US3591166A

US3591166A - Oscilating cloth folder having movable cloth hanger

Info

Publication number: US3591166A
Application number: US768340A
Authority: US
Inventors: Takeshi Ebisu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-10-26
Filing date: 1968-10-17
Publication date: 1971-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 1988-07-06
Also published as: GB1236273A; DE1805060A1

Abstract

This invention relates to a cloth folding machine comprising a means for feeding beltlike sheets of cloth downward, a guide means for horizontally oscillating the cloth by interlocking with the cloth feeding means, a cloth holding means for pressing the cloth to a hanging means thereof, whereby the rolled beltlike sheet of cloth is uncoiled to be again folded in an alternate direction and the resultant foldings are suspended alternately on the right and left sides of the cloth hanging means.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Takeshi Ebisu 39 Murasakino Sekiryu-cho Kita-ku, Kyoto-shi. Japan [21] Appl. No. 768,340

[22] Filed Oct. 17,1968

[45] Patented July 6, 1971 [32] Priority Oct. 26, 1967 1 Japan [54] OSCILATING CLOTH FOLDER HAVING MOVABLE CLOTH HANGER 12 Claims, 17 Drawing Figs.

- [52] U.S.Cl 270/79, 270/30 [51] Int. Cl B65h 45/20 [50] Field otSearch 270/79, 30

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,480,517 1/1924 Doolittle 270/79 1,624,060 4/1927 Nanterme 270/79 2,265,458 12/1941 Stafford et a1. 270/79 2,855,196 10/1958 Quirk 270/79 3,355,164 1 1/1967 Stulman 270/79 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examinerl.. R. Oremland Atmrney- Flynn and Frishauf ABSTRACT: This invention relates to a cloth folding machine comprising a means for feeding beltlike sheets of cloth downward, a guide means for horizontally oscillating the cloth by interlocking with the cloth feeding means, a cloth holding means for pressing the cloth to a hanging means thereof, whereby the rolled beltlike sheet of cloth is uncoiled to be again folded in an alternate direction and the resultant foldings are suspended alternately on the right and left sides of the cloth hanging means.

PATENTED JUL 6 1971 FIG. 1

SHEET 1 BF ,7

INVEN'I'OR.

PATENTED JUL BIS?! 3,591, 166

SHEET

2 or 7 PIC-3.3

PATENTEU JUL s 1971 SHEEI 3 0F 7 FIG.5A

PATENTED JUL 6197i SHEET b 0F 7 PATENTED JUL 6 m1 SHEET '5 [IF 7 PATENTEDJUL slsm 3.591.166

SHEET 6 BF 7 -FIG.IIA

PATENTEDJUL 6|97i 3,591,165

' SHEEI'IOF? FIG.I1B

v i i OSCILATING CLOTH FOLDER HAVING MOVABLE CLOTH HANGER The present invention relates to a cloth folding machine for uncoiling rolled beltlike cloth sheeting so as to be again folded in an alternate direction.

In general, woven and finished cloth is either transferred to a dyeing process or directly supplied to the market as a plain 1 product. To describe the finishing process, with silk taken as an example, the silk yarn is sized with starch or the like before being woven into fabric. The sized fabric is generally stripped of the sizing agent by being dipped in suds or a treating liquid such as a solution of sodium carbonate.

There will now be described the folding of fabric particularly prepared for use as a Kimono. While, in a very small percentage of large works, rolled woven fabric is uncoiled as it is to be continuously subjected to a finishing step, the customary practice is to cut beltlike cloth sheeting into a prescribed length (say, about 53 or I meters) and subject these cut lengths of cloth to a finishing process. If, in this case, the rolled cloth is dipped in a treating liquid, the sizing agent will not be fully removed. In general, therefore, the cloth is folded in an alternate direction before being dipped in such liquid. Also after the cloth is dyed, it is cut into lengths of 23 or 46 meters to provide requirements for one person and folded in an alternate direction so as to ease subsequent handling.

As mentioned above, during the process whereby beltlike sheets of woven fabric is made into a Kimono, it undergoes repeated cycles of being rolled and then uncoiled so as to be folded in an alternate direction. Since this folding step is not adapted for mechanical mass production, almost all of it is at the present moment performed by hand domestically on a small scale. The manual folding of tremendous quantities of cloth is not only a heavy burden to the operator, but also is handicapped by extremely low efficiency. Moreover, this type of work requires an appreciable degree of skill, so that difficulties have been experienced in obtaining trained workers.

