 10 just before folding operation will rest horizontally on the folding rolls and atits ends on the walls, as shown in Fig. 8. Each of these walls 195 and 196 is spaced a small distance from the outer side of the corresponding folding roll 120 or 121 to form a channel 197 of generally V-shaped crosssection, the side of this channel formed by the face of the Wall being fiat, the other side of this channel formed by the surface of the corresponding folding roll being arcuate. These channels 197 serve as female folding dies into which the end sections 21 of the blank 10 are pressed by the folding blades 145 and 146 to initiate the folding operations at the ends, as shown in Fig. 9.

After the folding operation has been initiated as shown in Fig. 9, and the end sections 21 of the blank 10 have been bent inwardly along their fold lines, a pair of folding jaws 200 (Figs. 3, 7, 8, 9 and 11) come into play to lap these partially folded end sections of the blank against the body of the blank and against the peripheries of the folding rolls 120 or 121, to complete the end folds 21, as shown in Fig. 10. Each of these folding jaws 200 comprises a series of spaced fingers 202 projecting from a frame piece 203 towards the corresponding folding rolls 120 and 121 and each having an arcuate outer edge 204 conforming in curvature to the curvature of the outer periphery of the corresponding folding roll 120 or 121. The folding fingers 202 are movable cyclically towards and away from the folding rolls 120 and 121 and in their operations pass through respective slots 205 in the walls 195 and 196. For so oscillating the two sets of fingers 202, the ends of each frame piece 203 carrying each set of fingers 202 are rigidly connected to rocker anns 206 pivotally supported at 207 to the frame structure of the machine, as shown in Fig. 12. Between two of these rocker arms 206 on one side of the machine are two cams 210 and 211 ona shaft 212. These cams are of similar design and shape but are disposed 180 apart and the rocker arms 206 carry rollers 213 in follower engagement with these cams respectively. Springs 214 press the rollers 213 against their respective cams 210 and 211.

For driving the cams 210 and 211, the pulley shaft 45 (Fig. 1) has a pinion 215 in mesh with anidler gear 216, which in turn meshes with a gear 217 on the shaft 218. On this shaft 218 is a sprocket 220 (Fig. 1) driving a sprocket 221 on the cam shaft 212 by means of a chain 222. The rotation of the shaft 212 rotates the cams 210 and 211 thereon and causes the rocker arms 206 on opposite sides of the two folding rolls 120 and 121 to move in opposite directions, thereby causing the two sets of fingers 202 to move towards and away from their respective folding rolls 120 and 121. In extreme position close to their respective folding rolls 120 and 121,

10 the two sets of fingers 202 press the end portions 21 of the blank 10, which have been partiallyturned upwardly into the position shown in Fig. 9 by the folding blades 145 and 146,against the peripheries of the two folding rolls and 121 to complete the end folds 21 as shown in Fig. 10.

While the folding blade unit is moving downward and the folding blades '145 and 146 are partiallyfolding the end sections 21 'of the blank 10, the tucking blades 177 are pressing these end sections at spaced regions thereacross into recesses 225 in the folding fingers 202, as shown in Figs. 9 and 11, and are forming therein V- tucks 226 in these end sections, thereby shortening the width of the blank at the outer ends of these end sections. This operation gathers the partially folded end sections 21 of the blank progressively from their fold lines toward their free ends, thereby tapering said end sections towards their free ends and causing the sides of these end sections to slant and to be set inwardly from the edges of the blank when lapped against the body of the blank, as;

shown in Fig. 16.

As the folding blade unit 140 comes down upon the:

horizontal blank 10 resting on the rolls 120 and 121 (which at that phase are stationary) and on the fixed. flanking walls 195 and 196, as shown in Fig. 8, the middle folding blade 160, being lower than the outside foldingblades and 146 and lower than the resilient clamp-- ing bar 170, will engage the blank 10, first in its in-- termediate section to fold this blank into the V-channel 230 defined between the two folding rolls 120 and 121. and towards the bite of these rolls, as shown in Fig. 9. Before the middle folding blade reaches the bite of the two rolls 120 and 121, the clamping bar 170, by engaging thehalf of the blank 10 over the folding roll 120, will clamp this half of the blank against the roll 120, while the other half ofthe blank is free to slide over the folding roll 121 and around the middle folding blade.

