USRE8357E - Improvement in paper-bag machines - Google Patents

Description

6 8heets8heet 1. Y

' 0. B. STILWELL;

Assignor, by mesne assignments, t0 A. ADAMS 61. B. B. TAGGART. Paper-Bag Machine.

No. 8,357. Reissued .lgly 30Q1878 I WITNESSES I J [N Kim 10R a sheen-sum a. 0.12. STILWELL. lAssignor, by mesne assignments, to A. ADAMS &. B. B. TAGGART.

Paper-Bag Machine. No. 8,351. ly 30,1878.

Reissued Ju WITNESSES v aw w PA. ms w W By his Attameys THE mmms rzrsns'cm, WAsHlNcrmv, n c.

-6 Sheets-Sheet 5..

. L G. B. ILWELL. Assignor, by mesne assign n ,to A. ADAMS 6c B. B. TAGGART. Paper-Bag Machine.

' No. 8,351. Reissued July .30, 1878.

HIIIIII If WITJVESES By his flttameyc, I

. I 6 Sheets-Sheet 6. I 0. B. STILWELL. Assignor, by mesne assignments, to A. ADAMS &. B. B. TAGGART.

Paper-Bag Machine.

No. 8,357. Reissugd July 30,1878.

l ww flow J k W U UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. STlLWELL, or-woucns'rnu, MASSACHUSETTS, Assrouon, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, T0 ALFRED ADAMS, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, AND BYRON B. TAGGAR'I, 0F wA'rrur-rowu, NEW YORK.

l-MPROVEMENT IN PAPER-BAG MACHINES.

Spm-iliealion forming part ulLPtters Patent No. 165,381, dated July 6, 1875: ReissneNo Sfitfl', dated .lnly an, 1878; application .liled l-ebruary 5, 1878.

To all who '1'! may mar-urn:

llc it known that I, (,lLLRLEb' ll. S'lILWl-JLL, ot' the city and county of Worcester, in the State. ol'llassm-husetts, have made an. invem tion of certain new and useful Improvements in the Art at illanufaeturing Satchel-Bottmu .luper Bags, and in mechanism-1hr making said bags, oli'whieh art'- and mechanism the till-lowing is a specification My invention contemplates the automatic tin-motion ot asatchel-bottomed.puper but, from a tubular blank at onceontinuous operation by snbiecting' said blank successively to the operations of cutting, feeding, folding, and pasting mechanisms acting upon said blank in due order to complete the blank" in the formrequired, and to discharge it from. the machine. 'lhe pirl'erred form of tubular blank isihe common one having alongitudinnl central seam on one side.

The first part at the inveution,'-in tne'order .of operation of the machine, relates to the cutting of the blank preliminary to forming its primary bottom fold. Its object is to preserve the integrity of the pasted seam, as, by doing this, the strength of the blank is preserved,

and it is consequently better enabled to bear the strain offeeding without tearing; to, which end nyimprovcinent consistsin anovel method of making the first cut cent-rally and transversely on that side of the blank opposite that Y which contains the seam.

The next part of my invention relates to a novel method of partially severing the blank before the formation of the primary folds, its object being to do the preliminary cutting in such manner as to preserve the continuity of the pasted seam of the tubular blank, which end I attain by a novel method of partially severing a continuous tubular blank or series oinnsevcred blunks (having a central longitudinal seeinlon each side of said seem, so that the seam remains unse\-'ered until-after the formation of theqprimaiy bottom fold.

The nextpartof my invention relates to cutting the blank in order to facilitate tbc formation of the primary folds; to which end my improvement consists in a, novel method of subjecting a tubular blank in its passage through the machine, prior to the formation of the primary bottom fold, to the action of a series of cutters, the first of which perforates that side of the tube opposite the seam transverselyand centrally to awidth which partially determines the shape of the primary folds,

the second of which cutters forms two parallel longitudinal slits through both sides of the tnbe,'with their ends intersecting the out first formed,.,and the third of which cutters makes two transversecuts extending from one end ct the cuts last formed to the edge of the blank in the line'- of the first transverse eut, thus leaving the blanks conneeted'by a con- 't-ral strip of a width equal to the distancoj between the two parallel longitudinal slits, which strip aids in the formation of the .primary fold and secures a continuous feed of a series of part-iallysovered blanks by the'strain upon ,the paper itself. My invention further consists n a novel method of determining the form of the bottom of the bag bytheconjoint operation of a series of knives operating succcssivcl y upon a tubular b1ank,and of two moving diverging surfaces, between which the blank is cont-itinously fed, and to which surfaces the contiguons sides of the blank are automatically calmed-temporarily to conform as they more over said surfaces. 7

