US1018592A - Moistener and sealer. - Google Patents

Description

J. N. STACY.

MOISTENER AND SEALER.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 26, 1910.

1,018,592. Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

COLUMBIA FLANOOBAPH co., WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES N. STACY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MOISTENER AND SEALER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES N. STACY, citi zen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Moisteners and Sealers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to moistening devlces for sealing envelops, packages, wrappers, etc., and the object of the invention the provision of a moistener of a very slmple and effective character by which envelops, wrappers, and the like articles may have their adhesive covered surfaces dampened, the Inoistener being so arranged that the moistening surface is normally carried n position for the most convenient and rapid operation.

One object of the invention is to provide a inoistener having a spring actuated l d normally held in a raised position by sa 1d spring and carrying a moistening pad on 1ts under face, the body of the device carrying a primary moistening pad with which the first named moistening pad may be brought into contact when the lid is depressed, thus providing for a very convenient means whereby the secondary moistening pad may be dampened at intervals by contact w th the primary moistening pad.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sealing device of this character which is made in very few pieces, and these of very simple construction.

A further object is to provide a moistening pad of the character above described in which the lid may be held normally closed, thus preventing the evaporation of the moisture from both the primary and secondary moistening pads.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my clevice showing the manner of its operation. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof, the lid being open. Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof with the lid closed, and Fig. 4 is a plan view.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

Referring to these figures 2 designates a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 26, 1910.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

Serial No. 579,087.

base of any suitable character, preferably relatively heavy, and preferably formed in one piece by casting or otherwise. This base is hollow as at 3 so as to contain within it a moistening pad t which may consist of layers of absorbent fabric or be composed of any suitable material adapted to retain a relatively large quantity of moisture. Preferably the bottom of the base is rounded as at 5, and the sides 6 of the base project out beyond this rounded portion. The lid may be cast of suitable material if desired with flanges to hold the moistening pad in place. The side and rear walls of the base are recessed upon their upper edges as at S. This recess extends downward and rearward from the front wall of the base so that the rearmost portion of the recess is the deepest. The rear wall of the base, 9, is relatively thick and heavy and is provided with a recess 10 for the reception of a spring mechanism.

I'lingedly mounted upon the rear wall of the base is the lid 11 which may be of any suitable character and is provided on its inside face with the .moistening pad 12 of absorbent material, this moistening pad being somewhat convex so as to be depressed into the hollow of the base and into contact with the moistening pad 4-. IVhile I do not wish to be limited to any particular construction of lid, I preferably form the lid of relatively thin material and fold the edges of the material down and inward as at 13 and 14: and around the material of the pad so as to retain the pad 12 in position on the lid. The pad 12 is thus held in place by the projecting edges 14 of the material. The lid may be cast, if desired, instead of being made of sheet metal.

As will be seen from Fig. 2 the lid is thinner at its forward edge than at its rear edge and is adapted when closed to rest within the recess 8 formed in the upper edges of the side and rear walls of the base. Thus when the lid is closed down a relatively tight contact is made between the lid and the upper edges of the side walls of the base preventing the evaporation of the moisture and collection of dust. Preferably the lid is formed in one piece, and the base is formed in one piece.

The hinge whereby the lid is attached to the base is a spring hinge which tends to force the lid upward unless the lid is positively held down. To this end I provide 'the member 17 of the hinge.

the lid with the hinge member 15 formed Also mounted within the cavity 10 in any.

suitable manner is the hinged member 17. This is formed of sheet metal angular in section so as to provide a portion 18 which is turned down against the rear face of the base and attached thereto by screws 19. That portion of the member 17 which projects into the cavity is provided with the cars 20 which aline with the ears 16 on the member 17. A pintle 21 connects the ears 16 and 20 and surrounding this pintle is a coil spring 22 having one end attached to This coil spring acts to open the lid so that unless the lid is positively depressed it will remain open. In order to hold the lid in its closed position I preferably provide the base at one end with a pivoted hook 23 which engages with a stud 21 on the lid. Any number of these hooks may be provided so that the lid may be held in tight engagement with the base to prevent the escape of moisture and collection of dust. When in use, however, the hooks are pushed back and the spring 22 acts to raise the lid into an inclined position, the lid being limited in its upward movement by shoulders 25 formed upon the members 15 inside of the ears 16, these shoulders contacting with the outer face of the hinge member 17 when the lid is in its raised position shown in Fig. 1. It will thus be seen that my device is extremely simple, being made of four pieces, namely, the base, the lid, the spring hinge and the catch or hook.

