US3790156A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Textile folding machine
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1971-02-01
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Granted: 1974-02-05
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Expires: 1991-02-01
Abstract
Abstract This disclosure relates to a folding machine and specifically to an apparatus for folding textile or like products in a serpentine or sinuous fashion. Textile products, after having been processed and normalized in the conventional fashion, may be folded for storage, shipment, or further processing purposes. This is accomplished in a folding machine having a pair of rollers arranged for reciprocating movement above a table surface to lay the fabric in a serpentine fashion on the table. The reciprocating rollers are driven by a pair of drive wheels at the ends of the rollers and mounted in horizontal track members having top and bottom drive wheel engaging surfaces. The drive wheels are pivotal within the track member on a yoke assembly so that the direction of travel of the rollers with respect to each other remains constant even as the direction of travel of the yoke assembly changes.
Inventors
- 👤 W Hogendyk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 05:01
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H45/00; B65H45/02; B65H45/06; B65H45/10; B65H45/101; B65H45/103
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
222 words
Apparatus for folding sheet material in serpentine fashion onto a support surface comprising, in combination: a support frame; upper and lower longitudinal guide rails mounted on said support frame and spaced from each other in a common plane; a carriage movable along and intermediate said guide rails, said carriage including a pair of material feeding rollers interconnected to each other by a yoke means, said rollers forming a nip through which said sheet material is fed, the vertical spacing between the upper and lower guide rails exceeding the diameter of each individual roller, said yoke means and rollers being pivotal relative said guide rails whereby when said carriage is moved along said rails in one direction, one of said rollers frictionally engages the upper guide rail for driving engagement therewith while the other of said rollers frictionally engages the lower guide rail for driving engagement therewith and when said carriage is moved along said rails in the opposite direction, the other of said rollers is in friction engagement with said upper rail while said one of said rollers is in friction engagement with said lower rail whereby said rollers are counter-rotated toward each other in a constant direction regardless of the direction of movement of said carriage; and drive means for driving said carriage reciprocally back and forth along said guide rails.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
222 words
Apparatus for folding sheet material in serpentine fashion onto a support surface comprising, in combination: a support frame; upper and lower longitudinal guide rails mounted on said support frame and spaced from each other in a common plane; a carriage movable along and intermediate said guide rails, said carriage including a pair of material feeding rollers interconnected to each other by a yoke means, said rollers forming a nip through which said sheet material is fed, the vertical spacing between the upper and lower guide rails exceeding the diameter of each individual roller, said yoke means and rollers being pivotal relative said guide rails whereby when said carriage is moved along said rails in one direction, one of said rollers frictionally engages the upper guide rail for driving engagement therewith while the other of said rollers frictionally engages the lower guide rail for driving engagement therewith and when said carriage is moved along said rails in the opposite direction, the other of said rollers is in friction engagement with said upper rail while said one of said rollers is in friction engagement with said lower rail whereby said rollers are counter-rotated toward each other in a constant direction regardless of the direction of movement of said carriage; and drive means for driving said carriage reciprocally back and forth along said guide rails.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said upper and lower guide rails each includes a pair of laterally spaced tracks supporting end members of said rollers whereby as each of said rollers is driven intermittently by said upper and lower pairs of tracks, the frictional driving force for each of said rollers is imparted evenly at each end.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
99 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said yoke means includes a pair of yokes interconnecting each end members of said rollers, said drive means including a pair of spaced linking bars, one linking bar being operatively interconnected to one of said yoke and roller end members, the other of said linking bars being interconnected to the other of said yoke and roller end members whereby each of said rollers is counter-rotated intermittently by said upper and lower pairs of tracks, the frictional driving force being imparted evenly at each end to eliminate any lateral moment on said rollers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said rollers include first and second pairs of drive wheels fixed to the ends thereof, said yokes holding said drive wheels between said track members, the diameter of said drive wheels being less than the spacIng between said upper and lower pairs of tracks.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
84 words
The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein in response to movement of said carriage in a first direction, said first and second drive wheels engage said upper and lower tracks respectively to drive the rollers in said counter-rotational directions, and in response to movement of said carriage in a second direction, said first and second drive wheels contact said lower and upper tracks respectively to drive said rollers in the same counter-rotational directions to thereby maintain the rotational directions of said roller means constant.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive means further includes a linking bar pivotally connected to said yoke means, whereby said carriage is pulled in one direction and pushed in the opposite direction during each reciprocation cycle of said drive means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
97 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein during both the pushing and pulling cycle of said drive means, said yoke means is pivoted and urged rotationally by said linking bar such that the forward roller relative the direction of travel is frictionally engaged with the upper guide rail and the rearward roller relative the direction of travel is frictionally engaged with the lower guide rail regardless of the direction of movement of said carriage, the frictional driving force imparted on said rollers being increased as the loading increases due to the material being fed through said rollers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
