US472202A

US472202A - Wrapping-mach i ne

Info

Publication number: US472202A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1892-04-05
Anticipated expiration: 1909-04-05

Description

3 SheetsSheet 1 (No Model.)

S. D. TRIPP. WRAPPING MACHINE.

No. 472,202. Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

I r Jen-En v. 29822222 727 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

- S. D. TRIPP.

WRAPPING MACHINE. No. 472,202. Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

n 1. Eggs. 7 m k W" E {15' i: 67 w L? 3 Sheets Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

S. D. TRIPP WRAPPING MACHINE.

No. 472,202. Patented Apr. 5, 18.92.

0 #0 l v 8 HE E i O 114E nonms van-ms 20., vnoTOLrmo, WASNINGTON, 04 c.

UNrTnD STATES PAT NT QFFICE.

SETH D. TRIPP, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

WRAPPING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 472,202, dated April 5, 1892. Application filed July 1,1891. Serial No. 398.126. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SETH D. TRIPP, of Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Trapping-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

Thisinvention has forits object to construct a machine for wrapping oranges and similar spherical objects.

In accordance with this invention a suit.- able feeding-device is employed for feeding the oranges one at a time to a folder and twister, and a suitable centering device is provided for properly directing the orange or article to be wrapped. The folder and twister is herein represented as an intermittentlyrotatable ring carrying a series of automatically-movable arms formed or provided at their lower ends with wings or equivalents which co-operate with each other to constitute nipping devices. The paper is taken from a roll and by suitable feeding mechanism is fed forward and out off, the severed sheets of proper sizes being laid over or upon the combined folder and twister, and suitable means are provided for guiding the paper properly regardless of its width. The orange or other article to be wrapped is forced by a suitable plunger down through the centering device, falling upon the sheet of paper which is laid upon the folder and twister, and continuing its descent, assisted by said plunger,it passes down into and through the said folder and twister, carrying the paper with it, until the edges of the paper are caught and held by the nipping devices, the wrapper being then gathered in just above the article. A holder of suitable construction is provided, which, is herein shown, is designed to engage the gathcred-in portion of the paper or wrapper next the orange or article while the edges are yet held by the folder or twister, and the latter being at such times rotated the gathered-in portion or edges of the paper will be twisted while the orange is restrained from rotation. This holder is also employed to remove the wrapped orange from engagement with the combined folder and twister and, as shown, is arranged to operate while the combined folder or twister is operating, so that the gathered-in portion of the wrapper will be twisted from a point next the orange to the extreme edges of the wrapper. A suitable printing device is employed, made adjustable with relation to the other parts, to print the name or any other inscription upon the wrapper.

Figure 1 shows in side elevation a machine for wrapping spherical objects embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a front elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a cr0ss-sec tional view of the machine shown in Fig. 1, taken on the dotted line 00 m; Fig. 4, a top view of a portion of the feeding device; Fig. 4, a front view of a portion of the feeding device, showing the plunger or pendant; Fig.

4 a side view of a portion of the feeding device, showing the plunger or pendant; Fig. t, a detail of the actuating-pawl for the feedwheel; Figs-5 and 6, enlarged details of the nipping device for engaging and feeding the paper; Fig. 7, a plan view of the centering device; Fig. 8, a sectional detail of a portion of the centering device; Fig. 9, a detail showing the forked end of the holder; Fig. 10, a detail showing in plan view the nipping devices of the combined folder and twister; Figs. 11 to 14, inclusive, enlarged details of the printing device; Fig. 15, an enlarged detail of thefoot and part carrying it, and Fig. 16, a detail showing the stationary blade of the cuttingoff mechanism and spring connected to it.

The base or stand A supports a column or vertical cylinder b, which, together with table 0, resting on it, constitutes the framework which supports the operative and other parts of the machine.

To the under side of table 0 are secured curved arms d and cl, arranged opposite to each other and bearing at their outer end rolls 6 6. Another roll f revolves upon a pin in a lug projecting from the cylinder 1). These rolls are provided with V-shaped peripheral grooves, which afiorda guideway for a ring g, having its periphery shaped to fit said grooves. These rolls 6, e, and f are employed mainly as friction-rolls, and hence it is obvious that they may be omitted and the ring made to revolve in stationary grooved bearlngs.

