Machine for folding flexible sheets

Claim 2

A buckle-folding machine for folding sheets of material, comprising a plurality of fold stations each including a pair of pinch rolls and a fold plate defining a sheet-receiving space, infeed means to feed a sheet of material to the fold stations, deflector means at the fold stations operable to one position to cause the sheet to be fed between the pinch rolls and folded and operable to another position to deflect the sheet past the pinch rolls unfolded, dependent upon the dimensions of the sheet, and deflector operating means connected with the deflector means to operate the deflector means to their two positions, said operating means including a plurality of spaced apart first sensing means at the infeed means operatively connected to initiate operation of the deflector means at the first of said plurality of fold stations to effect folding of the sheet at said first fold station when said sheet exceeds a predetermined size as sensed by said first sensing means, and fold station sensing means at each of said fold stations, control means connecting said fold station sensing means together so that one fold station sensing means is operatively connected to a succeeding fold station sensing means at a next succeeding fold station to initiate operation of the deflector means at the next succeeding fold station into said one position to cause the sheet to be fed between the pinch rolls at said next succeeding fold station to further fold the sheet when the presence of the sheet is simultaneously sensed by the first sensing means at the infeed means and by said one fold station sensing means.

Claim 3

A machine as in claim 1, wherein the first sensing means comprises a pair of sensing devices spaced apart a predetermined distance in the direction of feed of the sheet of material, and the fold station sensing means comprises a sensing means at each fold station spaced a predetermined distance from the pinch rolls of that fold station.

Claim 4

A machine as in claim 2, wherein each fold station includes a pair of fold plates defining a fold pocket therebetween having an entrance thereto, the entrance to said fold pockets spaced closely adjacent the pair of pinch rolls for that fold station, said fold station sensing device spaced a predetermined distance inwardly of the entrance to the fold pocket, and said deflector means comprises a movable gate positioned at the entrance to the fold pocket and having a sheet guide surface to guide a sheet of material fed to the fold station, said deflector having a first, deflect position with the guide surface thereof across the entrance to the fold pocket to deflect the sheet past the fold pocket unfolded and a second, fold position with the guide surface angularly disposed and leading to the entrance to the fold pocket to guide a sheet of material into the fold pocket.

Claim 5

A machine as in claim 3, wherein a stop means is in each fold pocket against which the leading edge of the sheet abuts when guided into the pocket to cause the sheet to buckle adjacent the entrance to the fold pocket, said buckled portion of the sheet thus being fed between a pair of subsequent pinch rolls to effect folding of the sheet.

Claim 6

A machine as in claim 3, wherein electrical circuit means is connected with the first and fold station sensing means and deflector means to control operation of the deflector means in response to a condition sensed by the sensing means, said sensing means comprising photocells each having an output, and said circuit means comprising an amplifier means for amplifying said photocell outputs connected with the output of each of the photocells on the infeed means, the outputs of said amplifier means connected with a logic network, the output of said logic network connected through an amplifying circuit to a solenoid, and said solenoid connected to operate the deflector means at the first fold station upon energization of said solenoid, a pulse stretching circuit means for extending the amplified photocell output connected between the output of the amplified means of the first photocell on the infeed means and the solenoid for the deflector means at the first fold station, and the photocells at each fold station connected through a respective logic network and amplifying circuit means with a deflector means operating solenoid at each fold station, the output from the amplifier means of said first photocell connected as an input to each of the logic networks for the remaining photocells, and the output of the pulse stretching circuit means connected with each of the solenoids, whereby when the first photocell is interrrupted by a sheet of paper a signal is transmitted through the pulse stretching network to each of the solenoids to cause operation of all of the deflector means to one of said first and second positions, and when the sheet of paper interrupts both the photocells on the infeed means, two signals are transmitted to the logic network associated therewith to cause a signal to the first solenoid to operate the first solenoid and its associated deflector means to the other of said first and second positions, and when the photocell at each succeeding fold station is interrupted by the sheet of paper, a signal is transmitted through the logic network associated therewith to cause operation of the solenoid and deflector means at that fold station to said other position so long as the first photocell remains interrupted by the first sheet of paper.

Claim 7

A machine as in claim 1, wherein the sensing means comprise photocells.

Claim 8

A machine as in claim 1, wherein each fold station includes a pair of fold plates defining a fold pocket therebetween having an entrance thereto, the entrance to the fold pocket disposed adjacent the pinch rolls for that fold station, and the deflector means comprises a gate movably mounted adjacent the entrance to the fold pocket, said gate having a guide surface to guide the sheet of material and having a first position blocking the entrance to the fold pocket and a second position leading into the entrance to the fold pocket.

Claim 9

A machine as in claim 7, further including a friction clutch means for transmitting power from a power means to said deflector means and wherein said deflector operating means includes a rotatable spring clutch means for connecting said power means to said clutch means to cause rotation thereof, holding means engagable with said spring clutch means and selectively operable to two positions of engagement with the spring clutch means to stop rotation of the spring clutch means at said two positions, said two positions spaced approximately 180° apart so that said spring clutch means moves in increments of 180°, first link means connected with said spring clutch means for rotation therewith in said 180° increments for connecting said power means to said spring clutch means, and second link means connected with said first link means for transmitting oscillatory motion, said second link means connected with a first disc of said friction clutch means, said friction clutch means including a second disc and a friction material sandwiched between said first and second discs, whereby motion imparted to the first disc by the second link means is transmitted to the second disc, a shaft connected with the second disc and extending coaxially therefrom and connected with said deflector means, said second link causing said friction clutch means to oscillate back and forth and thus to effect oscillating movement of said deflector between its said two positions.

