US1662194A - Printing and addressing machine - Google Patents

Description

March 13', 1928.

1,662,194 J, H. LAWSON PRINTING ANDADDRESSING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1925 14 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ma mes f/ la 2060/7 INVENTOR March 13, 1928.

1,662,194 J. H. LAWSON PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1925 14 Sheets-Sheet 2 James/f (dz A5027 INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 13, 1928. 1,662,194

J. H. LAWSON PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1925 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 James/f Lazmwfl INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 13, 1928. 1,662,194

, I J. H. LAWSON PRINTING AND ADDRESSING mcmma Filed April 14, 1925 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTQR wlTNiw W ATTORNEY J. H. LAws'oN PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1925 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 March 13,1928. 1,662,194

re i Mamas A? dazmsw/ INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 13, 1928.

J. H. LAWSON PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1925 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 Jamesfiazwsay INVENTOR ATTORNEY J. H. LAWSON PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Marh 13, 1928. 1,662,194

Filed April 14, 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 (/4 was h. La M5077 ATTORNEY w: rNEs W March 13, 1928.

J. H. LAWSON PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1925 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 Jdmasfllamsorr ATTORN EY March 13, 1928. 1,662,194

J. H. LAWSON PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1925 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 (/d was hf Lam/50f? INVENTOR- ATTORN EY WITN March 13, 1928.

J. H. LAWSON PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1925 14 Sheets-sheaf 13 L/fl mes /7f Lam/5027' lNVENTOR ATTORNEY March 13, 1928. 1,662,194

J. H. LAWSON PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1925 14 Sheets-Sheet l4 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES JAMES H. LAWSON, OF VINCENNES, INDIANA.

PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINE.

Application filed April 14, 1925. Serial Ii'o. 23,634.

This invention relates to printing apparatus and has for its object the provision of a novel machine by means of which the name and address may be printed upon letters, newspaper wrappers, envelopes, post cards and the like prior or subsequent to themechanism for printing the body of a let ter, circular or the like and further embody ing the automatically changed address and Salutation printing mechanism located in advance thereof, whereby the salutation and address may be printed and the body also printed at one operation or one passage of the sheet through the machine, thereby reducing the number of operations necessary in turning out the finished product.

A further object is to provide a printing mechanism in which the salutations and addresses may be carried by a continuous strip having a step by step movement operated synchronously with operation of the paper feed.

Another object is the provision of a machine of this type having separate feed mechanisms for sheets and envelopes, the separate feeds having individually operable drive mechanisms capable of being thrown selectively into or out of operation.

A further object is to provide a printing machine in which the body of a letter or circular is printed by means of a rotatable drum device and the Salutation and address printed by means of a translationally movable member shifted step by step and adapted to have flat contact with the sheet, envelope or the like.

Still another object is to provide a novel transmission mechanism for the laterally travelling step by step actuated salutation and address printing device, this mechanism including means for permitting necessary slippage of the winding roll as the diameter thereof varies, means being also provided for effecting rewinding at the end of a series.

A still further object is the provision of a drive mechanism including a main shaft carrying cam devices and other drive elements for carrying the paper, envelopes or the like through the salutation and address printing means and delivering them to the rotatable drum whereby in the case of letters or circulars the body thereof may be printed and whereby in both instances the rotary drum will act to kick out the paper or envelopes.

An additional object is to provide an ad dressing and printing machine in which the arrangement is such that a sheet, envelope or the like may be located at any desired position preparatory to addressing, the location of the parts being such that the operator may see each new address, Salutation or title before it is printed, thereby facilitating the making of changes and corrections.

Another object is to provide a machine which may print, a letterhead, return address 011 an envelope, post office permit on a newspaper wrapper, or other similar or equivalent matter in addition to the address, title, Salutation or the like, or instead thereof, there being naturally no limitations as to the character of the matter.