During the last phase of operation described, the roll 121 is spring-pressed by the springs 131 (Figs. 3 and 14) into contact with the roll 120 supported on a fixed axis. To separate these rolls 120 and 121 sufliciently to permit the middle folding blade 160 (with the intermediate section of the blank 10 wrapped around it) to enter therebetween, there is provided a pair of separating cam rods 235 (Figs. 3, 6 and 7) secured to and depending from the frame beam 141 of the folding blade unit 140 and having respective cam bevels 236 on one side adapted to enter into spaces 237 (Fig. 3) between collars 238 supported on the journals of the rolls 120 and 121 through antifriction bearings for free rotation thereabout. The lower sections of these separating rods 235 are guided in the spaces 237 during vertical reciprocation of the folding blade unit 140, and during a predetermined phase of each cycle, the bevels 236 on these rods, by engaging the collars 238 on the roll 121, cam said collars horizontally sidewise away from the collars 238 of the other roll 120, thereby separating the two rolls 120 and 121 sufficiently to permit the middle folding blade 160 with the intermediate section of the blank 10 wrapped around it, to enter easily into the spaces formed between said rolls by this separation, without jamming and without clamping this intermediate section'of the blank against the periphcries of the rolls. For that reason, this arrangement is more desirable than that employing the middle folding blade 160 itself as the roll separating device, although as far as certain aspects of the invention are concerned, the middle folding blade can be made to so operate.

It is desirable that the roll 121, during the separating operation described, be spaced away from the middle folding blade 160 a distance greater than the distance of the blade from the roll 120, to allow the half of the blank 10 wrapped around the roll 121 to slide easily over the roll 121 and across the face of the folding blade 160, as the folding proceeds towards the stage shown in Fig. 9. To accommodate for this spacing, the folding blade 146 j 'n'lu st be spaced from themiddle folding distance greater'than the distance the folding blade-1'45 was 160 by a is spaced from the middle folding blade." This relative positioning of the outside folding blades 145 and 146 is attained by employing spacers 151 and 155 of difierent sizes (Fig. 7) to locate these outside folding blades in the desired relation to the middle folding blade 160. The spacing of the folding blades 145, 146 and 160 and the cam conformations 236 on the cam rods 235 are such that the outside folding blades 145 and 146 will be equally spaced from the outer sides of the rolls 120 and 121, respectively, when said blades reach the end of their downward stroke.

While the blank 10 is being subjected to the partial 7 folding action shown in Fig. 9, the folding rolls 120 and 121 are stationary and in rotary position to locate the banks of suction holes 135 and 136 opposite the sections of the body of the blank next adjacent to the end fold sections 21*.

During this phase, the interiors of the foldrolls 120 and 121 are just about beginning to be vacuumized. Also during this phase, the two sets of clamping fingers 202 are moving towards their corresponding rolls 120 and 121 until they engage the partially folded end sections 21 of the blank and start lapping these end sections against the body of the blank and against the pe- Ln'pheries of the rolls in the regions of the suction holes 135 and 136. While these clamping fingers 202 are so operating, the folding blade unit 140 is returning upward,

thereby releasing the blank for action by these clamping fingers. Before making this upward return movement,

j the folding blade unit 140 will have moved down sufl'iciently to cause the middle folding blade 160 to push the center fold of the blank into the bite of the rolls 120 and 121.

V The rolls 120 and 121' have flutings 240 (Figs. 4 and 9 or are otherwise roughened on their surfaces for blank gripping action and these flutings are so located on the two rolls as to lie in confronting position in the bite of the rolls, when the rolls are stationary and the blank is being folded thereabout in the phase shown in Fig. 9. After the folding blade unit 140 has begun its upward return movement and right after the middle folding blade 160 has withdrawn from between the rolls 126 and 121, the cam rods 235 (also moving upward) allow the roll 121 under the influence of the springs 131 (Figs. 3 and 14) to move towards the. roll .120 and to spring-press the middle folded section of the pad against the roll 120,

.whereupon the fluted sections of'the rolls seize the pad with sufficient pressure to feed the pad downward through the bite of the rolls, upon mere rotation of these rolls in opposite directions;

