US2131808A - Sanitary napkin machine - Google Patents

Description

c. s. JOA

SANITARY NAPK IN MACHINE Oct. 4, 1938.

l e Shets-Sheet 1 Filed D99. 16, 1935 IIIIIII Q ATTORNEYS N INVENTOR IQ 4.

Oct, 4, 1938.. c, JQA 2,131,808

SANITARY nAfiKmmAcHINE Filed Deg. 16, 1935 .6 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR' BY #164,61 "aw ATTQRNEY6 Oct. 4, 19331 c. G. JOA SANITARY NAPKIN QIACHINE Filed Dec. -16, 1955 a Sheets-Sheet 5' ATI'ORNEY5 Oct. 4, 1938.

C. G. JOA

SANITARY NAPKIN MACHINE Filed Dec. 16,1935 GSheets-Sheet 5 INVENTO W 97. BY mm,

ATTORNEYS Oct. 4, 1938, c. G. m

SANITAgRY NAPKIN MACIHNE Fiied Dec. 16, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 v 'INVENTO 7 BIY 7 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct, 4, 1938 Q g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v 2,131,808 SANITARY NAPKIN MACHINE I Curt G. Joa, Manitowoc, Wis., assignorto Curt G. Joa, 1:10., Manitowoc, Wia, a corporation of Wisconsin I Application December 16, 1935, Serial No. 54,669

33 Claims. (01. 154-49) This .invention relates to improvements in required for the operation of the present masanitary napkin machines. chine. I

It is the primary object of the invention to Finally, the amount of waste is very materially effect great economies in the manufacture of reduced in the present device due to the novel sanitary napkins while improving substantially cellucotton feed which practically eliminates 5 the quality. of the napkins produced. In the faulty pads and consequently saves not only the machine herein disclosed this objective has been pad material but also the much more expensive attained by several outstanding features of gauze which has heretofore been wasted whennovelty including the following: ever a pad has been spoiled in the previous 1 In the first place, the speed of operation has machine. been approximately doubled as compared with In additionto simplification and improvement previously existing-equipment while, at the same in reliability, it may be stated more specifically time, the quality ofthe product has been imthat the objects of the invention include the proproved. One of the contributing factors has vision of a novel pad material feed; the probeen an arrangement whereby the feed. of celluvision of. means whereby the motion of the pad 15 cotton is substantially continuous. The eliminamaterial and the wrapping material is continution of the intermittent feed previously employed ous throughout the machine; the provision of avoids compression and distortion of the manovel'means for turn and advancing the P d terial and enables a much higher rate of speed the provision of means whereby the longitudito be maintained throughout the machine. Annally folded gauze and the pads contained there- 20 ,-.other contributing factor is the arrangement in are inverted so that the end fold may be made whereby the pads severed from the cellucotton on the same side of the pad as the longitudinal web are turned about and spaced by simple mefold; the provision of a novel gauze cut-oft and chanical means which does not distort the pads end fold; the provision of a novel stacker; and,

nor get out of order. Another contributing facfinally, the very important provision of means 25 tor consists in the arrangement whereby an I whereby the need for synchronization of the varientirely new mechanism is employed for cutting ous parts of the machine is eliminated, the work the folded gauze between the pads which have being repeatedly timed automatically in its progbeen enfolded therein, the cutting operation ress through the machine to'do away with the .30 being performed at high speed without interruptconstant attention of operators and thefaulty ing the continuous steady movement of the product always attributable to the impossibility gauze and pads.' Still another contributing facof. keeping the various parts of a complex mator. is the arrangement whereby the completed chine in synchronous operation.

I napkins delivered from the machine are auto- In the drawings: 3.5 matically piled in stacks and discharged in Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view ir. perspective as proper condition for packaging. illustrating the general relation of the component- In the second place, shut-downs have been parts comprising my improved sanitary napkin substantially eliminated. Largely contributing machine. to this end is the arrangement whereby continu Figure 2 isa view in longitudinal section show- 40 ous motion is substituted for a reciprocating feed. ing that portion of the machine in which the pads 40 Another important contributing factor is mechaare blanked from the cellucotton web and turned nism whereby the cellucotton web is assembled for endwise delivery through the remaining porin the operation of the machine from rolls which tion of the machine.

supply portions of the web in staggered relation, Figure 2a shows a modified blanking :d ie coneach such portion being independently replacestruction in longitudinal section. 45 able when exhausted to maintain the web of Figure 3is a plan view of the apparatus shown cellucotton in continuous feed with substantially in Figure 2. no waste. The simplification ofv the machine Figure 4 is a view partially in longitudinal secand the reliability of the mechanisms employed tion and, partially in side elevation of that por- ,50 are such as practically to eliminate shut-downs tion of the machine in which the pads are fed to due to breakage or stc ipage. the gauze, the gauze is folded thereabout, the

In' the third place, the mechanisms hereinafter gauze and pads are inverted, the gauze is severed to be disclosed are so fully automatic as to out between the pads, and the first end fold is made.