Yet another object is to provide a machine for this purpose having a compact construction and provided with a simply and peculiarly arranged drive and transmission machine embodying different mechanical elements all of which coact to give the proper timing for the successive operations, thereby avoiding likelihood of misprints and other defects, it being moreover a feature that the machine embodies structural details which will insure ease of adjustment, efficiency in action, accuracy in the work and durability I in service.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects and advantages the invention preferably consists in the construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine with certain housings in section to disclose the step by step mechanism for moving the stencil strip.

dFigure 2 is an elevation of the opposite s1 e, 1

Figure 3 is a front elevation,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing the paper feed means at the moment before a sheet starts feeding,

Figure 5 is a similar view showing a sheet as moved partly into the mechanism,

Figure 6 is a similar view showing a sheet as having been moved into engagement by the gripping rollers,

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section taken through the rear portion of the machine from a point somewhat in advance of the gripping rollers and showin the sheet as moved into position for the printing of the address, salutation or other matter,

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 showing the parts in position for printing the salutation and the like,

Figure 9 is a somewhat similar view showing the printing bed depressed and the stencil inker elevated,

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 showing the position of the parts when the paper has been moved to the printing drum,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary cross section showing the drive mechanism for the stencil reels and also illustrating the stencil inking means,

Figure 12 is a longitudinal section showing the portion of the mechanism used in printing envelopes, the envelope magazine being shown in place and the envelope feed being represented as at the backward limit of its stroke,

Fi ure 13 is a view similar to Figure 12 showing the feed member engaging an envelope,

Figure 14 is a similar view showing the parts in a different position and with the euvelope as having been passed through the printing mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the frame of the entire machine, which frame may be of any necessarly size and of any desired or convenient s ape and materials. Secured to and rising from the rear portion of the frame are brackets 2 which journally support the printing drum 3 which may be of a construction similar to that used on the Neostyle machine, or the well known Multigraph machine, there being no particular limitations as to this detail. The purpose of the drum 3 is to effect printing of the body of a letter, circular or the like or to print post office permits and in fact any other desired matter upon newspaper wrappers or the like. Any desired printing means may be carried by this drum such as type or a stencil and it is also true that the inking means might consist of a ribbon, external swab or some means within the drum for permitting ink to pass through a stencil in case the latter is used in lieu of type.

Mounted at the forward end of the frame, by any suitable means, is a feed table 4 upon which may be laid a stack of sheets of paper indicated at 5.

Suitably journaled across the frame is a shaft 6 having any desired means thereon whereby ower may be applied for the purpose of riving all the mechanism to be described, though for the sake of illustration I have shown a simple crank handle 7 intended to be moved in the direction of the arrow in Fi ure 2. The shaft 6 carries a pinion 8 meshing with a pinion 0 on a shaft 10 on which is mounted a pinion 11 in turn meshing with a gear 12 on a shaft 13 suitably journaled in the frame. The shaft 10 carries a gripping roller 14 which courts with a similar roller 15 carried by a shaft 16 located vertically beneath the shaft 10. The rollers 14 and 15 have their peripheries covered with rubber or the like indicated at 17 whereby they will be capable of gripping a sheet of paper. envelope or the like for moving it along when they are rotated. Though only the roller 14 is driven positively it will be seen that the roller 15 will be driven by virtue of its coaetion therewith.

The paper feeding means comprises a pair of arms 18 rockalily mounted on a shaft 19 and carrying a shaft 20 on which is mounted a roller 21 adapted to rest upon the stack of paper sheets 5. The pivoting of these arms 18 permits the roller 21 to rest upon stacks of different thicknesses, the roller and arms of course moving downwardly as the paper sheets are successively fed oil the stack into the machine. A portion of the periphery of the roller 21 is recessed and let into the recess is a strip 22 of rubber or other similar material which will frietionally engage the topmost paper sheet and move it reamvartlly into the printing mechanism to be described. The shaft 20 carries a pinion 23 meshing with an idle pinion 24 which in turn engages a second idle pinion 25 meshing with a. pinion 26 on the shaft 13. Obviously, when the crank handle 7 is turned the pinions 8 and 9 will cause rotation of the gear 12 and shaft, 13, the rotation of the latter being communicated through the pinions 25, 24 and 23 to the shaft 20 carrying the roller 21.