90 words
The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said drive includes an endless chain movable about a pair of spaced sprockets, said linking bar being connected to said chain means and positioned along one side thereof, whereby during the pushing portion of said chain means cycle, said linking bar extends entirely beyond the space between said sprockets as the carriage direction is reversed and during the pulling cycle of said chain means, said linking bar is positioned entirely intermediate said sprockets as the carriage direction is reversed to the pushing cycle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said support surface is characterized by a platform in said frame for receiving said folded material, said platform being mounted for vertical movement below said carriage; and second driving means for said platform to move said platform downwardly as the material is deposited and folded thereon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus according to claim 9 further characterized by means sensing the downward movement of said platform; said first and second drive means being responsive to said sensing means to stop the movement thereof as said platform moves to a predetermined downward position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said platform is mounted for horizontal movement in and out of said frame.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 and further including second means sensing the horizontal movement of said platform, said second drive means being responsive to said horizontal sensing means to raise said platform to an up position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus according to claim 12 and further including third means sensing the upward movement of said platform, said second drive means responsive to said third upward sensing means to stop the movement thereof as said platform is moved toward a predetermined upward position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 and further comprising: variable speed control means associated with said second drive means to variably control the speed of the upward movement of said platform.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus according to claim 9 and further including variable speed control means associated with said second drive means to variably control the speed of the downward movement of said platform.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further including variable speed control means associated with said driving means to variably control the speed of said carriage.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
204 words
Apparatus for folding sheet material in serpentine fashion comprising, in combination: a support frame, a paIr of endless driven chains spaced laterally from each other on said frame, said chains moving endlessly in a forward and rearward path; a pair of upper and lower guide tracks spaced in a common plane and extending longitudinally with and adjacent said chains; a pair of rollers forming a nip roll assembly extending intermediate said guide tracks through which the sheet material is fed, said rollers being movable along said guide tracks, the diameter of said rollers being less than the spacing of said tracks and means interconnecting said roller assembly to said chains whereby said rollers are pivotal relative to said chains and guide tracks so that one of said rollers is in friction driving engagement with one of said guide tracks during the forward movement of said rollers by said chain while the other of said rollers is in friction driving engagement with the other of said guide tracks whereby said rollers are counter-rotated toward each other, said rollers being pivotally reversed when moved in the rearward path so that the counter-rotation of said rollers is in a constant direction regardless of the direction of movement.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
204 words
Apparatus for folding sheet material in serpentine fashion comprising, in combination: a support frame, a paIr of endless driven chains spaced laterally from each other on said frame, said chains moving endlessly in a forward and rearward path; a pair of upper and lower guide tracks spaced in a common plane and extending longitudinally with and adjacent said chains; a pair of rollers forming a nip roll assembly extending intermediate said guide tracks through which the sheet material is fed, said rollers being movable along said guide tracks, the diameter of said rollers being less than the spacing of said tracks and means interconnecting said roller assembly to said chains whereby said rollers are pivotal relative to said chains and guide tracks so that one of said rollers is in friction driving engagement with one of said guide tracks during the forward movement of said rollers by said chain while the other of said rollers is in friction driving engagement with the other of said guide tracks whereby said rollers are counter-rotated toward each other, said rollers being pivotally reversed when moved in the rearward path so that the counter-rotation of said rollers is in a constant direction regardless of the direction of movement.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
137 words
The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said spaced guide tracks include a pair of laterally spaced upper guide tracks and a pair of laterally spaced lower guide tracks, said means interconnecting the ends of said rollers together and to said chains comprising a plate at each end of said rollers interconnecting said rollers in close proximity to each other and a pair of linking bars spaced from each other along each of said chains, said linking bars being pivotally connected at one end to said plate and pivotally connected at the other end to said chain whereby said rollers are pulled by said chain and linking bars during movement along one of said forward and rearward paths and pushed by said linking bar and chain during movement along the other of said forward and rearward path.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said linking bar pivots said plate and rollers during the transition from one of said forward and rearward paths to the other so that the frictional engagement of said rollers with said guide tracks is reversed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-04 | 1977-08-06 | 1978-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-04 | 1981-08-06 | 1982-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-04 | 1985-08-06 | 1986-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |