US1306459A - Stamp-affixing machine - Google Patents

Description

W. H. ASAY.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1 1. I917.

Patented June 10, 1919.

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WITNESSES: l/VVENTUH c. KW flflL/flM/i is I I BY 5/ ATTORNEY Patelited June 10, 1919.

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WITNESSES 6 $$wn)4 A TTOR/VEY W. H. ASAY.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1 l. 1911,

1,306,459. Patented June 10, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES.

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A Hoe/v57 W. H. ASAY.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I I. 1917.

' Patented J 11110 10, 19 19.

ssuzars-suzm 4 h mh WITNESSES.- c1 4 W WILLIAM H. ASAY, 0F ASBURY PARK, NEW JERSEY.

STAMP-AFFIXING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 10, 1919.

Application filed September 11, 1917. Serial No. 190,836.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. ASAY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Asbury Park, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stamp-Aliixing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relatesto improvements in mail marking machines, and is designed for the purpose of producing a machine of this character by means of which a stamp may be aflixed to the mail, and when the machine is used by the post oflice the stamp may later be canceled by the utilization of the machine.

The primary object of the invention is to simplify the construction and operation of machines of this type and so reduce their cost of production and maintenance, and at the same time provide a durable and efficient machine for performing its required functions.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed. In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed and arranged according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine built according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine seen from the direction opposite to that of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is a front view of the machine.

Fig. .4? is a sectional detail showing the spring plate and its connections.

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the machine.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, detail sectional view of a portion of the table or machine top, a filler block being illustrated for use when the machine is used to afiix a stamp to a letter.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing an inking pad instead of the filler block, to be used when canceling mail or printing.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail View of part of the stamp-feeding and cutting or severing mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing the interior of the tank from which water is obtained to moisten the stamp previous to affixing.

Fig. 10 is a face view of a stamp or die that is used as a part of the machine.

Fig. 11 is a perspective'view showing the mail canceling die, and

Fig. 12 is a view of the same canceling die, but reversed.

I have preferred to illustrate the machine as manually operated, but it will of course be understood that power may be applied to actuate the machine when desirable or required. The machine is com pactly arranged and supported upon a flat table 1 of suitable size and material, and preferably the supporting legs or posts 2 are'of sufficient length so that the machine may be conveniently operated by the attendant using one hand to actuate the machine and the other hand to feed the mail matter, and a depressed corner 3 is provided, at the lower right hand corner in Fig. 1; for the reception of the mail while it is being marked. Spring tongues 4: and 5 are fixed to the table top to guide and retain the mail matter, and the mail is adapted to rest upon a plate 6 located at the corner of the table and hinged thereto at 7 so that it may act as a resilient support for the mail matter when being stamped or canceled, a supporting spring 8 fixed to the table and bearing up against the underside ofthe plate giving the resilient support therefor.

The machine is operated by means of the actuating lever 9 which is pivoted at 10 to the table top,-and adapted to be pushed forward on its working stroke by grasping the handle 11 and swinging the lever forward or toward the front of the machine. A pair of trunnions 12 and 13 project laterally from the'actuating lever, of which the trunnion 12 is effective for operating the inking or moistening mechanisms depending upon which is being used. Thus the trunnion 12 co-acts with a slide bracket 14 which is formed with an L-shaped slot 15 having the downwardly extending inclined portion 16 in which the trunnion rests when the lever is in inoperative position. This'bracket 14 has a base plate 17 parallel with the table and is slidable on the table between the grooved guide ways 18, 18, fixed thereto. Thus it will be seen that when the actuating lever is swung on its pivot the initial movement of the lever will cause the pin or trunnion 12 to shove the slide bracket forward and as the bracket moves forward the trunnion rises through the slot extension 16 and enters the slot 15. At the point of entering the slot 15 the forward movement of the sliding bracket ceases, but the lever will continue its movement and the trunnion will travel freely and without obstruction through the slot 15 to the end of its movement to be described.

