US1857114A - Folding mechanism - Google Patents

Description

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR i; ATTORN May 3, 1932. c. s. CRAFTS FOLDING MECHANISM Filed April 8, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 3, 1932; c. s. cRAr-'Ts I 1,857,114

FOLDING MEcHANlsM Filed April s, 195o 5 sheets-sheet :s

ATTORN May 3, 1932- c. s. CRAFTS 1,857,114

FOLDING MECHANISM Filed April 8, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR yC. S. CRAFTS May 3, 1932.

Filed April 8, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ATTORNE Patented May 3, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE CURTIS S. CRAFTS, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GOSS PRINTING PRESS COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS FOLDING MECHANISM Application led April 8, 1930. Serial N'o. 442,586.

The present invention relates to rotary folding mechanisms, and more particularly to rotary folding mechanisms for use in connection with high-speed rotary printing presses such as are commonly employed in the production of newspapers.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained b v means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts,

construction arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and

together with the description, serve to eX- plain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the present preferred embodiment of the invention, and is taken on the line 1 1 of Figure 3a.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken near the other side of the press and on the line 2 2 of Figure 3, certain of the parts being broken away, and others being omitted for clearness.

Figures 3 and 3a are horizontal fragmentary sections taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, each ligure showing one end of the folding mechanism.

Figures 4 and 5 are diagrammatic vertical sections through the folding mechanism, showingr the folding mechanism in its operative and inoperative, or choke-releasing positions respectively.

Figure 6 is a detailed fragmentary section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a detailed perspective showing the eccentric means for varying the position of one of the folding rollers of the present embodiment.

Figure S is a detailed plan view showing a shear pin for use in the present embodiment of the invention.

The present invention has for its object the provision of novel folding mechanism having means for automatically releasing the folding rollers when the folding mechanism becomes choked, thereby permitting the folding rollers to be moved to inoperative and choke-releasing position, as well as means permitting the rollers to be so moved at other times when desired. The invention also provides a folding mechanism in which the rollers can be quickly and easily restored to their original adjusted position after being moved to inoperative and choke-releasing position, thereby avoiding the necessity of minutely adjusting the folding rollers after the release of a choke. The invention has for a further object the provision of novel sheet guiding means` cooperating with the folding cylinder for retaining the sheets on the folding cylinder, which do not interfere with the removal of a choked fold from the folding rollers. Still another object of the invention is the provision of novel means for .supporting the folding rollers in folding positions and for minutelv and variably positioning the folding rollers relative to each other to space them from each other to accomodate the folding rollers to the wide variations in the thickness of the groups of sheets which must be folded bv folding mechanism of printing presses where the size of the newspaper produced often varies from 16 to 64 or more pages. The invention also provides novel means for moving the folding rollers out of parallelism to each other.

In the present preferred and illustrative embodiment of the invention, which is shown in connection with the usual type of folding cylinder having a planetary blade for folding one or more groups of sheets between a pair of folding rollers, the folding rollers are preferably mounted for relative movement toward and from each other, and as embodied, one of the folding rollers is mounted by its ends in spring sockets which yieldably press the folding roller towards its mate, and the spring sockets are mounted on pivoted arms which are movable towards and away from the folding cylinder. Means are also preferablv provided for variably and minutely positioning this folding roller relatively to the other folding roller.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as Well, will be exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the present illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the folding cylinder may be of conventional construction, such as is shown in the patent to William Evensen 1,587,070, and is preferably provided with the usual planetary folding blades 12 and impaling pins 14, which cooperates with a cutting and collecting cylinder 15, which may be of conventional construction. The folding cylinder is rotatably ournalled in the side frames 16, of the press by suitable journals and the cutting and collecting cylinder is also rotatably journalled in the side frames of the press, closely` adjacent to the folding cylinder 10, as is usual.

The folding cylinder 10 carries the sheets which have been cut by the cutting and collecting cylinder 15 and suitable mechanism is provided for actuating the folding blades 12 on the folding cylinder to fold the sheets from the folding cylinder between the folding rollers 17 and 18 which are mounted directly beneath the folding cylinder, as will be more fully described.

Preferably and as shown, one of the folding rollers 18 is rotatably mounted beneath the folding cylinder 10 by arms 21 and 21 at either end of the folding roller, the arms being pivotally mounted on the side frames 16 of the press by shaft 23 which extends from one side frame of the press to the other and on which the arms are firmly secured by suitable keys.