I also provide a pair of arms 27 carrying a roller 28 and pivotally connected at 2.) with ears 30 on the arms 18. These arms 27 have depending portions 31 carrying roller:- 32 located in the path of travel of and engageable by cams 33 on the shaft 13. As the shaft 13 is turned it is obvious that during a portion of its rotation the cams 3 thereon engaging the rollers 32 will lift the arms In carrying the roller 28 out of engagement with the stack of paper. It will he observed that the rotation of the roller 21 will cause the strip 22 to engage the topmost sheet in the stack and drag it rearwardly until it may engage beneath the roller 28, the paper buckling as indicated by the dot and dash lines in Figure 5. By the time that the paper sheet comes beneath this guide roller the cams 33 have moved into such position imam;

that the arms 27 are lifted, of-course carrying theroller 28. The rear end of the paper then passes beneath the roller 28 and finds its way to the coacting rollers 14 and 15 and as the roller 14 is positively driven by turning movement of the crank 4 in Figure 7 and will engage against a stop device to be described which will prevent further movement until the desired printing has been accomplished.

The brackets 2 carry horizontally disposed bearings 34 through which are journaled shafts 35 and 36 on which are mounted spools 37 and 38 carrying a strip 39 which has stencilled thereon the names and addressses ofpersons to whom circulars, letters, newspapers or the like are to be sent, the stencils being out in any desired or preferred manner, the detail thereof not affecting the present invention. Initially the strip is wound entirely upon the spool 37 and is unwound therefrom and onto the spool 38 during the actuation'of the machine. The strip passes.

position, I provide a shaft 46 suitably journaled into the frame 1 and equipped with a sprocket 47 about which is trained a chain 48 in turn engaged with a sprocket- 49 on the shaft 13. The shaft 46 is equipped with pins 50 projecting laterally therefrom and adapted to engage within radial slots 51 in a species of star wheel 52 carried by a shaft 53 on which is also mounted a spiral gear 54. The shaft 43 carries a small spiral gear 55 meshing with the spiral gear 54 so that as 'the crank handle 7 is turned to rotate the above described paper feeding mechanism the sprocket 42 will be rotated at periodic intervals through the instrumentality of the sprockets 49 and 47, chain 48, star wheel mechanism and spiral gears so that as each successive paper sheet is brought into printing position the successive addresses 44 on the stencil strip will likewise be brought into printing position with respect to the corresponding paper sheets.

The shaft 36 carrying the spool 38 also carries a pulley 56 about which is engaged a belt 57 trained about a pulley 58 on the shaft 3 so that as the stencil strip is unwoun from the spool 37 the spool 38 will be turned to wind the strip thereonto. The

the paper will be pulled through the rollers 14 and 15 as shown belt 57 and pulleys 56 and 58 will insure the necessary rotation of the spool 38 to take up thestrip so that the strip will be kept taut. Owing to the fact that the belt may slip it is evident that differences in the diameter of the roll of tape on the spool 38 are properly compensated for.

In order that the strip may be rewound onto the spool 37 for starting a new series, I provide a shaft 59 carrying a crank handle 60 and having a clutch-able connection with the shaft 35 so that the crank handle may be pushed in and turned to rewind the tape. I have shown a pair of guide rollers 61 in engagement with the tape where it engages upon the sprocket 42, the purpose being to prevent sagging of the tape and disengagement of the perforations therein from the teeth -of the sprocket 42.

Thus far, I have given a description of the construction and operation of the paper feeding means and the means for moving the stencil strip step by step into position to bring the successive stencils carry ingthe addresses, Salutations or the like in position over the successive sheets. The printing mechanism used in connection with the stencil strip'comprises a suitable frame structure 62 slidably mounted on guides 63 which are arranged vertically at opposite sides of the path of the stencil strip and which are suitably secured to the frame 1. The frame 62 is held normally in elevated or non-printing position by coil springs 64 encircling the guides 63 and bearing againstthe underside of the frame 62 and against stop collars, lugs or the like 65 on the guides. This frame is provided with one or more downward extensions 66. one being probably suflicient, with which extension is pivotally connected at 67 a link 68 in turn pivotally connected at 69 with an arm 70 pivoted on a shaft 71 suitably mounted in the frame 1. A roller 72 is journaled on an intermediate portion of the arm 70 and coacts with a cam 73 carried by the shaft 46. The shape of the cam 73 is such that it will move the arm 70 downwardly at periodic intervals for moving the frame 62 downwardly preparatory to printing. The springs 64 provide the means for subsequently moving the rinting frame upwardly and for maintaining theroller 72 in engagement with the periphery of the cam 73.