' down the numberof operators from about five Figure 5 is a plan view of the portion of the 56 for prior art machines to the number of two apparatus shown in Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view in longi- V tudinal section showing a portion of the timing length of the mechanism whereby the pads are delivered to the gauze.

Figure 7 is a'still further enlarged detail of a portion of said mechanism in perspective.

Figure 8 is a view in transverse section through the machine showing the cut-off device in front elevation.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the cut-oil! mechanism I shown in Fig. 8. v

Figure 10 is a view in side elevation of a modifled form of feed and cut-off device.

Figure 11 is a plan view of the mechanism shown running clutch used in the cut-oil. device.

Figures 15 to 19 are views diagrammatically illustrating a complete cycle of operations of the die set in the movement of the dies to and from each other and their concurrent movement along the path of cellucotton travel.

Figure 20 is a view in transverse section through the mechanism which stacks the sanitary napkins for delivery from the machine.

Figure 21 is a view of the stacking and delivering mechanism taken on line 2l2l of Fig. 20.

Like parts areidentitled by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

It is conventional practice to cut a sanitary napkin pad I! from a web of cellucotton it which may comprise some 36 plies of crepe tissue paper. I'he web is approximately equal in width to the length of the finished pad, each successive pad being severed from the advancing end of the web. In the past the web has been fed intermittently and in one piece. In

ping the machine and without interfering with the production of acceptable pads. By this one means the present invention overcomes a source of waste which, in the operation of some sanitary napkin machines, has reached-enormous proportions.

In the present machine the cellucotton web is not compressed or distorted by starting and stop-- ping its motion. Beneath each ofthe combination webs is a feeding belt 20, at the delivery end of which is a co-acting feed belt 2|. ese belts are in continuous and uniform motion to advance the cellucotton web steadily to the blanking die which cuts the individual pads from the end thereof. This die appears in detail in Figs. 2 and 3.

Beyond the end of the conveyor 22 the web It receives support from a plate at 22, the end of which rests slidably on the apertured die block a. This die block is mounted on a carriage u so 7 the die or table member accordance with the present invention feed of the web is continuous and the.

at substantially the same speed. The total range of movement of the carriage is only approximately one half ofthe width of the pad or about 1%" in the production of a conventional 3" pad.

Guided for movement vertically upon the carriage 24 by means of the posts 33 is an operating head 34 provided with a link 35 which connects it with crank 36 mounted on the same shaft which carries the eccentric 28. Thus, as the carriage moves forwardly with the cellucotton in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the head 34 is being 'moved concurrently in a downward direction.

Removably mounted thereon is a punch or die 31 complementary to the aperture II of die member 23 and preferably having a concave lower surface so that it does not operate simultaneously on all of the margins of the pad blankv severed thereby. As the carriage advancea'the die descends until ultimately it passes through the aperture 3|. thereby severing from-the end of the cellucotton web IS a pad or blank having the shape of the aperture ii and the die I! and also severing both from the web and the blank a roughly triangular piece of waste from both corners of the end of the web.

both from the parent web are these outer corners which are left on top of 23 to be removed there from either by the operator of some convenient suction appliance.

The plunger or die member 81 is preferably made hollow and provided with a knock-out de-' vice at 29 actuated by means of a rod 0, link (I, slide 42, pin 43, and'stop 44 to ensure the release of the pad after the die member 21 has passed through die member 23.

In Fig. 2a I have shown the die member 210 made solid and operated without a knock-out device, its construction and operation being otherwise identical with the construction shown in Fi 2.

It will be understood that'at the time the die operation occurs, the supporting die or table 22 is moving with the cellucotton web It and the die member 21 is not only moving with said web in a longitudinal direction. but is moving across its path in a vertical direction. Thus, the resultant motion'of die member I! is almost circular and the pads are successively severed from the web without mutilation thereof and without the slowing down of the machine, such as is required in the operation of a reciprocatory feeding device working on paper.