On the other hand, large plants fold cloth by mechanical means. The folding machine heretofore used consists of a bed on which the cloth forwarded from the taken-up roll is placed after being folded and a guide for cloth so disposed as to travel back and forth with an oscillating motion in a horizontal direction over the bed thereby to cause the cloth to be folded in an alternate direction. When the guide is retracted, the folded edge of cloth is pressed down to the bed by a keep arm fitted to both lengthwise ends of the bed.

The above-described type of folding machine is extremely bulky as a whole and has a complicated arrangement. Moreover, as described above, the folded edge of cloth is forcefully pressed to the bed with the resultant creation of deep creases. Accordingly, the machine can not be used, with soft fabric particularly such as silk cloth, whose commercial value will be drastically reduced if creases are generated in the texture. Thus the conventional folding apparatus had the drawback that its bulkiness naturally led to high cost and required a large space.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a compact apparatus for mechanically carrying out the folding of cloth which has heretofore mainly depended on manual operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cloth folding machine which prevents creases from being created in the folded cloth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cloth folding machine which permits cloth to be easily folded in a single, double or multiple sheet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cloth folding machine wherein the last folding of one folding cycle representing a specified length of cloth sheeting is made during operation to be suspended longer than the preceding ones included in said cycle, so that the cloth is always divisible in said specified length by cutting the bottom end of the last folding ofeach folding cycle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to provide a cloth folding machine comprising a means for progressively feeding beltlike cloth sheeting downward, a detachable cloth hanging means arranged in a horizontal direction below the cloth feeding means, the hanging means being cyclically movable to predetermined positions on either side of the plane in which the cloth is fed a pair of cloth holding means contacting the 0 cloth hanging means alternately be interlocking with the means for moving the hanging means whereby the cloth forwarded by the feeding means is folded alternately on the right and left sides ofthe cloth hanging means.

There will now be described the present invention by reference to the embodiments illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a plan view of a cloth folding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a lateral view of the machine of FIG. 1 with the outer panel taken off and a part of the inner panel broken away;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a part of a metal plate fitted to the cloth hanging rod of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5A to 5C are schematic diagrams showing a series of steps of folding cloth;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention, with a part broken away;

FIG. 7 is a lateral view of FIG. 6 with the outer panel taken off;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of only the handle for operating the cloth hanging rod of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 schematically shows the condition in which the cloth folded to a prescribed length is suspended from the cloth hanging rod;

FIG. 10 schematically presents the arrangement of a different embodiment from that of FIG. '7;

FIGS. 11A and 11B are diagrammatical illustrations ofa different cloth folding operation from that shown in FIGS. 5A to SC; and

FIGS. 12A to 12C diagrammatically indicate the condition of cloth folded by various methods.

Throughout the figures, numerals I and 2 are inner panels spatially disposed so as to face each other. Further outside of these inner panels I and 2 are spatially located

outer panels

3 and 4. On the front and back sides respectively of the folding machine are provided

spacing materials

5 and 6 in a manner to penetrate these inner and

outer panels

1, 2, 3 and 4 at right angles thereby to constitute a frame member 7 together with said panels. The frame member 7 is raised above the floor by the legs 8 projecting downward from the bottom of each of the panels.

There is provided a fixed shaft F so as to penetrate the upper central part of the inner and

outer panels

1, 2, 3 and 4 at right angles. Below the fixed shaft 9 in the forward direction is positioned a hollow shaft 10 in parallel to said shaft 9 in a manner to rotate between the inner panels I and 2. Further below the hollow shaft 10 is located a driving shaft 11 so as to penetrate the inner panels I and 2 and one of the outer panels 3 and rotate therethrough.

To the central part of the hollow shaft 10 is attached a driving roller I2. To that end of the hollow shaft of said roller 10 projecting into the space between the inner panel I and outer panel 3 is fixed a chain gear 1.3av And to the driving shaft 11 opposite to the chain gear I3 is fitted another chain gear 14. These gears are connected by an endless roller chain 15. To that end of the driving shaft 11 extending outside of the outer panel 3 is fixed a handle I6.

Spatially from the outer circumferential surface of the driving roller 12 are arranged a plurality of (four in this embodiment) shafts I7 extending in a lengthwise direction. On each of the shafts 17 are fixed a plurality of guide rollers 18 spatially from each other. Over the outer circumferential surface of these guide rollers 18 and driving roller 12 are stretched a plurality of endless belts 19.

