US1538712A - Mailing device - Google Patents

Description

'c. E. M CORMICK IAILING DEVICE May 19, 1925.

= c. E. M CORMICK MAILING DEVICE Filed July 27, 1925 May 19, 1925. 1,538,712 I.

' C. E. M CORMICK MAILING- DEVICE Filed July 27. 1923 s Sh etsLSheet s CZMCb/igi/U INVENTOR will Patented May 19, 1925.

CHARLES E. MCCORMICK, OF BRINCET'ON, INDIANA.

MAILING DEVICE.

Application filed July 27, 1923. Serial No. 654,208.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. MoGon- MICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Princeton, in the county of Gibson and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mailing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device or apparatus particularly designed to facilitate the mailing of circulars, circular letters or analogous mail matter, and an object of the invention is to provide a simple apparatus which may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost and by means of which mail matter may be folded, envelopes stuffed, sealed and stamped in a quick manner and with a minimum amount of manual labor.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mailing device which is construct ed and arranged so as to permit the obtaining of the most pronounced results with the least number of motions of the hands of the user.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device as specified, which embodies a table frame which may be clamped to any suitable type of mailing or oflice table and which forms a detachable support for the main body of the mailing device, e1nbodying suitable means for supporting the main body in folding position and in inserting, stamping and sealing position.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a mailing device a combined folder, assembler, envelope stulfer, sealer and stamper which is arranged to facilitate the manual work in performing these operations and permit the hand and arm motions to be so systematized as to give remarkable speed with minimum exertion of manual effort, and also to provide a device as specified which does not include any mechanism which would get out of order during continuous use and to provide a device which is especially adapted for circular and letter mailing that does not warrant the relatively expensive mailing machinery or automatic mailing machinery of approved types now on the market.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved mailing device showing it in folding position.

Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of the improved mailing device showing it in envelope stuffing, stamping and sealing position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the device showing it in folding position.

Fig. l. is a vertical section through a sup ply table used in connection with the device.

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section through an assembling rack employed in the device.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an improved form of creaser sometimes used in folding mail matter on the device when in folding position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improved mailing device comprises the main body structure 1 which includes a flat board 2. A supporting board 3 is attached to one edge of the board 2 and extends at right angles thereto for supporting the board 2 in an inclined position when the board 2 is used for the folding operation, and in position asclearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The board 2 is held against movement relative to the supporting table 5, by means of pins 6 which engage in slots or notches 7 cut into the ends of the board 2 adjacent to its edge remote from the angularly extending board 3. The pins 6 are carried by the flat strip 8 of the table clamp structure 9, which flat strip is clamped upon the top of the table 5 and securely held in position thereon by means of any approved type of clamps 9. The board 2 has edging strips 10 and 11 at tached to one surface thereof along its edge remote from the board 3 and the facing ends of the strips 10 and 11 are spaced asclearly shown at 12 to permit the insertion of the finger ofthe operator therebetween to engage the sheets of paper or circulars to be folded. The rightangularly extending edging strip 13 is attached to the board 2 at the outer end of the strip 11, and the strips 10, 11 and 13 form suitable means for properly positioning the paper or material to be folded.

A supply table 14 is provided, which is comparatively small relative to the table 5 and rests upon the table 5. The supply table 14:, shown in the drawings is provided with upper and lower supporting shelves 16 and while only two of such supporting shelves are shown in the drawings,it is to be understood that any desired number of shelves may be employed without departing from the spirit ofthis invention. The shelves 16 are adapted to support the circulars, or sheets of letters to be mailed and in case there are two sheets to be encloseda stack of one sheet maybe placed on one of thepshelves anda stackof the second sheet on the other shelf so that they maybe easily and quickly taken. from the table 14c and placed on the folding, board'forfolding. It

is preferable to make. the shelves in staggered relation, that is one slightly wider. than the one next thereabove.

In the folding operation, the sheets are placed upon the board 2withthe lower left handcor'ners engaging. the strips 11 and 13 and they are folded, in any approved manner or. system,.to the proper size to fit the envelopesin which they are to be mailed.