The timing is preferably such that the blanking operation is performed during the continuance of the concurrent forward motion of carriage 24 with the advancing web I 8. such motion I punch die 21 is retracted upwardly out of the path of the web. It is only after the punch die clears the advancing web that the carriage egins its rearward movement to bring the matrix die 22 beneath the web in registry with the The only portions of the cellucotton separated and from the blank I next blank portim. Flu-15 to 19 I6 shorter than chain 49 for a functional reason. Chains 48 and 50 have conveying fingers and ill) 52 correspondingly located to engage the pad adjacent both of its ends to propel it alongthe' conveyor table 45 while still in a transverse position thereon. Chain 49 also has conveying fingers at 53, but these are not in registry with the fingers 5| and 52, so that the pad is initially propelled only'by chains 48 and 50;

Immediately beyond the point at which propulsion of one end of the pad by chain 50 ceases, the

table surface is provided with an obstruction which may take the form of a pin 55. Thus the end of the pad originally propelled by chain 50 is not merelyrelieved of such propulsion; but is positively interrupted as to movement while the other end of the pad continues to be propelled by the conveyor chain 48 and the lugs 5| thereon. The lugs preferably have curved terminal ends, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, so that they will not dig into the pad as the pad begins to swing'about the obstruction 55 upon which it tends to pivot.

The continued movement of conveyor 48 ultimately turns the pads for a full ninety degrees, the distance between each "of the lugs 5| and the obstruction 55 being approximately equal to-the Width of the pad.-. To ensure the longitudinal alignment of the pad with the center line of the table t5, the. table is also preferably provided.

with a, shallow channel at 56 which is spanned by the pad while it stillremains transverse with respect to the table, and into which the pad ultimately is deposited by its swinging movement about the obstruction 55. l

i As soon-as .the pad drops into the channel 56 it is no longer contacted by the conveyor lug 5| of chain 48, and accordingly it is momentarily without any means of, propulsion. Almost immediately, however, it is picked up by one of the lugs 53 of theeentral conveyor 49; and is thereby discharged from the table 45 on to a smooth metallic chute 51 along which the pad is propelled at high speed by the lower flight of a high velocity conveyor 58 which ,engages the pad from above. It" will be noted from Fig. 3 that the pads are rather close together as deposited 'on table 45, and their ends are even closer together when the pads are alignedin trough 56. The high velocity movement of conveyor 58, however, separates the pads at substantial distances in the conveyor trough 51.

Up to this point it is only necessary that the pads be made with suflicient rapidity, and no accurate timing of pad delivery is required. The

means which delivers the padsin properly spaced position upon-the gauze will now be described.

Reference is made to Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 'I of the drawings, and also to Fig. 1.

From a parent roll 50 of gauze, the gauze web 6| is led over the guide rolls 52, 63, 64, and 55, on to a folding table 66 longitudinally channeled at 61 atthe width of the channel corresponding to that of the pad. The downward. movement of the gauze web about rolls 62 and 63 accommodates a pad feeding table 58 having guides 580 between which the. successivepads I5 are discharged from the conveyor trough 51 by belt 58.

The feeding table is slottedv at GM to permit the projection by lug 69 of a timing conveyor Hi. If these lugs remain radial with respect to the sprockets 7| about which they pass in withdrawing from propulsive relation to. thepads, theythe pins 14 remain horizontal and prevent the propelling lugs 69 from assuming the radial position which they would assume if they were fixed to a given link of the chain.

The two lugs 69 of conveyor 10 deliver the successive pads in-pr'operly spaced relation on to the gauze web 6| in line with channel 61 of the folding table. Due to this arrangement any discrepancy in the timing of the different parts of the machine is corrected at the moment the pad is discharged on to the gauze, and there is no possibility for a pad to reach the gauze in any way other thanjn a position of proper alignment and proper spacing.

More or less conventional triangular folding boards I6 and 71 turn the side margins of the gauze web 5| over the pad. The proper feeding ..-of the gauze margins across the folding boards 16 and Ti is ensured by a set of controlling rollers 78, the surfaces of which are preferably knurled forbetter engagement with the gauze. These rollers are mounted rotatably on the ends of arms 79 which are fulcrumed at B0 to suitable supports at the sides of the folding table and are held locked in their operative position by catches engaged with the arms at 8|. The arrangement is such that there is nothing exposed which could catch on the gauze or interfere with its smooth feeding over the folding boards.

As the pads leave the folding table 65 they are enfolded between the overlapping margins of a continuous ribbon 84 of gauze. The space between pads in such ribbon is suficient to provide the necessary free gauze ends for the com-.

Since it is desirable that the ends of the gauze ribbon be folded onto the same face of the pad on which the free side margins of the gauze have already been folded, and since the folding operation is conducted beneath the pad, it isdesirable to invert the pad before cutting the gauze ribbon and folding the ends.

The gauze ribbon 84 and the interfolded pads are drawn from the end of the folding table 55 about a pulley 85 having its periphery relieved v or cut away at lit to accommodate the pads so i that they will not be compressed in passing about the pulley. The conveyor belt 87 is in pressure relation to the pulley and the ribbon 8 1 on the unreiieved surfaces thereof, and furnishes propulsive traction to draw the gauze and interfolded pads about the pulley.. Beyond the pulley the gauze ribbon and pads are supported on the belt 81 in their movement to the shearing and ribbon has become inverted so that the overlapping margins originally at the top of the ribbon are now at the bottom thereof.