The driven roller which is made to rotate in contact with the driving roller 12 is rotatably suspended from the fixed shaft 9 by a pair oflevers Zll. From the outer ends of the levers 21 are projecting a plurality of arms 22 in the radial direction of'the driven roller 2t). And between the arms 22 positioned opposite to each other, with the driven roller 2% intervening therebetween, are provided shafts 23 in a manner to bridge the arms 22. On these shafts 23 are fixed guide rollers 24 spatially from each other, and over the outer circumferential sur-- faces of the guide rollers 24 and driven roller 2% are stretched endless belts 25. The aforesaid cloth feeding means is composed of the

rollers

12 and 20 and endless belts l9 and 25.

On the other hand, the hollow shaft ill has a cam shaft inserted into it. To that part of the cam shaft 26 facing the outer surface of the inner panel 2 is attached a chain gear 27, and to that part of the driving shaft ll opposite to the chain gear 27 is fitted another chain gear 28. These chain gears 27 and 28 are connected to each other by an endless roller chain 29. Both ends of the cam shaft 2 5 are fitted with a cam plate 30. On the outside of each cam plate Elli is positioned a projecting pin 3ll in an eccentrical relation with the cam shaft, and to this pin 31 is rotatably fitted a lever As shown in FIG. 3, there are provided a pair of oscillating arms 33 rotatably supported at one end by the fixed shaft in the middle of the oscillating arm 33 is perforated a groove 34, and at the bottom end of the arm 33 is formed a book 35. Between the hooks 35 of the oscillating arms 33 is detachably fitted a rod 36 constituting the cloth hanging means together with said hooks 35. As illustrated in FlG. for example, the hanging of cloth may be effected by causing the cloth to be attached'to both sides ofa metal plate 38 provided with a hook 37 at the top by a force of attraction generated by the static energy of the cloth.

Through the substantially central part of the inner panels is inserted a pin 39, both ends of which project from the panels. To the projecting ends of the pin are fitted guide levers ill in such a manner that the middle part of the lever 4t can rotate around the pin 39. The outer ends of both aforementioned lever 32 and guide lever 40 are rotatably connected by a pin '41 which is slidably inserted into the groove 34 of the oscillating arm 33.

There are provided a pair of guide plates 42 for guiding the cloth in a manner to bridge the lower lateral sides of the guide levers 40. The guide plates d2 are so arranged as to allow a broader space at the upper part than at the bottom part. On the lateral face of the guide plate are spatially disposed keep arms 43 for engaging the cloth and which are made of elastic material such as a spring plate. These keep arms 43 project from the lateral face of the guide plate 42 at a prescribed angle. To the ends of these keep arms 43 is fitted a press plate 44. When the guide lever 44B horizontally oscillates the keep pressplate 44 is made to contact the

cloth hanging member

36 or 38.

There will now be described by reference to FlGS. 3 and 5 the operation and functioning of a cloth folding machine according to the aforementioned embodiment.

The feed end of the rolled cloth a is uncoiled and inserted into the contact area between the driving roller 112 and driven roller 20. When the handle 16 rotates clockwise as illustrated, the driving roller 12 rotates similarly clockwise through the chain gears 14 and 13 and endless roller chain and the belt '19 also rotates by sliding over the guide roller l8. Thus the driven roller 20 and belt 25 contacting the driving roller 11?. rotate counterclockwise, and the cloth a is progressively forwarded downward by being clamped between the rollers "2 and 20 and the

belts

119 and 25.

On the other hand, the clockwise rotation of the handle lid causes the cam shaft 26 to rotate similarly clockwise by interlocking with the chain gear 28 and 27 and endless roller chain 29, followed by the rotation of the cam plates 36*. Accordingly, the resultant movement of the cranks of the levers 32 fitted to the cam plates 30 causes the oscillating arms 33 to rotate right and left around the fixed shaft 9, making a sectorial motion. The aforementioned movement of the crank of the lever 32 also causes the guide lever ll) to make a sectorial motion around the pin 39 in the opposite direction to the movement ofthe oscillating arm 33.