The next part of my invention alsorclates to the method of feeding the blank through the machine. Its object-is to enable me to utilize the strain upon the blank itself as an element in the process of the formation of the bottom folds -of the blank; to which end my improvement consists in a novel method ,of feeding the tubular blanks through the machine in a continuous strip oriserics of unsavcrcd blanks until after the opening fold is madc v My improvement under this head 'furtber consists in a novel method -'of feeding a con tiuuous tubular blank or series of unsevered the strain upon the paper itself is utilized'in the formation of the primary folds.

.lhe next. part of my invention relates to a novel method oi. feeding the tubular blanks through the machine. Its object is to prevent the opening of a freshly-pasted seam while the bottom is being; formed; and to this end my innn-ovementconsists in feeding a tubular blank or series of connected blanks continuousl through the llliU'llllllC- with the seainnext to the working surfiices or oylimlers upon which the prin'iary i'olds are t'ormed'by the stra n upon the paper itself.

The next partotmy invention relates to a. novel method or forming the primary bottom. fold of the bag. It is based upon and consists in the discovery that a tube can be opened. and the primary bottom-ibld of the bag, can be thr lled bysimply passing; such a tubebctween two adjacentdiverging moving surfaces, to each of which surfaces the side of the papertube contiguous thereto is caused temporarily to adhere until the primary bottoi-n fold is formed by the strain upon the paper itself.

The next part of my invention relates to the method of-o'pening the month of a tubularblank to form the u'iniary folds, which end I'attain bya novel method of feeding tubular blanks between adjacent diverging moving; sin-tacos, one of which sinaees is provided with pins, which penetrate the tube be-' fore or during its passage between the diverging surfaces, retain their hold upon one side thereof until the primary folds-are formed,

and then release it bvthe continued diverging'moveinents ot' the surfaces and the strain upon the paper itself, or by the "withdrawal of the pins, as the case may be.

My improvement, under this head further,

consists in a novel method of feeding a continuous tubular blank or partially-severed blank, or a series of partiallv-scvered blanks, between adjacent diverging moving surfaces, with meansi'or holding'one side of the tnbular blank upon one of the diverging sin-laces, to open the mouth. oftheblank while the blank itself, or'the series of blanks, is caused to adhere to the other diverging surfaces by the strain npon'the paper itselfunfilthe 'iosiiivelyheld sideot' the tubular blank is released afterthe Formation of the primary fold, and the blank is then drawn betnveen surfaces which press or flatten outthc said i'old by the Sililill upon the paper itself.

My improvement further consists in a novel method ofi'orming the first of the final folds ot a blank. by the conjoint operation of bands orbmnlsfwhivh pre ent the ede'vsol'thehlank.

' 1. from bring raised while the told is being made; and 1H), im n'ovement consists in anovel method of tbrn'iing the finishing fold of the; blank by the conjoint; operation ol'bands which hold the edges of the blank outside oi. the pol-- tions to be folded while passing continnousl' through the machine; and finishing-rolls or eoinpressing-surfaees,between which theblank is guided by the bands at-an angle to the line of mot-ion of the blank, and compressed while being; held by, said band.

Finally, my improvement consists in'anovel art'of auton'iaticn-lly making si' tcliel-bottoined paper bags by subjecting a tubular blank continatnislg; and successively to'the operations of partially cutting", opening, pasting, severing, folding, and compressing, whereby the bags aret'ormed while pa'ssinggcontinuously through the machine.

fifthly, i'olding'the bottom. flaps to complete the ba The a-coo:npa nj i'ng1,- drawings representso much of a. 1)ap'er-bag-firming machine embracing my improvements as is necessary to illustrate the subject-matter herein claimed in the. best way now known to me of carrying out the objects of lay-invention. Obviously, however, some of the iIHPlOYOII IOHlZS therein shown and herein described may be used without the others and inmachines diilerinp; some-- what in construction. and operation from the one herein shown.

lhe details ot' construction of the devices herein shown may also obviously be varied in different well-known ways by the more skill of the workman withoutdepartino; irom the spirit of my invention.