Claim 10

A machine as in claim 8, wherein a lever is connected at one end to said shaft and extends perpendicularly to said shaft, said lever connected at its other end to said deflector means.

Claim 11

A machine as in claim 8, wherein a toothed gear is carried by said shaft extending from said friction clutch means, and a second toothed gear is connected to said deflector means, said first and second gears being meshed with one another, whereby rotation of said shaft and first gear causes rotation of said second gear and said deflector means.

Claim 12

In a buckle-folding machine for folding sheets of material, the machine including infeed means to feed a sheet of material to the machine, a plurality of fold stations each having a pair of pinch rolls between which the sheets may be fed to be folded, deflector means at each fold station selectively operable to one position to deflect the sheet through the machine unfolded and to a second position to deflect the sheet between the pinch rolls to fold the sheet, and operating means connected between a source of power and the deflector means to operate said deflector means to the first and second positions, the improvement comprising a friction clutch means having a pair of engagable discs in the operating means operative to transmit power from a source of power to the deflector means in normal operation, but operative to slip and interrupt the transmittal of power in the event movement of the deflector means is hindered, to thus protect the operating means and deflector means and wherein the operating means includes first connecting means connecting said clutch means to the power source in a manner which causes said clutch to reciprocate, and second connecting means connecting said deflector means to said clutch means in a manner which causes the deflector to oscillate.

Claim 13

In a buckle-folding machine for folding sheets of material, the machine including infeed means to feed a sheet of material to the machine, a plurality of fold stations each having a pair of pinch rolls between which the sheets may be fed to be folded, deflector means at each fold station selectively operable to one position to deflect the sheet through the machine unfolded and to a second position to deflect the sheet between the pinch rolls to fold the sheet, and operating means connected between a source of power and the deflector means to operate said deflector means to the first and second positions, the improvement comprising a friction clutch means having a pair of engagable discs in the operating means operative to transmit power from a source of power to the deflector means in normal operation, but operative to slip and interrupt the transmittal of power in the event movement of the deflector means is hindered, to thus protect the operating means and deflector means and wherein the operating means includes first connecting means connecting said clutch means to the power source in a manner which causes said clutch to reciprocate, and second connecting means connecting said deflector means to said clutch means in a manner which causes the deflector to oscillate.

Claim 14

A machine as in claim 11, wherein sensing means are on the infeed means and at the fold stations to sense the presence of a sheet of material fed to the machine, said sensing means operatively connected to the deflector means to cause operation of the deflector means in response to the sensed presence of the sheet of material.

Claim 15

A machine as in claim 12, wherein said clutch deflector means includes a spring clutch and said operating means includes a belt engaged with said spring clutch to effect rotation of said spring clutch, said spring clutch having a stop rib on an outer surface thereof and an output shaft extending coaxially therefrom, a first link connected to the output shaft for rotation therewith, a holding means engagable with said stop rib on said spring clutch and operable to stop the stop rib in two positions spaced approximately 180° apart to effect rotation of the first link through 180° increments, a second link connected at one end with the first link and connected at its other end with the means, a solenoid connected with said holding means to operate the holding means, said solenoid being operatively connected with the sensing means so that said solenoid is energized responsive to the condition sensed by the sensing means to effect operation of said holding means and thus said incremental movement of said spring clutch and movement of the means to its two positions.

Claim 16

A machine as in claim 13, wherein the deflector means includes a substantially flat paper guiding surface adapted to be disposed across the path of a sheet of paper passing through the machine to deflect the sheet of paper and prevent it from entering between an associated pair of pinch rolls, a web extending substantially perpendicularly from the deflector on the side thereof opposite said paper guiding surface, said deflector mounted for pivotal movement about one edge of the paper guiding surface, an elongated deflector operating shaft secured to said one edge and extending longitudinally therefrom, a gear secured on the end of said shaft, said operating means including a rotatable shaft having a gear thereon in mesh with the gear on the deflector shaft, so that the deflectors can be removed and replaced in different positions thereof.

Claim 17

A machine as in claim 13, further including pinch rolls which include a plurality of upper pinch rolls and a cooperating plurality of lower pinch rolls, a reduced diameter shaft extending from opposite ends of the lower plurality of pinch rolls, a motor means connected with the shaft at one end of at least one of the lower plurality of pinch rolls to rotate the pinch roll, means interconnecting the plurality of pinch rolls whereby operation of said at least one pinch roll by said motor means results in operation of all the pinch rolls, the shaft extending from the other end of said at least one pinch roll being elongated and connected to the deflector operating means, drive means on the elongated end of said shaft, said deflector operating means including driven means connected with the drive means to be driven thereby, whereby the deflectors are operated by the pinch roll drive means.