There will now be described by reference to FIGS. 5A to 5C a series of steps of folding the cloth a using the cloth hanging rod 36. initially, the feed end of the cloth a is suspended on the right side of the rod 36 as illustrated in FIG. 5A, and the guide plate l2 subsequently shifts to the left side. Conversely, where the guide plate 4.? moves to the right side, the cloth a is suspended on the left side of the rod 36. The rotation of the handle to causes the guide plate 42 to be driven to the left side and the rod 36 to be driven to the right side. When the keep arm of the guide plate 42 contacts the rod 36, the cloth a stops falling to the right side of the rod 36, thus forming one U shaped folding. At this time the guide plate 42 is positioned on the left side of the perpendicular passing through the rod 36, causing the cloth a to be suspended on the left side of the rod (H0. 53). Next when the rod 36 again shifts to the left and the guide plate 321 to the right as shown in FIG. 5C, there is formed on the left side of the rod as another U-shaped folding held by the keep arm 43. When the steps represented by F2 63. and 5C are subsenuently repeated the cloth a is alternatively folded on the left and right sides of the rod 36. In

- this case, it is required to adjust the space between the keep arm 4.3 and the rod 3d as more foldings of cloth are increasingly hung onthe rod Since, in this embodiment, the keep arm 33 is formed from a spring plate, such adjustment can be effected by the flexure of the spring plate.

Finally, the cloth a presents a successively folded state as illustrated in FIG. 3, bringing the folding operation to an end. Then the folded cloth is taken off the hooks 35 of the folding machine together with the cloth hanging rod 36 and then the rod is pulled out of the cloth. When the foldings of cloth which have been suspended from both sides of the rod are laid flat after its removal, the foldings on either side present the state shown in FEG. 12A, in which a single sheet ofcloth is folded in layers. Where a double sheet of cloth is to be folded, it is only required to cause the forward and rear ends of unfolded cloth (as later described) to be superposed, again feed the superposed sheets through the rollers and fold and hang them on the rod 3i) in the same manner as described above. The cloth thus folded is brought to the state shown in FIG. 123. If it is desired to divide the double sheeting of cloth, after being folded, into two separate parts, then it is only required to cut the bottom end of the last folding of one folding cycle. Accordingli, the folded form of FIG. $28 is convenient to the cloth fabricator at the time the product is delivered to a buyer.

in the foregoing embodiment, the driven roller 20 was made to be suspended from the fixed shaft 9 by the lever 21 so as to be detachably titted to the driving roller 12. However, it will be apparent that the driven roller 20 may be disposed between the inner panels 5": and TB in such a manner that the shaft of said roller 269 can be adjustably moved by a suitable means toward the driving roller in the crosswise direction of the frame body.

There will now be described by reference to FIGS. 6 to 10 another embodiment of the present invention which makes the cloth feeding means operable not only by a driving source consisting of a motor or the like but also by hand. Throughout the figures, numerals Mill and W2 represent inner panels spatially disposed so as to face each other. Numerals W3 and 104i denote outer panels spatially arranged outside of the inner panels Mill and. 332 respectively. At the front and rear parts of the folding machine are positioned spacing members 105 and in a manner to penetrate these inner and outer panels lflfi, and MM at right angles thereto, forming a frame body 3437 together with said panels. At the upper rear part of the inner panels MM and M92 respectively is formed a hook These paired hooks llllfl enable to frame body 1107 to be fixed to a fitting member (not shown).

There is provided a fixed shaft ms in a manner to penetrate the upper central part of the inner and outer panels H01, 102, red and MM. Below the fixed shaft 109 in the forward direction and parallel thereto is rotatably disposed a driving shaft 110 penetrating the front central part of the inner panels cylindrical drum 112, and to one end-of the hollow shaft 111 is fixed a chain gear 114 by means of a one-way clutch 1130f a lock which turns only rightwardas viewed from the right side. To the adjacent driving shaft 1 -is attached a chain gear 116 similarly by means of a one-way clutch 115. These chain gears 114 and 1 16 are connected to a handoperatingmeans.

There will now be described the hand operating means. There is provided a hollowshaft 117 in a mannerto penetrate the outer panel 103 and inner panel 101'. To the end of the hollow shaft 117 extending outside of the outer panel 103 is fitted a handle 118; The grip 119 of the handle 1:18v is allowed to be brought down towardthe center of the hollow shaft 117. When the grip 119 is so brought down a shaft 122 slidably inserted into the hollow shaft 117 is shifted leftward by means of rotatable levers 120 and 121'. To the left end of the slidable shaft 122 is fitted a clutch 123rotatably around said shaft 122. The clutch 123 is made to connect or separate, as occasion demands, a driving shaft 124 penetrating the left outer panel 104 and inner panel 102 and a hollow shaft 125' surrounding said driving shaft 124 and slidable along the circumferential surface of said shaft 124. To the left end of the hollow shaft 117 interlocking with the handle 118' is fitted a chain gear 126, which is connected to the chain .gear 114 by means of an endless roller chain 127. On the hollow shaft 117 are positioned the aforesaid chain gear 126 andanother gear 128' adjacent thereto. This gear 128 registers with av gear 130 mounted on a shaft 129 which is disposed parallel to the hol low shaft 117. On the shaft 129 isfixed a chain gear 131 which is connected to the chain gear 116 by means of an endless roller chain 132. Accordingly, the clockwise rotation of the handle 118 only results in therotation of the drum 112', and its anticlockwise rotation only causes the driving shaft 110 to rotate.

