Untitled record

Application filed September 8,1893. SerialNo. 485,076. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Wilford A. Hill, of Waltham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain 5 new and useful Improvements in PowderFolding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine which will fold medicinal powders io in papers in the same manner as they are folded by hand, and to this end the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a construction for carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 shows 20 a vertical longitudinal section. Figs. 4,5 and 6 show section views which illustrate the steps in the folding operation. Figs. 7 and 8 show respectively a perspective view and a sectional view of a folded powder. Figs. 9 and 25 10 illustrate a device for dumping the powder, Fig. 9 being a side elevation, and Fig. 10 a section. Fig. 11 is a section on line 11—11 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the driving disk, the latter being in position with one 30 of the racks about to engage with the spur wheel on shaft c.

The letter a designates the supporting, frame of the machine and b a hopper supported, thereby in an elevated position and 35 adapted to contain the powder. A vertical shaft b' in the hopper carries stirring arms b² and a feed-screw δ³, and the said shaft is adapted to be turned by a bevel gear δ⁴, formed with a hub in which the hopper fits, 40 and to which the shaft is pinnbd. A continuation δ⁵ of the hopper forms a bearing for a shaft c, which is formed with a cavity c' for receiving and measuring the dose of powder. The shaft in its normal position 45 stands with the cavity c'on the upper side where it may be filled with powder from the hopper, and the shaft is adapted to be rotated so as to invert the cavity and dump the powder therefrom. The shaft carries a gear c² as 50 a means of receiving rotary motion, and transmits motion to the gear δ⁴ by means of a segment c⁸ affixed to it, and meshing with said gear.

A block c⁴ forms the bottom of the cavity c', and may be adjusted to vary the size of the 55 cavity for different doses. The means here shown for adjusting the block consists in a rod d supported eccentrically in the shaft c and against which the block bears so that by turning the'said eccentric rod the block may 60 be moved in the cavity and the depth thereof varied. A knob d' connected to the end of the rod d by means of a spindle e⁹ provides means for turning the latter, and said knob will be marked to indicate different doses, and 65 by registering these marks with an index-finger d² the proper adjustment of the block d can be determined. The block is preferably spring actuated against the eccentric rod by means of springs e¹⁰, one of which is shown in 70 Fig. 10. '

Means may- be employed to project the block and clear the cavity of powder when it reaches the dumping position, as follows, (see Figs. 9 and 10:) An indicator arm e is 75 mounted loosely on the stem of the rodcZ,and projects over the periphery of the knob d, and is provided with a set-screw d³, to fix it at different points determined by a scale on the knob. To adjust the block c⁴ the knob is 80 turned until the arm e abuts against a stop e' projecting from the end of shaft c. A gear e² is fixed on the stem ofThe knob and a segment e³ is adjustably fastened to the frame, and is designed to remain fixed at one posi- 85 tion while the machine operates. The said gear being eccentric to the shaft, c, when the latter is rotated the center/of said gear describes an orbit and some of its teeth will encounter the segment e³, and the rod d will pro- 90 ject the block c⁴ and cause it to clear the cavity of powder. A springe⁸returns the block d.

The means for projecting the block c⁴ as just described maybe dispensed with, and the blockset in its adj usted position by means 95 of a screw c¹⁰ having a head c¹¹ as shown in Fig. 1, said screw being fitted to a hole in the shaft c and bearing against the end of the block c*.