Figure 1 represents a i'ertieal longitudinal section throi-igh my improved machine on the line 1 l oi. Figs. 2 and 4, showing thetulmlar blanks as passing therelhrough. Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section through. the machine on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking down upon. the tubular blank and lower rolls, the blank being shown as partially torn away to show the intruding" end of a tubing-machine former of .well-known -construction. Fig. 3 re n'esents a plan or top view of a tubular blank, showing the iliiterent and successive cuts made therein while passin successively over the rolls shown in Fig. 2, which cuts are especially adapted for the formation of the bag;

shown as complete in Fig. 7. 'Fig. 4 represents a horizontal transverse section. through the machine'onthe line -l -l oi l ie'. 1 .showm;

secondly, o 'iening the smn V a the final stages of completion of the tubular blnhk.- Fig. 5 shows the tubular blank as it appears after the completion of its primary fold. Fig. '6 represcntsa similar vicw ot' the. blank utter it is. severed from the preceding. one, the position assumed by the first" flap after being folded to make the semndifold'ot thebottoni being indicatedby dotted lines.-

liig. 7 is a view otthc' finished hag illustrated in various stages of completion of the two preceding figures. Fig. 8 represents a view,

partly in section and partly in'elevation, ot' a portion of one end of the machine, showing the attitude, assumed by the tubular. blank at the- :chine on the line 10 10 of Fig.1, showing the attitndeassumed by the end of the tube during .the completion of its last fold. Fig. 11rep-' resents asimilar section on the line ll 11 of Figs. 1. and 2,-showing the relation between {the tubing-mach i no former and the prel imina-ry cutter which severs .the side of thebiank opposite the seam. Fi 12 represents avertical longitudinal seetionthrough the machine on the line 12 12 of Fig. 13, showing a modificatio'nof my invention, whereby ibis-adapted to the formation of a bag such as shown as completed in Fig. 16. Fig. 13 represents an end or face view of' the mechanism shown in Fig. 12. Figs. 14, 15, and 16 represent, in its "arions stages ot'com'pletion, an ordinary satchelbottom bag, the primaryfold of which is formed by the mechanism shown in Figs. 12 and 13.- Fig.1? represents a vertical trans-- verse section through another modification of my invention, in which the primary fold of thetub'ularhlank is formed by the-aid of' the traversing endless belts in place of the nippers shown in Figs. 12 and 13. Fig. 18 rep resents a similar view of another modification, in which the tubular blank is opened and the first fold formed by the aid of a reciprocating spear. Fig. 19 represents another modification, showing mechanism whereby the primary fold may be formed by the action of diverging surfaces not curved; and Fig. 20 shows a modifica ion of the creasing and final-folding mechanism.

In this instance the mechanism is shown as mounted in a; suitable frame, A, one side only bf which is shown in the, drawings. The

end of a former, B, which may constitute a portion of an ordinary tubing or seaming machine, npon which the paper tube from which the bags are to be made is formed,) is

' shown as intruding within .one' end of the frame, and with-a transverse central slot or opening,'b, in-which a revolving serrated knife, 0, works, to make a transverse cut, 0,

in the lower side of the tube, its shown at e,

Figsir2 and 3.

The tubular blank, it will .beobserved, is

formed with a. central longitudinal scam, and is fed into the machine wit-lithe seam uppermost, so *that'v'hcn the cut-"is made in the. lower side of the tube. it extends across in underneath the.v seam.

* The knitet", in this instilling-is shown as mounted in a shaft, (.l,'and revolves, inthe direction shown by the, arrows thereon, atn rate of speed corresponding to thatatwhich the tube moves along the former, and .makes. a cut-at every revolution of the knife-shaft, the distance between these cuts being equal to the length of ablank, as shown by dotted lines c,.1 ig.-i. 1