Secured to the under side of the ring or made in part with it is a bevel-gear h, which is engaged by a gear h, fixed upon a shaft 2',

which revolves in a suitable hearing, as 3', herein shown as arranged 011 the arm (1'. This shaft 2' is also provided with another bearing 70, formed upon the end of an arm Z, the opposite end of which arm is secured to the under side of table 0. The shaftt' is also pro' vided with a pulley m, by which rotary motion may be communicated to the ring g through the bevel-gears h h.

In the circular opening in the ring 9 are shown four bearing-blocks n n n 01 located equal distances apart, to which are pivoted upon pins 0 0 0 downwardly and inwardly extended arms 1) p 19 19 the lower ends of said arms nearly meeting on the line of the axis of the ring. Across the lower ends of each of these arms and in parallelism with the pins upon which they swing are secured plates or wings 3 y 12 y which consist of narrow fiat plates whose length is about equal to the diameter of the opening in the ring When the arms are swung outward or away from each other, the inner edges of the plates will form the four sides of a square. (See Fig. 10.) The arms 12 p ,which are diametrically opposite each other are longer and hence project slightly below the ends of arms 1) p and the wings on said arms 1) 11 will occupy a plane below the wings on the arms fp but for the purposes to be hereinafter described it is necessary that these wings continuously contact with each other, and hence in order that they may so contact and that the arms carrying them may move on pivots two of the wings will be arranged obliquely to the other two. As shown in Fig. 1, the wings g 2 are oblique and the wings 11 1 horizontal, the arms being contracted or drawn toward each other; but when said arms are swung out-ward or from each other the wings 31 will be oblique and thewings 1 2/ horizontal.

Auxiliary arms 0 c 0 0 without wings may be provided to operate in conjunction with those already described, such arms being likewise pivoted to bearing-blocks on the disk 9 and arranged alternately with relation to the arms 13 p 19 12 The free ends of the arms 1) p p p and c c c a may be pressed inward by an elastic band 1', (see Fig. 3,) encircling them all, or each may be pressed in by a spring, as shown in Fig. 8. When an elastic band is used, it is applied from the underside. This device constitutes a combined paper folder and twister operating to fold the paper about the fruit as it passes therethrough and to thereafter twist the paper after the fruit has passed therethrough and durin the time that the folded margin of the paper is held by the wings y 1 3 These wings y g 3 constitute nipping devices to nip the margin of the paper while twisting it.

Pivoted t0 the lever a" is a hook a which extends vertically, or nearly so, and moves freely in guide-slots in rigid arms a 0. As the end of the lever a is raised nearly to its most elevated position an arm a, rigidly connected to said hook at right angles with relation thereto, will come in contact with a lug Z) on the column I), causing the said hook to assume the position indicated by dotted lines 11 W. The upper end of the hook a is forked, (see Fig. 9,) so as to pass astride the folded paper between the fruit and the nipping devices 1 y 3 which hold said paper by its edges. As the lever a is moved downward the hook a will carry the fruit down with it, the paper being removed from its engagement with the wings. During the time that the paper is being removed or drawn down by the forked hook a the said hook will act to hold the fruit firmly, so that it cannot be revolved, and the ring g and its arms, revolving d u ring such time, will act to twist the paper. This hook, operating as described, I herein term a holder. \Vhen the downward movement of the hook has drawn the paper entirely out of the nipping devices of the combined folder and twister, the wrapped fruit will fall upon the inclined guide as and will roll away from the machine. As the hook continues to move downward the arm c will come in contact with a lug b on the base, causing the hook to assume the full-line position shown in Fig. 1,50 that itmay be again moved upward without coming in contact with the suspended fruit.

The combined folder and twister is made to.

revolve intermittently and at the proper time by the following means: The pulley m is made to revolve freely upon its shaft and is provided with a friction-clutch d', which is operated by lever d pivoted upon arm Z at 6 The balance-wheel 6 to which is attached a cam e to operate a lever 61", also serves as a pulley to carry the belt 6', which revolves the pulley m. Itwill readily be seen that by this arrangement the folding apparatus will revolve only while the cam e is in contact with the lever (1 the spring f acting on and operating to disengage the friction-clutch from the pulley on when the cam e disengages said arm (1.

