Folder construction
AssigneeChicago Dryer Company
InventorKasimir Kober
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A towel fed conveyor of continuous ribbons is provided which conveys a towel beneath spaced parallel runners which opposed lateral towel side panels being carried by conveying ribbons which slidably engage opposed supporting side plates. If the towel has less than a maximum length, air bars sequentially fold the towel side panels over the runners as the towel is moving and conveyed to the end of an upper feed conveyor. [The air discharges instantaneously urge each towel side panel in sequence against an air permeable grid disposed over the towel and feed conveyor as each panel is moved over the towel central panel.] The air blasts progressively squeeze air from between the side and central panels. [from the panel hinge connections with the towel central panel to the distal terminal ends of the side panels.]
Claims26
An apparatus for folding flatwork articles comprising:
- a lower conveyor member adapted to carry a first portion of an article disposed thereon along a path of movement from a forward station to a rear station;
- an upper conveyor member positioned at an elevation above the lower conveyor member and substantially coextending with the lower conveyor member, said upper conveyor member adapted to carry a second portion of the article simultaneously with movement of said first portion on the lower conveyor member;
- an edge-defining member disposed at an elevation between the upper and lower conveyor members for forming a hinge axis between said first and second portions of the article;
- and
- an air discharge device disposed at an elevation between the upper and lower conveyor members for folding the second portion of the article about the hinge axis of the edge-defining member and into overlying relationship with the first portion of the article.
An apparatus for folding flatwork articles comprising:
- conveyor means for moving a foldable article along a path of movement, said conveyor means comprising a lower conveyor member adapted to carry a central portion of an article disposed thereon, and a pair of upper conveyor members disposed laterally outwardly of said lower conveyor member, the upper conveyor members being positioned at an elevation above the lower conveyor member and substantially coextending with the lower conveyor member, said upper conveyor members adapted to carry opposite lateral portions of the article simultaneously with movement of said central portion on the lower conveyor member;
- an edge-defining member disposed adjacent the lower conveyor member at an elevation between the upper and lower conveyor members for forming hinge axes between the central portion and the lateral portions of the article;
- and
- a pair of air discharge devices disposed laterally outwardly of the edge-defining member at an elevation between said edge-defining member and the upper conveyor members, said air discharge devices adapted to sequentially urge the respective lateral portions of the article laterally toward the edge-defining member.
An apparatus for folding flatwork articles comprising:
- a conveyor member adapted to carry a central portion of an article disposed thereon a path of movement;
- a pair of guide members disposed laterally outwardly from the conveyor member for placement of opposing lateral portions of the article thereon;
- an edge defining member disposed above the conveyor member for forming hinge axes between the central portion and the lateral portions of the article;
- a pair of moving devices disposed laterally outwardly from the edge-defining member, said moving devices adapted to sequentially fold the respective lateral portions of the article about the hinge axes of the edge-defining member and into overlying relationship with the central portion of the article;
- and
- a sensing device adapted to detect when only one of the lateral portions of the article is placed on its associated guide member, whereupon said sensing device sends a signal to actuate only the moving device associated with said lateral portion to effect a single fold of the article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.