To the hollow shaft 125- adjacent to the inner panel 102 are fitted two chain gears 133 and 134 parallel to each other. To the left end of the driving shaft 110 is attached achain' gear 136 by means of the one-way clutch 135 of a lock rotating only leftward as viewed from the left side. This chain gear 136 is connected to another chain gear 133' by an endless roller chain 137 Similarly to the left end of the hollow shaft." 1, to

which is fitted the drum "'2, is attached a chain gear 139 by the one-way clutch 138 of a lock rotating only leftward as viewed from the left side. These chain gears 139 and 134 are connected to each other by an endless roller chain 140. On the lower left side of the spacing member 105 is positioned a fitting plate 141, on which is mounted a reduction gear assembly 144 consisting of chain gears 142 and 143. The chain gear 142 is connected toa chain gear 146 mounted on the driving shaft 124 by means of an endless roller chain 145. To the spacing member 105 is secured a motor. 148 by fitting means 147, and on the shaft 149 of the motor 148 is mounted a chain gear 150. The chain gear 150 and the chain gear 143 of the reduction gear assembly 144 are mutually connected by an endless roller chain 151. When the driving shaft 124 and hollow shaft 125 are mutually connected by the engagement of the clutch 123, the rotation of the motor 148 transmitted to the driving shaft 124 through the reduction gear assembly 144 causes the hollow shaft 125 to rotate by engagement with the clutch 123, thus resulting in the rotation of both driving shaft 110 and hollow shaft 111 by interlocking with the chain gears 133, 136, 134 and 139 and

endless roller chains

137 and 140.

As shown in FIG. 7, it the front and rear parts of the lower outer circumferential surface of the drum 112 are spatially provided a plurality of shafts 152 parallel to the driving shaft 110. On these shafts 152 are rotatably mounted a suitable number of (two in this embodiment) guide rollers 153. Over the outer circumferential surface of these guide rollers 153 and that of the drum 112 is stretched an endless belt 154 so as to rotate along with the drum 112.

On the fixed shaft 109 is rotatably mounteda-driven roller 155 made of, for example, rubber. At two points which define an approximately triangular plane'with one end of the fixed shaft 109 are provided a plurality of shafts 156. Spatially on these shafts 156 are rotatably mounted an appropriate number of guide rollers 157. Over the outer circumferential surface of theroller 155 and that of the guide rollers 157 are stretched a plurality of endless belts 158. And the driven roller 155 and endless belt 158 are made to contact the drum. Y112 and endless belt 154 respectively in the center of the folding machine, thus constituting a cloth feeding means, which causes the cloth to be introducedto said contact area due to the rotation of the drum and further brought downward.

There willnow be described a guide means for oscillating the cloth and a member on which to hang it. To both ends of the driving shaft "0- extending outside of the

inner panels

101 and 102 is fitted a disc 159. At an eccentric position on the disc 159 relative to the driving. shaft 110 is provided a pin 160 in a projectingmanner. To this pin. 160 is rotatably fitted one end of a lever 1:61.

As shown in FIG. 6, at both ends of the fixed shaft 109'extending outside of the inner panels 101 and 1.02 is positioned an L-shaped oscillating arm 162, one end of which is rotatably supported by the fixed shaft 109. The middle part. of the oscillating arm 162 and the other end. of the lever 161- are rotatably connected to each other by a pin 163. Referring now to FIG. 8- (including its extension, though not shown), there is provided a shaft in such a manner that it penetrates the furthest end of each oscillating arm 162' and that one end of said shaft 165 is fitted with a handle lever 164. On the shaft 165- are rotatably supporteda. pair of arms 1.66 by means of roller bearing. Between these arms 166- is positioned a rod 167 on which to hang the folded cloth. To the handle lever 164 is fitted-a handle 168 capable of sliding at. right angles thereto. The inner end of theshaft 169 of the handle 168 fits in with a recess 170 formed at the bend of a pair ofoscillating arms 162. When the cloth is folded, said inner end of the shaft 169 of the handle 168 is introduced into the recess 1700f one of the oscillating arms 162', thereby to cause the ends of the cloth hanging rod 167' to fit in with a slight depression (not shown) formed on the opposite side of each oscillating arm 162 to the aforementioned recess 170.

Approximately inv the center of the

inner panels

101 and 102 is fixed a projecting pin 171 which supports one of a rotatable lever 172. To the other end of the lever 172 is rotatably fitted by means of a pin 173 the middle part of a pair of guide levers 174. The upper end of the guide lever 174 is rotatably connected to the. other end of the lever 161 by means of the pin 163. The lower part of each guide lever 174 consists of a flat broad section tapering downward. A pair of guide plates 175 are respectively fitted to each side of the tapered section of the paired guide levers 174 in a manner to bridge them. Thus these guide. plates 175 are more spaced from each other at the upper end than at the lower end so as to allow the cloth to pass between. them with great case.

On the lateral surface of each guide plate 175 are spatially disposed a plurality of keep arms 176 for holding the cloth. These keep arms 176 are made of elastic material such as a spring plate, and project from the surface at a prescribed angle. To the furthest end of the keep arm 176 is fitted a keep plate 177. When the guide lever 174 oscillates right and left, the keep plate 177' is made alternately to contact the right and left sides of the cloth hanging rod 167.

There will now be described the operation and function of-a cloth folding machine according to the aforementioned em-.

bodiment. The feed end portion of a roll of cloth a is uncoiled and introduced to the contact area between the drum 112 and driven roller 155. Initially, the sliding shaft 122 is shifted rightward by operating the handle 118 to disengage the clutch 123. Thereafter when the handle 118 rotates clockwise, the

the feedend of the cloth a to be conducted downward through the paired guide plates 175 and suspended on one side of the 8 under the guide plate 175 thereby to fold and hang the remaining half d of the cloth thereon. Next the first group c of cloth hanging rod 167. Then the grip 119 of the handle 118 is reduction gear assembly 144, and the hollow shaft 125 also rotates by engagement with the clutch 123. Thus the drum 112 and driving shaft 110 rotate by interlocking with the chain gears 133, 136, 134 and 139 and endless rollerchains 137 and 140. The rotation ofthe driving shaft 1 10 leads to the rotation of the discs 159 fitted thereto. As shown in FIG. 7, the rotation of the discs 159 and the eccentric movement of the pin 160 result in the elliptic rotation of the lever 161, causing the oscillating arm 162 to make a sectorial motion. Also the elliptic rotation of the lever 161 causes the guide lever 174 to oscillate around the pin 173 in the opposite direction to the oscillating arm 162. This folding operation using a motor is the same as in the foregoingembodimentand description thereof is omitted. Upon completion of folding, the motor v148 is stopped. Thereafter, as shown in'FlG. 8, the shaft 169 of the handle 168 is down from the recess 170 for disengagement and the handle 168 is brought downward to cause the, rod 167 to rotate downward as shown by the broken line of FIG. 7. Accordingly, all that is required to do later is to takethe folded cloth off the rod 167. I

There will now be describedthe casewhere the cloth is cut to a prescribed length after being folded,using the present cloth folding machine. In this case a fitting plate 200 is attached to the shaftl56 as shown by the broken line of FIG. 7. On this plate is mounted a rotameter 201. The driving wheel 202 of the rotameter'201 is made to contact the drum 112 so as to rotate with the feeding of cloth. The length of folded cloth is measured by the number of rotations of the driving wheel 202. To this end, the switch built in the rotameter 201 is so set as to stop the rotation of the motor 148 when the counter on the rotameter indicates that the cloth already folded has reached a prescribed length.

Now let it be assumed that after being folded, a long piece of cloth is divided into two equal portions measuring X meters after being folded. After folding by motor is brought to an end, that portion of cloth forming the last folding of one folding cycle is drawn out longer by hand to a certain extent (Ymeters) than those representing the preceding foldings of said cycle so as to cause the bottom end of the last folding to hand further down by the length Y meters/2 than those of the other holdings. Namely, it is'only required tocause the length (X meter Y meters) of cloth to be automatically folded by a motor. In this case the rotameter is so actuated as to stop the motor when the length (X meters Y meters) is folded. When this process is repeated there is obtained the folded cloth in which the length of cloth extending between the bottom ends b of the respective last foldings of two consecutive folding cycles measures the specified length of Xmeters.