ltolls 1) l), revolving in thedirect-ion indicated by the'arrows', moving at a speed correspondin g to that at which "the tubular blank tr. vols, constitute, in this-instance, feedingrolls, to give the desired mot-ion tothe paper tube. These rolls are respectively provided with knives 1') and corresponding recesses E, .in which the knives work. These knivesmake two parallel slits, 0.0, through both sides of the flattened tubular blank and on opposite sides of the seam, as shown in Figs. 2 and .i. The forward ends of'thcse slits, relative to the. direction in which the blank travels, terminat-e at the opposite ends of the out 0 in the bottom or under side of the blank. Thetubiriar blank, with the cut 0 and slitscc thus formed therein, next-passes between two moving surfaces, which, in this instance, are formed of cylinders or rolls F F revolvingiin thedirection shown by the arrows, the latter oi which rolls is provided with knives GG', Fig. 8, which make transverse cuts g 9 and from the outer edges of the tube to and joining the slits e e, thus completely sevcringthe under side of the; tubular blank, forminga fia-p,'f, and leaving the upper portion unsevered only between the slitso 0. (See Figs. 5 and 8.) Theflap thus formed, it will be observed, cinbraces the scam; The rclls F F!,i n this instance, revolve at the same rate of speed as that at which the tubular blank travels, and in the directions indicated by the arrows thereon.

The knives in the roll F are so arranged relatively to those heretofore described as to operate at the proper time to snake the cuts 9' g at the desired points. The unsevcred portion or flap f of the upper side of the tubular blank remains connected with the preceding blank, passes up and over the roll F, and furnishes the means of keeping up the continuity of the feed, as well as determining the direction of the traverse of the blank. The Tower flap, j", of the. tnbula'r blank is caught by .perforating-pins f on the lower 1'oll,F', which cause that side of the blank to conform to the contour of the surface of the roll during a certain period of its revolution.

The upper portion of the blank being simultnneously conformed tothe contour of'the surt'acc ol' the upper roll, 1 it results that the end of the tubular blank is opened by the diverging of the two surfaces, and the strain upon the paper causes the scctionsg gradually to flatten and draw inward from the edges of the tubular blank, and fold .over inwardlyupon the inner surfiices oi the opened portion of the tubular blank, as clearly shownin Fig. S. The slits c r: a re, by preference, made of such length as to cause the edges oi the blank to overlap on a central longitudinal line, to facilitate the opfcration 0t pasting, as hereinafter explained.

The flapf is released from the holding-pins f on the lower roll at the proper moment after the formation of the fold simply by being torn away by the strain on the paper.

The needles or pin-points, instead of being lined in the roll and releasing the paper by tearing through the flap, may sometimes be made movable and caused automatically to retract and iclcase the flap, to prevent-the blank from being torn by the strain at the slits or cuts-as, for instance, when strong; heavy paper is used, such as employed in the inanu-. faoture of flour-sacks.

The lower ilap, 7", being released, the continued movement of the blank carries the folded port-ion upward, to be acted upon-by a compressor, composed, in this instance, of a roll, ll, between which and the roll F the tube passcs, and the first fold is pressed flat upon the tube. (Sec Figs. t and a.) v it is obvious 'that this method of opening the tube and forming the first fold may be accomplished in numerous ways. Some modifications ot'. the devices just described will hereinafter be specified.

laste is applied to or-printcd upon port-ions oi the blank indicated by the shading 1, Fig; 4, in this instance by the roll H.. The paste may besnpplied to the proper portion of the roll in an ot the usual ways. In this instance that portion of the roll which applies the paste is indented or engraved for a well-known pur pose. Ai'ter the paste is applied'to the blank it passes to a severing-knife, I, preferably lixcd in a revolving head, I, the movement of which is so tuned relatively tothe speed at which the blank travels as to cause it to op-i crate at thcproper time to sever the connect ing-strip f at i, as shown in Fig.4, leaving the blank in the condition shown by Fig. 6- separated from the preeeding blank, and forming :I- second flap, i. This cut i also forms a lip. p, on the unfolded end of the preceding blank. In the movement of the blank. from the roll it to the scverii'ig-knit'c I, bands J J, between the-roll ll and the blank, serve both to guide the blank and prevent any accidental adhesion of the pasted surface of the blank to thopasting-roli. In this instance I have shown the bands J J as endless and composed otilcxihle inaterfah;traveling with the roll ii and with the blank. Ureasing-bladcs K K, in this instant-e iixed in the same head as that in which the severing-knite l is secured, are so arranged relatively to the suite, the blank,

