US534890A - Bag-machine - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) g2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

W. H. KERR. BAG MACHINE.

No. 534,890. Patented Feb. 26, 1895.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. H. KERR.

v BAG MAGHINE.

' No. 534,890. Patented Feb. 26, 189 5.

Unwrap STATES ration.

WILLIAM H. KERR, OF CONCORD, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOLDEN BELT MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA.

BAG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,890, dated February 26, 1895. Application filed March 26, 1890. Renewed December 27, 1894. Serial No. 533,123. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HALL KERR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Concord, in the county of Cabarrus and State of 5 North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bag'Machines, of ,which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machinery for the manufacture of bags, either hemmed or unl hemmed, and consists in various features,

combinations and details hereinafter set forth, whereby I am enabled to draw the bag material from a roll, hem it if required, fold 1t,cut itinto proper length, and stitch it along r5 the sides from the mouth to the folded end,

or in the opposite direction.

A Many of the details of the machine are set forth and claimed in other applications filed 1n my name June 28, 1889, Serial No. 315,920,

patented January 27, 1891, No. 445,351, and January 31, 1890, Serial No. 338,718, and are therefore not claimed herein, but are shown more or less fully for the purpose of illustrating a complete or operative machine.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a front or side elevation of the same; Figs. 3, at and 5, views illustrat- 1ng the construction of the guide by which 0 tne bag material is turned through an angle of ninety degrees, changing it from ,a vertical to a horizontal position; Fig. 6, a diagram illustrating the action of the guide.

In the manufacture of bags it is found con- 5 venient and desirable that the roll of bag material be placed with its axis in a horizontal POSllLlOD, as it will, under such arrangement,

keep its shape more readily, can be more easily placed in position, and be more conveniently 4o hemmed than when placed in a vertical or other position than horizontal. So, too, it is found somewhat more convenient and easy to fold the material longitudinally through its middle when the roll is placed in a horizontal 5 position and the folding is done as the material is drawn from the roll than to do so when the roll of material occupies a different position; but while this arrangement of the roll is des1rable,1t is equally desirable, and in fact it is important that the feeding, cutting, stitching and transferring mechanisms be placed in horizontal positions, and my present improvements are directed largely toward the attainment of these results.

Referring again to the drawings, A repreor hangers C, to receive the journals of the central roll or shaft upon which the bag material D is wound, said material passing from the roll to and over the table B beneath a roll E which may be driven or not as desired. The function of this roll E is, primarily, to give. direction to the bag material D, but it may also be positively rotated so as. to aid in drawing the material forward and delivering it .to stitching mechanisms F, F, by which the edges of the material may be hemmed.

The stitching mechanisms F may of course be thrown out of gear at any time in case it be not desired to hem the bag material.

G indicates a second roller in rear of the stitching mechanisms F, which, like the roller E, may be rotated by suitable gearing, or Y merely allowed to act as a guide for the bag material D, as found desirable.

Rising from the table B at a suitable distance backward from the roll G, are two vertical rollers H, H, which are geared together either above or below the table, preferably below, and receive motion through beveled gears a, b, from a main driving shaft I, or are otherwise positively driven.

The rolls H H constitute not only a pressing, smoothing, and feeding device for the folded fabric, but also a guide through which the folded web passes and from which it is carried to a feed roll substantially at right angles to the axes of the rolls H II.

In advance of the rollers H, H, and carried by any suitable support, is an inclined guide J shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and by full lines in Fig. 3, over which the bag material D is drawn before passing to and between the rollers H, H.

The extreme upper end of the guide J is at a height above the tablejust equal to one-half the width of the bag material D, as the latter comes to the rollers H, H; that is to say, it is at a height equal to one-half the width of the hemmed or unhem med sheet, according to the class of work that is being done, and to adapt the guide for use both in hemmed and unhemmed work, it is made adjustable in any convenient manner a simple way being to slot the posts in which the guide is carried and to bind or clamp said guide in the posts by means of set screws as indicated in Fig. 3.

