US1957651A - End fold mechanism - Google Patents

Description

C. G. JOA

END FOLD MECHANISM Filed June 6, 1932 attorneys Patented May 8, 1934 ,END FOLD MECHANISM Curt G. Joa,

Manitowoc, Wis., assignor to Curt G. Joa, Inc.

Application June 6, 1932, Serial No. 615,511

14 Claims. (01. 223-15) Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure showing This invention relates to improvements in end fold mechanism. It is particularly adapted for folding the end portions of the gauze wrapper over the contained pad in the process of manunapkins.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a novel a natural adhesion between a and simple apparatus employing belt and the gauze wrapper of a sanitary napkin, to produce movements of the wrapper with which may result in the particularly stated, it is my purpose tion. More respect to the pad desired folding operato support the laterally wrapped pad of a sanitary napkin for one direction the projecting of movement while end portions of the gauze wrapper are caused to adhere to a belt traveling in a different direction whereby to be folded upon the pad.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus from which gauze wrappers unprovided with pads may mechanism.

be ejected without damage to-the It is my further purpose to provide an end folding devic e operable by the movement of the wrapped articles themselves, whereby to be independent of paratus and Itismy synchronism with any other apsupporting means to receive the partially unwrappedpad during the completion of a wrapping operation and for withdrawing said supporting means on operation for the the completion of the wrapping discharge of the pad.

In the drawing:' Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically in side elevation a preferred embodiment of the invention, the guide rail being removed from the side of the belts nearest the observer in order to expose the conveying mechanism and the relation of the pad thereto.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end elevation of the device shown in Figure 1 with the afiixed detent shield removed to show the retractible support for the partially Figure3is wrapped pad. anenlarged detail view in cross section taken in the plane indicated at 3-3 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a modified embodiment fragmentary detail showing a of the invention in diaing in persp operation in ure 1.

ective the first step of the folding the use of the device shown in Figto function at an extremely high rate of speed.

further purpose to provide temporary orrica the first end fold partially completed.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary enlarged detail view in perspective, illustrating the movement of the partially wrapped napkin onto the portion of the The device preferably comprises conveyor belts l0 and aligned upper runs, as

two separate 15 having substantially shown in Figure 1, moving in corresponding directions so that a pad 16 laterally enfolded in livered to belt by chute 10 to belt across the a wrapper 17 and .de-

18 will move from belt gap at 20 in the manner shown in Figure 1, the pad having sufiicient rigidity to span the gap.

As is well known in the art, sanitary napkins are made by enveloping terial, usually cellulose, When the sides of the wrapper the end per project beyond the portions 21 a pad of suitable mawith a wrapper of gauze. pad are engaged by the and 22 of the wrappad and are to be folded over upon the pad by the mechanism of the present invention.

vas belting or beltingideal for the purpose.

covered with canvas is When belt 10 passes downwardly about pulley 23 the gauze end portion 21 of the wrapper and move downwardly the pad, however, will will move directly across trailing the gauze end causing 17 will adhere to the belt with it. The rigidity of be such that the pad the gap 20 onto belt 15, 21 beneath the pad and said gauze end to be folded upwardly against the under surface of the pad upon engagement of the gauze shown in Figures 1 It will be obvious tha 20 is dependent on the 21 with belt 15, as clearly and 6.

t the spanning of the gap presence of a pad within the wrapper. If an imperfect, non-rigid pad is present, or

if the pad has been accidentally omitted altogether from the section of the wrapper which automatically reject is moving on belt 10,

the incomplete napkin the machine will and it will pass downwardly with belt 10 and be discharged below the apparatus shown in the drawing. For this reason the Figure 1 construction is preferred to that shown in Figure 4, in which a single belt 25 is'sub stituted for the separate belts 10 and 15. Belt 25 passes about the guide roller 23 previously described and is then led over pulley 26 and pulley 2'1 to a point such that it is adapted to'receive the end of the pad; A further modification suggested by Figure '4 consists in substituting a rod 28 over which the pad 16 passes between the aligned portions of belting. In this device it is the rod 28 which actually folds the gauzeend portion 21 beneath the pad,

the principle being different from that shown in Figure 1, in which this rod is omitted and the folding is actually done by the conveyor belts themselves.

Upon completion of the first end fold involving gauze portion 21 the partially unwrapped pad proceeds to the portion of the apparatus in which the second end fold is made.

