US2632495A - Apparatus for making pleated material - Google Patents

Description

March 24, 1953 F. A. AGEE 2,632,495

APPARATUS FOR MAKING PLEATED MATERIAL Filed Nov. 4, 1949 INVENTOR, f-Zow 5'. H66;

Patented Mar. 24, 1953 APPARATUS FOR MAKING PLEATED MATERIAL Floyd A. Agee, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application November 4, 1949, Serial No. 125,470

Claims. 1

This invention relates to pleated material, and is particularly concerned with pleated material as an article of manufacture and with the apparatus for making the same.

One of the objects of my invention is to pro- I vide a novel apparatus for pleating paper and like materials. 7 I

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel apparatus for forming a continuous series of parallel transverse pleats in a webof paper or similar material.

In the selective painting of surfaces, it is a common practice to mask off a portion of the surface with a paper apron, or mask, secured by a strip of masking tape, leaving unmasked only the area to be painted. So-called masking machines are commercially available to facilitate this work. These machines provide a straight web of paper having a strip of masking tape adhered to one edge of the paper in an overlapping fashion so that the paper apron may be aiiixed to the surface to be painted. In order to mask a curved area, such as, for example, when it is desired to paint only the fender of an automobile, masking the body adjacent the'fender, it has heretofore been necessary to apply a large number of straight-edged segments of masking material to form the curved edge, or to dispense with the conventional masking :machine entirely and attempt to cut, by hand, an apron of they desired shape.

Another object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a novel form of masking material to be used in the painting of areas defined by a curved line.

,A further object of my invention is to provide apparatus for producing a novel form of masking material to be used in the painting of areas defined by a'curved line, which apparatus may also be adapted to provide masking material having a straight edge.

' Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawings:

Figure' 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

' Figure 2 is a. sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Y Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional t view illustrating the pleating action of the coacting rollers.

, Referring now to the drawings, a preferred form of machine illustrating my invention includes a frame I0 consisting of parallel side plates II and I2 and suitable transverse connecting members 3|, only one of which is shown for purposes of clarity.

Paper feed roller i3 is journaled in plate l2 and bracket i5 and is'provided with the usual braking means (not shown) for securing the proper tension on the web 14 as it is unwound from the roller. Pleating rollers it and ll, with their axes in horizontal alignment, are secured on parallel shafts l8 and i9, respectively, which are journaled in side plates II and i2. Said pleat.- ing rollers It and ii, preferably of resilient material such as hard rubber, and of substantially equal diameter, are spaced so as to allow a slight clearance therebetween;

A weighted pleating roller 20, preferably of steel and having a hard smooth surface, is positioned above and between pleating rollers l6 and i7. Said roller 20 is keyed to a shaft 2| which is parallel to shafts l8 and i9 and journaled in a pair of vertical slots (not shown) in side plates II and I2 so that roller 28 rests upon and forms a pair of bites with rollers l6 and I1.

Means are provided to drive pleating rollers l6 and ii in the same angular direction and at relatively different peripheral speeds. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, these means may include driving gear 22 carried on drive shaft 23, to which is secured hand crank 24 having a handle 25.

Drive shaft 23 is slidably journaled in side plate Ii whereby driving gear 22 may be engaged with, or disengaged from driven gears 26 and 21 which are carried on shafts l8 and i9 respectively. As will be noted from the drawings, driven gear 26 has a smaller diameter than driven gear 27, so that when the gears are engaged, roller [6 may be driven at a faster speed than roller [1.

A spool 28 of conventional masking tape is mounted, below the pleating rollers I6 and IT, on shaft 29 which is carriedon side plate ll. Suitable braking means (not shown) may be provided for securing the proper tension on the tape 36 as it is unwound from the spool.

The moderof operation of my device is as follows: The web M of paper is led horizontally from sup-ply roller I3 and thence over rollers l6 and I7 and under weighted pleating roller 20. Driving gear 22 is engaged'with driven gears 26 and 21 and crank 24 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2. This causes pleating rollers 16 and I! to turn, at relatively different speeds as described above, in the direction of the arrows inFigure 2. The frictional contact between weighted roller 20, web l4 and pleating roller I6 is sufficient to cause the weighted roller to be rotated counter-clockwise, that is, in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2, and to pull the paper off the supply roll. Due to the fact that roller I6 is rotating at a faster speed than is roller H, a form of back pressure is set up, causing the web to form a transverse U-shaped loop 3| in the area between the rollers.