Bolted to the under side of the table 0 and extending backward or in opposite direction to the arms which hold the folding apparatus are arms f f provided with bearings to support the main driving-shaft f upon which is shown the crank 702 and eccentrics 7L3 and h and also the pulley 6 by which means motion is applied to the operative parts of the machine. In the rearmost ends of these arms are placed studs 7r 7L, whose points enter the center holes 'in the ends of a shaft 2'', which is designed to support a roll of paper.

To hold rolls of paper of different widths, so that it maybe delivered centrallythrough the machine, I place at opposite sides of the shaft z" racks 2 i which slide freelyin dovetailed grooves i t, with their teeth pointing inward and meshing with teeth in a pinion It, which is placed in a mortise in the shaft between the racks and revolves upon a pin 7.2 Attached to one end of each of these racks are collars 7t 7a", which are adjustable upon the shaft. Thus when one collar is ad- IIO justed in either direction the other will be moved in the opposite direction in equal ratio, and the two collars will always be equally distant from the center of the shaft. \Vhen the collars are placed properly against the ends of the roll, it will be centrally adjusted, and may be held in that position by one of the racks being pressed against the shaft by means of set-screws k or k", which attach the collars to the racks. To put a roll of paper upon the shaft, one of the collars must be removed and then replaced, which is quickly and easily done after the shaftis removed from the machine.

Upon the table 0 are secured pillars Z Z Z Z, and on the tops of these are bolted curved plates Z and Z, lying parallel, or nearly so, and constituting a paper-guide. Between the plates Z Z, where the bolts pass through to hold them, are thin washers to keep the plates apart, so that a sheet of paper may pass freely between them. The lower plate Z may be made in two parts with an open space between them, as shown in Fig. 3.

n and n represent shears (best shown in Figs. 2 and 3) for cutting off pieces of suitable length from the strip of paper to serve as a wrapper for the fruit. The upper blade 41 0f the shears is pivoted to the lower one at n. The blades n n are each preferably made of bars having thin cutting-blades at tached to them. The actuating-rod Z is connected to the upper blade 02 by a universal joint. This rod Z is loosely connected at its lower end to one end of a fulcrum-lever L and to the other end of said lever Z a rod Z is connected, which is herein shown as moved by the eccentric 72 The lower blade 91 of the shears is provided with lugs 0 0 which extend downward and incline inward, presenting a dovetailed guideway, which receives and is adjustable on the table 0. The lug 0 is provided with a set-screw 0, by which the blade is held securely to the table at any point desired.

Projecting from the vertical cylinder]; isa lug 19 provided with a bolt p upon which the angular lever 19 swings as a fulcrum. The upper end of this lever isturnedlaterally inward toward the centerof the machine, and on its end is secured the friction-clamp r. This clamp is provided with an opening or slot r to receive the end of the strip of paper after being passed from the roll and through the open space between the curved guideplates Z Z. The upper jaw r of the clamp is provided with a pawl, which is made to turn freely upon pin 7*. One arm r of the pawl extends obliquely downward to the lowerjaw 1", upon which it will nip or clamp the paper. Another arm 7- of the pawl extends obliquely upward and is provided in its extreme end with pin 7".

Projecting from the upper blade "n of the shears is a lug 3 upon which is pivoted a device consisting of a leg s and foot 8, the foot being set wholly on one side of the leg, as

upper surface of the foot 5 moving the arm r in the direction of the dotted line 5 and will cause the arm r of the pawl to rise from the lower jaw r of the clamp to allow the paper to enter. Then the clamp has fully-returned, the pin 7' will be pressed down back of the foot by the spring 0", by which means the paper will be clamped between the arm 1' of the pawl and the lower jaw r of the clamp.

A U-shaped spring 8 is secured tothe lower blade of the shears to support the paper above the blade of the shears .to allow the lower jaw r of the clamp to pass under it. There should be several of these springs secured to the bar to keep the paper up, so that the clamp may pick it and carry it unobstructed from the blade of the shears. The lever 19 is reciprocated by an eccentric-rod 10 moved by the eccentric 71 and for adjusting the range of motion of said lever p the eccentric-rod k is connected thereto at the slot 19 The table 0, where the shears rest upon it, is

made crownin as shown in Fi 1 so that.

b C i the shears wherever placed upon it and .secured by the set-screw 0 will line with the pivot or fulcrum p upon which the lever 19 turns, and will be equidistant from it in order that the paper-feedin g clamp 7" may work in harmony with the shears wherever they may be located upon the crowning portion of the table, and it is to assist and simplify such harmonious action that the foot 8 is attached to the shears.

