EP0420110B1 - Article moistening device considered as part of a whole system and its application - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a set for wetting articles and in particular envelope flaps for automatic mail processing installations.

In a known manner, such a wetting assembly essentially comprises a wetting element supplied directly or indirectly from a water reserve tank which carries it or not, against which rubs the flap of successive envelopes driven on a path.

The wetting element must be supplied with enough, but not excess, to allow a fair transfer of water on the flap rubbing against it. The means ensuring its supply, from the water in the tank, and the tank itself must avoid causing possible splashes, under the effect of possible vibrations in the installation or during their assembly or disassembly in the 'installation.

To meet these objectives in particular, more or less complex wetting assemblies are known in which the water reserve tank is mounted at a distance from the wetting element and therefore from the path followed by the envelopes and their flaps. .

Document FR-A-2 195 532 describes an embodiment of such a device for wetting and folding the envelope flaps. For wetting, the device comprises a water tank, a wick support arm which is inclined at an angle at the top of the tank and a wick, one end of which is in the tank and the other is mounted on a wick holder and passes through the wick support arm. This wick support arm has an elongated marginal portion which releases an elongated portion of the wick, through an open elongated portion of the wick holder. This wick holder is of J-section, with projections which penetrate into the wick to lock it in place and is placed in the wick support arm to which it is adapted. This mooring assembly is mounted under a platform, with the clear portion of the wick located substantially under one of the edges of the platform. It is associated with an upstream deflector which receives the flap freely projecting over the edge of the platform, on which the body of the envelope is driven, and the guide below the lower edge of the wick support arm. A folding assembly of complex shape then ensures folding of the flap, by firmly pushing its gummed region against the wick.

The object of the present invention is to provide a wetting assembly of clearly simplified design and operation, which also has a small footprint in a mail processing installation, poses no problem of assembly or disassembly in the installation and avoids possible splashes.

It relates to a set for wetting articles comprising a wetting element and a supply tank for said wetting element, said element being mounted on said tank and having a protruding part for wetting each article traveling on a path and applied against it, characterized in that said tank is mounted, with said wetting element which it carries, transverse to the path, directly below it and substantially over its entire width, and comprises a series of partitions dividing it across the width of the path in compartments independent of each other, ensuring the individual supply of said wetting element.

According to another characteristic, said tank is constituted by an elongated and narrow tank, of length substantially equal to the width of the path and with said partitions extending over its height and width, and has its upper face closed by a cover and crossed by said wetting element.

According to another characteristic, said wetting element is constituted by a flat element mounted on an element holder which retains it on the cover and in the tank.

According to another characteristic, said cover comprises a base, covering said tank and surmounted by at least one chimney for receiving and holding the wetting element, with said element holder, in each of the compartments of the tank.

According to another characteristic, said base is further equipped with a compartment feed chute, formed on one side of the chimney.

Said chute has on the base a series of holes opening into the respective compartments and closed by a strip of plugs.

The present invention also relates to a wetting device comprising said wetting assembly and an associated wetting deflector, mounted on either side of the path of the articles, characterized in that it further comprises a sliding bar pivotally mounted on said tank and extending, in front of said wetting element, for the direction of advance of the articles, and controlled between a protective position, for which it is adjacent to the projecting part of the element wetting and flush substantially on the level of the path, and an erasing position, for which it is recessed below the projecting part of the wetting element and below the level of the path.

According to another characteristic, the deflector and the bar are coupled by means coming laterally on the path, for their simultaneous control.

• La figure 1 est une vue schématique en élévation illustrant une machine de traitement de courrier utilisant un ensemble de mouillage, selon la présente invention, lui-même monté dans un dispositif de mouillage rendu conforme à la présente invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique éclatée et partiellement coupée dudit ensemble de mouillage, de la figure 1, non totalement équipé,
• la figure 3 est une vue partiellement en élévation, selon la flèche III de la figure 2, et partiellement en coupe longitudinale de l'une des parties, dite bac, dudit ensemble de mouillage des figures 1 et 2,
• la figure 4 est une vue en élévation d'une autre partie dite couvercle dudit ensemble de mouillage, selon la flèche IV de la figure 2,
• la figure 5 est une vue de dessus du couvercle, selon la flèche V de la figure 2,
• la figure 6 est une vue en élévation d'une troisième partie dite réglette de bouchons dudit ensemble de mouillage, selon la flèche VI de la figure 2,
• la figure 6A est une vue en coupe, selon la ligne A-A de la figure 6, de ladite réglette de bouchons.

The characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly during the description of an embodiment given by way of example in the appended drawings. In these drawings,

• FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation view illustrating a mail processing machine using a wetting assembly, according to the present invention, itself mounted in a wetting device made in accordance with the present invention,
• FIG. 2 is an exploded and partially cut diagrammatic view of said wetting assembly, of FIG. 1, not fully equipped,
• FIG. 3 is a view partially in elevation, according to arrow III in FIG. 2, and partially in longitudinal section of one of the parts, called the tank, of said wetting assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2,
• FIG. 4 is an elevation view of another part called the cover of said wetting assembly, according to arrow IV of FIG. 2,
• FIG. 5 is a top view of the cover, according to the arrow V in FIG. 2,
• FIG. 6 is an elevation view of a third part known as a plug strip of said wetting assembly, according to arrow VI of FIG. 2,
• Figure 6A is a sectional view along line AA of Figure 6 of said plug strip.

In Figure 1, there is illustrated a mail processing machine comprising a wetting device 1 of the envelope flap, which is equipped in accordance with the present invention.

This wetting device 1 is mounted on an envelope path 2 of the machine, on which the envelopes are driven flat. Two pairs of sets of rollers 3A, 3B and 4A, 4B, between which is the wetting device 1, define the path 2 and ensure the drive of the envelopes. The arrow 2A indicates the advance of the envelopes on the way. The general organization of the machine is as such known. It is briefly described below.

In the machine, the pair of roller sets 3A, 3B belongs to a device 3 for loading envelopes or alternatively can receive the envelopes already loaded. It ensures with the pair of roller sets 4A, 4B, in particular the advance of the envelopes loaded on the way, whose unfolded flap is flat and at the rear of the envelope body in the wetting device. The pair of rollers 4A, 4B also constitutes a device 4 for ejecting the envelopes from the path 2.

In the machine, a closing device 5 for the envelopes is mounted between the wetting device 1 and the ejection device 4. This closing device 5 comprises a pair of pressing elements 5A, 5B. The elements 5A and 5B are elastically stressed under pressure one above the other and are mounted on the same pair of articulated arms 6. The upper element 5A is a roller, the lower element is a section of elongated section. This pair of pressing elements 5A, 5B is made to pivot opposite path 2 according to arrow 6A, from a rest position, shown in FIG. 1 and for which it is external to the path, in a so-called closed position, for which it is interposed on the path, with its elements on either side of the path. A pair of closing cams 7 controls and maintains it in one or other of its two positions. A roller 6B carried by each arm 6 comes under pressure on the corresponding closing cam. Each cam 7 has on its periphery a section 7A assigned to setting and maintaining the pair of pressing elements in the rest position and a section 7B assigned to setting and keeping it in the closed position.

In the machine, the wetting device 1 makes it possible to wet or not to wet the flaps which pass through it, depending on whether the closing of the envelopes is desired or not. The closure of each envelope is ensured in two stages by the pair of pressing elements 5A, 5B placed in the closed position, when the previously wet flap reaches its level. In a first of these times, while the envelope advances and the flap arrives at the level of the pair of pressing elements, the flap receives a first fold substantially at 90 ° on the body of the envelope. In a second step, the envelope is driven in the opposite direction, for its retreat on the way, its flap then passes between the pair of pressing elements and is folded completely on the envelope body, for its sealing. A new reversal of the drive of the envelope on the way, ensures its ejection out of the way, by the pair of rollers 4A, 4B. When the closing of the envelopes is not desired, the flap of each envelope passes through the wetting device without being wet, then passes under the pair of pressing elements 5A, 5B maintained in the rest position. It is then directly ejected, without the step of retreating on path 2.

The wetting device 1 comprises a wetting assembly 1A, mounted under the path 2 and an associated wetting deflector 1B mounted above the path.