The material D is drawn upward from the roll G over the guide or folder J and thence between the rollers H, H, the lower edges of the material passing from the outer ends of straightline along its middle.

the roll G inward toward the vertical meeting line of the rollers H, H, as indicated in Fig. 1, and traveling in contact with or in very close proximity to the surface of the table 13 from the one point to the other. This is a matter of importance for the reason that any deflection or deviation from a straight line will cause the material to packer or to creep off and prevent the folding of the material in a As the material thus folded passes between the rollers H, H, it is by them pressed and moved forward and at once passes over a turning guide K, which is of the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the essential part of the guide being merely a rod, bar or Wire extending from the upper end of the rollers H, H downward to the bed or table B, in a direction oblique to a ver tical plane passing from the midlength of the rollers D, E and G to the bite, or meeting point of the rollers H, H, and thence toward the rear end of the table B. In other words, the essential feature or part of the guide isa turning edge over which the folded material is drawn, said edge beginning at the upper end of the rollers H, H, passing thence downward and rearwardly to the table B, meeting the same at a point as far to one side of the vertical planes as the folded body is wide. This guide may be in the form indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; that is to say, the form of a rectangular plate (1 of metal, or other suitable material, of a width equalto the width of the bag material in its folded condition, said plate being folded or bent along a diagonal line connecting two of its corners or angles, and bent so that its two portions shall meet each other at a right angle. WVhen thus made and formed of a single plate, the folded material coming from between the rolls will be drawn forward with its folded edge parallel to the free or outer edge of the guide extending from the top of the rolls downward to the table in the plane before mentioned, passing between the rolls H, H and bisecting the rolls D, E and G. The free edges of the folded material will travel along the lower edge of the vertical portion of the guide upon or in close proximity to the table B, until they reach the extreme lower end of the guide, when they will pass above the same and at once enter beneath a roller L, which is placed in ahorizontal position directly in rear of the guide K, to keep the material down to its place, and to feed it back to the cutting and stitching mechanisms. If desired, however, there may be employed, in addition to the outer plate (1, constructed as above, a supplemental plate or bar 6, arranged beneath the plate cl and following closely the angle or bend thereof as indicated in Fig. 4. WVhen this construction is adopted, the folded material instead of passing bodily above and over the plate (1, will pass on opposite sides thereof,one fold orlayer of the material being drawn across the angle or bent edge of the plate 01, and the other passing under the overturned portion of plate 61 and between the same and the bar e, and being drawn over the angle or folded edge of said plate or bar 6, in the same manner that the first or upper fold is drawn over the plate d. This may be found a preferable construc tion in practice, or at least with certain classes of material, for the reason that both folds or layers of the material will in such event be subjected to precisely the same friction strain and tension and there will consequently be no tendency to creep or to work off in passing over the guide. Uuderordinary circumstances, however, the guide represented in Fig. 5, will be found sufficient, and in some respects it is deemed advantageous over that shown in the preceding figures. This consists simply of wire d, extending from the bite of the rolls at their upper ends downward to the bed or table, and attaching the same at the outer end of the roll L, or at the same point to which the folded edge of the guide K of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 extends. The action or operation of the guide K will be readily understood upon referring to Fig. 6 in which the line :roc indicates the vertical plane before referred to as intersecting the rolls E, D and G, and passing between the rolls H, H. From this figure, it will be readily perceived that the material passes from the roll D inward equally from each end toward the rolls H, H, rising from the roll D to the top of the roll H at a rate equal to the approach of the edges toward each other; orin other words, at such a rate as causes the edges to travel at all times parallel to the top of table B.

It will be observed that there is present in and essential to each form of the guide K, a folding edge, or support extending from the upper ends of rolls H H downward and outward to the farther or outer end of roll L, and. that this edge or support is the main operative element of the guide in all cases. Therefore, while it may be and is advantageous in some cases to continue the support outward from the supporting line or edge both horizontally and vertically, and also advanta geous in some instances to employ the supplemental guide 6, I mean to be understood as claiming broadly or generically a guide extending from the upper ends of the folding or guiding rolls H H to the outer end of the roll L, whether the other features be present or absent.