While the rolls 120 and 121 are rotating in opposite directions to draw the padof Fig. 16 downward therebetween theend sections '21 of the blank are lapped against the body of the blank to form the completed .end folds 21 and are retained thereonin this lapped position by the action of the vacuum in the rolls suc'torially acting upon said end sections through the peripheral holes .135 and 136 As the pad of Fig. 16 is being fed downward through the feeding action of the rolls 121 and 121,

the halves of the pad. are progressively coming together to form thedoubly folded pad shown in Fig. 17.

doubly folded pad shown in Fig. 17 to be released from said rolls and discharged ontothe conveyor 23.;

----For cyclically, driving the" folding rolls120 and 121 throughthe different phases described, the shaft 76 (Fig. lycarries a crank wheelg25 8, whichoperates'aratchet and pawl device 260 (Figs. 1, and'14) througha connecting rod 261 to rotate the folding rolls 1 20 and 121 intermittently in a manner to be described. This ratchet and pawl device 260 comprises a shaft 262 on which is loosely mounted a crank arm 263 for oscillating movement thereabout. Said crank arm is pivotally connected at its outer end to one end of the connecting rod 261 for oscillating movement through the reciprocating action of said connecting rod and carries a pivotally mounted pawl 264 engaging the teeth of a ratchet wheel 265 afl'ixed to the shaft 262. The teeth of the ratchet wheel 265 are so slanted that when the crank arm-263 is moving clockwise (Fig. 14), the pawl 264 is riding idly over said ratchet started to be gripped. in the bite of the rolls.

teeth and when the crank arm 263 is moving counterclockwise, the pawl 264 catches on to a tooth on the ratchet wheel 265 and drives said ratchet wheel counterclockwise. Since the ratchetwheel 265 is afiixed to the shaft 262, this counterclockwise rotation of the ratchet wheel is transmitted to the shaft. For driving the rolls and 121 from the shaft 262, the journals or shafts 122 and 126 on said rolls respectively, on one side of the machine, carry intermeshing gears 266 and 267, and the shaft 122 of the roll 120 carries a gear 268 meshing with a gear 269 aflixed to the shaft 262. The two gears 266 p and 267 maintain their intermeshing relationship at all times, even during the periods when the rolls 120 and 121 are separated by the cam rods 235 to the maximum extent. p

The different gears and drive devices for the two rolls 120 and 121 are so proportioned in size that during each cycle of operation for each blank, the gear 269 makes one quarter of a revolution, and the roll gears 266 and 267 which are of equal diameter make one complete revolution in opposite directions. Also the gearing described is so related to the rolls 120 and 121, that while the crank arm 263is idly moving clockwise and the gear 269 is stationary, the rolls 120 and 121 are stationary in the rotative phase position shown in Fig. 9 with the suction holes and 136 in position to draw the end fold sections 21 of the blank towards the peripheries of the rolls and the two sets of flutings 240 on the two rolls in confronting position in the bite region of the rolls. During counterclockwise rotation of the crank arm 263, the rolls 120 and 121 are rotated by this crank arm througha complete revolution, to complete the folding operations and to discharge the resnlting doubly folded pad of Fig. 17. At the "end of such revolution, the rolls 120 and 121are returned into the position shown in Fig. 9 and temporarily stopped spring 272 against a detent wheel 273 affixed to the shaft 262. This detent wheel273 has four teeth equally spaced and arranged to have a tooth in stop engagement with the detent, when the rolls 120 and 121 are in proper stationary position to begin their phase of operation. The detent teeth on the detent wheel 273 are slanted to ride idly past the detent 270 upon counterclockwise rotation (Fig. 14) of said wheel and to be stopped against clockwise rotation by said detent. i

The vacuum in the folding rolls 120 and 121 is so controlled that it is turned on approximatelylin the phase shown in Fig. 9, afterthe blank 10 has been partially folded and before the foldingfingers 202 take over'to complete the folding of theend sections 21 of the blank and is turned off after the completed end folds-21 have For subjecting the rolls120 and .121 to the cyclic vacuumatic described,'the journals 123 and 127 (Fig.3) of the folding rolls 12 0 and 121 on one side of the machine are hollow .and communicate with thehollow interiors of therolls.