The paper 2 of which the powders are 100

529,908 formed is carried in a roll and is fed ih a continuous strip by feed-rollers f and f', the latter being supported in pivotal bearings and. spring actuated against the former, and the roller / carrying a gear /² as a means of receiving motion. A chute g is supported in a position to receive the paper from the feed rollers and guide it to the cutter and folders. The cutter is composed of two members, the io stationary one of which, h is carried by pivoted arms 7/., and pressed down by springs 7/. The other member 7/ of the cutter is carried on a bar 7/, which constitutes a folder as will hereinafter appear, and is pivoted to r 5 the frame of the machine, its center of movement being at the point 7/. Said bar 7i⁴ carries a segmental side-piece 7/ which supports the knife 7i. A bar i is fixed to the frame of the machine in such a position that the bar so 7i⁴ may abut against it in its normal position with its outer or top side flush with the edge of the bar i, and when the bar 7i⁴ is turned forward on its pivot a corner is formed in which the paper is creased, as hereinafter ex2 5 plained. A bed j is fastened to the frame of the machine at a point below the bar i, and is cut out at the middle to form a depression./. A folder-plate/ projects from a bar/which is pivoted to the frame of the machine, so as ’o to bring, the axial line at the lower edge of the bed j, at which place the paper is creased. The bar / carries a pair of curved fingers / extending parallel with the plate/. Guides k are connected with the frame, on opposite sides of bed j, by hinges k', and are held by springs 7c² in position to receive the paper ' from the chute g. The bar / carries fingers / which are arranged to abut the guides k, and throw them outward clear of the edges 40 of the paper.

A folding bar or plate m is pivoted to the frame so that it may normally have position below the bed /-and said bar and bed are beveled, and their edges meet at a corner 45 where a fold is made in the paper. The bar m carries wipers m' at opposite sides, which wipers have a quadrant shape, and in their normal position have their straight edges flush with the bar J/ and bed j. These wipers 50 turn down the ends of the folded paper by passing the ends of the bed/

The operation is as follows: The feed-rollers feed the proper length of paper out of the chute g, and over the bedy and folder/, said 5 5 paper being confined in the guides k at each side. The said folder / moves over to the position shown in Fig 4, thus folding the paper, as the latter is held in the guides 7c, and said folder stops long enough to allow the 60 shaft c to dump the powder contained in the cavity c'. This charge of the powder falls into the bite of paper formed by the folder / and is accommodated in the depression/in the bed j. The folder/ is carried on and folds 65 the paper down upon the bed/and at the same time the knife 7/ advances far enough to cut the paper in coaction with the knife It. Then the knife 7/ recedes sufficiently to allow the edge of the paper to fall back under it and against the bar 7/. This bar advances again, 70 and the edge of the paper being held by engagement with the knife, a crease will bo formed between the bar 7/, and the stationary bar i. The folder 7/ folds down the paper sufficiently to bring its edge under the fingers 75 /, and then returns to its normal position, leaving the paper. The folder m is turned outward on its pivot and carries the paper over onto the bed / a crease being formed between the edges of the said folder and the 80 bed,and the fingers/directingthe part folded by the bar 7/, upon the body of the paper. At the same time the wipers m' pass the ends of the bed and turn down the ends of the folded paper. . 85

It will be seen by reference to Fig. 6 that the paper has been doubly folded, and that the part 3 containing the powder is under the folder plate/ while the other part 4 is on top of said plate, and the ends 5 extend past the 90 bed / The folders m and / return to their normal positions, and the plate / carries the folder over and delivers it.

The guides 7c are moved out of the path of the knife 7i³, and folder m by fingers / on the 95 bar/.

It will be seen that the powder is folded exactly as it is customary to do it by hand, one edge of the paper being folded over the other as seen at 6, Fig. 8. 100

The means here shown for imparting motion to the parts at the proper times consist in a disk 0 having mutilated teeth in its inner side adapted to engage the gears/² and c², and gears 7/ and / and m⁹, on the journals of the 105 folders, at the proper time.

The rows of teeth projecting from the disk constitute racks, and they will be so termed. Referring to Figs. 1, 3 and 11, particularly the latter, it will be seen that the racks are 1 to adapted to engage with the gears or pinions as follows: rack 0' with gear c²; rack 0¹⁰ with gear /² (the teeth of rack o¹⁰ are longer than those of rack o', the latter passing by the side of gear /²); racks 0¹¹ and 0¹² with opposite 115 sides of gear 7/ to rotate it alternately in opposite directions; racks o¹³and 0¹⁴ with opposite sides of gear m¹, racks 0¹⁵ and o^1G with opposite sides of gear/.

It is evident variations may be made in the 120 structure here illustrated, and hence the invention is not limited in this respect.