a .v was i and the preceding mechanism as respectively to indent or crease the folded end ofthe blank ou the dotted lines indicated at]; 1;,Figz6, while the blank qiasscs betwecir the 'headlI .era-tion of area-sin It is obvious that the'sc vering-knifii and creascrs may be arranged on separate supports to operate independently and in diii'ercnt order from that above indicated. After the blank has been creased it passes between the bands J J and bands or tapcsfil I (which, in this instance, like thebandsJ J, are endless, and serve as carrying-tapes) to finishing or finalfolding or compressing surfaces, composed in this instance of rolls, During this passage to the finishing compressing surfaces or rolls the flap f, which has been slightly aised from the blank by thcoperation of the ereaserblade K, is folded down at the line k upon the folded and pasted portion of the blank, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, by a following folder, M, moving, while operating; upon the flap, in the same direction as but faster than the blank. In this. instance the requisite movement is given to the folder M by mounting, it on and between. two endless carryingbelts, in m, which pass around a shaft, N,'and around loose pulleys in n 'on the shaft of the head. I, as shown iii-Figsrl and 9, the Slltlftw Nbeing' geared to carry the belts at a speed" greater than that at which the blank travels, and so as to make a complete circuit of the folderiatproperand regular intervals tosengage the raised flapf of each blank in succession, and foldit down, as shown, and atthe same time to operate relatively to thehcad I so as not to interfere in its passage with the severing-knife or creasing-blades. To prevent sli 'iping of the belts in m aml'insure accuracy in the movement of the follon-"er-fiiider, I prefer to use periin'atcd belts or chains and sprocket-teeth. i

After the flap f has been folded down the remaining flap if is folded in place, as shown in Fig. 7, by passingthe blank bet-ween finishing: surfaces or rolls 0 0, so arranged relatively to the line of motion of the blank as to allow the end of the flap in advance to be can 'ried pastthe dividing-line otthe rolls and .ride up on the farther roll, 0, wlnle'lts rear portion is drawn down with, the body of the bldnkby the bands between the rolls at an angle with the said line of motion. By thisarrangement 1' dispense with an auxiliary folder, and need not use even a crcaser to deicrmine the line of the fold. The blank is presented to and passes between the finishing; iolding-rolls while held in place and guided by. the bands .l J and I I. The. hands J J, it will be observcd,'rcst upon the upper side of. the blank, near its edges, out oi. the way of the severing-knife, ereasers, and i'ohlcrs. bulit leaves and is discharged from the machine'- by the finishing folding-rolls a completed ba g.

' In this instance I have shown the bands J J aspassing around tightening-pulleys P and around the roll H, and as traveling with the blank.

The essential objects sought to be attained in I the employment ofthescbandsbeing to prevent the adhesion of the blank to the roll H, to hold in position those portions of the blank not to be folded during the operation of the following-- foldee and finishing. folding rolls andwhile thus holding the blank to guide it b 'finishing folding-rolls, 'it is obvious that these functions would be performed by rigid bands properly secured in position. It is also obvious that rigid bands, or a plate properly secured in position, might be employed in place of the bands 1- I, between which and the bands J J the blank passes; also, that the bands J J, flexible or rigid, might be made in separate sections, one section extending from the roll H to'the roll L and the other-from the roll L to the finishing-rolls,in which case the bands from the roll L to the finishing folding-rolls should preferably be arranged inside. of the section passing from the roll H to the roll L.

From the foregoing description of my improvements, the operation of which will be readily understood, it will be seen that I am enabled to produce satchel-bottomed bags from a tube of paper by passing it ,in its flattened condition continuously through the machine,

during which passage it is cut into blanks,

which are opened atone end, folded,'and pasted by the connected operations of the mechanism, which mcchanism is simple in construction and positive and rapid in operation, thus reducing the cost of producing such bags to the minimum.

The bag, it will be seen, has a strong double bottom, and is so lapped in folding, previous to the application'ot' the paste, that all danger of accidental spreading of the paste to the inside of the bag is entirely obviated, and at the same time the pasted surface is so ample as'to insure a tight bottom, even though the paste by accident should not cover the whole of the surface intended to be pasted.

It will also be seen that themannerin which stead of lapping beyond, thus facilitating themaking of the extra-fold or doubling together of the bottom on acentral line extending from edge to mlgc of the 'tlattened bag, which fold etween the it is desirable to make when the bag is to be printed, and at the same time lcavin g a portion of the connecting-strip on the top end of the bag, to form alip or projection to facilitate the opening of the bag for filling, which lip may be gnnimed to make a self-sealing top, doing away withthe necessity of usine'strhms to fasten the bag.

I have described the construction of mcch anism which I have found by practice to be preferable. It is obvioum-how'ever, that this mechanism may be modified in various ways -w1thont departing. from the spirit of my invention, some of which modifications, as also practiced by me, I will now proceed to do.- scribe.

