US651187A - Folding-machine. - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

' Patented June 5, I900. T. F. HART.

I FOLDING MACHINE. .(Application mem'se t. 21, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet l.

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*Patented lune .5, I900.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

35 NESEESZ WIT Patented June 5, I900.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

T. F. HART. FOLDING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 21, 1899.)

(No Model.)

\X/ITNEESESI No. e5|,|a7-. Patented June 5, I900.

T. F. HART. Y

FOLDING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 21, 1899.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets8heef 4.

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WITNEEEEE {i7 l/a M ing the fold.

THOMAS F- HART, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOLDING-#MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Pateiit No. 651,187, dated time 5, 1900.

Application filed September 21,1899. serial No. 731,141. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. HART, of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding-Machines,

. of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for folding the edges of pieces of material, such as parts of shoe-uppers.

The invention has for its object to render such machines more automatic in their action than heretofore and to improve their construction and operation 'in other particulars, as will be explained at length in the succeeding description. 7

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of a folding-machine constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 represents a front elevation thereof Fig. 3 represents an end elevation, partly broken away. Fig. 4 represents a median vertical section. Figs. 5 and 6 represent sections on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, with certain of the parts in different relative positions. Figs. 7 and 8 represent sections on the line 7 7 of Fig. 2, with the parts shown in different relative positions. Fig. 9 represents a longitudinal section of the former and carrier,partly broken away. Figs. 10 and 11 represent partial sections similar to Fig. 4, showing the action of the folder. Fig. 12 represents a detail perspective View of the mechanism controlling the clutch. Fig. 13 represents a reverse plan view of the clutch. Fig. 14 represents a 1ongitudinal section thereof. Figs.'15 to 19, inc1usive,represent detail sectional views showing the action of the parts concerned in mak- The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a frame provided at its front part with a horizontal worksupporting table 2, having a removable portion or plate 3, held in place by screws 4 4. Said plate 3 has an inner edge curved or shaped to correspond to the shapeof the folded edge of the work, and it is adapted to be removed and replaced by another plate having a different-shaped edge when the shape of the work changes. The frame 1 has bearings for a shaft 50, running through the middle of the machine and supportingat one end a sprocket:

- wheel 6, which is adapted to be connected by a chain with a suitable power-shaft which will rotate the sprocket-wheel continuously. Said sprocket-wheel is loosely mounted on the shaft 50 and is provided with a hub 8, constituting one half of a clutch and having a series of laterally-projecting teeth or legs 9 9. The other half 10 of said clutch is fixed to the shaft 50 and is equipped with a sliding block 11, normally pressed by a spring 12 into the path of the teeth 9 on the clutch-half 8, but adapted to be withdrawn to disconnect the parts of the clutch from each other by a controlling mechani'sm hereinafter described. The shaft 50 carries suitable cams for producing the movements of the former and folder in folding the work.

13 designates the former, around which the edge of the work is folded by the folder, said former consisting of a flat metal blade attached to a former-carrier 15, which is supported by a lever 16, forked at its front end and engaging hooks 18 18 on the upper side of the former-carrier. The lever 16 is pivoted at 17 at its rear end toafixed standard on the machine-frame and is normally elevated by a spring 27, interposed between itand the frame, which spring holds the former raised above the surface of the table 2 in a position to permit of the insertion of the work. To depress the former,'the operator steps on a treadle (not shown) which is connected with a vertical treadle-rod 28, attached at its upper end to the lever 16. The attachment of the rod to the lever is a yielding one, including a spring 30, interposed between an adjustable nut 29 on the head of the rod 28 and the upper side of the lever 16, the object of this connection being to permitfurthermovement of the treadle-rod after the former has been clamped upon the work forthe purpose of connecting the clutch and starting the shaft 50 in revolution, as I shall presently explain. The former is guided in its vertical movements by two posts or blocks 19 19, pivotally attached to the ends ofits carrier 15 and fitted to slide in vertical sockets or guides in the frame 1, the forward movement of said posts being limited by studs 60, projecting from their lowerends below said sockets. The posts 19 are formed with recesses or clefts 20 in their upper ends, in which the ends of the former-carrier are located, and