Belt 15 passes downwardly at a slight inclination over the guide roll 30 to a guide roll 31 at the point of delivery. Spaced somewhat from the downwardly inclined run 32 of the belt and disposed adjacent the guide roll 30, or any other point at which the belt makes a substantial change in direction, is a retractible slide 33 which serves as a temporary support for the partially wrapped article. Again the stiifness of the pad is relied upon to carry the pad and the previously completed gauze fold over the end of the temporary supporting plate 33, as best shown in Figure 7. The apparatus moves with considerable rapidity and the entire pad 16 is speedily projected across plate 33 upon which the pad tilts downwardly and slides untilits movement is arrested by a detent shield 34. The point at which this shield brings the pad to rest is such that the upper end is near, or may project slightly beyond, the upper end of the temporary supporting plate 33. The continued movement of the conveyor with the pad thus supported will result in frictionally carrying the end portion 22 of the wrapper beneath the plate 33 in such a position as to underlie the pad in folded relation therebeneath.

The use of a stop is not essential to the invention as the movement of the gauze beneath the plate will snub the pad to hold it on the plate or its movement maybe otherwise retarded. 1

Means is provided whereby the advance of the succeeding article upon conveyor belt 15 will electromagnetically operate to retract the temporary supporting plate or slide 33, thereby dropping the completely folded napkin onto the conveyor for discharge onto the receiving table 35.

In the path of advance of articles carried by the conveyor is a spring arm 36 connected with the moving contact 37 of a switch which includes fixed contact 38. These two contacts are connected in series with a source 39 of electric current and with a solenoid 40. The armature 41 of the solenoid is connected by links 42 and 43 and an intervening lever 44 with the temporary support or sliding plate 33 which is reciprocable in a suitable guide shown in cross section at 45 in Figure 3.

With one pad resting on the support 33 and its gauze end 22 folded beneath it in the iinal'operation, as shown in Figure 1, the movement of the next ensuing folded article beneath spring arm 36 will operate said arm to close the switch comprising contacts 37 and 38, thereby energizing solenoid 40 and instantaneously retracting slide 33 to drop the completed napkin to the conveyor. The switch will remain closed until the ensuing article has passed completely therebeneath, the resilience of arm 38 being suihcient to permit of such passage with no substantial opposition.

As soon as the ensuing article has passed arm 36 the switch is opened by compression spring 47. thereby deenergizing solenoid 40 and permitting the return of the temporary supporting plate 33 by tension spring 48. Thus, by the time the ensuing pad reaches the position for its final folding operation the plate 33 has been restored to a position to receive the pad and the operation above described is repeated. X

It is particularly to be noted that this end folding mechanism operates unitarily and independently of any other machine. Its speed may be increased to such a point that it will handle many more pads than are customarily discharged upon it by the apparatus which folds the wrappers over the sides of the pads. Thus, there will always be a sufilcient interval between pads, and the capacity of the end folding mechanism can never be reached by the side folding mechanism. It is possible with the device embodying the present invention to produce end folds at a rate more than double that of any existing apparatus for the purpose.

Not only does the device make a neat and fold with inexpensive apparatus, but it automatically rejects imperfect napkins by discharging them between belts 10 and 15, as previously described.

I claim:

1. End fold mechanism comprising conveying means having spaced portions sufliciently close together so that the space between them may be spanned by a comparatively rigid article conveyed by said means, said conveying means being composed of a material to which the projecting end portions of a textile wrapper of such article will adhere, thereby to'be deflected into a position underlying the article.

2. In an end fold mechanism, the combination with a temporary supporting plate of means for delivering to said plate a partially wrapped-article with a projecting wrapper end, means whereby said end is carried beneath the article supported by the plate, and means for retracting said plate from between the article and the wrapper end folded therebeneath.

3. In an end folding mechanism, thecombination with a temporary support for pads partially wrapped with a textile envelope having an end projecting beyond the pad, of conveyor means associated with the temporary support for delivcry of the pad thereto, said conveyor means and wrapper being mutually adherent and said conveyor means being extended beneath said support whereby to be adapted to carry the wrapper end beneath the pad so supported, and means for discharging said pad from said support to said conveyor upon its under folded wrapper end.

