US1426781A - schweiger and w - Google Patents

Description

W. F. SCHWEIGER AND W. J. BALKWILL.

ENVELOPE MOISTENING MACHINE. APPLICAUON FILED JAN= 3|, I929.

1,426,78 1, Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

5 SHEETSSHEET I,

m E T0 s m ATTORNEY W. F. SCHWEIGER AND W. J. BALKWILL.

I ENVELOPE MOISTENING MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3!. I920- Patented Aug. 22, 1922. 5 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

, INVENTORS %B% Q k Mu ATTORNEY w. F. SCHWEIGER AND w. J. BALKWILL. ENWEL'OP'E MOISTENING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3h I920.

1,426,781. Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

5 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Al y} H I I V 1; INkQYTOIE ATTORNEY W. F. SCHWEIGER AND W. J. BALKWILL.

ENVELOPE MOlSTENlNG MA CHINE. APPUCATION FILED JAN-3|, 1920.

1 ,42 6 ,7 8 1, Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

aw-ATTORNEY -w. F. SCHWEIGEH AND w.1. BALKWILL.

ENVELOPE MOISTENING MACHINE.

APPFICATION FILED JAN. 31,1920- Patented Augl 22, 1922.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

m, ATTORNEY.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

XVILLIAM F. SCHWE IGER AND WESLEY J. BALK'WILL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS T0 MULTIPOST COMPANY, INCORPORATED, 015 ROCHESTER, N EW YORK,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ENVELOPE-MOISTENING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentd Aun' 22, 1922 Application filed January 31. 1920. Serial No. 355,326.

To all whom/515mm] concern:

Be it known that we, \YILLIAM F. Sorrwinone and lViisLnY J. BALKWILL, both c1t1- Zens of the United States of America, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in llnvelope-h'loistening Machines, of which 'th following is a s ecification.

The invention relates to envelope sealing machinery, and its purposeis to afford mechanism which automatically and successively grips the lowermost one of a stack of envelopes, moistens the flap, and affixes it to the body of the envelope, these several opera.- tions being performed in a way to insure ac curacy in positioning and feeding the envelope as'well as speed of operation.

in a more particular aspect, one of the purposes of the improvement is the provision of novel mechanism that serves to prevent feeding of more than one envelope at a time, by retaining the stack against movement, with the exception of the lowermost envelope, devices being provided which cooperate with the envelopes immediately above the lowermost one, and prevent them from coming into cooperative relationship with the feeding means while the lowermost envelope is being ected.

Another purpose of the invention is to per mit feeding an envelope with the flap extending downwardly beneath the envelope, with mechanism for properly moistening the flap while in such lower position.

Additional objects of the invention are to be found in novel moistening mechanism which insures a proper supply of liquid to the flap of the envelope, and a simple and eflicient form of feeding means, which acts to select the lowermost envelope from the stack and feed it through'the apparatus.

The invention also consists in certain other features of improvement, which will be explained fully in the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top perspective View of an apparatus illustrating a preferred application of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally in another plane;

' Figure dis a bottom plan view; I Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view;

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the feeding mechanism;

Flgure 7 is a side elevation of a the apparatus, and v Figure 8 is a plan view with parts removed.

There are a number of various ways in which the novel characteristics of the inventron may be adapted to practical operating structures, and the mechanism about to be described is selected merely as an example, and is not intended to limit the invention to any of the details disclosed.

The machine comprises a frame mounted upon legs A, the top of the frame which constitutes the envelope supporting means being designated by a. Mounted upon the support (.1 an envelope hopper comprising a fixed side wall a, and an inclined front wall a which forms an envelope barrier, permitting the lowermost envelope to feed under it. o is an adjustable side wall carrying a forward extension or guide a which lies on the support a, and also a bifurcated extension a adapted to overlie the barrier (6 The extension (i is adjustable relatively to the barrier (1 to vary the width of the envelope hopper, the extension (1, and the adjustable wall a being held in adjustable position by a suitable screw and thumb nut a.

The envelope support a has an opening or cutaway portion extending substantially/ the length of the frame, as indicated by (17, and which is surrounded by an envelope supporting ledge a located within the envelope hopper, while a rod (t is carried by the wall a and arranged oppositely to the ledge a to assist in holding the envelopes in the hopper. Arranged within the opening a is a table B occupying a position beyond the barrier a and in the path of travel of the envelopes.

portion of When the envelopes are stacked within the hopper, formed by the wallsa, a? and a,

they aresupported by the ledge a and rod a", the opening or allowing the flap of the lowermost envelope to extend downwardly, as will appear more clearly presently, while the table B receives the envelopes successively as they are fed through the machine, the flap of each envelope projecting beneath the table B at one side thereof to be moistened, before it is affixed to the body of the envelope. WVith the envelopes positioned with- 1 in thehopper, the lowermost one is engaged and kicked out by a feeding means that actuates the envelope across the table 13, as Wlll now be described.

