The History Of
Autowrappers
Part 2
The Edward St factory 1953 to 1958
Once
completed
the
Edward
Street
factory
was
a
shining
example
of
post
war
architecture and
became
home
to
engineers
that
would
go
on
to
become
some
of
the
finest
in the global packaging industry.
Photo Ref:AW0244. Photo Courtesy of Richard Rush and Trevor Kirby
For Comparison, here is a photo sent to us by Kelvin Woodard showing the Edward Street Site as it is in 2016
Photo Ref:AW0299 Photo Courtesy of Kelvin Woodard
Once
the
new
factory
building
was
completed
investment
was
made
in
the
latest
machine
tools
required
for
the
precision
engineering
to
manufacture
the
vast
range
of
machines
now
in
the
companies
portfolio, the
factory
was
now running round the clock to produce the latest wrapping machines for customers all over the world.
Back to the drawing board... Wrapping machine parts drawn by hand at the Edward St factory in 1953.
Photo Ref:AW0235 Photo Courtesy of Richard Rush and Trevor Kirby
Birth of a RH Roll Wrapper, Assembly of the main frame at the Edward St factory in 1953.
Photo Ref:AW0236 Photo Courtesy of Richard Rush and Trevor Kirby
Assembly of a Roll Wrapper Feeder unit at the Edward St factory in 1953
Photo Ref:AW0237 Photo Courtesy of Richard Rush and Trevor Kirby
Surface Grinder in the machine shop at the Edward St factory 1953,
Photo Ref:AW0238
Photo Courtesy of Richard Rush and Trevor Kirby
A
Jig
Borer
at
the
Edward
St
Machine
Shop
in
1953,
This
machine
was
used
to
make
precision
holes
in
components
used
on
the
wrapping
machines,
the
picture
shows
a
cast
shaft
support
being
bored,
ready
for
the
bronze bushes to be fitted.
Photo Ref:AW0239 Photo Courtesy of Richard Rush and Trevor Kirby
The
main
core
of
the
business
in
the
early
years
was
the
roll
wrapping
machines,
which
with
design
and
development
changes,
claimed
ninety
five
per
cent
of
the
world
market.
The
basic
principle
and
core
of
the
design
has
changed
very
little
over
the
years,
Still
manufactured
today,
only
improved
with
advanced
materials
and
Hi-Tech electronic controls.
The
Principle
design
of
the
Roll
Wrapper
was
based
on
the
pocket
cigarette
rolling
machine
of
the
time
,
using
a
rolling
belt,
the
product
was
lifted
from
the
infeed,
into
the
foil
and
paper
and
then
pushed
into
the
jaws
of
the
rolling
head with the belt around it, when the jaws rotated the paper was wrapped tight around the product.
Photo Ref: AW0555
The above principle is based on the pocket cigarette rolling machine, shown below is the Rizla Cigarette Roller
The
Paper
is
laid
into
the
belt
with
the
tobacco
placed
on
top,
the
jaws
are
squeezed
together
and
the
belt
rolled
by
hand making a perfect Roll-up Cigarette.
Photo Ref: AW0554
Below is a video of a vintage Auto wrappers RH Roll Wrapper in action
The Edward St Factory Assembly Shop
Photo Ref: AW0040 Edward St Factory Assembly Workshop
Assembly of a RH model Roll Wrapper at the Edward St factory
Photo Ref:AW0247 Photo Courtesy of Richard Rush and Trevor Kirby