As stated above there is provided stop means for limiting movement ofthe paper paper sheet may pass onto the printing drum 3. Of course the movement of the parts is so timed that the stop 74 remains up until after the Salutation and other similar matter are printed. The numeral 79 indicates a coiLspring which is connected with the arm 75 for holding the roller 77 in engagement with the cam 7 8 at all times.

The supporting plate or top 4 is provided with an opening 80 at a point beneath the stencil strip and located beneath this opening but adapted to be projected upwardly therethrougb is a bed plate 81 carried by a bracket 82 slidable on one of the guides 63. Pivoted on a transverse shaft element 83 is an arm 84 having its free end carrying a roller 85 engaging against the periphery of a cam 86 on the shaft 46 so that as this cam rotates the arm 84 will be moved up and down at periodic intervals. Pivoted on this arm at an intermediate point is a roller 87 bearing against the underside of the bed plate 81 and acting to move the latter up and down at intervals.

Mounted in the frame 62 are forward and rear channel shaped guide strips 88 within which the edges of the stencil strip 44 are slidably engaged, the purpose being not only to control the horizontal position of the stencil strip with respect to the top plate 4 and paper sheets 5 but also to strengthen and hold the edges of the stencil strip and prevent buckling or other distortion thereof wlhen the inking mechanism is brought into p ay.

The 0 posite ends of the frame 62 are provided with upwardly inclined guide members 89 having elongated slots 90 therein. Slidably mounted within these slots are carriages 91 urged downwardly by coil springs 92. These carriages are provided with bracket extensions 93 within which are journaled trunnions 94 on the ends of a roller 95. This roller is the ink container and is provided with a filling opening 96 normally closed by a plug or cap 97. Carried by the roller 95 is a roller 98 of absorbent or permeable material which is saturated with ink by flow thereof through a plurality of perforations 99 in the roller 95.

Suitably journaled on the main frame to the rear of the above described printing mechanism is a roller 100 provided for the purpose of conducting the paper, after printing by the stencil strip, to the printing drum 3. While, as above stated, the printing drum may be operated in any desired manner, I have in the present instance shown its shaft 101 as carrying a gear 102 meshing with a gear 103 in turn driven by a gear 104 meshing with a gear 105 on the shaft 46. Any suitable housing 106 may be provided for enclosing all of these gears to gether with the sprockets 47 and 49 and chain 48 trained thereabout, the advantages of the housing being quite obvious.

In the operation assuming that a paper sheet 5 has been fe by the means above described and has reached a position with its edge engaging the stop 74, it will be seen that the timing of the parts is such that one of the stencils will be in printing position above the sheet. At such a time the ink roller is elevated as is also the frame (52 carrying the inking mechanism and the guides 88 through which extends the stencil strip. The bed plate 81 is in lowered position with its top surface flush with the top surface of the plate 4. The position of the paper sheet and these other parts is well illustrated in Figure 7. lVhen the shaft 46 rotates, by the above described driving mechanism operated by the crank handle 7 or its equivalent, the cam 73 engaging the roller 72 will swing the arm downwardly so that the link 68 conneeled with the extension 66 will ull the entire printing frame 62 downwar ly to bring the stencil strip 44 into contact with the paper sheet. At the same time, the cooperation of the cam 86 with the roller 85 will swing the arm 84 upwardly so that the roller 87 thereon engaging the bed plate 81 will move the latter upwardly through the opening 80 and into en agement with the underside of the paper s eet 5. The bed plate 81 remains in this position for an appreciable period and as it approaches its uppermost position the paper is brought into engagement with the permeable roller 98. As pressure comes against this roller its carrying brackets 91 move rearwardly or upwardly along the guide slots 90, the roller consequently moving longitudinally of the machine and giving a rolling pressure on the top surface of the stencil strip. Obviously ink from this permeable roller will pass through the stencil cuttings and make the desired impression on the paper sheet.