In my Patent No. 1,957,651 issued May 8, 1934, I have described an end folding mechanism for sanitary napkins which embodies some of the in the folding of the ends.

principles used in the present device. The present device is, however, modified to incorporate a web shearing device which actually co-operates The mechanismis shown in Figs. 1, 5-and 6, and appears in enlarged scale in Figs. 8 and 9.

The flight of supporting conveyor belt 81 upon which the folded gauze ribbon and the enfolded pads are traveling terminates abruptly in passing about the pulley 89. There is a slight gap between pulley89 and the pulley 90 over which operates the conveyor belt 9I which is next to receive the gauze ribbon and pad. This gap is substantially less than the length of the pad and the pad is sufliciently rigid so as to tend to be projected linearly across the gap from conveyor belt 81 to conveyor belt 9I.

In the gap between the two conveyors is a stationary shear knife 92 sufliciently low so that it will easily be cleared by the pad and gauze in their movement across the gap,'but sufficiently high so that the gauze will be supported on the shear bar 92 during the shearing operation. The shear bar 92 is set at an angle best shown in Figs. 5 and 9.

Co-acting with shear bar 92 is a rotary shear mechanism with a step'by step, actuator.- The rotor 94 preferably has four raalalarms upon which the shear blades 95 are mounted. The rotor 94 is adjustably mounted on shaft 96 so that a proper setting of the blades 95 with respect to the stationary shear 92 may be had. The shaft 96 is at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal center line of the machine, so that the path of rotation ofthe blades 95 will correspond to the angle of the stationary shear The shear is normally held with its blades in the relative position shown in Fig. 8 by meansof a dog 91 which engages notches 98 in the periphery of the drum-shaped portion 99 of rotor 94. The dog 91 is pivoted at I and has an arm IOI which may be engaged by the lever I02 of the shear operating mechanism torele'ase the dog in preparation for their movement.

Lever I02 is connected by link I03 with the arm I00 and a ratchet feeding device I05 which has clutch balls I08 spring pressed to engage shaft '90 of the rotor in a well known manner. As viewed in Fig.- 14, a clockwise movement of the ratchet actuator I05, however, by arm I02, will first release the holding dog 91 and will subsequently move the rotor 90 approximately 90 degrees. This will shear the folded. ribbon of gauze overlying the stationary shear blade 92,.

* and the rotor will again come to rest in a position conveyor belt. The supporting flight of conveyor belt 81 is held at this point by a table II6 so that it cannot yield downwardly.

Consequently, each successive pad which passes between the supporting table IIS and the shoe III of switch lever I I5 will simply lift the switch lever as shown in Fig. 4, thereby completing the circuit to solenoid H0 and operating the cutoff knife which severs the gauze ribbon ahead of the next preceding pad. The switch mechanism I IS, the table H6, and the switch operating lever II5 are preferably assembled in a unit which is adjustable longitudinally so that the solenoid maybe timed for operation at any given relative distance between pads.

The moving shear blade 95 obviously enters the moving gauze ribbon adjacent its left hand margin as viewed in Fig. 9. The ribbon is not stopped, but continues in uniform movement dur ing the shearing operation. The angularity of the shear blades is so determined with reference to the speed of movement of the gauze that as the shear cut progresses from the left hand side of the gauze to the right hand side thereof, the movement of the gauze will exactly compensate for the angle of the blades, thus producing a 90 degree transverse cut in the gauze ribbon.

The cut-01f knife 95 shears the gauze ribbon between pads and positively thrusts the free end I60 of thegauze downwardly in the gap between the conveyor pulleys 89 and 90. As the succeeding pad spans the gap and is engaged by conveyor 91, the free end I50 of the gauze ribbon is drawn up beneath the pad to complete'the first end fold. The trailing end I 8! of the gauze remains to be folded. Co-acting with conveyor 9| to complete the first end fold is an upper conveyor I62. In Figs. 10, 1i, and Ha I have shown modified embodiments of this portion of the mechanism, wherein the knife is positively driven in timed relation to the conveying mechanism and a different type of propulsive conveyor is used.

A conveyor table I supports the conveyor belt 81 for a considerable distance in advance of the pulley 09. Opposed to the portion of belt 81 thus rigidly supported, is a propulsive conveyor the folded gauze on to the belt 81 without compressing the pads. Where the distance between successive pads is changed a different propulsive conveyor chain I65 is substituted to have the correct number of pressure blocks to fit the space between pads.