By depressing the lid or cover into contact with the moistening pad 41, the moistening pad 12 receives a sufficient amount of moisture to moisten the gummed sealing flap of a large number of envelops, wrappers, or like matter. One depression of the lid to bring its pad 12 into contact with the pad 4 is sufiicient to cause the pad 12 to receive enough moisture to moisten several hundred letters. It is to be noted that the spring retains the Helm its raised position and at an angle to the horizontal, thus holding the moistening pad 12 in a particularly convenient position for operation and so that the letters can be sealed easily and quickly drawn across the absorbent moistening pad 12 when in use.

The manner of using my device is as follows: lVater is placed in the cavity of the base, the lid is forced downward and the absorbent pad 12 receives moisture from the primary absorbent pad in the cavity '3.

hen it is desired to use the machine the catches 28 are released, thus permitting the lid to move upward to the position shown in Fig. 1 The machine is placed on the table, the operator being at the rear of the machine in the position shown in Fig. 1. The letters to be sealed are placed in front of the machine, the sealing flap resting on the table, the face of the letter beingupward. The letter is taken by the left hand and brought toward the operator so that the sealing fiap comes in contact with the moistening pad of the lid as shown in Fig. 1,

the body of the letter rests on the bottom of the gummed portion of the fiap, the letter is pressed against the moistening pad 12 by a slight pressure of the fingers of the left hand. It is thus moistened and the letters removed to the right far enough to become 1 disengaged from the lid and by a slight pressure of the thumb and finger of the left hand the letter is sealed. The right hand may be used in conjunction with the left in removing the letter to the right from the machine after the flap has received its moisture.

In bringing the letter in a position to receive the moisture, the operator naturally pulls it toward him and at the same time presses the flap with his fingers against the moistening pad. It is for this reason that the device is made with a heavy base so that it will stand firm in its place. The ordinary sponge holders and moistening devices now in use are of such light weight that they are easily tipped over when a heavy weight letter is being sealed The water being held by the moistening pad 1 is not likely to splash about or to spill out of the cavity 3.

It has been found by experiment, that with a little practice the operator can readily seal from thirty to sixty letters per minute. It is sufficient to just moisten the fiap of the letter by drawing it quickly across the pad 12 and throwing it down without any direct pressure upon the flap. l/Vhen fifty or so letters have been thus moistened and laid one on top of the other a downward pressure of thehand on the pack will seal the whole pack at once. An expert in this way is able to seal from seventy-five to one hundred envelops per minute, but this, however, requires considother like absorbent material which will retain water and from which the water can not be too easily squeezed.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. A moistener of the character described, comprising a base having upwardly extending side walls, a primary moistening pad contained within the hollow base and disposed below the upper edges of the side walls, a lid hinged to the upper edge of the base, a spring acting to raise the lid, a stop for limiting the upward movement of the lid, and a secondary moistening pad disposed in a cavity in the middle of the lid and spaced from the side edges of the lid, said pad projecting beyond the inside face of the lid and into contact with the primary moistening pad when the lid is closed, the side edges of the lid extending inward to form a marginal surface surrounding the secondary moistening pad.

2. A moistening device of the character described, comprising a case containing absorbent moistening material and a lid hinged to the case and adapted to close down over the same and prevent the introduction of dust into the same, said lid having an absorbent pad mounted on its inner face, the side edges of the lid extending inward to form a marginal surface surrounding the absorbent pad and spaced from the side edges of the lid, the pad projecting beyond the face of the lid and being adapted to be brought into contact with the absorbent material in the case when the lid is closed, means for holding the lid closed, and means for holding the lid upraised in an angular position with relation to the case.

In testimony whereof I al'fix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES N. STACY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

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