After the printing operation has been effected, as above described, the rotation of the shaft 46 carrying the cams 73 78 and 86 will cause the arm 84 to move downwardly so that the bed plate will be retracted out of engagement with the paper sheet. At the same time the high point of the cam 73 has moved past the roller 72 so as to permit the springs 64 to return the printing frame to its uppermost and inactive position. At or about this same time the cam movement permits the arm to move downwardly, retracting the stop 74 and permittingthe paper whlch has by this time buckled into the position shown by dot and dash lines in F1 gure 8 to pass beneath the roller 100 so as to be caught beneath and be printed upon by the rotary drum 3. This retracted position of the various parts is well illustrated in Figure 9. The printing operation by the drum is a conventional one and need not be illustrated in detail. There is preferably provided a deflector or guard plate 107 adjacent the drum for the purpose of preventing the paper sheet from adhering thereto so that as the sheet passes beneath the drum it will also pass beneath this plate and be kicked oil into any suitable receptacle or stacking device if one be provided.

One of the important features of the machine is its ability to print the names and addresses on the successive ones of a stack of envelopes, and in order to permit this work to be done, I have provided an envelope printing attachment which necessarily involves a different feed mechanism from that above described for feeding sheets of paper to the rint-in mechanism. In carr in out.

P is

this feature I provide an upstanding casing 110 of suitable size to fit the particular size of envelopes to be fed. The above described feed roller 14 must be removed to accommodate this envelope holder which is located at the position shown in Figures 12, 13 and 14 with its forward portion over the roller 15. The envelopes, indicated at 111 are stacked within the casing 110 with their flaps 112 underneath and extending toward the print- 1 ing mechanism.

The envelope feeding means includes a suitable guide structure 113 located beneath the top plate 4 of the machine, along which guide structure is slidably mounted a rack device 114; in engagement with a segmental gear 115 carried by a shaft 116 journaled transversely of the main frame 1 at a point below the above mentioned shafts. The shaft 116 also carries a segmental gear 117 meshing with a segmental gear 118 pivoted on a shaft 119 suitably mounted in the frame 1. The gear 118 is actuated by means of a cam 120 on the shaft 16, this cam engaging a roller 121 journaled' on the segmental gear 118. A suitable coil or other spring 122 is provided for urging the segmental ear 118 upwardly so that its roller 121 will bein constant engagement with its actuating cam 120. A coilspring 123 may be provided connected with the segmental gear 115 for normally urging it in one direction so that the rack 114 will be returned to its forward or normal position after each rearward stroke thereof as effected by the segmental gear 115.

As the cam 120 is fixed on the shaft 46 it is is obvious that the segmental gear 118, the segmental gear 117 and the shaft 116 will be moved when the machine is used for printing paper sheets instead of envelopes. However, it is intended that the envelope feeding mechanism be entirely inactive when paper sheets are being printed and for this reason I provide a releasable driving connection between the shaft 116 and the segmental gear 115 so that the latter may remain' stationary notwithstanding the movement of the associated parts. While this releasable connection might be of any mechanical construction preferred, I have, for purposes of illustration, shown a retractable pin or key 12 1 for locking the hub of the gear 115 to the shaft 116. This pin is adapted to be held in its operative or coupling position by means of a pivoted arm 125 engageable within a peripheral groove in the pin.

Pivoted within the rack member 114, which is of hollow formation, is a finger 126 having an extension 127 with which is connected a coil spring 128 which acts to urge the finger upwardly. The top plate 4 of the machine is provided with an elongated slot 129 which permits passage of the finger during the feeding action of the envelopes. However, when this rack 114 is at the forward limit of its movement or in nonfeeding position, the finger 126 will engage against the underside of the top plate 4 at a point in advance of the slot 129 and be held down against the resistance of the spring 128, as shown in Figure 12.