These journals 123 and 127 connectjnto theinlet side of a va1ve box 27 (F gs-3, 4 51. )..1ih1;o,u'gl1flexible connections 276, the outlet side of the valve box being connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) through a connection 278. In the valve box 275 is a butterfly valve member 280 on a shaft 281 serving to control vacuumatic communication between the inlets and outlet of the valve box. For operating this butterfly valve member 280, the shaft 281 thereof is connected to a crank arm 282, which in turn is pivotally connected to one end of a link 283, the other end being pivotally connected to one end of a lever 284 pivotally supported at 285 on a fixed axis. The other end of the lever 284 carries a roller 286 in follower engagement with a cam 287 on the shaft 76 (Fig. 1). This roller 286 (Fig. 13) is pressed against the cam 287 by a spring 290.

As the pad shown in Fig. 17 is discharged from the folding rolls 120 and 121, it is guided towards the conveyor 23 by means of a series of rods 291 (Figs. 7 and 10) arranged in the form of a grid to form a chute and extending from a region below thebite of the rolls 120 and 121 towards the conveyor 23. The conveyor 23 comprises a pair of parallel shafts 292 and 293 (Figs. 1, 6, 7, 10 and each carrying a series of pulleys 294 spaced therealong. Around aligned pulleys on the two shafts 292 and 293 are belts 295. The spacings being belts permits the rods 291 defining the chute to extend between belts, as shown in Fig. 7.

For driving the conveyor 23, the conveyor shaft 293 carries a gear 196 (Fig. 15) meshing with a gear 297 on a shaft 298 carrying a pinion 300 which meshes with a rear 301 on the shaft 212.

Although the operation of the machine is believed apparent from the foregoing description, it is herein briefly summarized.

The continuous strip 10 from the supply roll (not shown) is guided over the rolls 15 and through the passageway defined between the plates 16 and 25 to a region near the cutting device 17, as shown in Fig. l. The forward end of this strip is gripped by the jaws 18 and 19 and pulled horizontally by the movement of the carriage 40 towards the left while the plates 16 and 25 are separated, until a full section of the strip equivalent to the length of a blank 10 has been drawn into position between the folding blade unit 140 and the folding rolls 120 and 121, as shown in Fig. 8. As soon as this section of the strip of predetermined length has been drawn into position over the folding rolls 120 and 121, the plates 16 and 25 come together to clamp the strip therebetween and the cutting knife 111 descends to sever the section across the cutting block 110. As soon as this section has been severed, the jaws 18 and 19 separate to release the resulting blank 10, while the plates 16 and 25 hold on to the forward end of the continuous strip 10 to prevent this forward end from recoiling from the forward edges of said plates. The blank 10 as it is released from the jaws 18 and 19, drops onto the rolls 120 and 121 and on to the flanking walls 195 and 196, as shown in Fig. 8 in full lines. While the blank 10 is in this resting position and while the jaws 18 and 19 are out of the way of the folding blade unit 140, this unit descends. This operation causes the middle blade 160 to tuck the intermediate section of the blank 10 towards the bite of the rolls 120 and 121 while the cam rods 235 are separating these rolls, and at the same time brings the clamping bar 170 onto the section of the blank resting on the roll 120, as shown in Fig. 9. Since this clamping bar 170 is spring-supported, it remains in clamping position while the rest of the unit, including the folding blades 145, 146 and 160, continue their downward descent. This clamping of the blank 10 against the roll 120 serves to assure against the adherence of the cut edge of the blank 10 to the elements of the cutting device 17 and also serves to hold the blank in position, so that the section of the blank wrapped around the roll 121 can slide freely around the folding blade 146, over the roll 121 and around the middle blade 160 for self adjustment as the folding operation proceeds.

The downward descent of the folding blade unit 140 as described causes the outside blades 145 and 146 to partially turn upward the end sections 21-- of the blank in the channels 197 formed between the rolls and the wall members 195 and 196, as shown in Fig. 9. At the same time, the tucking blades 177 press the end sections 21 of the blank into the recesses 225 in the clamping fingers 202, thereby forming the V-shaped tucks in said end sections to reduce the width of these sections at their outer free ends.

After the end sections 21 of the blank 10 have been partially turned upward and tucked to taper the end sections towards their outer free ends, the folding blade unit 140 begins to move upward and the clamping fingers 202 start to move inward towards their respective rolls and 121, to lap the partially turned end sections of the blank against the body of the blank and conformably against the peripheries of the rolls, as shown in Fig. 10. Up to that phase, the rolls 120 and 121 have been stationary and their suction holes and 136 have been in position opposite the end sections 21 of the blank. As the end sections 21 of the blank are lapped against the body of the blank and against the peripheries of the rolls 120 and 121, the interiors of the rolls are placed in communication with the source of vacuum, so that the resulting end folds 21 are maintained against the peripheries of the rolls by theaction of suction thereon.