said carrier is attached to the posts by means of pins 21 23,'passed through the posts and carrier. The pin 21 is fixed in its post, and the end of the carrier 15 is longitudinally recessed or cleft at 22 to engage said pin, making a non-locked connection, while the pin 23, which has a head, as shown, is removable and passes through an aperture in the other end of the carrier, making a locked connection. The described connection of the formercarrier to the posts 19 and the lever 16 provides for the ready removal of said carrier, together with its former, and the substitution of another carrier having a former of a different shape when it is desired to operate on different-shaped work. To accomplish this removal, the pin 23 is taken out, thus liberating one end of the former-carrier from its post 19, and by a simple manipulation the carrier is disengaged from the lever 16 and its slotted end withdrawn from engagement with the fixed pin 21 on the other post 19. The latter is fitted to turn in its socket to allow the carrier to be swung out and its hooks 18 disengaged from the forks of the lever 10. By a reversal of this operation the new carrier and its attached former are inserted in place.

The thin blade 13 constituting the former is attached at its ends to two short rods 24 24, fitted to slide in guides 25 25, screwed to the bar constituting the body of the carrier 15. The blade 13 is thus permitted to have a movement laterally of said bar to withdraw it from the fold in the work after the folder has operated to fold the edge of the work around the edge of said blade 13. Two springs 26 26, surrounding the rods 24 24, normally press the former 13 forward into its folding positi0n,and its backward withdrawing movement is automatically accomplished at the proper time by the action of a'pair of cams 31 31, fixed to the shaft 50. These cams operate against a pair of arms 32 32, which are pivoted at their lower ends to studs 33 on the frame 1, and are engaged at their upper ends with the rods 24 At the proper time the cams oscillate the arms and slide the former-blade 13 back underneath its carrier 15. The cams 31 bear against screws 34 34 on the arms 32, said screws being adjustable to regulate the position of the former.

Underneath the former 13 I attach to the carrier 15, as best shown in Fig. 9, a thin metal blade or strip 31,which comes between the former and the work when said former is depressed into folding position and operates as a clamp to hold the work stationary against the table and prevent it from being displaced by the withdrawing movement of the former.

35 designates the folder, consisting, as

' shown, of a plate removably attached by screws 41 41 to a folder-carrier 36 and having an edge properly shaped to correspond to the shape of the work. The normal position of the upper surface of the folder 35 is substantially flush with the upper surface of the work-supporting table 2, and the work when positioned is placed on said table with its edge slightly overlapping the edge of the folder. An adjustable gage 59 is attached to the upper side of the folder 35 to aid in positioning the work. In my improved machine I impart to the folder, first, an upward movement to turn the edge of the work up, then a horizontal movement to project it over the former and turn the edge of the work completely around the edge of the former, then a downward movement to set the fold after the former is withdrawn, then an up ward movement followed by a retraetive hori: zontal movement, and, finally, a downward movement to restore it toits normal position. These movements are all performed automatically. The folder-carrier ispivoted at 37 at its rear end to the upper end of a link 38, whose lower end is pivoted at 39 to a fixed bracket on the frame 1. A spring 40 pressing against the link 38 tends to impart a horizontal retraetive movement to the carrier 36, and a pair of springs 44,0ne of which is shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 6 interposed beneath the folder, tends to impart an upward movement to the latter. The counter movements are imparted to the carrier by two earns 42 and 45, attached to the shaft 50. The cam 45 presses against a bar 46, supported at one end by a screw 47 and at the other end by a spring 48 on the carrier, and it has two high positions on opposite sides of the shaft 50. The cam 42 has one high position and operates against a vertical face or abutment 43 on the carrier 36. The parts start from the normal positions, (shown in Fig. 4,) in which one of the high parts of the cam 45 is pressing against the bar 46 to hold the folder in depressed position. The revolution of the shaft 50 then carries the cams to the positions shown in Fig. 10, in which said high part of the cam 45 has passed and the folder is permitted to rise above thelevel of the table 2. The cam 42 next operates to project the folderover the edge of the former, and while the high part of said cam is still in action the other high part on the cam 45 depresses the folder, bringing its under side down upon the fold. The spring 48 permits the bar46 to yield during the latter movement. After the fold has been compressed and while the high part on the cam 42 is still holding the folder projected the second high part on the cam 45 passes and permits the folder to rise from oif the fold, after which the high part of cam 42 passes, the folder is retracted horizontally, and the first high part on the cam 45 causes the folder to descend to its normal level. The retraction of the former 13 by the cams 31 takes place just before the folder 35 descends upon the folded edge to press the same against the table.