In the operation of the envelope feeding mechanism, it is obvious that when the pin 12 1 is in its active or coupling position the segmental gear 115 will be moved back and forth, moving the rack Assuming that the envelopes are in place,

114 correspondingly.

and that the rack 114 is at the forward limit of its movement, as shown in Figure 12, when the rack starts rearwardly the finger 126 will pass beyond the end of the slot 129 and be projected, by the spring 128, therethrough so as to engage above the flap of the lowermost envelope. The rear wall of the easing 110 has its lower end provided with an outlet slot 130 through which the lowermost envelope will be dragged by the finger as the rack 114 moves rearwardly of the machine. The actual feeding position of the finger is shown in Figure 13. When the envelope reaches the proper position the above described stencil printing mechanism comes addressing, Salutation and body {printing machine in which the changes in the addresses on successive sheets of paper, wrappers, envelopes and the like are made automatically and without any attention on the part of the operator. It will be noted that each stencil when in printing position is in plain view so that mistakes may be corrected and so that an undesired address may be omitted, this latter operation being eflected by moving the stencil strip manually. In case of a spoiled sheet or envelope, the stencil strip may be manually moved back to its prior position and a second impression or printing made. Ample provision has been made for all contingencies which may ordinarily arise in the matter of adjustments, corrections, variations in the size of paper stock, and the like. As all the cam mechanism is carried by a single shaft it is obvious that many of the essential working elements are concentrated and so related that it will be impossible for the machine to get out of order especially as there is no relative movement of the operating cams. In fact the number of parts has been kept down to the minimum so that there will be no likelihood of derangement.

\Vhile I have shown and described a pre-.

ferred embodiment of the invention, the right is reserved to make all such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I

claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, a table, spools located at o posite sides thereof, a stencil strip woun upon one spool and adapted for movement transversely of the table to be wound upon the other spool, means for feeding paper and envelopes along the table beneath the stencil, an inking roller adapted to press upon the top of the stencil, means for moving the inking roller downwardly into engagement with the stencil, and means for moving said inking roller synchronously with the paper and envelope feeding means.

2. In a machine of the character described, a table, means thereon for printing the body of a letter, and address and salutation printing means including a stencil strip mounted in advance of said body printing means, means for feedin paper or envelopes along the table beneati the stencil strip, means for holding paper or envelopes temporarily stationary beneath the stencil means, and an inking roller mounted above the stencil strip and operating synchronously with said feeding means.

3. In a machine'of the character described, a table, a stencil strip, means for printing the body of a letter, means located in advance of said means for printing the address and Salutation, comprising means for moving said stencil strip laterally of said table step by step, an inkin roller above said strip, a movable bed mem er, means for moving paper or envelopes along the table beneath said stencil strip, and means for simultaneously moving the inking roller downwardly and the bed member upwardly synchronously with said paper or envelope moving means.

4. In a machine of the character described, a table, spools located at opposite sides thereof, a stencil strip wound upon one spool, movable transversely of the table and adapted to be wound onto the other spool, means for feeding paper and envelopes along the table beneath the stencil, the table having an opening, a bed plate beneath the opening, an inking roller above the stencil, and means for simultaneously moving the bed plate upwardly through the opening and the inking roller downwardly into engagement with the stencil.

5. In a machine of the character described, a table, printing means thereon for printing the body of a letter, and address and Salutation printing means including a stencil strip mounted in advance of said body printing means, means for feeding paper and envelopes along the table and beneath the stencil, stop means for holding the paper and envelopes in printing position eneath the stencil, printing means above the stencil, means operating synchronously with the paper and envelope feeding means for moving said second-named printing means downwardly, and means for subse- 1 quently releasing said stop means.

6. In a machine of the character described, a table, body printing means thereon, address and salutation printing means located in advance of said body printing means including spools rotatably mounted at opposite sides of the table in upright position, a stencil strip initially carried by one spool and adapted to be wound onto the other, means for rotating said other spool while permitting slippage thereof, means for moving the stencil strip step by step including toothed drive elements engaging perforations in the strip, a constantly rotating driving element, and a star wheel transmission interposed between said driving element and said toothed elements.

7. In a machine of the character de scribed, a table, body printing means thereon, address and Salutation printing means located in advance of said body printing means including spools rotatably mounted at opposite sides of the table in upright position, a stencil strip initially carried by one spool and adapted to be wound onto the other, means for rotating said other spool while permitting slippage thereof, means for moving the stencil strip step by step ineluding toothed elements engaging perforations in the strip, gear mechanism for driving the toothed elements, a star wheel for driving said gear mechanism, and a constantly driven rotary member having a tappet cooperating with the star wheel.

8. In a machine of the character de-

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