Instead of employing the needles or points f, heretofore described, for opening the blank, suitable glutinous or adhesive substance may be applied to cause the paper to stick to the roll F at the points occupied by the pins until rcleascd therefroni by the strain on the paper; and to insure the retention of the paper on the surface of the roll F after the tube is opened for the proper time", one or more movable nippers, p 12,Figs. 12 and 13, operating automatically, similarto' those ordinarily used in cylinder printing-presses for carrying the sheet, may be employed. These nippers are-timed to release the fiap at the proper moment.

Instead of moving cylindrical s'nrfaces, before described as composed of rolls F F, for opening the blank and making the first fold, blocks or polygonal. shafts Q, Fig. 19, may be employed upon the diverging surfaces q of which the blank is operated upon to accomplish the results before described. The journals q q, upon which these blanks revolve,- are mounted insliding boxes, and so geared as autotnatieallyto move away from and toward each other, to compensate for the irregular or cons'tantly-varyin g distances between the adjacent surfaces of the blocks and the centers upon which they respectively revolve. Instead. of the rolls L and O and the bands l l for carrying and holding the paperduring the creasing and folding, as before described,

a single cylinder, B, Fig. 20, may be used in connection with the severing knife I, the creaser, the following folder M, and final-folding roll 0.

The ordinary satchel-bottomed bags (shown in Figs..14, 15, and 16) maybe made upon my machine without involving any changes in the construction or operation of the mechanism other than those which I will now mention.

In place of all the knives I use simply one straight knife S, for completely severing the blanks from the tube, which I prefer to mount in one of the rolls I) I), as shown in Fig. 12 aiid for-opening the blank I supply the roll- F (or the upper one of the blocks Q) with the same mechanism heretofore described, in connection with the roll F, (or the lower block Q,) as itis necessary, where there is no connecting-strip between the blanks, to take hold of the upper side of the blank, as well as the lower, to open it, and to thus earn it under the roll H, which operates upon 't-110 'fi)l(l, as before descr bed, and feeds the blank along.

In the modification shown in 1*igs.l2 and l l 13 the nippors p and ptdctermine the width of the bottom fold, as will be seen, and-the nippers, are made of the requisite width to determine the fold. The tube is opened and presented to the belts by means such as employed in connection with the nippers. To secure the proper direction of movement of the blank, ifit has previously been completely severed from the preceding one, the upperbelt is made to press more tightly against the roll F than the lower one presses against the roll F, so that its hold upon the paper is suflieient to draw the lower side of the blank from between its roll and belt after the fold is .made. The belts may be employed with either connected or separated blanks.

In Fig. 18 a spear-pointed separator, '1, with.

of the blank, opens it, and guides the sides along their respective rolls, the separator bein g of the proper width to determine the fold, and being drawn away automatically from the rolls-at the proper time to release the lower side of the blank and to be again presented to the next blank.

- In practice I have someu mes dispensed with, the intermediate knife-rolls D D andplaced the slitting-knives upon either or-bot-lr ot' the opening-rolls]? F but I prefer theform shown, as i find the paper to have a tendency to catch on the knives when used on the opening-rolls and interfere with their proper action.

By the. foregoing improvements, I am onabledto form the primary fold in the blank while passing continuously through the ma chine simply by the strain upon the paper itself, and to dispense with an independent creasing-clamp, such as has heretofore been employed to clamp the blank positively down Ppon a inkling-surface, over which surface a portion of the blank must be folded to form the central bottom crease.

It will be observed that the seamed side of the tubular blank is-eontiguous to the opening-surface, over which the entire blank travels in its passage through the machine, and thus is entirely prevented from being torn apart or separated during the opening and pressing operation, Thus I 'am enabled to use, a tube fresh from the seamer without any drying-process, the advantages of which will be readily seen.

' I claim as my own invention- 1; As an improvementspecified.

vin the art of forming satchel-bottomed paper bags by machinery, the method hereinbefore set forth of making a prehnnnary centraltransversc cut through the side of the tubular blank opposite that which contains the seam, whereby theintegrity ofthe scam is preserved, for thc'p'urposes 2. As an improvement in thieartoi' forming satchel-bottomed paper bags by machinery, the

method hereinbefore set forth of partially severinga continuous blank, or series of nnsevcred blanks, by making longitudinal cuts through both plies on each side of the central longitudinal seam of the blank, whereby the sea in remains unsevered until after the forma-.

tion of the primary bot-tomi'old.