4. In an end folding mechanism, the combination with a conveyor of end folding means including a retractible support, and means operated by the movement of articles on said conveyor for retracting said support, whereby said end folding mechanism is operable independently of other devices.

5. In an end folding mechanism, the combination with a temporary support for an article to be wrapped, means for folding the end of a wrapper with respect to said article, and conveyor means for delivering an article to said support, of electromagnetic means for discharging said article from said support, and a switch including an arm in the path of a subsequent conveyed article for controlling said electromagnetic means.

6. In an end fold mechanism, the combination with a conveyor and means for changing the direction of movement thereof, of a temporary support adjacent said means in spaced relation to said conveyor and adapted to receive an article passing from said conveyor in its original direction of movement, a stop limiting the motion of said article on said support, whereby to permit the wrapper of said article to be carried by said conveyor beneath the support in folded relation to the article, and mechanically actuated means for retracting said support from between the articlejkand the underfolded end portion of its wrap jer.

'7.. n an end fold mechanism, the combination with a conveyor and means for changing the direction of movement thereof, of a temporary support, adjacent said means in spaced relation to said conveyor and adapted to receive an article passing'from-said conveyor in its original direction of movement, a stop limiting the motion of said article on said support, whereby to permit the wrapper of said article to be carried by said conveyor beneath the support in folded relation to the article, and mechanically actuated means for retracting said support from between the article and the underfolded end portion of its wrapper, said means being controlled by the movement of a subsequent article on said conveyor toward said support.

8. End folding mechanism comprising a single article supporting and conveying means including means for causing changes of direction of said supporting means at two points intermediate its ends, means at the first of said points for folding a wrapper end beneath a comparatively rigid article moving with said conveyor means,

' and means at the second of said points for folding another wrapper end beneath said article.

9.- End fold mechanism comprising conveyor means including an end fold. device operative upon a partially wrapped article during its continuous uninterrupted movement in one direction on said conveyor means, together with a temporary support adapted to receive said article fromsaid conveyor means, a stop for temporarily interrupting its movement, said conveyor means including means for causing a second end fold-of the wrapper about said article, and means for discharging said article'from said support and stop upon said conveyor for continued travel therewith in the same direction.

10. The process of folding the end of a wrapper about a comparatively rigid article, which method consists in conveying the article and wrapper substantially horizontally in one direction and changing the direction of movement of the end portion of the wrapper projecting in advance" of said article downwardly from said horizontal direction while ,utilizing the relative rigidity of the article to maintain the direction of movement of the otherwise unsupported end of the article against the deflecting tendency arising from the change of direction of said end portion of said wrapper.

11. The method of folding the projecting end of a flexible wrapper about a comparatively rigid article, which method includes supporting the article, with said end portion in substantially the same plane as said article, conveying said article along said plane, deflecting the forwardly projecting end downwardly from said plane and beneath the supported article, and utilizing the comparative rigidity of the article for maintaining movement of the otherwise unsupported end of the article in its original direction to fold the said deflected end portion of the wrapper upon the article.

12. The method of folding about a relatively rigid article the end portion of a flexible wrapper enveloping said article, which method consists in supporting said article at its rearmost portion with its front portion free of support while effecting a folding movement of said end back against said article and subsequently transferring the support of the article to the forward portion thereof against which the end of said wrapper is folded whereby to complete the folding operation.

13. End folding mechanism comprising first and second conveyor elements spaced to provide a gap across which the article to be wrapped may be projected, the first conveyor element having a surface to which the wrapper for such article is adhesive and being extended from said gap away from the path of said article whereby to initiate the folding movement of the forwardly projecting end portions of the wrapper for such an article, the completion of the folding of the end portions of the wrapper upon the article being effected by the continued movement of the article across the gap onto the second conveyor portion.

14. End folding mechanism for folding onto a pad the projecting end ofa gauze wrapper for such pad, said mechanism comprising in combination a conveyor belt to which such a wrapper is adhesive, sa'fdbelt having a delivery flight and a flight deviating from said delivery flight, a second conveyor spaced from the first conveyor to provide a gap along which said deviating flight extends, the width of the gap being such that it may be spanned by the article delivered from said first conveyor, the end of the gauze wrapper being carried by said deviating flight away from the path of said article and drawn beneath the article by the continued movement thereof across the gap.

r CURT G. JOA. I

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