The stationary cut-on knife 92 may be identical with that already described and shown in Figs. 4 and 5. It ispreferably set angularly across the path of movement of the gauze to compensate for the time required for the cut to penetrate from one side margin of the gauze to the other, so that the resulting cut will be square. Instead of the plurality of blades driven intermittently, the present cutter comprises a single blade I69 driven continuously. It is mounted on an arm "0 carried by a shaft I'II driven by chain I12, gearing I", and chain I14, insynchronized relation to the gauze feeding means. 'Ihemovable knife is adjusted to the fixed knife by means of an adjustable thrust bearing Illa to which the shaft III is pressed axially under the yieldable pressure of compression spring Illa.

- will engage the spacers between the pads to hold The second end fold is made by mechanism essentially corresponding to that which makes the second end fold in the construction shown in the 1 aforesaid Patent No. 1,957,651.

, is not described in detail here, but it is diagrammatically illustrated in- Fig. 1. The conveyor I63 operates at a somewhat higher speed than conveyors 9| and I62, and to prevent this increase in speed from unfolding the first end fold of gauze; the friction wheel II9 is used between the two conveyors to accelerate the movement of the pad to the rate of speed of conveyor I63.

. Conveyor II8 has a sharp change of angle at I20 just beyond which, in spaced relation to the belt, are retractable slides I2I whichare controlled by a solenoid that is not shown here but is similar to solenoid I I which operates the cut-off knife.

The switch. lever controlling the circuit to this solenoid is indicated diagrammatically at I22 in Fig. 1. As the pads and the gauze having its first end fold about the pad are carried by conveyor I63, they are projected bythe change in angle of theconveyor on to the plates I2I which support the pad andthe first end fold temporarily. The static which causes the adherence of the trailing gauze end I6I to thebelt carries such end beneath the pad as the pad is supported on the plates I 2| and thereupon the engagement of the next succeeding pad with tary napkin shown at I25 is thendischarged into a stacking device now to be described with particular reference to Figs. 20 and 21.

The curved guides I21 are bands arranged in pairs, the respective pairs being spaced the width of a pad, and lead to a trough I28 fromwhich the stacked pads may be withdrawn. At their upper ends the curved guides I21 comprise a feeding throat through which the pads may enter between the guides I21 tobe packed therein between theend guides I15. Between the guides of each pair at each side of the throat are chain conveyors I30 with projecting arms I3I. The

Accordingly, it 1 upper centers on which the chains I30 operate,

are sufliciently close together so that said arms almost meet at I 32 to provide a receptacle into which the completed sanitary napkin is dis- 5 lugs I3'I gradually withdraw from beneath the napkins, allowing, them to be deposited between the. fingers I29 which are yieldable and project inwardly from guides I21 vto offer suflicient resistance to napkin movement so that the napkins are held in a stack and advanced only'under pressure. X

When the stack builds up suillciently so that the uppermost napkin thereof is engaged by the under'surfaces of the arms I3I prior to their complete retraction, such arms will have a feeding movement upon the napkinsof the stack to force them through the throat until a predet'ere mined number of napkins accumulate therein.

Operating over sprockets on thesame shaft I16 which'guides one of the chain conveyors I30, is another chain conveyor comprising chains I18 carrying the paddles I80 atispaced points along its -indicated in. Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

dle carried by each chain I18 will engage the opposite ends of the uppermost napkin in the stack to propel the stack between guide members I21 and I15 to the discharge trough I28. Idler pulleys are provided for chains I18 so that they may follow the path of the napkins. One of the idler pulleys I8I is made adjustable as a tightener for the chains I16, the guide members I21 and I15 being flexibly adjustable and adjustably supported at I82 so that their curve will conform to the adjusted curve of the chains.

The driving connections for the stacker and counter as above described, are clearly shown in Figs. 2() and 21, but need not be described in detail except to say that the driving chain I84 is connected with the actuating mechanism for the remainder of the machine to be driven in synchronism therewith so that the supporting arms I3I will always move into registry at I 32 to receive each napkin completed and delivered on the conveyor I63.

Some of the chain connections preferably used for operating the various parts of the machine are indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. They will not be described in detail since any operative mechanical driving connections may be employed. It is particularly to be noted that no accurate timing system common :to the whole machine is necessary, since each important operation is synchronized directly with reference to the pads themselves- As above noted, the spacing between pads is determined by the movement of the conveyor 10 with reference to the movement of the gauze. To produce changes in rates of relative movement between one belt conveyor and another, I may employ a belt driving pulley of variable cross section as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. The driving shaft I42 carries a sleeve I43 having right and left threaded portions with which cones I45 and I46 are engaged. Each cone has a series of uncut T-shaped slots at I41 in which operate complementary slides I48 connected by screws I49 with pulley sectors I50. These sectors are covered by an elastically contractile pulley covering I5I which spans the joints between the sectors when the latter are expanded.