By means of the connecting rod 19 which is pivoted at 20 to the slide bracket 14, the motion of the actuating lever is conveyed forward to the bell crank lever 21, the lever being pivoted to the table at 22, and its long arm is pivotally connected to the link 23 extending in direction at right angles to the connecting rod. This link is pivot-ally connected at 24 to the horizontally disposed slide bracket 25 having its base plate 26 guided in the fixed bracket 27 attached at the front edge of the table, and it will be seen that as the bell crank lever is oscillated, the slide bracket will be reciprocated. The horizontal bracket 25 has a roller 28 journaled thereto at 29, and this roller is preferabhr made of absorbent material that will spread water across the face of the corner of the envelop to be stamped preparatory to affixing the stamp. This roller is kept moistened from a water tank 30, pivoted at 31, 32, to the head plate 33 of the machine, and within the tank a sponge 34 is inclosed. A pressure block or cork 35 may compress, or permit the sponge to expand, according to the position of the screw bar 36 threaded through the top of the tank, and it will readily be seen that when the sponge is compressed the water will not flow as freely through the spout 37 as when the sponge is allowed to expand. The end of the spout is provided with an absorbent wick 38, being retained by the screw'39, and from this wick the water is designed to drop to the absorbent roller. When at rest, the roller is directly beneath. the spout, and when not in use the tank may be swung out of the way. Thus it will readily be seen that, through the instrumentality of the actuating lever, the short and long arms of the bell crank lever, and their connections, the roller is passed quickly across the table and over the cor ner of a letter in order to moisten the letter, remains stationary while the actuating lever continues its movement through slot 15 as described in both a forward and reverse direction, and then at the end of its reverse movement the actuating lever swings its trunnion 12 down through extension 16, and

the roller is brought back to normal posi-.

tion.

After the stamp-corner of the envelop or letter has been moistened by the roller, the stamp is aiiixed, but of course is first fed before fixing, and the stamp feeding device will now be described. The stamps are carried on a spool 40, in strips, and the strip passes down under the guide roller 41 journaled onthe slide plate 42 which is pro vided with tongue and groove connection in the open slot 43 of the table top, and adapted to reciprocate therein. The slide plate is reciprocated through the trunnion 13 of the actuating lever, and in Fi g. 2 it will be seen that a slotted bracket plate 44 co-acts with the trunnion, the plate rising from the slide plate 42 with which it is integral. A curved slot 45 in the bracket plate has an inclined extension 46, in which the trunnion 13 rests when in normal position, and in Fig. 2 it will be seen that this extension is inclined in direction opposite to the extension 16 of the slot 15. Now, when the lever 9 is moved forward it will be seen that the two slotted brackets 14 and 44 are moved forward by the trunnions 12 and 13, but because of the inclination of the slots or extensions 16 and 45, the bracket 44 will move slower than the bracket 14, in order that the envelop may be moistened before the stamp is fed to position for afiixing on the moistened part of the envelop. The strip of stamps is fed forward the distance of one stamp at each stroke of the lever 9, through the instrumentality of the telescoping flanged guide plate 47 in which the strip 48 iscarried, and this flanged guide plate which is fixed on the slide plate 42 slides telescopically into the larger flanged guide plate 49 fixed on the table 1. A pair of toothed pawls 50 and 51, the former on the slide plate 42 and the latter on the fixed table 1, are provided to assist in shoving the paper strip of stamps forward. These pawls are shown in operative position, Fig. 2 and Fig. 8, as permitting the stamp strip to move to the right, but by their weight they prevent the reverse movement of the strip. If it is desired that the strip be not fed, or that the feed be thrown out of operation, the pawl 50 may be turned over to the left on its pivot 52 (Figs. 2 and 8) so that when the slide plate 42 is moved by the lever 9 the strip may slide back and forth under the smooth face of the pawl 50. The end stamp of the strip is fed through an opening 53 in the head plate 33, in position over the moistened part of the letter or envelop, and then the stamp is aflixed by the action of the head 54 on the plunger bar 55.

The stamp affixing head is also actuated from the lever 9, and the plunger bar 55 is adapted to reciprocate vertically being guided in its movement by the perforated this frame is provided with a pair of bosses 61 traveling in the guide slot 62 in the head plate, so that the stamp affixing head is given a stable, regular, movement and guided by the plunger in the perforated boss 56 and by the bosses or pins 60 61 in the slotted head plate. The aflixing head is actuated through the medium of a freely moving lever arm 62 pivoted at 63 to an OS- cillatable post 64 which is in turn pivoted at 65 on the table top 1. The rear end of this lever arm passes through the bifurcated portion 66. of the actuating lever- 9 and the end wall of this bifurcation bears at all times against the upper edge of the lever arm, the forward slotted end 67 of the arm being held down by means of the spring 68 connected to the arm, and attached at 69 to the head plate. The slotted end of the lever arm is connected to the carrier frame of the ailixing head by means of an antifriction roller 70 on the pin 60, and the slotted end of the arm passes through a slot 71 in the head plate and an open slot 72 in the frame.