After passing through the rolls H, H, the folded edge of the material continues to travel along the line 00-00 and descends toward the table B, while the free edges of the material continue to travel parallel to the top of table B and upon or in close proximity thereto, but are deflccted to one side of the line cc-m a distance equal to the width of the material in its folded condition or to the farther end of roll L.

By the use of the guide K, constructed and arranged as above explained, I am enabled to change the position of the folded material from a Vertical plane to a horizontal plane, without wrinkling, buckling or creasing and as a consequence to deliver it with its free edges parallel and with its body perpendicular to the axis of the roller L, which results are essential to the proper feed of the material to the devices in rear of said roller L.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that there are in the machine several guides, namely, a folding guide J which serves to longitudinally crease or fold the material through its middle; rolls H H which in addition to their other functions guide and support the material as it leaves folding guide J and preparatory to its entering upon and passing over the turning guide K,and lastly said turning guide K. In speaking, therefore, in the claims, ofaguide through which the folded sheet or web passes in a'given plane, the rolls H H are referred to, and by the turning guide, referred to in the claims as extending obliquely from one effective end of such guide to the end of the feed roll farthest removed, the guide K is 1neant;these or other mechanical equivalents.

At the rear end of the guide K and at the forward edge of the table Bis placed a roller L, which is driven by suitable gearing from the main shaft I and serves to draw the folded bag material through the guide K and to advance it to an intermittent feed-roll M by which it is drawn forward at intervals from the roll L, the rate of rotation of roll M being enough more rapid than that of roll L to take up during the rotation of said roll Mthe surplus accumulating between the two rolls L and M during the period of inaction of the latter roll.

In rear of the roll M is a vertically reciprocating knife or cutter N which is actuated periodically through suitable mechanism to sever from the advancing folded sheet lengths or blanks suitable for the formation of bags of given capacity. The rising and falling action of the cutter N may be conveniently produced by a rotating cam 0 carried by the shaft P, which is connected through suitable In rear of the cutter N there is located a longitudinally reciprocating pusher or transferdevice Q, which is periodically moved forward across the table B by means of the lever B actuated by a cam S carried by the shaft P.

The transferring-device or pusher Q is so constructed and connected with the other parts of the machinery that it acts upon the material only during its forward or advancing movement, and its purpose is to carry the severed blank T forward to and beneath the presser-feet or within range of action of the feed mechanisms of two stitching devices or sewing-machine heads U, U, which stitch the sides of the blank and complete the bag.

It will be observed by reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 that the guide K is so arranged as to direct the free edges of the folded sheet D toward the stitching mechanisms U, U, from which it results that the stitching of the side of the bag is begun at the free edges or mouth of the bag and continued toward the folded end or bottom of the bag, a result which is advantageous, in that the bags are far less liable to ripthan would otherwise be the case. This is due to the fact that in practice single thread machines are ordinarily employed for stitching the bags, and the stitched bags are delivered from the machine with a short chain of stitches connecting them, as shown in Fig. 1, which stitches are broken to separate the bags.

Stitching of the character indicated is liable to rip out, unless the stitches are fastened off, that is to say, unless two or three extra stitches are left and the thread drawn tight to form a knot, but the ripping always be gins at the end where the stitching terminates, and this being under the above arrangement at the folding bottom of the bag, there is less liability of starting the ripping, because the lower end of the bag is subjected to less strain than is the mouth thereof. I do not, however, limit myself to stitch from the mouth toward the bottom of the bag, although preferring such plan for the reasons stated.

I have indicated in the drawings suitable connecting gear for imparting motion from the main shaft to the various mechanisms referred to, merely for the sake of showing a complete and operative machine; but it is to be understood that any suitable connecting gear may be employed, such for instance, as is described in my aforesaid patent and application.

It is apparent that the material, after being folded, and after passing between the rolls H, H, may be deflected to one or the other side, the guide K and feeding-roll L, the cut.- ting and stitching mechanisms being located accordingly, but it is preferred to arrange the partsas shown.