The chains I preferably have a step by step actuation by means of solenoid I34, armature I 35, connecting rod I36, link I31, lever I38, link I39, and a suitable ratchet mechanism I which may correspond to that which operates the cut-oil: knife. The solenoid I34 may have its own trigger switch with a trigger at I4I, or itmay be operated from the trigger- I22 which controls the second end fold.

' Some of the chain connections preferably used for operating the .variouszparts of the machine are will not be described in detail since anyoperati-ve mechanical driving connections may be employed. It is particularly to be noted that no accurate tim- They ing system common to the whole machine is nec- I essary, since each important operation is synchronized directly with reference to the pads themselves. As above noted, the spacing between pads'is determined by the movement of the conveyor 10 with reference to the movement of the gauze. To producechang'es inlrates of relative movement between one belt conveyor and another, I may employ a belt driving pulley of variable cross section as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. The driving shaft I42 carries a sleeve I43 having right and left threaded portions with which cones I46 and I46 are engaged. Each cone has a series of uncut T-shaped slots at I41 in which operate complementary slides I connected by screws I with pulley sectors I50. These sectors are covered by an elastically contractile pulley covering III which spans the joints between the sectors when the latter are expanded.

A look nut It! holds the parts in any given adjustment. When the lock nut is released and the pulley is turned with reference to shaft I42, the cone-shaped expanders H and I move to or from each other, according to the direction of relative rotation. Their movement causes the sectors IN to move radially inwardly or outwardly, thereby enlarging or decreasing the cross section of the pulley to control the rate of belt travel with respect to the driving shaft 2.

Since the spacing of-the pads on the gauze is absolutely uniform at a distance depending on the relative rate of gauze movement with respect to the pad feeding conveyor 10, all other operations may be timed with reference to the pads themselves. Thus, the cut-off operation is timed with the greatest accuracy by means of a switch operated by the next successive pad. The relative ratio of leading and trailing ends of gauze may be varied as desired by simply adjusting this switch assembly longitudinally of the path of pad travel. Thereafter no further timing is necessary until the second folding operation is performed. This, likewise, is controlled with reference to the next succeeding pad of the series, and is therefore timed entirely independently of the remainder of the machine. The stacking device likewise has its own timing.

I claim:

1. In a machine for the manufacture of sanitary napkins or the like, the combination with means for continuously feeding a web of cellucotton, of means forblanking pads from said web while the web is in motion, said means comprising a die set mounted for movement along the path of said web and comprising guides reciprocable with reference to each other for a cutting operation, a means for simultaneously recipro- I blanking pads from the end of the cellucotton web during the continuous advance thereof, means for delivering said pads successively to said gauze in spaced relation, means for folding the gauze thereabout, and -means for severing the gauze between the pads during the continuous movement of the gauze.

3. In a sanitary napkin machine comprising means for continuously feeding the web of filling material, the combination with a die set movable forwardly and backwardly' along the path of movement of said web and including a female die below the path' of said web and across which the end of the web is movable, a male die movable between the retracted position above the path of said web and an advance position in operative cutting relation to the female die, and means for synchronously operating said die set to and fro along said path while actuating said male die between said advanced and retracted positions, said male die being actuated to cutting position while said set is moving with said web and being actuated to retracted position while said die set is moving reversely with respect to said web.

4. In a machine for the manufacture of sanitary napkins, the combination with means for feeding a web of filling material of pad cutting mechanism including co-acting dies, means for producing relative movement between said dies for the severing of web material fed therebetween, a web support connected for movement with one of said dies, and means foractuating said dies on the'table to and fro along the path of web advance in synchronism with the cutting movement of said dies, said support and dies being in movement with the web during the cutting operation, and means for assembling said web comprising a plurality of parent rolls each carrying a portion of the stock required to make up said roll, the several parent rolls being of differing sizes, whereby to stagger the points of termination of their several web portions.

5. A sanitary napkin machine comprising the combination with pad cutting mechanism, of meansfor feeding a web of filling material thereto, male and female die means for blanking pads from said web and a source of supply for said web comprising a series of parent roll supports, and parent rolls thereon each supplying a portion of the thickness of the desired web.

6.,A machine for the manufacture of articles from cellucotton, said machine comprising male and female die means for cutting blanks from a cellucotton web, and means for assembling such a web comprising conveyor mechanism, a plurality of parent roll supports, and parent rolls on said supports having their output superimposed in said conveyor mechanism, each of said parent rolls comprising a web partially as thick as the web required to produce said blanks, and the ends of the component webs of the several parent rolls being staggered.

'7. A sanitary napkin machine comprising means for feeding a web of cellucotton, means for punching blanks transversely from the advancing end of said web, and means for feeding said blanks including means for pivotally turning them individually upon their respective centers while feeding them in alignment with the line of feed of said web.