As the rollers l6, l1 and continue to rotate, the leading edge 32, of the loop is pushed into the bite between rollers I! and 20. It will be understood that due to the diiference in speed between rollers I6 and I1, and to the fact that the weighted roller 20 is driven through the frictional contact between rollers 20 and I6, roller 20 will have a peripheral velocity greater than that of roller H. The roller 20, having a smooth, hard surface will, therefore, slip with respect to the web M, the web being carried forward on roller I'l without slippage therewith, since the coeflicient of friction between the paper web and the rubber surface of roller I1 is greater than between the paper web and the smooth, hard surface of roller 20. This slippage, in conjunction with the weight of roller 20, will cause the leading edge 32 to be sharply creased as it passes through the bite between rollers 20 and ll. The

trailing edge 33 will then'be pulled through the bite and creased in a similar fashion.

Continued turning of the hand-crank 24 will produce a straight-edged web of paper having a series of paralled transverse pleats therein. The spacing of the pleats may be varied, depending upon the relative speeds of rollers l6 and H, which may be varied by replacing the gearing with other sizes. The size of the pleats may be varied by changing the diameters of the rollers. Pleated paper of this type has many uses, such as for decorations, shelf hangings, and industrial uses familiar to those in the art.

As pointed out above, the machine may be adapted to produce a masking apron having a curved, taped edge. This may be accomplished in the following manner. Masking tape 36 is fed up between rollers l6 and I1 and secured to the underside of the web 14 in such a manner that approximately one-half of the width of the tape is allowed to overlap from the edge I la thereof as shown in Figure 1. The adhesive side of the tape faces upwards in Figure 1, and to the left and upwards as viewed in Figures 2 and 3. As shown in Figure 1, the weighted pleating roller 20 overlaps the edge I la. of the web l4 only slightly. Although not apparent in Figures 2 and 3, due to the fact that the thickness of the web l4 and the tape 39 has been exaggerated in order to best illustrate the operation of the machine, a narrow portion of the tape adheres to the roller 20 at the point where the roller overlies the edge [4a (see Figure 1). While this is not essential to the operation of the device, it greatly facilitates the proper use thereof as described below.

The pleating operation is substantially the same as described above, except that as the paper is being creased between rollers 20 and II, the tape 30 is being fed off the spool 28 and adhered to the web 14. The adhesion between the tape and the overlapping portion of roller 20, mentioned above, helps to maintain the correct tension on the tape 30 to pull it off the spool 28. This adhesion is only temporary for any one portion of the tape 30, since the bond between the tape 30 and the paper web [4 is obviously greater than that between the tape 30 and steel roller 20, and hence the tape is carried through the bite between rollers 20 and I! along with the pleated web. It will be noted (see Figures 2 and 3) that the tape 30 will adhere to only part of each pleat 34, the bond being sufficient, however, to securely hold the pleats together at the edge Ma. The opposite end of the Web Hi being free, however, the pleats tend naturally to spread, and the web therefore is fed from the rollers in the curved or fan-shape shown in Figure 1.

It is to be understood that I contemplate the use of commercially available masking tape having an adhesive material on one side and which is formed from creped or toweled paper so that it is somewhat stretchable and resilient. The tape 30, therefore, may be curved in one plane as shown. Furthermore, while the pleated web tends naturally to leave. the machine in the shape illustrated in Figure 1, the flexibility of the tape and the pleated web will permit the operator to curve the web to fit the particular job to be done. A saw-toothed tearing bar 35 may be provided so that portions of the desired length may be separated from the web.

If it is desired to use a masking apron having a straight edge, the driving gear 22 may be disengaged, as shown by the phantom lines of Figure 1, and the web drawn through the rollers by hand. This will produce a straight web of unpleated taped paper.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself to the exact details of the construction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a pleating machine, a pair of spaced parallel rollers; means for driving said rollers in the same angular direction and at relatively different speeds; and a third roller coacting with said pair of rollers so as to form a bite between said third roller and each of said pair of rollers.

2. In a pleating machine, a pair of spaced parallel resilient rollers; means for driving said rollers in the same angular direction and at relatively different speeds; and a third roller coacting with said pair of rollers so as to form a bite between said third roller and each of said pair of rollers.

3. In a pleating machine, the combination of: a frame; a pair of spaced parallel rollers journaled in said frame; drive means whereby both of said rollers may be driven in the same angular direction but at relatively different speeds; and a weighted roller journaled in said frame parallel to said pair of rollers and coacting therewith so as to form a pair of bites, one between said weighted roller and each of said pair of rollers.

