US2027045A

US2027045A - Envelope opening machine

Info

Publication number: US2027045A
Application number: US29704A
Authority: US
Inventors: Esther E Keiser
Original assignee: BIRCHER CO Inc
Current assignee: BIRCHER CO Inc
Priority date: 1935-07-03
Filing date: 1935-07-03
Publication date: 1936-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 1953-01-07

Description

Jan. 7, 1936.

A. J. KEISER ZUZKME ENVELOPE OPENING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1935 4 She ets-Sheet l Jam 7, 1936. A. J. IKEHSER @W ENVELOPE OPENING MACHINE Filed July 3, 1955 4 Sheets-Shet 2 1 Q a (1 @MTTORNEY Jam.- 7, 1936. A. .1. KEISER ENVELOPE OPENING MACHINE Filed July 3, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENVELOPE OPENING MACHINE Application July 3, 1935 Serial No. 29,704

24 Claims.

This invention relates to envelope opening machines of the variety operating to cut a narrow strip from the edge of the envelope to open the same, the object of the invention being to pro- 'vide an improved machine of the character described having a more simple, inexpensive, and efiicient construction, particularly as regards the general arrangement and construction of the driving mechanism, the control of the cutting mechanism for varying the depth of cut to suit different conditions of work, the means for feeding the envelopes to the cutting mechanism, as well as other related features.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combination of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully de- .scribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

2. Fig. l is a top plan View of a machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view partly broken away and with the presser foot removed to expose the feeding and driving belt;

251 Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l with the presser foot and table removed to expose the driving means;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation partly in section on the line 4a4a in Figs. 2 and 3, showing the cutting mechanism and belt;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation on the line 5a-.5a in Fig. 1, showing the feeding and cutting mechanism;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view on the line (ice-Ba in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 4, showing additional parts;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the machine;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of the presser foot portion of the feeding means;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view on the line Illa-40a in Fig. 4, showing portions of the driving and feeding means.

The same reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The invention is embodied, in the present instance, by Way of illustration, in a machine comprising, preferably, a frame of generally rectangular shape, indicated generally at l0, Fig. 3, in-

cluding a front wall ll, a rear wall l2, and side walls l3 and I l. The front wall H and the forward portions of the side walls 13 and Hi together form a forward frame portion providing a srqmpertme onta ni t e dr vin e hanism and supporting at its top the horizontal table I5 for receiving the envelopes to be opened. The rear Wall l2 of the frame is of somewhat irregular shape and, with the adjacent portions of the side walls 13 and I4, forms a rear frame 5 portion which projects up above the forward por-- tion and table and supports the envelope guide, and the cutting and feeding mechanisms includ ing the presser foot hereinafter described.

Adjacent the rear edge of the table I5, and in lo the present instance secured by means of screws to the upstanding rear wall portion I2, is an envelope guide in the form of a substantially vertical plate I6, Fig. 3. The envelopes are placed on the table l5 and fed by means hereafter de- 15 scribed along the guide [6 into engagement with the cutting mechanism, which will now be described.

The cutting mechanism is formed by a pair of sharp edged disks rotating rapidly in peripheral g0 engagement with each other to quickly cut or slice off a strip along the edge of the envelope located by engagement with the guide, the cutting portions of these disks being rotated in the same direction as the feeding movement to as- 25 sist the latter in addition to the cutting action. The upper disk ll, Fig. 5, is fixed, as by means of a nut i8 on the reduced forward end of a shaft l9 which is enlarged near the disk, as at 20, to increase the fly-wheel effect. The rear end of 3.0 shaft I9 is journaled in a bearing 2| in the thickened portion 22 of the rear wall of the frame and this end of the shaft is hollowed out as shown to receive a coiled compression spring 23 bearing against a sliding plunger 24 which .35 presses into a cone-shaped bearing recess 25 in a plug 26 screwed into and closing the outer end of the bearing in the wall 22, for the purpose of resiliently urging the shaft 2| and disk I! in an axial direction away from the guide I6 which 1 is slightly in rear of the plane of the cutting edge of the disk. This outward or forward motion of disk 11 is restrained by the engagement with the periphery of the lower disk.