8. A sanitary napkin m'achine comprising the combination with means for feeding a web of filling material .and male and female die means for cutting blanks transversely from the end thereof, of a blank feeding device aligned longitudinally with said web and including means for pivotally turning the blanks successively upon an axis within the area of the respective blanks from their transverse positions to positions of alignment with the web and feeding device.

9. A sanitary napkin machine comprising the combination'with a support for a web of gauze and means for feeding such a web to said support from below, a pad feeding table aligned with said support, means on said table for aligning a pad with the direction of gauze feed over i said support, means for discharging pads from said table longitudinally on to said gauze web at predetermined intervals, means for enfplding successive pads in said web, a pocketed pulley in the path of said web and pads, and means for holding the web and pads to said pulley for the intervals thereon, of means for folding the margins of said web over said pad. means for severing said web intermediate successive pads, means pocketed. to receive the pads for inverting said web, and means for folding the ends of the severed web beneath the pad, whereby said ends intervals thereon, of means for folding the marenfolded pads, and means for folding the ends of the web beneath the pads adjacent the face on which the margins of said web were folded.

12. In a sanitary napkin machine, the combination with means for feeding a web of gauze, of means for feeding a web of filling material,

means for blanking pads from said web of filling material, apad feeding table adjacent the path of said. web of gauze, means for delivering the pads successively to the table, means associated with the table for the timed delivery of the pads to the gauze in predetermined spaced relation thereto, means for folding the margins of the gauze severing device, and means for timing the operation of said gauze severing device with reference to the position of a pad in the web independently of said gauze feeding and pad blanking means.

13. The combination with means for making,

sanitary napkins, of a stacking device comprising a set of retractible supports, means for discharging sanitary napkins .upon successive supports, means for advancing said supports along the pathofnapkin movement and simultaneously retracting them from each other, and a guide in the path of napkin advance upon said supports arranged to receive napkins upon the retraction of the supports. I

14. In a sanitary napkin machine, a stacker kins on to said supports, and means for actuating said supports concurrently upon said paths, whereby to deposit said napkins in said throat.

15. In a device of the character describedjthe combinaiton with a stacker having a throat, of

a series of coacting supports movable along opposite sides of said throat upon divergent paths,

means for feeding successive articles on to successive supports, means for moving the supports whereby to present a fresh pair of supportstoreceive each such article, said throat being sufficiently resistant to the movement of articles 7 therein to require the interaction of the supports Y sure through said throat.

16. In a sanitary napkin machine, the combination with a packing throat, of means for de livering the. napkins successively therein and pressing the napkins therethrough under packing pressure exerted successively upon each napkin.

17. The combination with means for longitudinally feeding sanitary napkins, of a pair of chains flights of said chains are movable in the same direction upon divergent'paths, corresponding I lugs on the respective chains providing supports they advance, of a'guideway with which said fingers communicate, said supports being adapted in releasing the napkins, supported thereon to thrust preceding napkins through said guideway.

18. In a sanitary napkin machine, the combination with means for feeding a web of gauze and means for assembling and feeding a multiply web of cellucotton in the opposite direction, of means for transversely cutting successive end portionsof the Web of cellucotton during the continued advance thereof to separate filler blanks therefrom, means for turning said blanks upon their axes and advancing them toward the web of gauze in the general direction of cellucotton movement, means for reversing 'the direction of blank movement and delivering successive blanks at intervals upon the web of gauze, means for folding the margins of said web of gauze about the blanks, means for inverting the web of gauze and its interfolded blanks, means for severing the foldedv web of gauze between the blanks end-folded therein and for folding over said blanks the severed ends of the gauze, and means .for stacking for delivery the sanitary napkins having pockets registerable with. the enfoldedpads, and a co-acting belt for holding the gauze andpads to the base of the pulley for a portion of the rotation thereof, said pads being protected by the pockets of the pulley from the pressure of said holding means.

20. In a sanitary napkin machine, the combination with means for feeding a web of filler and a web of wrapping material upon a common center line, of a pad blankinghead comprising relatively movable dies, said head being bodily movable along said center line, means for synchronously operating said head and the dies thereof for theblanking of pads from. the web of filler material during the movement of the head with said web for delivering successive pads in spaced relation on to the web of gauze,

21. In a sanitary napkin machine, the combination with means for feeding a web of filler and a web of wrapping materialupon a common center line, of a pad blanking head comprising relatively movable dies, said head being bodily movable along said center line, means for synchronously operating said head and the dies thereof for the blanking of pads from the web of filler tive napkins in the course of their advance, fingers between which the napkins are engaged as material during the movement of the head with I said web for delivering successive pads in spaced relation on to the web of. gauze, said conveyor means having a portion beneath said head, to receive pads blanked from the filler material, said conveyor means including mechanism for ad-' vancing said pads along said center line and concurrentlyturning said pads from positions transverse with respect to said line to positions of longitudinal alignment therewith.