It is to be understood that the motions required' for folding may be quickly studied outlso as to permit the proper folding with the least number of movements. After the letters or circulars have been folded to. fit the envelope, they are placedin the receiving trough 17 which is carriedby the right angularly extending board 3. When the trough 17 'is filled, the"stack or bundle of foldedmail matter may be takentherefrom and placed in theassembler structure 18' or on-the supply tableand after all'or any desired number ofthe circulars 'or letters have 'been .folded, the board'l is disconnected from the. table clamp 9 and is turned over, with the-strips 10, 1'1 andlfSonthe under side of the board and the right angularly extending board 3 projecting outwardly'from the lower edge ofthe board 2, as shown .in Fig. 21 0f the drawings. The, board2 is supported in this invertedposition 'bypins 1.9' which are in'turn. carried by the triangular shaped supporting blocks 20'on the table .orfclamping frame 9., The board 3 comprises a trough or support on which the envelopes to befilledare stacked andif it is.so: desired a stack of'the folded matter to be mailed maybe placed on the board or'the individual fo-ldedinatter may be taken one at atime from the assembling rack 18 and stuffed or placed in the envelopes, after which the gummed portion ofthe sealing flap of the envelope is moistened upon the moistener 22.

The moistener 22 comprises a strip of wick or any suitable moisture absorptive material and it is fastened to the. surfaceof the board-2by thumb tacks23 or any other suitable fasteningdevices *sothatifit is desired it may be removed. It is desirable'to provide a suitable receptacle 24 for water and a bruslix25by means of'which the strip 22'may be moistened as desired during the sealing operation. The moisture strip 22 also serves for moistening the stamps and it has been found practical to stamp the envelopes before they are filled.

InFig. 60f the drawings a creaser 26 is shown which is adapted to normally rest in thetrough 27 carried by the board 3. The creaser 26 comprises a relatively long body 28 which has a handle 29 centrally thereon to facilitate its use. The creaser is preferably to be used when a number of'folds'are to be broken at one time.

lVhile the rack 18 has heretofore been termed a storage rack, it is to be understood that this rack may be used as an assembler or assembling rack when preparing the subject matter to be mailed. It is only in rare instances when circular mail matter consists of only one piece, as most envelopes carry a plurality of inserts or pieces of mail, and the rack 18 serves admirably as an assembling rack permitting the placing of'the various circulars or pieces of mail matter in stacks upon each of the shelves of the rack so that one at a time may be taken from-the rack to facilitate the proper assembling'of the matter in theenvelope.

No particular system or manner of fold ing, stufling and sealing has'been described, as it is to bennderstood. that' the proper 95 steps in the system may vary with-the different types of'mail matterto' be mailed, however, it will be apparent from the foregoing description takenin connection with themcompanying drawings that with the use or 100 the improved mailing device heretofore describedzthe manual labor necessary forfolding and mailing matter may be reduced i a minimum and the speed increased to a maximum and also that the. improvedde- 105 vice may be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

It is, of course, ,to be understood that the invention may be constructed in'other manners and the parts associated in dilferent board along. one edge and extending transversely to the body board, said body board provided with notches extending inwardly from its end edges, pins carried by said table frame for engagementin said notches, substantially triangular shaped supporting blocks carried by said table frame, pins carried by said triangular supporting blocks, said body board provided with-a second set of notches ada-pted'to engage over the pins carried by said triangular shaped supporting blocks for supporting the body board in an envelope sealing posltion.

2. A mailing device comprising a table frame adapted to be clamped to a table, a body board, a plurality of edging strips carried by one face of said body board, a supporting board attached to the body board along one edge and extending transversely to the body board, said body board provided with notches extending inwardly from its end edges, pins carried by said table frame for engagement in said notches, substantially triangular shaped supporting blocks carried by said table frame, pins carried by said triangular supporting blocks, said body board provided With a second set of notches adapted to engage over the pins carried by said triangular shaped supporting blocks for supporting the body board in an envelope sealing position, and a moistener carried by said body board.

3. In a mailing device the combination, of

a table frame adapted to be clamped to a table, a body board, a plurality of edging strips carried by one face of said body board, a supporting board attached to the body board'along one edge and extending transversely to the body board, said body board provided with notches extending inwardly from its end edges, pins carried by said table frame for engagement in said notches, substantially triangular shaped supporting blocks carried by said table frame, pins car ried by said triangular supporting blocks, said body board provided with a second set of notches adapted to engage over the pins carried by said triangular shaped supporting blocks for supporting the body board in an envelope sealing position, a moistener carried by said body board, an article supporting table, and an assembling rack for receiving the folded articles.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES E. MCCORMICK.

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