The afiixing head is thus positively held up in normal position by the lever 9 bearing down on the lever arm against the tension of the contractile spring 68, and the spring tends at all times to force down the slotted end of the lever arm and with it the affixing head. The rear end of the lever arm has its upper edge in the form of a compound curve and it will readily be seen that when the lever 9 is turned to the left in Fig. 3, the movement of the lever will permit the spring 68 to pull down the slotted end of the lever arm and thus bring down the 'afiiX- ing head upon the stamp, after the envelop has been moistened, and the stamp is affixed.

The final step in the operation of the machine is to sever the stamp as it is attached or affixed to the envelop, and this cutting or severing of the stamp is also accomplished through the movement of the lever 9 on its forward or working stroke. After the lever has moved to the right in Fig. 2 a suflicient distance to permit the lever arm to throw down the affixing head, the continued movement of the lever brings it against a roller 7 3, j ournaled on the lever arm adjacent the V oscillatable post 64, and the roller is so positioned that the combined movemept of the operating lever, lever arm, and dscillatable post is such that at the final action of the parts the roller is in contact with both the actuating lever and the oscillatable post as an anti-friction member and this final action thus swings the post 64 toward the front of the machine so that its forked arm 74 will ride down the roller 75 on the slidable knife head 76 which is moved in the slot or opening 53 of the head plate against the tension of the contractile spring 77 attached to the post and to the stamp feed slide plate 42 at 78. The movement of the slide plate 42 is limited and ceases before the cutting movement is initiated and after the lever 9 isactuated the spring makes a flexible connection between the parts eliminating any jerky movements. The knife-head is guided in the head plate by the usual tongue and groove connection, and the head carries a knife 79 with an obliquely arranged cut-' that strips of tickets, or other articles'may be substituted for the stamps if desired and issued in the same manner as the stamps are issued.

Instead of using the stamp affixing head,

a die 83 may be attached to the plunger e bar and the name and address may printed on an envelop or sheet of paper. In this instance the stamp feed will be cut out and the feed of water from the tank will also be stopped, the tank itself being turned on its pivots out of the way. In using the printing die or stamp the plate 84 and its backing 85, as used to close up the socket 86 in the table top (see Fig. 6) when aflixing stamps, is removed, and an ink well 87 with a filler 88 and inking pad 89 are substituted for the plate 84 so that the roller 28 becomes an inking roller and when operated, passes under the die or address stamp and inks it before it strikes the envelop.

The device may also be used to cancel postage stamps in a post office, and for this purpose the canceling head 90 may be attached to the plunger bar by means of the socket 91 in manner well understood.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings it is evident that the elements of the combined machine are actuated from the single member (lever) to perform four successive and related functions 2'. e. moistening the mail matter to be stamped which is accomplished by the roller 28, then feeding the stamp, next retaining and affixing the stamp on the mail matter, and finally cutting or severing the stamp from its strip, as described.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is v 1. The combination in a stamp affixing machine of a head plate and a carrier frame movable thereon and a stamp afiixing head carried by the frame, an actuating lever, a pivoted arm engaging said lever and carrier, and means operable when the lever is actuated for moving said lever arm to operate the aflixing head.

. and the other bracket.

3. The combination in a stamp afiixing machine, of an actuating lever and a stamp feeding device and an envelop moistening device and means whereby the moistening device and feeding device are successively operated by a single stroke of the lever, said moistening device including a pair of cooperating slide brackets connected With the actuating lever and a moistening roller carried by one of the slide brackets, a bell crank connected to one of the brackets and a connecting rod between the bell crank and the other bracket.

4. The combination in a stamp affixing machine, of an actuating lever having trunforming part of the operating mechanism of each device, and said trunnions engaging the slotted slide brackets whereby said devices are successively operated by a single stroke of the lever.

5. The combination with the supporting table and a reciprocable stamp affixing head and operating means therefor, of a hinged plate forming a depressible portion to the table, a supporting spring. for the plate fixed to the table providing a resilient support for the mail matter to be stamped and a spring tongue on the table projectingv over the plate to retain the mail matter.

6. The combination in a stamp affixing machine of a head plate and carrier frame movable thereon and a stamp affixing head carried by the frame, a slotted spring actuated pivoted arm guided in the head plate, and a bifurcated actuating lever bearing on the free end of the arm, whereby when the actuating lever is operated the affixing head is actuated by its spring.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

WVILLIAM H. ASAY.

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

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