The lower disk 21 is fixed on the reduced for- 4 ward end of a shaft 28 rotating and sliding longitudinally in a bearing in the rear wall portion 22. The disk is clamped against an adjacent fiy-wheel enlargement 29 of the shaft by the hub of a grooved pulley 30 which is in turn fixed 50 on the forward end of the shaft by means of a clamping nut 3|. At 32 are oil reservoirs of known construction provided with lubricating wicks engaging the shaft in its hearing. The disk shafts l9 and 28 may be disposed slightly 5.

out of vertical alinement with each other in a known manner to maintain their engaging peripheral portions in close contact and produce an efiicient shearing and cutting action on the envelope.

The lower disk 21, as stated, serves by engagement with the upperdisk l1, to limit its outward movement by springs 23, and a manually operable device is preferably provided on the rear frame portion of the machine for adjusting shaft 28 and disk 21 in an axial direction toward and from the envelope guide I6 for controlling the position of both disks and the depth of cut made on the envelope. This device preferably comprises a reduced portion 33 on the rear end of the shaft 29 projecting beyond the rear wall and provided with a bearing abutment 34 secured thereon by means of a nut 35. At 36 is a cage for a series of rollers or balls bearing on the one side against the abutment 34 and on the other against an abutment formed on a sleeve 31 turning loosely on the shaft and having a reduced forward end in threaded engagement with a collar 38 fixed by means of screws 39 on the rear wall of the frame. The outer periphery of the collar overlaps the adjusting sleeve 31 which carries a stud or screw 40 playing between the ends of an edge recess in collar 38 for limiting the turning movement of the adjusting sleeve 31. As sleeve 31 is turned in one direction, it is screwed into the collar 38, allowing shaft 28 and the cutting disk to move forwardly under the action of the spring 23 of the upper shaft 19, so that the cutters are moved away from the guide to produce a deeper or coarser out along the edge of the envelope, as indicated by the letter C on adjusting sleeve 31. Rotation of the sleeve in the opposite direction tends to screw it out of collar 38 and move the cutting disks toward the envelope guide to produce a finer cut indicated by the letter F (not shown) brought into view on the sleeve, which thus forms an adjustable thrust bearing for controlling the depth of cut and is accessibly located as described and shown adjacent the top of the rear wall 12, so that the cutting mechanism as a whole is compactly carried on the rear frame portion of the machine, without encumbering its other portions.

The driving means for the machine is combined in a simple, compact and effective way with the feeding and cutting mechanism and located in the forward frame portion beneath the envelope table. This means comprises, in the present instance, an electric motor 41, Fig, 3, bolted to a substantially vertical base plate 42 secured in inclined relation, as shown, to the side wall 14 of the frame as by means of screws 43. At 44 is the supply line for the motor, including a switch 45 accessibly projecting through the front wall ll of the frame. The motor shaft carries a grooved pulley 46 located between the pulley 33 on the shaft of the lower cutter 21 and a grooved pulley 41 fixed on a shaft rotating in a bearing 48 in the rear wall of the frame. A

belt 49, preferably of round cross section, as

shown, is trained directly between the upper portions of pulleys 39 and 41 and passes at its lower or return side over and in engagement with the motor pulley 46, as shown in Fig. 4. Belt 49 is pr ferably formed of resilient rubber, as hereafter described, and the motor pulley 46 is arranged to deflect and maintain it in tension to maintain effective driving contact with it as well as to keep the upper run of the belt taut and straight, so as to serve not only as the driving belt, but at the same time as the active means for feeding the envelopes along the guide and to the cutting mechanism. A further advantageous function of the arrangement of motor pulley 46 in connection with the feeding action of the belt will be explained hereafter. The driving mechanism is thus combined with the envelope feeding belt so that it is extremely simple in construction and compactly housed within the space within the frame under the work table. But, of course, the electric motor may be replaced by any other known and suitable motor such, for example, as a hand crank for driving pulley 46 arranged as shown.

The means for feeding the envelopes to the cutting mechanism, as indicated, comprises the combined feeding and driving belt 49 carried on the cutter pulley 30 and the idler pulley 41, and is preferably of the general character described and shown in the patent to Taylor, N0. 1,182,054. The belt itself is preferably of relatively soft, resilient rubber of substantially circular cross section and may be molded as a closed loop, or made as disclosed in Keiser Patent No. 1,667,120. As described in the said Patent No. 1,182,054, the pulleys on which the belt is carried are relatively disposed so as to incline the feeding portion of the belt toward the envelope guide in the direction of feed, this result being preferably accomplished in the present instance by the inclination and spacing of the pulley 41 relative to the pulley 30 and the envelope guide, as shown. By this means the feeding portion of the belt is caused to feed the envelope toward and along the guide.

Moreover, the mutually inclined relation of the planes of the belt pulleys 30 and 41 tends to cause the belt, as it engages the top of the pulley 30 and the bottom of pulley The present invention provides means for materially increasing such turning or rolling motion of the belt, residing in the position and arrangement of the motor pulley 46. This pulley is positioned, as shown in Fig. 10, somewhat forwardly of what would otherwise be the direct line of the lower side of the belt between pulleys 30 and 41, with the result that this lower side of the belt is pulled forwardly of the machine by the motor pulley 46. At the same time, the inclined relation of the motor base plate 42 produces an inclination of the plane of motor pulley 46 which tends to slightly twist the lower side of the belt in a forward direction as it runs onto the lower side of the pulley 41. This inclination of the motor pulley and its position forwardly of the direct line between pulleys 36 and 41 materially increase the tendency of the belt to climb up on the forward side of the groove of pulley 41 and so materially increase the tendency of the belt to thereafter roll back into the pulley groove, and thus increase the twisting, turning, or rolling action of the outer periphery of the belt toward the envelope guide, to maintain the envelopes in continuous engagement with the guide, as well as to work the under surface of the envelope in 41, to partially climb up the forward sides of the grooves of the pulthe groove, thus causing the "the same direction relative to its contents, to cause the envelope material at its edge to project slightly beyond the contents to afford a strip for cutting without cutting its contents. The rubber material of the belt, as disclosed in said patent, affords an effective gripping contact with the envelope, so that by all of these means a very efficient feeding actuation and accurate control of the envelopes is obtained. This feeding action is further facilitated by an improved presser foot for maintaining the envelopes in contact with the belt which will now be described.

The envelopes presented to the feeding means are brought and maintained in engagement with the belt by means of a presser foot mounted on the front face of the rear frame portion, so as to overhang the belt, as best shown in Figs. 8 and 9. For this purpose a housing 50 is secured to the rear wall portion by means of screws, as shown, and is formed with bearings for a pair of spaced plungers i and 52, these plungers and their bearings preferably being parallel with each other, and inclined upwardly and in the direction of feed. The plungers are reduced at their upper ends to provide spaces in their bearings in which are housed compression springs 53 pressing at one end against shoulders on the plungers and at the other against shoulders adjacent the upper ends of the bearings, so that the plungers are pressed toward the feed belt but are resiliently yieldable in an axial direction. The upper ends of the plungers slide in the reduced upper ends of the bearings and are provided above. the housing with suitable nuts 54 by means of which their longitudinal positions may be adjusted. The lower end of one plunger, below the housing, is pivotally connected as by means of a screw 55 to the adjacent end of the presser foot 56. The lower end of the other plunger is pivotally connected with a link 5? which is pivotally connected in turn by a screw 58 with the other end of the presser foot, so that'one plunger is connected by a single pivot and the other by a double pivot with the presser foot.

The presser foot is in the form of a unitary shoe concaved on its under face as at 59 to conform generally to the surface of the belt and so that the envelope will be slightly curved over the belt to obtain a substantial area of contact. The presser member 56 is formed adjacent its forward end with a downwardly projecting point 6a which is adapted to exert the principal pressure against the envelope and serve as a pivotal contact about which the envelope may be turned by the feeding mechanism to maintain its engagement with the envelope guide. The forward end of the presser foot 56 is inclined downwardly and inwardly in a curve as shown at 6| substantially in continuation of a downwardly and rearwardly inclined plate 62 depending from the front of the housing 50.