4. In a pleating machine, the combination of z a frame; a pair of spaced parallel rollers journaled in said frame; drive means whereby both of said rollers may be driven in the same angular direction but at relatively different speeds; and a weighted roller journaled in said frame parallel to said pair of rollers and coacting therewith so as to form a pair of bites, one between said weighted roller and each of said pair of rollers, whereby a web to be pleated may be drawn into the bite between the weighted roller and the faster roller of said pair of rollers and thence into the bite between the weighted roller and the slower roller of said pair of rollers, a back pressure being set up due to the relative difference in angular speed between said pair of rollers, causing the web to form a series of transverse loops in the void between said pair of rollers, said loops being continuously drawn into the bite between said weighted roller and the slower of said pair of rollers, whereby successive transverse pleats may be formed in the web.

5. In a pleating machine, the combination of z a frame; a web supply roll carried in said frame; a pair of spaced parallel resilient pleating rollers journaled in said frame; drive means whereby both of said rollers may be driven in the same angular direction but at relatively different speeds; a weighted pleating roller journaled in said frame above and parallel to said pair of rollers and coacting therewith so as to form a pair of bites between which said web may be drawn; and a supply spool for masking tape mounted on said frame below said pair of rollers whereby masking tape may be fed between said pair of rollers and into the bite between said weighted roller and the faster of said pair of rollers therein to be overlappingly adhered to the edge of said web.

6. In a pleating machine, the combination of: a frame; a web supply roll carried in said frame; a pair of spaced parallel resilient pleating rollers journaled in said frame; drive means whereby both of said rollers may be driven in the same angular direction but at relatively different speeds; means whereby said drive means may be disengaged to allow free rotation of said pair of rollers; a weighted pleating roller journaled in said frame above and parallel to said pair of rollers and coacting therewith so as to form a pair of bites between which said web may be drawn; and a supply spool for masking tape mounted on said frame below said pair of rollers whereby masking tape may be fed between said pair of rollers and into the bite between said weighted roller and the faster of said pair of rollers therein to be overlappingly adhered to the edge of said web.

'7. In a pleating machine, the combination of: a frame; a web supply roll carried in said frame; a pair of spaced parallel resilient pleating rollers journaled in said frame; drive means whereby both of said rollers may be driven in the same angular direction but at relatively different speeds; means whereby said drive means may be disengaged to allow free rotation of said pair of rollers; a weighted pleating roller journaled in said frame above and parallel to said pair of rollers and coacting therewith so as to form a pair of bites between which said web may be drawn; a supply spool for masking tape mounted on said frame below said pair of rollers whereby masking tape may be fed between said pair of rollers and into the bite between said weighted roller and the faster of said pair of rollers therein to be overlappingly adhered to the edge of said web; and cutter means on said frame whereby a desired length of pleated material may be separated from the web.

8. In a pleating machine, the combination of: a frame; a web supply roll carried in said frame;

a pair of spaced parallel resilient pleating rollers journaled in said frame; drive means whereby both of said rollers may be driven in the same angular direction but at relatively different speeds; means whereby said drive means may be disengaged to allow free rotation of said pair of rollers; a weighted pleating roller journaled in said frame above and parallel to said pair of rollers and coacting therewith so as to form a pair of bites between which said web may be drawn; a supply spool for masking tape mounted on said frame below said pair of rollers whereby masking tape may be fed between said pair of rollers and into the bite between said weighted roller and the faster of said pair of rollers therein to be overlappingly adhered to the edge of said web, said weighted roller being adapted to continuously pull the masking tape from said spool; and cutter means on said frame whereby a desired length of pleated material may be separated from the web.

9. In a pleating machine, the combination of: a frame; a pair of spaced parallel rollers journaled in said frame; drive means whereby both of said rollers may be driven in the same angular direction but at relatively different speeds; and a weighted roller journaled in said frame parallel to and above said pair of rollers and resting by gravity thereon so as to form a pair of bites, one between said weighted roller and each of said pair of rollers.

10. In a pleating machine, the combination of: a frame; a web supply roll carried in said frame; a pair of spaced parallel resilient pleating rollers journaled in said frame; drive means whereby both of said rollers may be driven in the same angular direction but at relatively different speeds; means whereby said drive means may be disengaged to allow free rotation of said pair of rollers; a weighted pleating roller journaled in said frame above and parallel to said pair of rollers and coacting therewith so as to form a pair of bites between which said web may be drawn; and a supply spool for masking tape mounted on said frame below said pair of rollers whereby masking tape may be fed between said pair of rollers and into the bite between said weighted roller and the faster of said pair of rollers therein to be overlappingly adhered to the edge of said web, said weighted roller being adapted to continuously pull the masking tape from said spool.

I FLOYD A. AGEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date I Re. 19,128 Drew Apr. 3, 1934 2,070,645 Bishop Feb. 16, 1937 2,571,978 Watson Oct. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 95,040 Germany Nov. 16, 1897

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