The roll L may be set back from the point shown and a fixed bar or guide placed where the roll is located in the drawings. So too, the folding guide or plate K may be placed above instead of below the material, and the roll D raised so as to cause the material to tend toward and carry its folded edge to the table 13. As to this, I also prefer the arrangement shown. It would likewise be possible to turn the folded material at less or more than ninety degrees, but no useful purpose would be subserved thereby, so far as I am able to see. These mere variations are mentioned simply to indicate the scope of my invention andclaims, and to guard against so much evasion of the latter.

The present application is designed to cover particularly the folding devices, whereby I am enabled, first, to arrange the roll of bag material in a horizontal position, and to fold the same longitudinally through its middle; and, second, to turn the folded sheet through an angle of ninety degrees to present it properly to the cutting and stitching mechanisms, the special gearing, cutting and transferring mechanisms employed constituting no part of the present invention.

I am aware that folding devices have heretofore been made in many forms; and that a sheet has been drawn over a V-shaped plate and theneebetween rolls or around a roll, to fold it longitudinally, but so far as I am aware no one has ever before constructed or arranged a folder and guide in the manner herein set forth and shown,whereby I am enabled to carry the work forward over a flat table on one continuous level, and with the least possible deflection in its course.

I do not in this specification claim the method of forming bags which consists in folding a continuous web or sheet of material longitudinally through its middle, severing from the folded web or sheet a blank suitable for the formation of a bag, and finally stitching the severed blank along the sides at right angles to the fold, as this method is claimed in my pending application, Serial No. 338,718, before referred to. Neither do I claim herein the method of forming hemmed bags, which consists in hemming the edges of a continuous Web or sheet, folding the hemmed web or sheet longitudinally through its middle, severinga bag length or blank from the folded web or sheet, moving the blank laterally out of the path of the advancing folded Web or sheet, and stitching the severed blank alongits sides at right angles to the fold, as this method is claimed in my aforesaid application, Serial No. 338,718.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a bag machine, the combination with a guide through which a folded sheet or Web passes in a given plane, of a feed-roll located at a distance from said guide and in a plane approximately at right angles to that of the guide, and an intermediate turning guide extending obliquely from one effective end of the first-mentioned guide to the end of the feed-roller farthest removed, substantially as set forth. V

2. In combination with a guide adapted to carry a folded web or sheet, a feed-roll located at a distance therefrom and in a plane approximately at right angles to that of said guide, the axis of said roll being perpendicular to a plane extending from the guide to one effective end of the feed-roll; and a turning guide or bar extending from one to the other of the most widely separated effective ends of the guide and feed-roll, substantially as described and shown.

In combination with rolls, H, H, and a feed-roll L, the latter arranged with its axis perpendicular-to a plane passing from the bite of the rolls to one effective end of the roll L; a turning guide K extending from the upper ends of rolls H, H, to the most distant effective end of roll L.

4. In combination with guide or rolls H, H, and with roll L, an intermediate oblique guide consisting of two plates or bars, 01 and 6, one to guide each fold or layer of a folded sheet or Web.

5. The herein-described bag machine, consisting of bed or table B, rolls E and G, stitching mechanisms, F, F, folding-plate J, presserrolls H, H, turning guide K, roll L, intermittent feed-roll M, cutter N, pusher Q, stitching mechanisms U, U, and operative connecting gear for giving motion to said parts, substantially as set forth.

6. In a bag machine, the combination with a folding plate or guide, and rolls for advancing the folded material, of stitching mechanisms adapted to stitch the folded material, and a turning guide located between the rolls and the stitching mechanisms, and adapted to deliver the folded material with its free edges toward the stitching mechanisms,whereby the folded material is caused to be stitched from its free edges to its folded end.

7. In a bag machine, the combination with a pair of sewing machines and hemmers; of a cutter; folding mechanism between said machines and the cutter; a second pair of sewing machines to stitch up the sides of the bag; and a horizontal feed mechanism bet-ween the cutter and the second set of machines,whereby the folded material is stitched from the hem toward the crease to form a bag.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. KERR.

Witnesses:

H. I. WOODHOUSE, JOHN G. LESLIE.

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