The feeding means comprises abelt C (see Figure 3), which travels on pulleys c and c. The envelope is held in engagement with the feeding belt by means of a U-shaped yieldable track D mounted above and straddling the belt, and carried by a spring actuated arm 42 which is pivoted on the spindle (Z.

the belt C, and acting to force an envelope against the belt, while d are rollers carried by the track D and cooperating with the belt (3 to retain the envelope thereagainst and feed it through the machine, as the belt is caused to travel by the mechanism to be described presently. It is necessary to provide some means for automatically kicking out the lowermost envelope of the stack. or gripping it so as to bring it into feeding relationship with the belt and overlying track, and this is preferably accomplished by providing an abutment or projection on thefeeding means which will act intermittently to engage the stack of envelopes and eject the bottom one of the stack. In one form, this consists of an abutment or projecting portion 2 formed in the belt G at regular intervals. The mechanism disclosed in'cludesa belt-groove on the pulley c, said groove having a constricted portion 0 which cooperates with the belt C, whereby when the belt engages the constricted portion, it is forced out of its groove partially, and away from its normal position, forming the abutment or projection already referred to. The abutment engages the underside of the lowermost-envelope of the stack and has a tendency to. lift it upwardly and partially move it inwardly toward the table I and after. one or more operations of the abuti-nent 0 the lowermost envelope is thereby carried alongfunder the track D" and is thence fed quickly through the machine by'the continuous travel 'ofthe'belt C. The forward end of the table B is bent slightly downwardly, as shown at 7), Figure 2,'in order to insure the body of the envelope going above and to insure feeding of only one envelope at a time, additional means are provided for engaging the entering cdgesof the envelopes and preventing their movement except in successive order, and j this mechanism will now be described.

A feed controlling device is provided, consisting of a guard, preferablyin the form of afiexible strip of rubber or similar material,

supported onthe upper side of the inclined barrier (6 as designated at E (see Figure The strip E is preferably arranged within a channel or housing 6, detachably mounted on the barrier a and the lower end of the strip E is free, resting upon the table B in the path of the envelopes. Thus the flexible strip is inclined from a point above the table downwardly and thence parallel to the table, and other means can beutilized for maintaining it in this relation. strip E is provided witha series of flexible fingers or projections, also preferably of rubber, which yieldably engage the stack of envelopes and operate to hold back all but the lowermost one of the stack. The action of the feeding means is sufficient to cause the lowermost envelope to overcome the resistance of the flexible strip E, and force under the latter. Thefree end of the strip E is held yieldably against the table by a weight c'carried by a pivoted arm 6 i 'The table Bterminates at such a point as to afford a free space (Z adjacent to, one

The

edge, see Figure '1, such space being for the purpose of receiving the flap of the envelope during the feed of the envelope through the machine. In order to insure passage of the flap under the table B, there is provided deflecting means lying in the'path of the envelope and adapted to engage the same and bend a corner slightl y downwardly, so as to produce a slight bulge in the flap, and thereby cause the flap to readily follow its proper course under the tableB. The deflectingmeans may consist of a pivoted finger F,

see Figure 1, which is curvedupwardly in opposite directions, and lies at one side'of the table B, the lowermost surface of the finger F being substantially flush with the under surface of the table B. The finger F is carried by a weighted arm 7, pivoted on the spindle d. The flap of the envelope having been thus deflected to the underside of the table B, and with its gummed surface uppermost, is then brought into cooperative relationship with a moistening device which will now be described.

Referring to Figures 2, 4t and 5, the moistening device preferably comprises a rotary wheel or disk G, located under the table and mounted on a spindle g, which carries a pulley g for a purpose that will ap pear. The disk G is located in an inclined plane, with its upper edge located immediately under or approximately under the free edge of the table B, as shown in Figure 5. The opposite or lower edge of the disk G is positioned over a water tank H, which latter may be filled through an opening ll, see Figure 1. Arranged within the tank H is a water transferring member in the form of a truncated cone of cork or other similar light material, as designated by h, the said cone being carried on an arbor 7L whichis rotatable within bearings formed in spring actuated arms 71 The arms if tend to actuate the cone h upwardly against the disk G, as

shown in Figure As the disk G is rotated, it engages and similarly rotates the cone h. which thereby continuously carries a supply of water to the under surface of the disk G, so that when the flap of the envelope is brought into engagement with the disk G. it is properly moistened.

The flap of the envelope is pressed against the disk (:1 by suitable means, preferably in the form of spaced, spring actuated fingers I, which are mounted onthe post i and are controlled by springs connected to a second post 2' The fingers I have their free ends bearing against the moistening disk G, and as the envelope travels across the table, the flap moves in between the fingers I and the moistening disk G, and is held with a light but sufficient pressure to apply a. proper amount of moisture evenly over the surface of the flap. After passing beyond the moistening disk, the flap is brought back into parallel relationship with the body of the envelope by a deflecting plate J, see Figure 9;, and is then affixed to the envelope by passing between pressure rollers K and K, the latter being mounted on spring actuating arms 70 which are pivot-ed to the rod (Z.