There will now be described the aforementioned multiple sheet folding as illustrated in FIG. 12C, the details of which will be described later. The main folding mechanism of this embodiment is the same as that of FIG. 7, excepting that the oscillating arm 162 is not used. As shown in FIG. 10, there is disposed on the right and left sides of the interior of the folding machine respectively an endless roller chain 205 which rotates around the outside of the inner panels 208 by being stretched over chain gear 206. This rotation is caused by the rotation of the handle 207 fitted to the main gear 2060. These gears 206 are fixed to the inside surface of the paired outer roller chains-205.

As illustr'a'tedin FIG. "A, half the prescribed length c of foldings is taken off the first rod 209a and hung again thereon inside out so as to bring the forwardend eto the outside (as indicated by'the first group of foldings of H6. 118), all this operation being conducted by hand. Then the handle 207 is rotated for the second time to bring a third rod 2096 under the guide plate 175. The forward end 2 of the first portio n c of cloth and the rear end f of the second portion d are superposed to form a double sheet of cloth (in this case both groups of foldings are. unfolded), and this double sheet of cloth is again inserted between the drum 122 and roller 155. Thereafter the first portion 3 of the double sheet of cloth, is folded and hung on the third rod 209s and the remaining half h of the double sheet is folded and hung on a fourth rod 209d which had already been brought under theguide plate after the motor is stopped. Next the first group 3 of the double sheet foldings is taken off the third rod 20% and hung again thereon inside out so as to bring the forward end e to the outside, all this operation being carried out by hand as in the folding cycle of FIG. 11A. The forward end e of the first group of the double sheet foldings and the rear end of the second group of the double sheet foldings are superposed to form, a quadruple sheet. This quadruple sheet is'folded in the same manner as in the folding cycle of FIG. 11A. As a series of such folding cycles are repeated, the number of cloth sheets is double increased each time, and the length of the suspended foldings of each cycle is reduced to half that of the preceding one. Thus there are finallyobtained the double sheet foldings as shown' in H6. 12C.

' To eliminate the aforementioned troublesome steps involved in the multiple sheet folding operation, it it possible to provide an automatic control device'(not shown) thereby automatically to stop a motor by detecting the. number .of foldings already prepared. lf in this case, there is provided a disc 210 on the hollow shaft'l25 and a photoelectric tube de-' tector 211 adjacent to said disc 210, thenthe number ofrotations of the drum, namely, the total length of cloth supplied by the drum can be measured by said detector. Where a sheet of cloth having a length of, for example, 96 meters is to be folded in the form of a multiple sheet, with one oscillating cycle of the guide plate 175 assumed to feed one meter of cloth, then it is only required automatically to control, the operation of the motor 148 in such a manner that the first and second groups of foldings in thefirst folding cycle respectively measure 48 meters, the first and second groups of foldings in the second folding cycle (using double sheet cloth) respectively measure 24 meters and the first and second groups of foldings in the third folding cycle (using quadruple sheet cloth) respectively measure 12 meters and so on. I

The present invention has been outlined by reference to the aforementioned embodiments. It will be apparent that the invention can be practiced in various modifications, provided they fall within the scope of the patent claims attached hereto.

For instance, the foregoing embodiments involved a cloth holding means directly fitted to a guide means. However, they may be separately disposed and made to interlock with each other by a connecting means or the like. Further according to the aforesaid embodiments, it was necessary to replace a plurality of chain gear positioned on the various shafts in order to adjust the lengths of cloth foldings. However, if there is used a suitable feed adjusting means capable of continuously changing the frequency of rotations of these gears, such replacement will be unnecessary. The aforesaid embodiments used a drum or roller as a cloth feeding means. However, such feeding-may be carried out simple by the rotation of a pair of endless belts. Also the cloth hanging means consisted of a round rod, but it may assume angular or triangular forms or columnar ones having a certain lateral width. The cloth hanging means was so arranged as to travel in the opposite direction to the movement of the guide means. However, said the guide means, as clearly seen from FIG. 10.

What I claim is:

l. A cloth folding machine comprising:

means for progressively feeding downward a strip of cloth in a substantially vertical plane;

a strip hanging means including at least one hanging member positioned below said cloth feeding means and having an upper edge horizontally extending across the width of the strip being fed; 7

means for detachably supporting said strip hanging member;

means for cyclically and rapidly moving said supporting means to alternately locate said strip hanging member at predetermined positions on either side of said vertical plane, said moving means including a moving member having a pivot traveling along a circular locus and having a portion engageable with said supporting means during the travel of said pivot in two specific regions defined on the circular locus so as to move said supporting means and cause said strip hanging member to be rapidly moved to either of said predetermined positions on either side of said vertical plane; and

a pair of strip holding members for engaging the strip hung on said hanging member when said hanging member is at predetermined positions on either side of said vertical plane.