The wrapper or severed sheet of paper should lie directly over the ring 9, and in order to vary the size of said wrappers it will, be necessary to change the throw of the lever 19, so that it will operate to carry the paper forward a greater or less distance beyond the center of the ring, and also to adjust the shears so that they will operate to cutoff the paper a greater or less distance from the center of the ring, such distances being necessarily equal.

To the vertically-sliding rod 0' is secured a hub 2?, which is connected by an arm 25 to a hub 6 in which hub a rod t is adj ustably held. by means of a set-screw t. The upward movement of the rod 0' is so timed with relation to the paper-feeding clamp that it will at the upper limit of its strokecause the end of the rod 25 to meet a pin 4 at a point indicated by the dotted lines 25 and thus raise the arms r r of the pawl, thereby releasing the hold of the pawl upon the paper.

Upon the upper side and near one edge of the curved plate Z is fixed a pillar 15. Upon the opposite edge of the plate is fixed an arm 5, which curves outwardly and upwardly. Upon the upper ends of this arm i and pillar t is supported an inclined guideway or trough 10 into which the fruit a 11, a which is to be covered, is placed by hand or fed into it from a hopper or other receptacle.

A toothed wheel t, which is mounted centrally over the trough or guide 11?, is employed to regulate the movement of the fruit 10 20 10 through the trough,so that only one at a time will pass into the machine. The distance or space between the teeth of the tooth feedwheel 15 will be made to correspond with the size of the article to be wrapped. The movement of the wheel is restrained by the friction-washer d or otherwise. The rod 0 is connected by a short link to the end of the lever a, by which means it is made to slide vertically in bearings in arms a a The upper portion of the rod 0' is turned inwardly until its end lies centrally over the combined folder and twister and enters a slot in the upper end of a pendant w which is joined or hinged to it by pin 21, so that the pendantwillswing upon thepin,ashereinafter shown. Also loosely mounted upon the pin 10 and located in a slot formed in the end of rod 0 is a pawl which is employed to move the feed-wheel t one tooth at a time. This pawl (1 (shown separately in Fig. 16) has a flat face or portion, which bears againstalike portion at the end of the slot in the rode, so that the said pawl will be held in its upright position. When the rod 0' is moved upward, the pawl (Z will come in contact with the tooth :0 and turn the wheel. In the meantime the tooth :0 will come in contact with the projection 2 upon the pendant 10 so that when the upper portion of rod 0 arrives at its dotted-line position, Fig. 1, the pendant 10 will be turned into the dotted-line position .2, thus allowing the fruit which has just been released by the turning of the feedavheel to pass freely into the centering apparatus, which is placed at the front end and slightly below the trough a and is attached to it by means of lug u and screw it. The centering apparatus (see Fig. 7) consists of a broken ring or crescent or C- shaped piece a and fingers a a a u u, which swing freely upon pins o o o o v and are pressed inwardly by springs, as shown in Fig. 8, or otherwise.