After the clamping fingers 202 have lapped the end sections of the blank 10 against the body of the blank, as shown in Fig. 10, and while said end sections are maintained in fully folded position, the two rolls 120 and 121 start rotating in opposite directions. Just prior to that phase, the upward movement of the cam rods 235 with the folding blade unit 140, has released the roll 121, so that it is positioned by the action of the springs 131 sufficiently close to the roll 120, to cause the rolls to grip and feed the pad therebetween upon rotation thereof in opposite directions. At the instant the rolls 120 and 121 start to rotate in opposite directions, the intermediate section of the blank 10 which has been tucked into the bite of the two rolls is gripped by the flutings 246 on said rolls and advanced thereby onto the chute 291 for deposit on the conveyor 23. As soon as the outer free edges 243 of the end folds 21 of the blank have moved into position to be gripped by the rolls 120 and 121 for feeding, the interiors of the rolls are cut off from suction, and the resulting pad permitted to be discharged from said rolls. The pad deposited on the conveyor 23 will have the shape shownin Fig. 17 and will be transported thereby to some station, where it may be picked up for further folding into the shape shown in Fig. 18 or may be otherwise processed.

The operations described are all automatic and cyclic, so that the sections of the strip 10 are cut off in succession and folded in succession in definite time relationship.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited thereto, but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for folding the end section of a flexible pad blank, comprising a roll, a wall member extending alongside of said roll and defining with the periphery of said roll a channel of substantially V-shaped cross-section extending along said roll, a folding blade for pressing the end section of the blank into said channel while the body of the blank lies against the periphery of said roll to partially fold said end section, and a folding jaw movable to engage the partially folded end section and lap said end section against the body of the blank on the periphery of the roll.

2. A device for folding the end section of a flexible pad blank, comprising a roll, a wall member extending alongside of said roll and defining with the periphery of said roll a channel of substantially V-shaped cross-section extending along said roll, a folding blade reciprocable edgewise towards and away from said channel for pressing the end section of the blank into said channel while the body of the blank lies against the periphery of said roll to partially fold said end section, and a folding jaw mov- 5. able towards and away from said roll transversely to the reciprocable movement of said folding blade and having an operative face confronting said roll and conforming in curvature substantially with the periphery of said roll for engaging the partially folded section and press it against the body of the blank and conformably against the periphery of said roll.

3. A device for folding the end section of a flexible pad blank comprising means for partially turning the end section of the blank and for simultaneously forming a series of V-shaped tucks at spaced points thereacross to taper the end section towards its outer free end, and means for lapping the partially turned end section against the body of the blank while maintaining the taper therein to form an end fold with sides slanting from the fold line inwardly away from the sides of the body of the blank.

4. A device for folding the end section of a flexible pad blank comprising means including a folding blade-. for partially turning the end section of the blank and movable in and out of folding position, tucking blades connected to said folding blade at spaced sections thereacross for forming a series of V-tucks in said end section while said end section is being turned by said folding blade to taper the end section towards its outer free end, and means for lapping tthe turned end section against the body of the blank while maintaining the taper therein, to form an end fold with sides slanting from the fold line inwardly away from the sides of the body of the blank.

5. A device for folding the end section of a flexible pad blank comprising a support for the blank, means for partially turning the end sections of the blank while the body of the blank is resting against said support, means for forming a series of spaced tucks across said end section to taper the end section towards its outer free end and comprising a member having a series of spaced tuck- 40 ing grooves and a series of tucking blades for pressing the end section into said grooves, and means for lapping the turned end section against the body of the blank while maintaining the taper therein to form an end fold with sides slanting from the fold line inwardly away from the sides of the body of the blank.

6. A device for folding the end section of a flexible pad blank comprising a roll, means for partially turning the end section of the blank while the body of the blank is on the periphery of said roll, a folding jaw movable towards and away from said roll to lap the partially turned end section against the body of the blank and against the periphery of the roll, said jaw presenting a series of tucking grooves therein, and tucking blades movable to tuck the end section of the blank at spaced points thereacross before being lapped against the body of the blank into said grooves to taper the end section towards its outer free end and to form an end fold with sides slanting from the fold line inwardly away from the sides of the body of the blank.