3. As an improvement in theart of forming SittOhGLbOttOlllCd paper bags by machinery, the method 'liereinbeforc set forth of suhiecting' a tubular blank in its passage through the machine, prior to the formation of its primary bottom fold, to the action of a series of cutters,'thc first of which perforates the side of the tube opposite the seam transversely and centrally to a width which partially determines the shape of the primary folds, the second of which cutters forms two parallel longitudinal slits through both sides or plies of the tube, with their ends intersecting the cut first formed, the third of which cutters makes two transverse cuts extending from one end of the slits last formed to the edge of the blank in the line of the first transverse cut, thus leaving the blank connected to the web by a central slip of width equal to the distance between the two parallel longitudinal slits, whereby the strip aids in the formation of the primary fold and secures a continuous feed of a series of partially-severed blanks by the strain upon the paper itself. v

4. As an improvement in the art of forming satchel-bottomed paper bags by machinery, the method hereinbefore set forth of determining the form of bottom of the bag by the conjoint operation of a series of knives operating suecessively upout-he tubular blank, and of two moving diverging" surfaces, between which the blank is continuously fed, and to which surfaces the contiguous sides of the blank are automatically caused temporarily to conform, as they move over said surfaces, by means substantially such as hereiubcfore set forth.

5. As an improvement in the art of forming satchel-bottomed paper bags by machinery, the method hereiubefore setfo'rth'of feedinga tubular blank through the machine in a continuous strip for series of unsevered blanks,

' the method hereiubefore set forth of feeding a continuous tubular blank or series of unscrcred tubular blanks through the machine in a continuous strip or web, forming the bottom fold thereon, and applying paste to such fold so formed prior to severing its connectingstrip, whereby the strain upon the paper is utilized '1 the formation and pasting; of the primary fold.

7. As an improvement in the art of forming satchcl-bottomed paper bags by machinery,

the method hcreiubcforc set forth of feeding a.

lda-nk are causedtcmporarily to conform as the move over said. surfaces by means substahtialiy such as described, whereby the fold is formed while the blank is in motion simply by the strain upon the paper itself.

9. As an improvement in the art of forming satchel-bottomed paper bags by machinery, the method hereinbefore set forth of continu ously feeding a tubular blank between adjacent, diverging moving surfaces, one of which surfaces is provided with pins which penetrate the tube before or during its passage between the diverging-surfaces, retain their hold upon one side thereof until the primary folds are formed, and then release it by the continued diverging movement of the surfaces and the strain upon the paper itself, or by the withdrawal of the pins, as the case may be.

10. As an improvement iii-the art of forming satchel-bottomedpaper bags by machinery,

the method herciubeforc set forth of pressing down the first fold of tne tubular blank by means of the conjoint operation of two adiaocnt diverging surfaces, between which the blank is continuously fed, to which surfaces the contiguous sides of the blank are caused temporarily to conform as they more over said inthe art of forming,

surfaces by means substantially such as described, and upon which surfaces the fold is formed, while the blank; in motion, by the strain upon the paper itself, and a com pl'cssor, substantially such as described, whereby the fold is pressed flat upon the blank immediately after. being formed.

11. As an improvement in the art of forming satchel-bottomed paper bags by machinery, the method hereii'ibeforc set forth of forming the first of the final folds of the blank by means of the conjoint operation of bands, substantially such as described, which hold the edges of the blank outside of the portions to bcfolded while passing continuously through the machine, and a following-tblder, substantially such as described, which travels continuously faster than the blank on an independent carrier, and in the same direction therewith, while forming the fold. v

12. As an improvement in tlrc art of forming satchel-bottomed ,paper bags by machinery, the-method hercinbefore set forth of forming the finishing fold of the blank by means of the conjoint operation of bands, substantially such as described, which hold the edges of the blank outside of the portions to be folded while passing continuously through the machine, and finishing-rolls or compressing-surfaces, substantially'such as described, between which the blank is guided by the bands at an angle with the line of motion of the blank, and compressed while being held thereby. 1

13. The hereinbefore-deseribed novel art of CHAS. s'rILWELL; Witnesses {GnoRGE HOLT, J. HENRY HILL.

forming satchel-bottomed paper bags by an and compresses it,,-whereby the bags are

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