The wetting assembly 1A comprises a wetting element 10, mounted in a water reserve tank 11. The wetting element 10 is carried by a support 12 which ensures its retention on the tank; it soaks in water for its food and protrudes above the tank. The tank 11 is closed by a cover 13, which passes through the wetting element. A series of fins 13A from the cover 13 extends over one of the edges of the wetting element, called the rear edge for the direction of advance on the path 2 given by the arrow 2A. This tank 11 is of particular embodiment to form with the wetting element 10 that it carries the wetting assembly 1A in accordance with the present invention. It is described in detail below.

The wetting device 1 represented in FIG. 1 is, for its part, of general organization in accordance with that described in the patent application "selective wetting device for envelope flap", having the same filing date, of the applicant . A more brief description of this device is incorporated below.

The wetting assembly 1A is mounted transversely under the path 2, the wetting element 10 remaining slightly recessed under the path while the vertical fins 13A are flush with the level of the path. It is directly mounted between a pair of lower flanges, such as the primed flange 8, of the machine. For this purpose, the tray 11 has two projecting fingers 14A, 14B on each of its small lateral faces, substantially at an upper corner and at the opposite lower corner. Each flange 8 has in correspondence, a rectangular notch 8A, in which an attached support part 9 comes laterally to define two retaining housings 9A, 9B for the two projecting fingers 14A, 14B. The container 11 is directly mounted and retained without play in place between the flanges, by tilting it to insert each lower protruding finger into its retaining housing, then bringing it back to the horizontal to slide each upper finger at the same time into its retaining housing. It can be removed just as easily.

This mooring assembly 1A further comprises a strip sliding 15, pivoting and associated with the wetting element 10. It extends over the front of the wetting element and has a substantially flat face called sliding face 15B for the envelopes. It is also advantageously carried by the tank 11 by being pivoted at the front of the wetting element 10. It is mounted at the end of a pair of arms 16, these arms come to extend externally on the small lateral faces of the tray 11 where each of them is articulated on the projecting finger 14A. A spring 17, fixed to each arm 16 and anchored on the corresponding small side face of the tray, ensures the elastic retention of the sliding bar in a high rest position from which it is actuated according to arrow 15A in a low erased position . In this high position the bar is just in front of the wetting element, with its sliding face 15B projecting slightly above the wetting element to be in the plane of the path 2. This high rest position is said to be protective position, for which the slide bar prevents contact of the envelope flap with wetting element. A stud 18A on each small side face of the tray forms a stop for the arm 16 for the high rest position of the bar. Comparatively, another stud 18B on each small lateral face of the tray forms an abutment stop for the arm 16 for the low position of the bar. This erased low position is also called the wetting position for which the envelope flap comes into contact with the wetting element.

The bar has drooping lips 15C, not continuous on its front edge. It also has its end portions 15D, in a semi-round shape, which protrude above the sliding face 15B and extend laterally on path 2.

The wetting deflector 1B is adapted to cooperate with the wetting element 10 and the sliding bar 15. It comprises an actual deflector 20. The deflector 20 extends above the path 2, over its width, and comes slightly in front of the mooring element. It is carried at the end of a pair of arms 21, articulated on an intermediate axis 21A and controlled opposite the deflector by a pair of wetting cams 22. A roller 21B carried by each arm 21 ensures the coupling between the pair of arms and the pair of wetting cams. This pair of cams 22 and the pair of closing cams 7 are set relatively to each other on the same drive motor shaft 23. The arrow 23A translates the direction of rotation of this shaft. On the periphery of each cam 22, a profile 22A is assigned to maintaining the deflector in the high rest position and a second profile 22B for keeping it in the low wetting position. The arrow 20A translates the control of the deflector in the low position. In the rest position the deflector remains at a distance above the path. In the low position, it comes to interfere with the plane of the path, in front of the anchoring element.

To allow elastic retention of the deflector 20 facing the path and therefore to take account of a variable thickness of the envelopes, the arms 21 are each in two parts, one being a control lever 24 and the other a support 25 of the deflector. The lever and the support are both articulated in 21A; they are also coupled by a spring 26. This spring maintains a rib 25D, provided on the support, against a ramp 24A defined for it on the lever.