7. A device for folding the end section of a flexible pad blank, comprising a roll, a wall member extending alongside of said roll and defining with the periphery of said roll a channel of substantially V-shaped cross-section extending along said roll, a folding blade reciprocable edgewise towards and away from said channel for pressing the end section of the blank into said channel while the body of the blank lies against the periphery of said roll to partially fold said end section, a folding jaw movable towards and away from said roll transversely to the reciprocable movement of said folding blade and having an operative face confronting said roll and conforming in curvature substantially with the periphery of saidrollfor engaging the partially folded section and press it against the body of the blank and conformably against the pe riphery of said roll, said jaw presenting a series of tucking "grooves therein extending from. its operative face, and

tucking blades connected tosaid folding blade at spaced sections thereacross for pressing the end sectioninto said grooves while, said, end section is being partially folded by said fo-lding blade to taper the end section towards its outer free end, whereby the sides of the final end fold will slant inwardly away from the sides of the body of the blank. 7 V a 8. A device. for folding flexible pad blanks comprising a pair of rolls disposed alongside of each other in blank feeding relationship, means for driving said rolls in opposite directions, a folding blade in a plane, substantially between. said rolls, meansfor reciprocatingsaid blade edgewise and substantially in said plane towards and away from the bite region of said rolls, and means for-delivering blanks in succession between the rolls and the folding blade in time relationship with the reciprocating movement of said folding blade, said folding blade being operable to tuck the blanks successively into the bite region of the rolls, whereby the blanks are folded in the process of being advanced by said rolls. 7

9. A device for folding a flexible pad blank comprising a pair of rolls disposed alongside of each other in blank feeding relationship, one of said rolls being a suction roll, means for folding an end section of a blank against the periphery of the suction roll, said end section being held in folded position againstthe periphery of the last mentioned roll by the action ofthe suction, means for tucking an intermediate section of the blank betweenthe rolls, means for rotating the rolls in opposite directions to cause said blank with its endfold suctionally main tained to be fed through the bite region of said rolls and to fold the blank. along said intermediate section, and

'means for breaking the suction on the suction roll after the end fold. has been seized by the bite of the rolls to permit separation of the folded blank from said suction roll.

10. A device for folding a flexible blank comprising a pair of hollow rolls disposed alongside of each other in blank feeding relationship, each of said rolls having a series of perforations therealong in communication with the interiors of. said rolls, means for subjecting the interiors of said rolls to vacuum, means for. folding the end sections of a blank against the body of'the blank .and against the peripheries of said rolls in the,regions of said perforations, whereby said end sections are held in folded condition bythe action of suction thereon, means for tucking the intermediate section of said blank into the bite region of said rolls, and means for rotating said rolls in opposite directions to cause said blank to be fed through said rolls and the tucked intermediate section of the blank to be doubly folded.

11. A device for folding a flexible pad blank comprising a pair of rolls alongside of each other and close together, means for partially turning the end sections of a blank comprising a pair of parallel folding blades movable e dgewise in unison towards and away fromsaid rolls and located substantially centrally in relation to said rolls, said folding blades being adapted to press the unsupported 0 end sections of the blank while the body of the blank is supported against said rolls, whereby said end sections are turned about the folding edges of said blade, means for lapping the partially turned. end sections of the blank against the body of the blank and against the peripheries of said rolls, an intermediate folding blade between said first mentioned folding blades movable in unison therewith and adapted to tuck the intermediate section of said blank into the constricted throat passage between said rolls, and means for rotating said rolls in opposite directions to advance said blank therebetween while causing the twosections of the blank on opposite sides of the tuck line' to come together progressively for folding.