2. A cloth folding machine according to claim 1 comprising a frame and wherein:

said supporting means comprises a pair of supporting members swingably attached to said frame, said moving member being engageable with at least one of said sup porting members;

said feed means includes a pair of rotatable feed rollers; and

said pivot travels along said circular locus in association with the rotation of said feed rollers.

3. A cloth folding machine according to claim 2 wherein:

a rotary member is disposed coaxially with the axis of at least one of said feed rollers;

the pivot of said moving member is eccentrically attached to said rotary member so as to define said circular locus;

the engaging portion of said supporting member includes a guide slot formed therein; and

the engaging portion of said moving member includes a pin slidably inserted into said guide slot and engageable with edges of said slot.

4. A cloth folding machine according to claim 2 wherein said strip holding members include pivot members pivotally attached to said frame and which are engageable with said supporting members in the direction in which said supporting members swing, so that holding members are urged toward said hanging member in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of said hanging member, thereby pressing the hung strip to said hanging member.

5. A cloth feeding machine according to claim 4 further comprising guide means interposed between said feed means and hanging means and coupled to said pivot members, said guide means being movable in a direction opposite to that of the direction of travel of said hanging member, and said guide means being movable between positions located on either side of said vertical plane.

6. A cloth folding machine according to claim 1 further comprising:

a driving means for jointly actuating both said strip feeding means and said moving means; a hand operating means provided separately from said driving means and including a handle; and

means for causing either of said driving means and hand operating means to selectively communicate with said strip feeding means and with said moving means.

7. A cloth folding machine according to claim 1 wherein said hanging member is a rod and said supporting means includes a hook for detachably supporting said rod.

8. A cloth folding machine according to claim 1 further comprising a movable guide means positioned between said feeding means and said hanging member for guiding said strip of cloth to said hanging member.

9. A cloth folding machine according to claim 8 wherein said guide means is coupled to said moving means for movement in a direction opposite to that of said hanging member.

10. A cloth folding machine according to claim 9 wherein said strip holding members are coupled to said guide means.

11. A cloth folding machine according to claim 1 wherein said hanging means includes a plurality of hanging members disposed at prescribed positions relative to each other, and wherein said supporting and moving means include means for locating said hanging members for receiving said fed strip one after another at prescribed intervals.

12. A cloth folding machine according to claim 1 comprising a frame including a pair of inner panels, said cloth feeding means and guide means being located between said inner panels, and said supporting means being located outside of said inner panels and being movable relative to said inner panels.

Claims

1. A cloth folding machine comprising: means for progressively feeding downward a strip of cloth in a substantially vertical plane; a strip hanging means including at least one hanging member positioned below said cloth feeding means and having an upper edge horizontally extending across The width of the strip being fed; means for detachably supporting said strip hanging member; means for cyclically and rapidly moving said supporting means to alternately locate said strip hanging member at predetermined positions on either side of said vertical plane, said moving means including a moving member having a pivot traveling along a circular locus and having a portion engageable with said supporting means during the travel of said pivot in two specific regions defined on the circular locus so as to move said supporting means and cause said strip hanging member to be rapidly moved to either of said predetermined positions on either side of said vertical plane; and a pair of strip holding members for engaging the strip hung on said hanging member when said hanging member is at predetermined positions on either side of said vertical plane.

2. A cloth folding machine according to claim 1 comprising a frame and wherein: said supporting means comprises a pair of supporting members swingably attached to said frame, said moving member being engageable with at least one of said supporting members; said feed means includes a pair of rotatable feed rollers; and said pivot travels along said circular locus in association with the rotation of said feed rollers.

3. A cloth folding machine according to claim 2 wherein: a rotary member is disposed coaxially with the axis of at least one of said feed rollers; the pivot of said moving member is eccentrically attached to said rotary member so as to define said circular locus; the engaging portion of said supporting member includes a guide slot formed therein; and the engaging portion of said moving member includes a pin slidably inserted into said guide slot and engageable with edges of said slot.

6. A cloth folding machine according to claim 1 further comprising: a driving means for jointly actuating both said strip feeding means and said moving means; a hand operating means provided separately from said driving means and including a handle; and means for causing either of said driving means and hand operating means to selectively communicate with said strip feeding means and with said moving means.