The control of the wetting deflector from its rest position to its wetting position, according to arrow 20A, advantageously ensures at the same time the setting of the sliding bar in the erased low position. This simultaneous control is carried out by the pair of wetting cams 22 and means for coupling the deflector 20 or its arms 21 with the sliding bar 15 or its arms 16. The coupling means illustrated are defined by the profile of the terminal edge lower 25D of each of the supports 25 of the deflector, which constitutes a pressing element, and by the corresponding semi-circular terminal shoulder 15D of the sliding bar 15, which constitutes a bearing stop for the pressing element. The spring 17 ensures the return of the sliding bar in the high rest position when the deflector 20 returns to the high rest position.

In the wetting assembly 1A, the wetting element 10 is constituted by a flat element mounted vertically in the tank. It’s for example a flat felt, a flat sponge, a flat brush, or the like. It is carried by its support 12, also flat, called the element holder, one of its large faces being attached to one of the faces of the element holder. Its mounting on the tank is specified during the description of the wetting assembly 1A, made with reference to the following figures.

With reference to FIG. 2 which shows the wetting assembly 1A without the sliding bar carried by the tank 11, it can be seen that this wetting assembly further includes a plug strip 19 adapted to the cover 13 and allowing the filling of the tank 11 and its closure after filling.

The container 11 is described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The container is elongated and of relatively small width; it constitutes a water tank with a substantially parallelepiped section. It spans the width of the path. Its open upper face has a small rib 11A on its periphery, for mounting the cover. Its bottom has a U-shaped 11B notch along its length, substantially in its middle part, which defines an internal narrow channel receiving the lower end, or foot, of the wetting element on the element holder, thus sketched in dotted lines in the Figure 2. Its side walls 11C are of height corresponding to the level of the bottom of the tank, channel 11B included.

Figure 3 shows that the tray 11 is compartmentalized along its length. It is shown with three identical compartments 30 defined by two transverse partitions 31. The partitions extend over the entire height of the tank 11, channel 11B included. The three compartments 30 are independent and isolated from each other once the container 11 is closed by the cover 13. On the upper face of the container, each partition 31 defines a rib 31A, similar to the peripheral rib 11A.

This tank 11 carries on each of its small lateral faces, the two projecting fingers 14A, 14B mentioned above, which ensure the maintenance of the tank and therefore of the resulting wetting assembly 1A in the machine of FIG. 1 and which define, by the fingers 14A, the axis of articulation of the sliding bar carried by the tray.

The tank 11 thus compartmentalized, makes it possible to distribute the overall volume of water which it receives separately and substantially identical. It thus makes it possible to maintain a balanced distribution of the individual masses of water, consequently makes handling easier, when mounting and dismounting the wetting assembly 1A in the machine and avoids spilling water during mounting and disassembly, in particular.

The cover 13 is described with reference to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5.

This cover has a base 35, the substantially planar lower face of which fits on the upper face of the container 11 to close it and for this purpose has a peripheral groove 35A, which is fitted onto the peripheral rib 11A of the container.

This cover 13 is fitted in correspondence for the three compartments of the tank. It has on the upper face of its base 35, and along its length, three chimneys 36 which are aligned and substantially along its median part, a filler neck 37 for feeding the tank defined on one side of the chimneys, and three small channels 38 for degassing the compartments, on the other side of the chimneys.

The chimneys 36 are largely projecting from the base and open directly through the base into the respective compartments, along their length. They retain three identical wetting elements 10 mounted on their individual element carrier, each coming in one of the compartments and remaining slightly protruding above their chimney.

The chute 37 is on one side of the chimneys, it is defined between a vertical rim 40 on one of the longitudinal edges of the base and a longitudinal rib 41 which also forms one of the walls of the chimneys. The vertical rim is of lesser height than that of the rib 41 or the chimneys; it corresponds to the rear edge of the container mounted in the machine of FIG. 1. This chute 37 communicates with each of the compartments of the container by a circular hole 39 in the part of the base 35 which constitutes the bottom of this chute. The three holes 39, for the three compartments have their edge 39A projecting below the underside from the base. Opposite the three compartments, the hole for the middle compartment is centered on this compartment, those for the two extreme compartments are offset towards the middle compartment.

The three small degassing channels 38 are advantageously adjoining the other wall of the chimney formed by a second longitudinal rib 42 similar to the rib 41.