The bifurcated free end of a spring to" (see Fig. 4:) rests on the flattened end of the pendant or plunger 20 which allows the pendant to be turned aside by the tooth 00 and to assume a vertical position again when projection is carried below the tooth. In Figs. 4: and 4 the former being an end View of the latter, looking toward the right, it will be observed that the spring w increases in thickness from the bifurcated end to the attached end. As the pendant or plunger continues to move downward it will come in contact with the fruit while in the centering apparatus and will carry said fruit down through the centering apparatus and also down through the combined folder and twister, carrying the paper with it, while the arms of said folder and twister wrap the paper about the fruit, leaving said fruit suspended by the nipping devices engaging the paper until removed by the hook a As many merchants desire to have their name, initials, trade-mark, or other inscription printed upon the paper in which the fruit is wrapped, I have combined with this machine an apparatus whereby the paper may be printed or stamped in the center of the piece to be wrapped upon the fruit while itis passing from the roll into or through the machine. Pivoted near to one end of lever (0 is a rod a, which extends obliquely upward. In a socket at the upper end of this rod I socure the printing or stamping apparatus, (see Figs. 11, 12, 13, and 14,) whichin this case consists of a vertical frame a a to the upper end of which is pivoted by pins a a", passing through arms .2 z, a plate .2, to which the type is secured in any suitable manner. In the open space between the two arms a a of the frame is placed a pad .2 to supply the type with ink. The pad 2 rests upon aplate .2 which is secured to a support 2 projecting from frame or cylinder 1). The pad .2 is provided at each side with a projection which slides freely in slots b b in the frame, so that when the frame is moved laterally the pad will follow and keep in adjustment with it. The rack-bar 11 by means of the slotted arm 11 and bolt b is adjustably secured to pillar d,which projects upward from table 0. Meshing into the teeth of this rack 11 are the teeth of the gearwheel (Z One portion of the wheel is extended to allow ample room for slot (1 in which pin (1 will slide freely. The pin d fits tightly in arms 6 6 the object of the pin being to connect the type-plate a with gear-wheel (1 so that the wheel and typeplate will simultaneously revolve upon the shaft e The object of the slot (Z in the wheel and also the slots e" e in arms 6 elwhich slide freely upon shaft 6 is to allowthe type-plate .2 to move toward or away from the center of the gear-wheel. Upon either side of the rack b and parallel with it are guides f f The arms 8 6 of the type-plate are pressed against these guides by a spring f secured to the column b and bearing against the rod a. In the downward movement of the frame a a the type-plate will approach the wheel, as per dotted line a2, until pivots a a willbe nearly in line with shaft 6 when pin (1 will be at the bottom of slot (Z The gear-wheel will then commence to revolve upon its shaft c and carry the type-plate in the direction of dotted line f until the gear and plate will be in position of dotted lines f f, and the opposite edges of arms a e will bear against guides f 6 f By still further downward movement of the frame the type will approach the inkingpad, as per dotted linef By an upward ITO movement of the frame a a the type-plate and gear will return by the same path to their former positions, at which time the paper will be pressed against the curved plate Z and receive the impression from the type. The opening h in the table and also the opening in the curved plate Z are large enough to allow all of these movements and to allow the apparatus to be so adjusted in relation to the shears that the imprint upon the paper when it has been moved forward will rest directly in line with the axis of the folding apparatus. In order to insure the proper working of the parts, so that the imprint upon the paper shall be uniform and complete in whichever lateral postion it may be desired to adjust the apparatus, the curves in the plate 1, arm I), type-plate 2 and support a should be made with reference to pivot h as a center. Of course the face of the inking-pad .28 should be made the same curve as type-plate.

Before putting the machine in operation the fruit should be placed in the trough, as shown in the drawings, and the end of the paper upon roll 1' should be passed between the curved plates Z Z and entered between the jaws r and r of the clamp r. Then by applying power to the shaft f the crank 7L2 is turned, the rod h moved longitudinally, and the lever a to which it is connected, is turned on its pivot 71. The lever 0, passes through slots, as in the vertical cylinder 1), and is connected with the rod 0 by the link so that as said lever is moved the rod 0' rises vertically and its inwardly-turned end passes up through the centering device. In the meantime the type-plate 2 has moved in the direction of the dotted-lines 0c f f Fig. 13, while eccentric If, by means of rod 10 and angular lever 19 p pivoted at 10 has caused the nipping device r, with the end of the paper in its jaws, to move toward the folding and twisting device, the pin a in the arm 0" of the clamp r moving away the foot 8 in the direction of dotted line 3, and the eccentric or cam 77, by means of the rod Z and lever Z and rod Z has caused the upper blade of the shears to move downward upon pivot a. When the shaft f has made one-half a revolution, the pin 7" in the arm 1- of the nipper will have arrived at the point t and have been raised to release the hold of the pawl upon the paper by rod t which, in the meantime has been carried upward by rod 0' to the point t, and the paper will have been severed by the shears ready to receive the fruit, and the toothed wheel thas been turned to allow the fruit to pass into the centering apparatus. In the meantime the type has been supplied with ink and has been raised from the hiking pad to a point indicated by dotted lines f, Fig. 13. IVhile the shaft f 5 is making another one-half revolution, rod 0 will be moved downward and the pendant to will assume its vertical position and carrythe fruit down through the centering apparatus, and with the paper through the combined folder and twister, where it will be taken by the hook a at its next uppermost movement, and the paper will be twisted upon it, as heretofore fully described. During this last-mentioned one-half revolution of the shaft f the type has been moving upward in the direction of the dotted lines f and 00 so as to press the paper against the curved plate Z to stamp or print it. In the meantime the upper blade of the shears n has been raised, and the clamp r has returned to its normal position, the pin 4 in arm r of the pawl passing over and upon foot s, so as to raise arm r of the pawl to allow the'end of the paper to enter between the jaws of the clamp, and when pin 1- is pressed down back of the foot 5 by spring r the arm r of the pawl will press upon the paper and hold it tightly, ready to repeat the foregoing opertion. Thus it will be seen that by one revolution of the driving-shaft the paper will be printed, carried forward, and cut into squares of suitable size, and the fruit will singly pass from the trough through the centering device and be carried with the paper through an apparatus for folding the paper around the fruit and the edges twisted to secure it to the fruit and will be dropped into an inclined guide'ac to convey it'away from the machine.