22. The combination with means for continuously feeding a web of flller' and a webof gauze a ing pads transversely from the advancing end of the web of filler, means for advancing said pads along said center line while turning them into alignment therewith, and means for delivering said pads in spaced relation on to the gauze and enfolding them therein.

23. The combination with means for continuously feeding a web of filler and a web of gauze upon a common center line, of means for punching pads transversely from the advancing end of the web of filler, means for advancing saidpads along said center line while turning them into alignment therewith, and means fordelivering said pads in spaced relation on to the gauze and enfolding them therein, together with means for inverting the gauze and enfoldedpads, means for severing the gauze intermediate the pads, and folding the ends of the gauze on to the pads.

24. The combination with means for continuously feeding a web'of filler and a web of gauze upon a common center line, of means for punching pads transversely from the advancing end of the web of filler, means for advancing said pads along said center line while turning them into alignment therewith, .and means for delivering said pads in spaced relation on to the gauze and inverting the gauze andenfolded pads, means for severing the gauze intermediate the pads, and folding the ends of the gauze on to the pads, said inverting means comprising a pulley pocketed to receive the pads to relieve pressure thereon.

25. The combination with means for continuously feeding a web of filler and a web of gauze upon a common center line,- of means for punching pads transversely from the advancing end of the web of filler, means for advancing said pads along said center line while turning them into alignment therewith. and means for delivering said pads in spaced relation on to the gauze and enfolding them therein, together with means for inverting the gauze and enfolded pads, means for severing the gauze intermediate the pads, and folding the ends of the gauze on to the pads, and means for stacking the completed sanitary napkins.

27. The method of making sanitary napkins which comprises feeding a web of flller material, punching pad blanks successively from the end of such web during the movement thereof, feeding a strip of wrapping material, delivering the pad blanks successively upon the moving wrapping material in its first relation, folding the sides of the wrapping material over the pad blanks during the continued movement 'of the wrapping material, severing the wrapping material between successive pad blanks, and folding the cut ends of wrapping material on to the folded sides thereof. a

28. The method of making sanitary napkins which comprises feeding a web ofiiller material,

punching pad blanks successively from the end of such web during the movement thereof, feeding a strip of wrapping material, delivering the pad blanks successively upon the moving wrapping material in its first relation, folding the sides of the wrapping material over the pad blanks during the continued movement of the wrapping material, inverting the pad blanks and the enfolding wrapping, material to bring the folded sides of the wrapping material beneath the pad blanks, severing the wrapping material between pad blanks, and folding the severed ends of the wrapping material beneath the pad blanks, whereby to bring all folded portions of the wrapping material on to the same side of each pad blank.

29. The method of making sanitary napkins which comprises feeding a web of filler material, successively severing portions of the end of the web during the continued movement thereof to provide pads, feeding a webof wrapping ma-' terial, delivering pads to the wrapping material and enfolding them therein during the continued feeding movement of the wrapping material to provide sanitary napkins, and delivering the finished napkins in a stack.

30. The method of making sanitary napkins which comprises feeding a web of filler material, punching pads transversely from successive end portions of the filler material during the continued movement thereof, continuing the advance of successive pads in the samedirection while turning them to parallelism with the direction of advance, feeding a web of wrapping material and delivering successive pads thereto, enfolding the pads in the wrapping material, severing the wrapping material between pads, and delivering the completed sanitary napkins successively upon each other under moderate compression to comprise a stack for packaging:

a 31. In a machine for the manufacture of sanitary napkins or the like, the combination with means for continuously feeding a web of cellucotton, of a die set including an apertured die base and a punch reciprocable to and from the base transversely of the path of advance of said web, means for reciprocating the punch in a direction to cut a blank from the web of cellucotton and push the blank through the base, and means a for reciprocating said die set along the path of web advance in synchronism with the reciprocation of said punch, whereby said base will move with the web during the severing of said blank.

32. In the method of making sanitary napkins, the steps of moving a web of filler material, carrying said web on a support moving therewith at substantially the same rate, and punching a blank from the web through the support while the support is in motion as aforesaid.

33. In the method of making sanitary napkins, the steps which comprise advancing a web of filler material, moving a support with the leading end portion of said web at substantially the rate and direction of web advance, and successively punching complete pad blanks from the advancing end of such material out of the plane of advance thereof while such material is in motion and in a direction transverse .with respect to the path of said motion, whereby each successive blank is delivered transversely past the said sup-

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