The other folding roller 17 is preferably yieldably mounted at either of its ends in spring sockets 25, which are supported at the inner ends of arms 20 and 20 pivotally mounted by shaft 24 extending between the side frames of the press and journalled therein. These sockets 25 are also preferably provided with means for variably positioning the roller 17 with respect to the other folding roller 18 and for this purpose they are preferably provided with movable wedges 26 variably positioned by hand wheel 27 and threaded shaft 28, which serve to variably position the plungers 2:9 in which the ends of the roller are rotatably mounted. The illustrated yieldable mounting for folding roller vided for each end of the folding roller 18 and preferably' the folding rollers are rotatably mounted in these eccentric bushings and the bushings are rotatably mounted in the ends of the pivoted arms 21 and 21. For locking the eccentric bushings in the desired position, each bushing may be formed with a plate 31 securely attached to one end of the bushing and movable therewith, the plate being formed near its end with a curved slot Screws 33 pass through the slots in the plates 31 and are threaded into a face 34 on the ends of the pivoted arms 21 and 21 and these screws may be tightened to secure the plate and the corresponding bushing in the desired position. For guiding the operator in variably positioning the folding roller 18 and for enabling him to determine whether the rollers are parallel or not, or to what extent they are out of parallel, each plate is preferably formed with an indicating pointer 36 coperating with suitable markings 37 on the side face of the end of the supporting arms.

According to the present invention, means are preferably provided for insuring the retention of large groups of sheets on the folding cylinder and for preventing the sheets being combed off as the sheets are fed past the folding rollers prior to being folded between said rollers, and for this purpose there are preferably provided relatively narrow shoes or guides 40, spaced from each other along the length of the folding cylinder and mounted on the shafts 23 and 24 which support the roller sup-porting arms 20 20, 21 and 21. As embodied, these guides are preferably provided with a curved face, concentric with the folding cylinder when they are in operative position, and are spaced a slight distance from the surface of the folding cylinder 10, a sufficient space being provided between the folding cylinder and the guides 40 to permit passage of the sheets to be folded. Guides 40y are preferably securely L' fastened to shafts 23 and 24 by suitable means, such as set screws 41, and are movable towards and away from the folding cylinder by movement of the shafts 23 and 24 and folding rollers 17 and 18.

For lilniting the movement of the roller supporting arms 20, 20', 21 and 21 toward and away from the folding cylinder, the outer ends of the supporting arms are preferably provided with slots 45, through which cap screws 46 are threaded into the side framesI 16 of the press, but these screws are not tightened onto the supporting arms. Preferably and, as embodied, the cap screws 46 are at the extreme upper ends of the slot-s when the folding rollers are in operative position, and the lower ends of the slots limit thrdownward movement of the folding rollers 17 and 18 when they are moved to inoperative or choke-releasing position.

For holding the folding rollers in operative position during the normal operation of the folding mechanism, and for automatically releasing the arms and moving the folding rollers to non-folding or choke-releasing position each of the arms 20, 20', 21 and 21, is formed with an aperture near its outer end, provided With a bushing 48, the aperture of which registers with the aperture of a similar bushing 49 in the side frame 16 of the press. Shear-pins 50, having a reduced portion 51 intermediate their ends, are inserted in these bushings and hold the arms 20, 20', 21 and 21 and folding rollers in folding or operative position during the normal operation of the press, but when the folding rollers become choked, the shear-pins 50 are sheared at 51 and automatically drop the arms, folding rollers and guides 40 to inoperative position, thereby preventing damage to the press parts, and positioning the parts so that the choked fold can be easily and quickly removed. Preferably, and as shown in the illustrative embodiment, the reduced portion 51 of the shear-pins is positioned in line with the contacting faces of the supporting arms and the press frame 16, as clearly shown in Figure 7.

Means are preferably provided for retaining the shear-pins in place, and for this purpose, each pin is preferably formed with a circumferential groove 52 near its outer end which cooperates with a latch 53, pivotally mounted on the arms 20, 20 and 21, 21 by means of screw 54. These latches securely retain the shear-pins in position and allow their ready removal or replacement.

In case the choke is relatively small. and of insufficient magnitude to cause the shearing of the pins, the pins 50 may be easily removed by removing the outer bushing 48 with the shear pin 50, thereby dropping the folding rollers and releasing the choked fold.

After a choke has occurred and the shearpins have been replaced. it is obvious that no adjustment of the folding rollers is necessary, as the replacement of the shear-pin insures the accurate positioning of the folding rollers in the same position they occupied before the choke.

For driving the folding rollers during the operation of the folding mechanism. the folding cylinder 10 is preferably provided with a large gear 60 mounted at one end of the folding cylinder shaft 61, which meshes with a pinion 62 mounted on the end of the shaft for folding roller 17. and also meshes with a pinion 68Ymounted on a stub-shaft 64 rotatably `iournalled in the side frame 16 of the press and in a bracket 65 supported on the side frame, and carrying a gear 66 which meshes with and drives the pinion 67 on the end of the shaft for folding roller 18. In this wai,v movement of pinion 67, as the arms are dropped to inoperative position, is substantially tangential to the gear and the pinion 67 can be easily moved into and out of mesh with the gear 66. Pinion 62 moves substantially tangential to the gear 60 as the folding roller 17 moves back and forth in its yielding` support, or as it is moved toward and away from the other folding roller, and is maintained in good driving relation with the gear 63 on the folding cylinder shaft 6l during the folding operation.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

That I claim is 1. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder, a pair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and an eccentric mounting for one of said folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers.

2. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and an eccentric mounting for one of said folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers.

3. A folding mechanism including in conibination a folding cylinder, a pair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and means normally holding said rollers unyielding and adjacent to the folding cylinder and automatically releasing said rollers under excessive strains to move the rollers away from the folding cylinder.

4. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and means normally holding said rollers adliacent to the folding cylinder and automatically permitting free movement of said rollers independently of each other under excessive strains to move the rollers away from the folding cylinder.

5. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers. means for variably positioning each of said rollers independently of the other means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and means normally holding said rollers adjacent to said cylinder but automatically permitting free movement of them on choked folds.

6. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder. a pair of folding rollers, means carried hy said cilinder for folding a group of sheets between said rollers. pivoted arms at either end of said rollers. pins for each arm normally holding said rollers in folding relation but releasing said rollers on choked folds.

T. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, pivoted arms at either' end of said rollers, pins normally holding said rollers in folding` relation but independently releasing said rollers on choked folds.

8. A folding mechanism includinf in combination a folding cylinder. a pair or folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder' for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, means for moving the folding rollers toward and away from the folding cylinder' and guides mounted wi h said rollers and adapted to be moved away from said cylinder with said rollers.

9. A folding mechanism including in coinbination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets l'etween said rollers, means for moving the folding rollers4 toward and away from the foldingA cylinder` and guides mounted w'th said rollers-i and adapted to be moved away from said cylinder with said rollers.

l0. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder. a pair' of folding rollers. means carried by said cylinder' for folding` a group of sheets between said rollers, means for moving the folding rollers 'toward and away from the folding cylinder, sheet guides mounted with said rollers and movable toward and from said cylinder with said rollers.

ll. A foldii'ig mechanism including' in combination a` pair of folding' rollers. means for foldingl a group of sheets between said rollers, means normally holding said rollers adjacent to the folding cylinder but automatically releasing said rollers under excessive strains to move the rollers a way from the folding cylinder. sheet guides mounted with said rollers and movable toward and from said cylinder with said rollers.

l2. A folding` mechanisn. including' in combination a pair of folding rollers, meansy for folding a grou p of sheets oetween said rollers, means normally holding said rollers adjacent to said cylinder but automatically releasing them on honed folds. guides mounted with said rollers and adapted to be moved away from said cylinder with said rollers.

A folding mechanism includ' i; in combina'ion a folding cylinder. a pair of folding rollers. means carried bv said cylinder for folding a group of between said rollers. mean-- normally holding said rollers adjacent zo said cylinderbnt automatically releasing them on choked folds, sheet guides mounted with said rollers and movable toward and from said cylinder with said rollers.

lll. A folding mech arism including' in combination a folding cylinder. a pair of ftd-fling rollers. means carried by sgml cv 'n cr for folding a group of s eets between said rollers, pivoted arms at either end of said rollers,

shear pins normally holding said rollers in folding relation and releasing said rollers on choked folds and guides mounted with said rollers and adapted to be moved away from said cylinder with said rollers.

15. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder, a pair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric mounting for one of said folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers, means normally holding said rollers adjacent to the folding cylinder but automatically releasing said rollers under excessive strains to move the rollers away from the folding cylinder' and guides mounted with said rollers and adapted to be moved away from said cylinder with said rollers.

16. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric bushing at one end of one folding roller for moving the folding roller, pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, shear pins normally holding said rollers in foldingr relation and releasing said rollers on choked folds, and sheet guides mounted with said rollers and movable toward and from said cylinder with said rollers.

17. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric mounting for one of said folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers. means normally holding said rollers adjacent to said cylinder but automatically releasing them on choked folds and sheet guides mounted with said rollers and movable toward and from said cylinder' with said rollers.

18. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder. a pair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric mounting for one of said folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers. one of said rollers being yieldably mounted.

19. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and an eccentric bushing at one end of one folding roller for moving the folding roller, one of said rollers being vieldably mounted.

:20. A folding mechanism including' in combination a pair of folding rollers. means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and means normally holding said rollers adjacent to the folding cylinder but automatically permitting free movement of said rollers independently of each other under excessive strains to move the rollers away from the folding cylinder, one of said rollersI being yieldably mounted.

21. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder, a pair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and means normally holding said rollers adjacent to said cylinder but automatically permitting free movement of them independently of each other on choked folds, one of said rollers being yieldably mounted.

22. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder', a pair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric mounting for one of said folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers, pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, shear pins normally holding said rollers in folding relation and releasing said rollers on choked folds and guides mounted with said rollers and adapted to be moved away from said cylinder with said rollers, one of said rollers being yieldably mounted.

23. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric bushing at one end of one folding roller for moving the folding roller, means normally holding said rollers adjacent to said cylinder but automatically releasing them on choked folds, sheet guides mounted with said rollers and movable toward and from said cylinder with said rollers and means for driving said folding rollers in folding relation.

24. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, means for variably spacing the folding rollers, means normally holding said rollers adjacent to the folding cylinder but automatically releasing said rollers under excessive strains to move the rollers away from the folding cylinder and guides mounted with said rollers and adapted to be moved away from said cylinder with said rollers, one of said rollers being yieldably mounted.

25. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric mounting for one of said folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers, means normally holding said rollers adjacent to the folding cylinder but automatically releasing said rollers under excessive strains to move the rollers away from the folding cylinder and guides mounted with said rollers and adapted to be moved away from said cylinder with said rollers, one of said rollers being yieldably mounted, and means for driving said folding rollers in folding relation.

26. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder', a pair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric mounting for one of said folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers, and means indicating the position of the variably positionable roller.

27. A folding mechanism including in coml ination a folding cylinder, a pair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric mounting` for one of said folding rollers for variably positioning one of the rollers, and means indicating the movement of the eccentric, and the position of the roller mounted therein.

28. A folding mechanism includingin combination a pair of normally parallel folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, and an eccentric bushing at one end of one folding roller for moving the folding rollers out of parallelism.

29. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of normally parallel folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, an eccentric bushing at one end of one folding roller for moving the folding rollers out of parallelism, and means indicating' the departure of the rollers from parallelism.

30. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, and means carried on said pivoted arms for simultaneously moving both ends of one roller to space the rollers.

3l. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, roller spacing means at the ends of a roller and a common actuating means carried by. said arms for operating said spacing means 1n unison.

32. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, roller spacing means at the ends of a roller and a shaft, journalled in said arms, and forming a common actuating means for said spacing means.

33. A folding mechanism combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, roller spacing means at the ends of a roller, a shaft, journalled in said arms, and connected to actuate said spacing means and means for moving one end of one roller independently of the other.

34. A folding mechanism combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding al group of sheets between said rollers, pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, and roller spacing means at the ends of a roller, a shaft, journalled in said including in including in arms, and connected to actuate said spacing means, means for moving one end of one roller independently of the other, and means for indicating the extent of departure from the normal parallel relation of said rollers.

35. A folding mechanism, including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, pivoted arms in which said rollers are rotatably mounted at their ends and removable pins normally holding said rollers individually in folding relation, but permitting said rollers to be moved away from each other.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CURTIS S. CRAFTS.

DISCLAIMER 1,857,ll4.-0urtis S. (7i-offs, (lak Park, lll. ForniNo A\liliznANnsavI. Patent dated May 3, 1932. Disclaimer filed December l, 1934, by the assignee, The Goss Printing Press (lomymny.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to that part of the claims in said specification which are in the following words, lo wit:

3. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder, a pair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and means normally holding said rollers unyielding and adjacent to the folding cylinder and automatically releasing said rollers under excessive strains to move the rollers away from the folding cylinder.

4. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and means normally holding said rollers adjacent to the folding cylinder and automatically permitting free movement of said rollers independently of each other under excessive strains to move the rollers away from the folding cylinder."

6. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder, a pair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, pins for each arm normally holding said rollers in folding relation but releasing said rollers on choked folds.

7. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, pivoted arms at either end of said rollers, pins normally holding said rollers in folding relation but independently releasing said rollers on choked folds.

20. A folding mechanism including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and means normally holding said rollers adjacent to the folding cylinder but automatically permitting free movement of said rollers independently of each other under excessive strains to move the rollers away from the folding cylinder, one of said rollers being yieldably mounted.

21. A folding mechanism including in combination a folding cylinder, a pair of folding rollers, means carried by said cylinder for folding a group of sheets between said rollers and means normally holding said rollers adjacent to said cylinder but automatically permitting free movement of them independently of each other on choked folds, one of said rollers being yieldahly mounted.

35. A folding mechanism, including in combination a pair of folding rollers, means for folding a group of sheets between said rollers, pivoted arms in which said rollers are rotatably mounted. at their ends and removable pins normall holding said rollers individually in folding relation, but permitting said rollers to be moved away from each other.

[Ojicz'al Gazette January 1, 1.985.]

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