I claiml. Ina machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a combined folder and twister comprising a series of contracting and expanding arms supported by a revolving ring, combined with a holder for engaging the Wrapper next the article while the edges are yet' held by the said folder and twister and holding it while said folder and twister rotates, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a contracting and expanding rotatable folder and twister, combined with a holder for engaging the wrapper next the article while the edges are yet held by the folder or twister, thereby holding the article against rotation while the twister operates, and a support for said holder, movable toward and from the folder and twister while the latter is operating to thereby insure twisting the gathcred-in portion of the Wrapper from a point next the articleto the extreme edges of the wrapper, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a contracting and expanding rotata ble folder and twister, combined with a holder for en gaging the wrapper next the article while the edges are yet held by the folder and twister and for holding it while the said folder and twister rotates, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a combined folder and twister for folding the wrapper about the article and twisting its edges, combined with a holder for engaging the wrapper next the article while the edges are yet held by the folder and twister, and a support for the holder, movable toward and from the folder and twister, whereby the wrapped article maybe removed from its engagement with the said folder and twister, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a combined folder and twister comprising a series of automatically-movable arms having nipping devices at their ends for engaging and holding the gathered-in edges of the wrapper, and a rotatable ring to which said arms are connected, over which the wrapper is placed, and down through which it is carried by the orange as the latter descends, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a combined folder and twister consisting of a series of automatically-movable arms borne by an intermittently-rotatable ring, combined with a holder for engaging the wrapper next the article while the edges are yet held by thefolder and twister, and thereby holding the article against rotation while the ring revolves, substantially as described.

7. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a combined folder and twister consisting of a series of antomatically-movable arms borne by an intermittentlyrotatable ring, combined with a holder for engaging the wrapper next the article while the edges are yet held by the folder and twister, and thereby holding the article against rotation while the ring revolves, and a support for the holder, movable toward and from the folder and twister, whereby the wrapped article may be removed from its engagement with said arms, substantially as described.

8. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a combined folder and twister comprising a series of automatically movable arms having nipping devices at their ends for engaging and holding the gathered-in edges of the wrapper, a rotatable ring to which said arms are connected, over which the wrapper is placed, and down through which it is carried by the orange as the latter descends, combined with a holder for engaging the gathered-in portion of the wrapper next the article while the edges are yet held by the nipping devices of the folder and twister and means for moving the holder away from the folder and twister while the latter is rotating, substantially as described.

9. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a combined folder and twister comprising a series of automatically movable arms having nipping devices at their ends for engaging and holding the gathered-in edges of the wrapper and another series of automatically-movable arms arranged alternately with relation to the first-named series, com:

bined with a rotatable ring to which all of said arms are connected, over which the wrapper is placed, and down through which it is carried with the orange as the latter descends, and a holder for engaging the wrapper next the article while the edges are held by the nipping devices to thereby hold the article against rotation while the ring revolves, substantially as described.

I 10. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a combined folder and twister comprising a series of automatically movable arms formed at their lower ends to present nipping devices, combined with a forked holder for engaging the wrapper between the articles and the nipping devices, substantially as described.

11. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a folder and twister, combined with a holder and a feeding device for feeding the articles one at a time and means for forcing them down through the folder and twister, substantially as described. 12. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a feeding device consisting of a feedtrough, a feed-wheel,a pawl for rotating said feed-wheel intermittently, a pawl-carrier, and a pendant borne by said pawl-carrier for assisting the progress of the article, substantially as described.

13. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a combined folding and twisting device and a centering device located above it, combined with a feeding-trough, a feeding device for feeding the articles one by one, and a plunger for forcing the article down through the centering device, substantially as described.

l l. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, wrapping devices, combined with a centering device consisting of a series of antomatically-movable arms, a ring to which they are attached, broken out to provide a passage at one side of it, a feeding device for feedingthe articles one at a time, and a plunger for forcing the article downthrough the centering device, substantially as described.

15. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a folder and twister, combined with a feed-trough, toothed feeding-wheel, vertically-movable rod for moving said feed-wheel step by step, a centering device in line with the folder and twister, and means operated by said vertically-movable rod for forcing the article down through the centering device and combined folder and twister, substantially as described.

16. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a contracting and expanding rotatable folding and twisting device, a centering device located above it, and aplunger for forcing the orange down through the centering device, combined with a paper-feeding mechanism for feeding forward a strip of paper while the orange is held by the centering device and a paper-cutter for cutting off the strip, substantially as described.

17. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, a combined folder and twister comprising two pairs of antomatically-movable arms and a wing on the end of each arm, arranged to form a square, as shown, one pair of said wings being arranged obliquely with relation to the other pair, substantially as described.

18. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, wrapping devices, combined With a paper-feeding mechanism and adjustable cutting-off mechanism consisting of two blades movable one with relation to the other and U-shaped springs secured to the under blade and adapted to direct the paper over said blade, substantially as described.

19. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, wrappingdevices, combined with nipping devices to engage the endof a strip of paper, a pivoted support therefor, whereby the paper is fed in the arc of a circle means for reciprocating said support, and a papercutter adjustable in the arc of a circle of which the pivot of the support for the nipping devices is the center, substantially as described.

20. In a machine forwrapping oranges and the like, wrapping devices, combined with reciprocating nipping devices to engage the end of a strip of paper and feed it forward and means for adjusting said nipping devices to vary their range of motion, an adjustable paper-cuttercomprising two blades, and an actuating-rod for it, connected with the movable blade by a universal joint, substantially as described.

21. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, wrapping devices, combined with a shaft to support a roll of paper, two collars on said shaft to hold the roll of paper centrally with relation to the shaft, and connecting means between said collars, whereby one will automatically move the other in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

22. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, wrapping devices, combined with paper-feeding mechanism, a paper-guide con sisting of two stationary plates Z Z the former presenting an impression-surface and the latter supporting the paper and having an openingthrough it, a printing device adapted to impress the paper through said opening in the plate I, and cutting-off mechanism for severing the strip to thereby form separate printed wrappers, which are wrapped about the articles by the aforesaid wrapping devices, substantially as described.

23. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, wrapping devices, combined with a paper-guide consisting of two plates Z Z, the former presenting an impression-surface and the latter supporting the paper and having an opening through it for the type-plate, and a paper-printing device consisting of an inking-pad and an invertible type-carrying plate to receive the ink and thereafter print the paper, substantially as described.

24. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, wrapping devices, combined w1th a paper-guide consisting of the plates Z Z and a paper-printing device consisting of an adjustable inking-pad, a type-carrying plate, a toothed sector for inverting said plate, and an adjustable rack, and means for keeping the sector in mesh with the rack, substantially as described.

25. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, w rapping devices and a paper-guide, combined with a vertically-sliding printing device, a guide f 6 f therefor, and spring for holding the printing device in contact with said guide, substantially as described.

20. In a machine for wrapping oranges and the like, wrapping devices, combined with a reciprocating paper-feeding device, consisting of a nipping device,a foot, as foropening it to receive the paper, and shears for cutting off the paper, to which said foot is attached, and means for adjusting said shears, and thereby adjusting the foot, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SETH D. TRIPP.

Witnesses:

BERNICE J. NoYEs, FRANCES M. NOBLE.