Double fold automatic folding apparatus
OwnerFrederick W. Granthaminventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A double fold automatic folding apparatus for selectively developing a second fold in a previously folded article. The apparatus includes a reversible roller which, in one direction of rotation, serves to bypass the second folder and, in an opposite direction of rotation, operates to divert a previously folded article into a position for engagement by the second folder. After the article is diverted to the second folder, the roller is further operable so that the double folded article is drawn out of the second folder toward a conveyor which transports the double folded article to an exit portion of the automatic folding apparatus. Various elements may be optionally provided to assist in diverting the article toward engagement with the second folder and in rendering the operation of the apparatus more effective.
Claims20
In combination with a machine for folding a sequence of articles and having an actuatable article folding knife, an article delivering conveyor belt driven by a first roller rotated in a first direction, an article receiving conveyor belt positioned in receiving relationship with respect to said delivering belt and driven by a second roller rotated in a second direction, said second roller being disposed generally above said first roller, and a receiving element disposed generally beneath and adjacent to said receiving belt, an apparatus for selectively making an additional fold in articles sequentially delivered by said delivering belt, which comprises:
- a. an added roller,
- said added roller being rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and being disposed parallel and adjacent to said first roller in a position to intercept leading edges of articles delivered by said delivering belt;
- b. drive means connected to said added roller for causing said added roller to be rotated in either of said first and second directions;
- c. an added article folding knife means, said knife means including a blade having an article contacting edge;
- d. restraining means for causing said blade to move along a predetermined path, portions of which extend between said first and said added rollers and toward said receiving belt;
- e. actuating means connected to said added folding knife means for causing movement of said blade along said path;
- and
- f. control means coooperating with said drive means and said actuating means for causing, in sequence,
- 1. said added roller to be rotating in said second direction when said leading edge of an article from said delivering belt contacts said periphery thereof, whereby to cause said leading edge to be deflected from its initial path of travel, away from said receiving belt and toward said added knife means,
- 2. said blade to be advanced across said path when a predetermined portion of said article has passed said added roller, whereby said edge of said blade is caused to contact a proximate portion of said article and advance said contacted portion toward said added roller to cause the additional folding of said article back upon itself,
- 3. said added roller to reverse and be again rotating in said first direction when said contacted portion of said article advanced by said blade contacts the periphery thereof, whereby the newly-folded portion of said article is carried around portions of said added roller towards said receiving belt, and
- 4. said added blade to be retracted in its path as said newly-folded portion is picked up by said receiving belt and said added roller.
Apparatus for performing at least two sequential operations on a relatively flat, foldable article, comprising in combination:
- a. first folding means for making a first linear fold in the relatively flat article;
- b. first conveying means for conveying the once-folded relatively flat article;
- c. selectively operable diverting means for engaging a leading edge of the article from the conveying means and directing it downwardly, the diverting means including a selectively movable plate and a selectively rotatable, reversible roller positioned to uniformly engage the leading edge, both the roller and the plate being independent of the conveying means;
- d. second folding means for selectively engaging the diverted, folded article and for making a second linear fold therein;
- e. second conveying means for engaging and conveying the folded article from the roller and second folding means;
- and
- f. control means for rotatably driving the roller selectively in one of two rotational directions, and for selectively moving the plate in coordinated relationship to the selected rotational direction of the roller.
Apparatus capable of performing at least two sequential operations on a relatively flat, foldable article, comprising in combination:
- a. first folding means for making a first linear fold in a relatively flat article;
- b. first conveying means for conveying the once-folded relatively flat article from the first folding means toward a second conveying means;
- c. selectively operable diverting means for engaging and directing downwardly a leading edge of the article, the diverting means including a first roller positioned to uniformly engage the leading edge and direct the article to the second conveying means and a second roller having an axis parallel to the first roller positioned between the first roller and the first conveying means and driven with a constant speed ratio to the first roller, the second roller being selectively reversible in rotation and positioned to engage the leading edge of the foldable article prior to engagement of the foldable article by the first roller;
- d. second conveying means separate from the first conveying means for conveying the folded article out of the apparatus;
- e. second folding means for selectively engaging the folded article and performing a second folding operation;
- and
- f. control means for driving the first roller in a first rotational direction to advance the foldable article in contact therewith in the same direction as the first conveying means;
- the control means being operable to rotate the second roller selectively in a first direction to divert the leading edge of the foldable article downwardly between the second roller and the first conveying means for engagement by the second folding means, and to drive the second roller at the same peripheral speed as the first roller to engage the twice folded article between the first and second rollers and thereby direct it toward the second conveying means;
- the control means also being selectively operable to drive the second roller in the opposite rotational direction in order to urge the article when once folded toward the first roller and the second conveying means, thereby bypassing the second folding operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.