12. A device for folding a flexible padblank comprising a pair of rolls alongside of each other and close together to define a constricted passageway therebetween, a folding blade, means for reciprocating said blade edgewise in a plane substantially centrally of the two rolls, whereby a blank between said blade and said rolls will be tucked towards said passageway, a blank clamping bar opposite one of said rolls, means for moving said clamping bar towards and away from blank holding position, and timed to hold a section of the blank opposite one of said rolls against the latter roll during the tucking of the blank towards said passageway while the section opposite the other roll is adjusting itself around the edge of said folding blade and to release the blank thereafter, the tucked released blank being adapted to be drawn through said passageway away from said folding blade to fold said blank, and means for cyclically operating said rolls to cause said rolls to be stationary during the tucking and holding operation and to rotate in opposite directions thereafter during the drawing operation.

13. A device for folding a flexible pad blank comprising a pair of rolls alongside of each other and close together to define a constricted passageway therebetween, a pair of parallel folding blades located one in a plane substantially centrally of the rolls, the other in a plane near the outer side of one of said rolls, means for reciprocating said folding blades edgewise towards and away from the rolls, the centrally located folding blade being adapted in its movements towards the rolls to tuck an intermediate section of the blank towards said passageway, means cooperating with the outer blade for folding the end section of the blank against the body of the blank and against said one roll, a clamping bar located between said folding blades and opposite said one roll and movable with said blades but spring-pressed to move relative to said folding blades when in clamping position, said clamping bar being operable to hold a section of the blank opposite to said one roll against the latter roll during the tucking of the blank towards said passageway and the folding of the end section of the blank, while the section of the blank opposite the other roll is adjusting itself around the edge of the centrally located blade and to release the blank thereafter, the tucked and end-folded released blank being adapted to be drawn through said passageway away from said centrally located folding blade to fold said blank in its intermediate section, and means for cyclically operating said rolls to cause said rolls to be stationary during the tucking, end folding and holding operations and to rotate in opposite directions thereafter during the drawing operation.

14. A device for folding a flexible pad blank comprising a pair of blank folding and feeding rolls disposed side by side, means for laying a blank onto the rolls, means for folding the end sections of the blank while On the rolls inwardly against the body of the blank and against the peripheries of the rolls respectively to form end folds, means operable substantially at the same time as the end folding of the blank for tucking the intermediate section of the blank into the bite of the roll, and means for rotating the rolls in opposite directions to feed the end folded and tucked blank through the rolls to doubly fold the blank.

15. A device for folding a flexible pad blank comprising a pair of rolls disposed side by side in blank feeding relationship, the rolls being supported for relative movement apart transverse to their axes, spring means urging the rolls relatively towards each other into blank feeding relationship, a folding blade disposed in a plane substantially centrally of the rolls and movable edgewise towards and away from the bite of the rolls for tucking the intermediate section of a blank supported against the rolls into the bite of the rolls, means operable while the folding blade is tucking the blank into the bite of the rolls for separating the rolls against the action of said spring means to permit the folding blade to enter therebetween, and means for rotating the rolls in opposite directions for feeding the tucked blank through the rolls to fold doubly the blank as the blank passes through the rolls.

16. A machine for making surgical gauze pads comprising a pair of rolls alongside of each other in blank feeding relation, means for drawing a section of a continuous flexible gauze strip over the rolls, a cutter for severing the drawn section from the strip while in said position to form a blank over said rolls, the blank being adapted to drop upon the rolls after severance, three parallel folding blades above the rolls operable vertically in unison towards and away from the rolls, the outside folding blades being close to the outer sides of the rolls, the intermediate folding blade being substantially centrally of the rolls, means forming with the outer sides of the rolls channels into which the outside blades are adapted to press the end sections of the blank supported on the roll during downward movement of the blades to turn the end sections of the blank upwardly, the intermediate blade being adapted at the same time to tuck the intermediate section of the blank supported on the rolls towards the bite of the rolls, means operable in unison with the folding blades for clamping the blank against one of the rolls during said turning and tucking operations on the blank, means for folding the turned end sections of the blank against the body of the blank and against the peripheries of the rolls respectively to form end folds, means for rotating rolls in opposite directions to feed the tucked and end folded blank through the rolls, while the folding blades and the clamping means are moving away from the rolls, means for suctionally holding the end sections of the blank against the body of the blank and against the peripheries of the rolls, while the rolls are feeding the blank therebetween, and means operable after the end folds have moved into the bite of the rolls for releasing said suctional holding means to permit discharge of the folded pad from the rolls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,326,827 Anthony Dec. 30, 1919 1,590,652 Shaffer June 29, 1926 2,335,970 Schmidt Dec. 7, 1943

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