It has been stated that the spring 12 behind the sliding block 11 in the clutch norm ally presses the said block into the path of the teeth 9, so as to lock the parts of the clutch ICO cillates the arm 52.

together. 49 represents an arm pivoted loosely on a fixed axle or shaft 39 and having a beveled end adapted to engage a-beveled shoulder 61 (see Fig. 13)-on the block 11 and withdraw said block from the path of the teeth 9 on the revolving half 8 of the clutch. A spring 51 normally elevates said arm 49 into operative position. ond arm loosely pivoted on the axle 39 and carrying a loosely-hung hooked catch or dog 53, which is adapted to engage a projection 56 on the arm 49. Said arm 52 is also provided with a wrist or projection 54, engaged by a cleft or recessed block .'screwed to the treadle-rod 28, whence it will be seen that the depression of the said treadle-rod 28 os- The downward movement of the latter carries the catch 53 into engagement with the projection 56 and imparts a downward oscillatory movement to the arm 49, which carries the end of said arm out of engagement with the block 11 andcauses the parts of the clutch to become engaged and the shaft 50 to be started in revolution. A further downward movement of the arm 52 brings the heel 58 of the catch 53 into contact with a fixed stop 57 and oscillates said catch, so as to cause the release of the said arm 49. The latter then returns to its initial position in the path of the block 11 and retracts said block upon the completion of one revolution of the shaft 50, thus releasing the clutch and causinga cessation of further movement of the shaft 50, though the treadle-rod 28 may still remain depressed. The catch 53 is weighted, so that its hooked upper end is normally in the path of the projection 56, and upon the release of the treadle-rod 28 and the elevation of said catch its upper end, which is beveled, is displaced in passing the projection 56.

The operation of the machinewill readily appear from the foregoing description. The operator places a piece of work upon the worksupporting table 2 with its edge overlapping the folder '35, the edge of the work having previously been coated with a suitable adhesive material, such as rubhercement, to cause the sides of the fold to adhere. The treadle is then depressed to bring the former 13 down upon the work, and a continuation of the movement of the treadle, which is permitted by the spring30, placed between the head of the treadle-rod 28 and the lever 16, oscillates the arm 49 and releases the clutch, as described. The shaft 50 is thus set in motion from the revolving wheel 6 and the folder automatically elevated and projected to make the fold, the former withdrawn from the fold, the folder retracted and depressed, the former returned, and the shaft 50 stopped at the end of one revolution. The operator then releases the treadle, permitting the former to rise and the folded work to be removed.

It is to be understood that a number of different-shaped folders and work-supporting plates and formers with their carriers will be 52 represents asec-- kept in reserve and applied to the machine as required by the shape of the work.

I do not confine myself to the exact details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as the same maybe variously modified without departing from the spirit of the in-- is made, and a cam on said shaft, said cam causing the folder to be elevated prior to its retraction.

2. In a folding-machine, a folder, a foldercarrier, a rotary shaft having suitable bearings, and two cams mounted on said shaft and adapted to engage said folder-carrier, one of said cams causing the folder to be elevated and depressed, and the other causing it to be projected and retracted.