The roller K is mounted on a spindle which carries a pinion 73, which in turn is driven by the idler 70 the latter being driven by the pinion 70 fixed on the arbor 7s The latter is the power spindle of the apparatus, and may be operated by the hand crank In or by any suitable power mechanism. The arbor 70 also carries pulley 0' already mentioned, and about which travels the belt C, thus imparting continuous motion to said belt. The belt 0 engages the pulley g. sec Figure 5, to operate the moistening disk G, and the belt is held against the pulley g by a suitable belt tightener and guide Z, see Figure 4:.

The operation of the invention briefly described is as follows: A stack of envelopes is placed in the hopper so that their front edges follow generally the inclination of the barrier M, with the flaps on the underside and located adjacent to the wall a.- Upon setting the machine in motion, the feeding belt C, by means of its abutment or projection, kicks out or ejects the lowermost envelope from the stack until its front edge is engaged between the belt C and the overlying track D. In this feeding operation, the lowermost envelope passes under the lower edge of the barrier a and also under the flexible fingers of the guard E resting upon the table B, the body of the envelope pass ing between the flexible fingers of the guard and the top of the table B. The corner of the envelope is next bent downwardly by the deflecting finger F and the flap thence passes under the table B and is pressed into Contact with the moistening disk G, while the envelope travels across the table B. The flap is brought back to the top of the table by the deflector J, the envelope thence passing between the rollers K and K, which affix the flap tightly to the body of the envelope.

The several features of the invention herein described are not limited to the particular means set forth, but may be otherwise adapted to practical purposes by modified arrangements, without departing from the underlying principles of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

lVe claim: I

1. An envelope moistening machine comprising supporting means having an opening to receive the downwardly projecting flap of an envelope, a table located in the path of travel of the envelope, feeding means fonactuating the envelope across the top of the table, deflect-ing means lying in the path of the envelope and acting to guide the flap to the underside of the table, and a moistening device arranged beneath the table and acting to moisten the flap of the envelope as the latter is fed across the table.

2. An envelope moistening machine comprising a table, one edge of the table having a free space adjacent thereto so as to afford a space to receive the downwardly projecting flap of an envelope, feeding means for actuating an envelope across the top of the table, deflecting means located adjacent to the table and acting to bend a corner of the envelope and thereby guide the flap under the table, and a moistening device arranged beneath the table and acting to moisten the flap ()1 the envelope as the latter i'edwover the table. g a

3. An envelope"moistening machine comprisinga table, feeding ineans t'or actuating Ban envelope across the table, deflecting means consisting of a pivotedfinger located adjacent to one edge of the table and acting to bend the envelope {at one corner and thereby guide tli'eflap' oftheenvelope under the table, and a moistening device arranged beneath the table and actingto-inoisten the flap oi the envelope as the latter is fed across the table. i 1' LYAn envelope moistening machine comprising a table, feeding means for actuating an envelope across the top of the table, defleeting means for guiding the flap of the envelope beneath the table, a rotary nioistening disk located beneathtlie table and in clining downwardly from one edge thereof, and means for pressing the lap upwardly against said moisteningdisk.

5. An envelope moistening machine coinprising amtable, feeding means for actuating an envelope across the top oithe table, de-

fleeting means for guiding the flap of the envelope beneath the table, a rotary moistening disk located beneath the table and inolining downwardly from one edge thereof, anda series ofspaced fingers yielda-hly engaging the flap of the envelope and holding it against said moistening disk.

6. An envelope moistening machine com- ;prising aftablo 'feeding means actuating an. envelopeacross the table, deflecting means for guiding the flap of the envelope beneath the-table, a rotary moistening disk located under the table, means for pressing the flap of the envelope against said inoistcning 4O disk, a water tank, and a rotary water transferring member located in the water tank and held yield'ably in engagement with; said moistening disk, the water transi'erring member actin to carry the water from the tank to the inoistenlng disk.

prising a table, feeding means actuating an envelope across the table, deflecting means tor guidlng the flap of the envelope beneath e the table, a moistening disk located under the table and inclined downwardly from one edge of the table, means for pressing the flapoi the envelope'against the mo-istening disk, a water tank located underthe moistening disk at one edge thereof, and a device rotating within said tank and engaging the underside of the moisteningdisln 8. An envelope moistening machine comprising a table, feeding means actuating an envelope-Macross the table, deflecting means a 7. An envelope inoistening' machine comfor guiding the flap of the envelope beneath the table,a inoistening deviceloeated under the table, and spaced yieldahle fingers'engaging the flap of the envelope and pressing it against the moistening device. e

9. An envelope moistening machine comprising a table, feeding means actuating an envelope across the table, deflecting means i for guiding the flapof the envelope beneath the table, a. rotary moistening disk located under the table and occupying an inclined position thehigher part of the moistening disk being in position to engage the flap of the envelope, a water tank disposed beneath the lower part of the moistening disk; and

a rotary member positioned within said tank .and yieldahly engaging the lower edge of the moistening disk.

In witness whereof, signed our names. e

YVILLIAM F. S'CI-IWEIGER.

\VESLEY J. BALKVILL.

we have hereunto

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