Each of them is formed in an extra thickness 43, which has this rib 42, substantially perpendicular to the central part of each compartment, and to which is given, with the rib 42 a terminal chamfer 43A (FIG. 2).

This cover 13 has, in addition, on its upper face, two transverse ribs 45, termed end, which correspond to the short sides of the base 35 and form the small side walls for the two end chimneys and the trough, and two other transverse ribs 46, said to be internal, which separate the adjacent chimneys and extend transversely in the trough 37. These ribs 45 and 46 are substantially similar; the ribs 46 however have their end edge 46A at an angle through the chute, so as not to compartmentalize it, this end edge 46A ending substantially at the foot of the wall 41 on the base 35 while maintaining the continuity of the chute, while the edge corresponding terminal 45A of the ribs 45 is vertical.

In the trough 37, these ribs 45 and 46 are protruding above the level of the chimneys. The upper edges of these ribs form the aforementioned fins 13A. On each of these ribs, a front chamfer 45B or 46B makes the transition between the fins 13A and the level of the chimneys, substantially on the center line of their openings. A front plate 45C, 46C extends this chamfer to the wall 42. A rear chamfer 45D, 46D makes the transition between the fins 13A and the end edge 45A, 46A of the corresponding rib. The chamfer 46D and the biased end edge 46A of the ribs 46 define between them a sharp angle or corner 46E which contributes to the retention in place of the plug strip 19.

On the outer face of each of the end ribs 45, an outer tab 47 is provided for easily gripping the cover. Under each tab 47 an external boss defines the abovementioned stop stop 18A, for the sliding bar mounted articulated on the tank 11 (FIG. 1).

It can also be seen, with reference to FIG. 5, that the base 35 has, in addition on its underside, two grooves 35B for the end ribs 31A of the two partitions 31 of the container 11 (FIG. 3). These grooves 35B have simply been sketched in dotted lines like the peripheral groove 35A.

The wetting element holder 12 is described with reference to FIG. 2. It ensures the mounting of the wetting element 10 in each of the compartments of the tank and its retention in the corresponding chimney 36 of the cover, the wetting element and the element holder being constituted by as many individual segments as there are compartments; the segments are not referenced separately.

The element holder 12 is constituted by a support plate designated under the reference of the element holder. This support plate has a height slightly less than that of the wetting element 10 and a length substantially equal to that of each compartment 30. It is mounted vertically in the compartment and the corresponding chimney. It has, on one side and along its lower edge or base, a terminal sleeve 12A, of rectangular section like that of the wetting element. Internal bosses 12B on this sleeve ensure the retention of the wetting element in the sleeve and its retention against the corresponding face of the support plate. This sleeve is inserted through the chimney 36 of the cover and comes into the internal channel 11B defined in the bottom of the tank 11.

This same support plate 12 has on its other face, or back, a transverse tab 12C abutting at the end of the wall 41 of the chimney, during the insertion at the bottom of the wetting element in its compartment, and by defining its remaining part projecting above the chimney. It has, in addition, on its back ribs 12D extending over part of its height and just below the stop tab 12C. These ribs are of thickness ranging slightly crescent, from their lower end to their upper end below the stopper tab. They do not thus oppose their engagement in the chimney, against the wall 41, then ensure the blocking of the element holder 12 with the wetting element, between the walls 41 and 42, at the end of insertion.

The plug strip 19 is described with reference to Figures 3 and Figures 6 and 6A in which it is shown with different scales.

The plug strip ensures the closure of the three holes 39 at the bottom of the chute for the three compartments of the container 11. It is formed by an elongated flat support or strip proper, designated by this reference 19, which carries three plugs 50. The plugs 50 are cylindrical, they have substantially the same spacing between them as that of the holes 39 between them. The strip is slightly shorter in length than that of the chute 37 and is inserted approximately vertically in the chute, with its two end plugs just on either side of the two internal ribs 46 extending in the chute 37 .

This strip 19 has on one of its faces three flexible or elastic transverse walls 51, each carrying one of the plugs thus mounted cantilevered on the strip. The walls 51 are higher than that of the strip, their lower edge extends below the lower edge of the strip. They also have a step 51A at the lower edge of the strip, increasing their elasticity with respect to the strip. Each cylindrical plug extends vertically at the end of each elastic wall, this lower edge of the wall being along a diameter of a terminal face called head 50A of the plug.