3. In a folding-machine, a folder, a foldercarrier having a spring-resisted abutment, a rotary shaft having suitable bearings, a cam mounted on said shaft and adapted to engage said spring-resisted abutment on the foldercarrier, saidicam causing the folder-carrier to be elevated and depressed, and means for projecting and retracting the folder.

4. In a folding-machine, a former,a rotary shaft having suitable bearings, a pair of cams mounted on said shaft for causing the retraction and projection of said former, and a pair of pivotal arms interposed between the cams and the former.

5. In a folding-machine, a frame, a formercarrier, posts attached to said carrier and suitablyguided in the frame, one of said posts being constructed as a swivel, a coupling or connection between the former-carrier and said post, said coupling having fixed members, a coupling or connection between the other post and said carrier, said coupling having a fixed member and a removable member and means for elevating and depressing the carrier and posts.

6. In a folding-machine,aframe, a pair of posts mounted in suitable guides thereon and recessed at their ends, one of said posts having a fixed pin projecting across .the recess in its end, a former-carrier mounted in the recesses of said posts and. having a recess at one end occupied by the said fixed pin, and an aperture at the other end, a removable headed pin connecting the other post with the apertured end of the former-carrier, a former attached to said carrier, means for elevating and depressing said former and its carrier, and means for projecting and retracting the former.

7. In a folding-machine, a work-supporting table, a former, means for moving said former toward and from the table, means for retracting and projecting the former, a folder adapted to fold the edge of the work around said former, and a clamping-'stri p interposed between the former and the work-supporting table, and operating to hold the work stationary against the work-supporting table during the retraction of the former.

8. In a foldingqnachine, a work-supporting table, a former-carrier, a former attached to and movable laterally with respect to the carrier, means for so moving the former to retract and project it, means for elevating and depressing the carrier and former, and a clamping-strip fixed to the carrier beneath the said former and adapted to hold the work stationary against the work-supporting table during the retraction of the former.

9. In a folding-machine, a folder, mechanism for operating the same, a continuous ly-rotated member, a clutch adapted to efiect connection between said member and the folder-operating mechanism, a former, a device for operating the same, and means actuated by the movement of said former-operating device for operating, the clutch.

10. In a folding-machine, mechanism for folding the work, a continuously rotated member, a clutch adapted to effect connection between said member and the folding mechanism, a treadle rod or equivalent, means operated by said rod during a part of its movement for connecting the clutch, and means operated by the continued movement of the rod for disconnecting the clutch.

11. In a folding-machine, mechanism for folding the work, said mechanism including a former, a continuously-rotated member, a clutch adapted to effect connection between said member and the folding mechanism, a

treadle-rod or equivalent connected with said former and adapted to depress the same upon the work, and means actuated by the movement of said rod for operating the clutch. I

12. In a folding-machine, a former, a folder adapted to cooperate therewith in folding the work, a shaft having suitable bearings and provided with a series of cams for operating the former and folder, a continuouslyrotated member, a clutch adapted to effect connection between said member and said shaft, a device for depressing the former upon the work, and means actuated by the movement of said device for operating the clutch.

13. In a folding-machine, mechanism for folding the work, a continuously-rotated member, a clutch adapted to effect connection between said member and the folding mechanism, a clutch-operating arm, a reciprocating pawl adapted to engage and oscillate said arm, a treadle-rod or equivalent arranged to reciprocate said pawl, and a stationary abutment adapted to engage said pawl during the latter part of its reciprocation, and cause it to release the clutch-operating arm.

14. In a folding-machine, a folding mechanism including a former adapted to descend upon the work, a continuously-rotated member, a clutch adapted to effect connection between said member and the folding mechanism, a device adapted to first connect and then disconnect the clutch during a continuous movement, and ayielding operating connection between said device and the former, whereby said former is depressed during a part of said movement.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS F. HART. WVitnesses:

E. BATCHELDER, II. L. ROBBINS.

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