The above described manner of supporting the presser foot has the important advantages that either end is supported by its plunger for resiliently yielding upward movement independently of the other end and its plunger, and at the same time the presser foot as a whole may yield upwardly and in the general direction of feed, parallel with itself or at varying inclination as the contact with the work may require. The single pivot connection between one end of the presser foot and. the adjacent plunger serves to prevent the other end from swinging on its double jointed or link support except under constant pressure of the plunger spring. Thus as the work engages the presser foot it may respond in a very flexible way under continuous pressure, either as a whole or at each end in succession, with the result that the envelopes are closely pressed and maintained in contact with the feed belt regardless of any irregularity in the thickness of the envelope or its contents.

fhe envelope guide It is preferably provided, adjacent the cutting disk with a tapering contracted throat 63 such as disclosed in said patent to Taylor, No. 1,182,054, for guiding the envelopes to the cutting disks, and the work table It is preferably formed with a slightly elevated portion B l to raise the envelope for entry into the guide throat.

The means for attaching the supporting bracket to the projecting end of the work table may comprise a lock nut 65 extending some little distance above the table, as shown, and serving to elevate the outer end of a stack of envelopes placed on the table to facilitate the handling and the supply of the same to the feeding means.

In operation, the electric motor, as described, drives the belt ie which both feeds the envelopes and drives the lower cutting disks. The device for adjusting the cutting disks relative to the envelope guide is set to cut a. width of strip from the edge of the envelope to suit the character of work in hand. A stack of envelopes is placed on the left hand end of the work table and moved into cooperation with the feeding means. The belt engages the bottom envelopes of the stack in succession and moves them rapidly toward the cutting mechanism while maintaining the edge of each envelope pressed against the guide. Such pressure tends to cause a bulging of the edge of the envelope and a slight movement of the contents back from the edge, with the result that as the edge is released from the guide just prior to engagement with the cutting disks, the edge again expands so as to present a portion extending beyond the envelope contents. This edge strip is engaged and sheared from the envelope by the cutting disks which likewise assist the feeding movement and the opened envelope is discharged at the right hand end of the table.

The described construction provides highly positiveand accurate means for gripping, positioning, and feeding envelopes of varying size and thickness to the cutting disks which are conveniently regulated for the approximate depth of cut by manually adjusting the rotary sleeve on the rear wall of. the machine. The machine as a whole is simple, compact, and self-contained in construction and arrangement.

The preferred embodiment of the machine has been described herein by way of illustration rather than by way of limitation, and it is contemplated that various modifications in donstruction and arrangement may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention as set forth in the annexed claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame, cutting mechanism on said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, pulleys supporting said belt comprising a pulley for driving said. cutting mechanism, and a motor in said frame having a pulley in driving engagement with said belt.

2. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame having forward and rear portions, cutting mechanism carried by the rear portion of said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, pulleys supporting said belt comprising a pulley for driving said cutting mechanism, and a motor in said forward frame portion having a pulley in driving engagement with said belt.

3. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame, cutting mechanism on said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, a pair of pulleys supporting said belt, and a pulley engaging said belt intermediate the pulleys of said pair and in a position out of. line with said belt, to cause the same to roll on said pair of pulleys transversely of its length toward said guide, to move and maintain the envelopes in engagement therewith.

4. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame, cutting mechanism on said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, a pair of pulleys supporting said belt, and a pulley engaging said belt intermediate the pulleys of said pair with its plane at one side of a line joining said pair of pulleys, to deflect said belt and cause the same to roll on said pair of pulleys transversely of its length toward said guide, to move and maintain the envelopes in engagement therewith.

5. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame, cutting mechanism on said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, a pair of pulleys supporting said belt, and a pulley engaging said belt intermediate the pulleys of said pair with its plane inclined to a line joining said pair of pulleys, to deflect said belt and cause the same to roll on said pair of pulleys transversely of its length toward said guide, to move and maintain the envelopes in engagement therewith.

6. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame, cutting mechanism on said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, a pair of pulleys supporting said belt, and a pulley engaging said belt intermediate the pulleys of said pair with its plane at one side of and inclined to a line joining said pair of pulleys, to deflect said belt and cause the same to roll on said pair of pulleys transversely of its length toward said guide, to move and maintain the envelopes in engagement therewith.

7. In an envelope opening, the combination of a frame, cutting mechanism on said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, a pair of pulleys supporting said belt and inclined to each other, and a pulley engagin said belt intermediate the pulleys of said pair and in a position out of line with said belt, to cause the periphery thereof to roll transversely of its length toward said guide, to move and maintain the envelopes in engagement therewith.

8. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame, cutting mechanism on said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, pulleys supporting said belt comprising a pulley for driving said cutting mechanism, a pulley engaging said belt intermediate said supporting pulleys and in a position out of line with said belt, to cause the same to roll on said supporting pulleys transversely of its length toward said guide,

to move and maintain the envelopes in engagement therewith, and a motor on said frame for driving said intermediate pulley.

9. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a, frame having forward and rear portions, cutting mechanism carried by the rear portion of said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, pulleys supporting said belt comprising a pulley for driving said cutting mechanism, an inclined base in said forward frame portion, an electric motor on said base, a pulley on said motor engaging said belt intermediate said supporting pulleys and in a position out of line with said belt, to cause the same to roll on said supporting pulleys transversely of its length toward said guide, to move and maintain the envelopes in engagement therewith.

10. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame, cutting mechanism on said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, a pair of pulleys supporting said belt including a pulley positioned to incline the feeding portion of said belt toward said guide, and a pulley engaging said belt intermediate the pulleys of said pair and in a position out of line with said belt, to cause the periphery thereof to roll transversely of its length toward said guide, to move and maintain the envelopes in engagement therewith.

ll. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame having forward and rear portions, cutting mechanism carried by the rear portion of said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, spaced pulleys supporting said belt comprising a pulley for driving said cutting mechanism and a pulley positioned to incline the feeding portion of said belt toward said guide, a motor in said forward frame portion having a pulley in driving engagement with said belt between said spaced pulleys, and means for pressing envelopes against said belt.

12. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame having forward and rear portions, cutting mechanism carried by the rear portion of said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, spaced pulleys supporting said belt comprising a pulley for driving said cutting mechanism and a pulley positioned to incline the feeding portion of said belt toward said guide, a motor in said forward frame portion having a pulley in driving engagement with said belt between said spaced pulleys, resiliently yielding means for pressing envelopes against said belt, and a manually operable device on said rear frame portion for adjusting said cutting mechanism toward and from said guide to vary the depth of cut on said envelopes.

13. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame, cutting mechanism on said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, a presser foot for pressing envelopes against said belt, independent resiliently yieldable means inclined in the direction of feed for supporting the ends of said presser foot, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt.

14. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame, cutting mechanism on said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, a presser foot for pressing envelopes against said belt, resiliently yieldable means for supporting the ends of said presser foot, one of said means including a pivoted link, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt.

15. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame, cutting mechanism on said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, a presser foot for pressing envelopes against said beit, independent resiliently yieldable means inclined in the direction of feed for supporting the opposite ends of said presser foot, one of said means having spaced joints therein, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt.

16. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame, cutting mechanism on said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, a presser foot for pressing envelopes against said belt, independent resiliently yieldable plungers for supporting the opposite ends of said presser foot, one pivoted thereto and the other connected therewith by means of a pivoted link so that said presser foot may flexibly conform to irregularities in the work, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt.

17. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame, cutting mechanism on said frame, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said mechanism, spaced pulleys supporting said belt and relatively positioned to incline said belt toward said guide, a presser foot for pressing envelopes against said belt comprising a member having a surface concaved to conform to said belt and resiliently yieldable means inclined in the direction of feed for supporting the opposite ends of said presser foot, one of said means having spaced joints therein, and driving means for said cutting mechanism and belt.

18. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame having forward and rear portions, cutting mechanism on said rear frame portion, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said cutting mechanism, spaced pulleys supporting said belt and relatively positioned to incline said belt toward said guide, an electric motor in said forward frame portion having a pulley in driving engagement with said belt between said spaced pulleys, and a presser foot for pressing envelopes against said belt comprising a member having a surface shaped to conform to said belt, and resiliently yieldable supports inclined in the direction of feed for supporting the opposite ends of said presser foot, one of said supports having spaced pivotal joints therein, for flexible yielding movement to conform to envelopes of different thicknesses.

19. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame having forward and rear portions, cutting mechanism on said rear frame portion, an envelope guide, a belt for feeding envelopes along said guide to said mechanism, spaced pulleys supporting said belt and relatively positioned to incline the same toward said guide, an electric motor in said forward frame portion having a pulley in driving engagement with said belt between said spaced pulleys, a presser foot for pressing the envelopes against said belt comprising a member having a surface shaped to conform to said belt and resiliently yieldable supports inclined in the direction of feed for supporting the opposite ends of said presser foot, one of said supports having spaced pivotal joints therein, for flexible yielding movement to conform to varying thickness of the envelopes, and a manually operable device on said rear frame portion for adjusting said cutting mechanism toward and from said guide to vary the depth of cut on said envelopes.

20. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame having a forward portion provided with a table and a rear portion, a guide adjacent the rear of said table, envelope feeding means, cutting mechanism, driving means on said forward frame portion and forwardly of said feeding means and cutting mechanism, connecting means extending forwardly from said feeding means and cutting mechanism to said driving means, and a device on said rear frame portion for adjusting said cutting mechanism toward and from said guide to vary the depth of cut on said envelopes.

21. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame having a forward portion provided with a table and a rear portion, envelope feeding means, cutting mechanism comprising a pair of rotary cutting disks mounted to move in an axial direction toward and from said guide, resilient means for moving said disks axially in one direction, a friction-reducing thrust bearing for said disks on said rear frame portion, a device for adjusting said bearing to adjust said disks in the opposite direction relative to said guide, driving means on said forward frame portion and forwardly of said feeding means and cutting mechanism, and connecting means extending forwardly from said feeding means and cutting mechanism to said driving means.

- 22. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame having a forward portion provided with a table and a rear portion, a guide adjacent the rear of said table, envelope feeding means, cutting mechanism comprising a pair of rotary cutting disks, means for supporting said disks for movement in an axial direction toward and from said guide comprising a shaft mounted for rotary and axial movement in said rear frame portion, resilient means for moving said disks and shaft axially in one direction, a friction-reducing thrust bearing for said shaft, a device on said rear frame portion for adjusting said bearing and shaft to move said disks in the opposite direction, driving means on said forward frame portion and forwardly of said cutting mechanism, and connecting means extending forwardly from said feeding means and cutting mechanism to said driving means.

23. In an envelope opening machine, the combination of a frame having a forward portion provided with a table and a rear portion, a guide adjacent the rear of said table, envelope feeding means, cutting mechanism comprising a pair of rotary cutting disks, means supporting said disks for movement in an axial direction toward and from said guide comprising a shaft mounted for rotary and axial movement in said rear frame portion, resilient means for moving said disks and shaft axially in one direction, a thrust-resisting ball bearing for said shaft, means on said rear frame portion comprising threadedly engaged relatively adjustable parts for adjusting said bearing and shaft to move said disks in the opposite direction, driving means on said forward frame portion and forwardly of said feeding means and cutting mechanism, and connecting means extending forwardly from said feeding means and cutting mechanism to said driving means.

24. In an envelope opening machine, the commeans, cutting mechanism, a motor in said forward frame portion and forwardly of said feeding means and cutting mechanism, connecting means extending forwardly from said feeding means and cutting mechanism to said driving means, and a device on said rear frame portion for adjusting said cutting mechanism toward and from said guide to vary the depth of out on said envelopes.

ESTHER E. KEISER,

Administratria: of the Estate 0 Deceased.

1 Arthur J. Keiser,