This same strip also has semicircular support cups 52 projecting from its upper edge and above the elastic walls 51, for the forced insertion of each plug 50 into the corresponding hole 39.

The elasticity of the walls 51, and in particular of their lower part carrying the plugs allows a possible refocusing of the plugs in the holes 39.

Two terminal indentations 19A in the lower edge of the strip and the shorter length given to the strip relative to the chute allow it to be grasped and facilitate the removal of the plugs, for feeding the compartments of the tank by the chute.

The caps are identical. They each have two small projecting crowns 50B on their periphery, which are inserted in turn in the hole 39 and come to hang under its lower edge for good closure of each of the compartments. In the completely closed position of each hole 39 by its plug, the lower edge of the strip rests at the end of the rim 40 on the cover, forming the outer wall of the chute. During insertion, the strip is guided against the projecting corners 46E of the ribs 46; in the closed position it is kept vertical against them.

This plug strip 19 is in one piece. It provides no additional space in the wetting assembly 1A. It allows easy and simultaneous feeding of the tank compartments. The water distribution is almost identical between the different compartments.

In the wetting assembly 1A, the tank 11, the cover 13, the wetting element holder 12, the plug strip 19 and the sliding bar 15 are preferably all made of plastic and all from molding. The cover is preferably fixed definitively on the tank 11, by ultrasonic welding, the compartments being thus completely isolated from each other and from the outside definitively.

The wetting assembly according to the present invention has many advantages. In particular, it is easy to mount in any type of wetting device, or to dismantle, without risk of causing unexpected damage during such an intervention or during its feeding. This food is also quick and simple. It has its mooring element which is very simple as such and very easy to assemble and replace if necessary. it is particularly suitable for the above-mentioned wetting device 1 in which it is shown and is easy to equip with a sliding bar to cooperate effectively with the deflector of this wetting device. Of course, it can be used in any other wetting device, without associated deflector or with a different deflector.

This mooring assembly is compact. The individual elements which it comprises are all simple and inexpensive to make and easy to assemble and replace if necessary.

The present invention has been described with reference to the illustrated embodiment. it is obvious that without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is possible to make modifications of detail and / or replace certain means by other equivalent or adapted to the device in which it is mounted. It is noted in particular that the wetting element on its element holder, which is in as many individual segments as there are compartments, can simply be segmented on its lower part dipping into the compartments. Under these conditions the upper part of the wetting element can be continuous and a chimney over the entire length of the cover ensures its retention.

Claims (22)

1. Moistening system comprising a moistening member and a reservoir, said member being mounted on said reservoir and having a projecting part for moistening each article as it moves along a path and is applied to it, characterized in that said reservoir (11) is mounted with said moistening member (10) that it carries transversely below the path (2) over substantially the entire width of the path and includes a series of partitions (31) dividing it across the width of the path into independent compartments (30) individually supplying water to said moistening member (10).
2. Moistening system according to claim 1 characterized in that said reservoir (11) is in the form of an elongate narrow parallelepiped-shape reservoir whose length is substantially equal to the width of said path (2) and in which said partitions (34) defining said compartments (30) extend over its height and its width and said moistening member extends over the length of the reservoir and is disposed vertically in the reservoir and dips into the individual compartments (30).
3. Moistening system according to claim 2 characterized in that said reservoir has its upper surface closed by a lid (13) incorporating a base (35) matched to the dimensions of the upper surface that it covers and through which said moistening member (10) passes to be received in part in the individual compartments (30).
4. Moistening system according to claim 3 characterized in that said moistening member (10) is segmented into as many segments as there are compartments, at least in the part thereof dipping into said compartments, and mounted on a flat holder (18) fixing it to the reservoir.
5. Moistening system according to claim 4 characterized in that said lid (13) comprises a longitudinal feed trough (37) on the exterior side of said base (35) closing the reservoir (11) and communicating with said compartments (30) through holes (39) in the bottom of the trough, defined on said base (35).
6. Moistening system according to claim 5 characterized in that it comprises a strip of plugs (19) mounted in said trough (37) and carrying plugs (50) for closing respective holes (39) in the trough.
7. Moistening system according to claim 6 characterized in that said plug strip (19) comprises a flat support provided on one side with a series of transverse flexible walls (51) having a separation between them substantially equal to that between said holes (39) and each carrying one of said plugs fastened to an edge of said flexible wall that is the lower edge with reference to the direction in which the strip is fitted into said trough, said plugs (50) being cantilevered from said flat support under its lower edge.
8. Moistening system according to claim 7 characterized in that said plug strip (19) additionally comprises bearing cups (52) above respective flexible walls (51) for forcing the individual plugs (50) into the respective holes (39).
9. Moistening system according to claim 8 characterized in that said plug strip (19) is in one piece.
10. Moistening system according to claim 9 characterized in that the length of said strip (19) is less than the length of said trough (37) and said strip has a notch (19A) at each end to facilitate grasping it.
11. Moistening system according to any one of claims 5 to 10 characterized in that said lid (13) further comprises at least one chimney (36) on said outside surface of said base (35) and discharging directly into the respective compartments (30) of said reservoir, in which is mounted and held said moistening member (10) on said holder (12).
12. Moistening system according to claim 11 characterized in that said holder (12) comprises a support plate with first means (12A, 12B) for retaining said moistening member (10) against one side and on its other side or back second means (12C, 12D) for positioning and locking said moistening member in the chimney (36) on the lid (13).
13. Moistening system according to claim 12 characterized in that said first means (12A, 12B) comprise a rectangular cross-section sleeve defined along a lower edge of said holder mounted in said reservoir receiving and retaining said moistening member (10).
14. Molding system according to claim 13 characterized in that said reservoir has a recess (11B) in its bottom running along its length and defining a narrow longitudinal channel for the lower end of said moistening member (10) on said holder (12).
15. Moistening system according to claim 12 or claim 14 characterized in that said second means (12C, 12D) comprise a transverse lug (12C) on said support plate (19) and ribs (12D) over part of its height and below said lug having a thickness increasing from the bottom towards the top.
16. Moistening system according to any one of claims 11 to 15 characterized in that said lid has as many chimneys (36) as there are compartments for mounting individual moistening members with their respective holder, each chimney corresponding to each compartment into which it discharges substantially lengthwise.
17. Moistening system according to any one of claims 5 to 16 characterized in that said lid (13) has on the outside surface of said base (35) a series of vent passages (38) discharging into the various compartments (30) of the reservoir (11).
18. Moistening system according to any one of claims 5 to 17 characterized in that said lid (13) has on the outside surface of said base (35) transverse ribs (45, 46) extending transversely at least into said trough (37) and the upper edges of which define fins (13A) projecting above the moistening member (10), along its edge which is its rear edge with reference to the direction (2A) of forward movement of articles moving on said path (2).
19. Moistening system according to claim 18 characterized in that said transverse ribs (45, 46) include two outer ribs (45) at the ends of the trough (37) and inner ribs (46) whose rear edge (46A) extends slantwise in said trough (37) to maintain the continuity of the trough over the length of the lid (13).
20. Moistening system according to claim 19 characterized in that said inner ribs (46) are aligned with the partitions (31) of said reservoir and have front and rear bevels (46B, 46D) extending to either side said fins (13A) that they define.
21. Moistening device comprising a moistening system (1A) according to any one of claims 1 to 20 and an associated pivoting moistening deflector (20) mounted above the path and adapted to be actuated between a raised rest position and a lowered moistening position, characterized in that it further comprises a slide bar (15) pivoted to said reservoir (11) to the front of said moistening member (10) with reference to the direction (2A) of forward movement of the articles and adapted to be actuated between a protection position in which it adjoins the front of the projecting part of the moistening member substantially flush with the level of the path (2) and a retracted position in which it is retracted under said projecting part of the moistening member and the level of the path (2), said bar being actuated at substantially the same time as said deflector.
22. Moistening device according to claim 20 characterized in that it comprises coupling means (15D, 25D) between said deflector (20) and said bar (15), disposed laterally on the path (2), and common means (22) for actuating said bar (15) to said retracted position and said deflector (20) to said moistening position facing said moistening member (10).

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