US2098970A - Envelope machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 16, 1937. A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 18, 1933 j INVENTOR Abraham Ivor/ck. BY

A TTORNE Y5 Nov. 16, 1937. A. NOVICK M 2,098,970

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed May 18, 1935 ll Sh'eets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Abra/7am Nor/ck.

BY O m/W24 A TTORNEYS NOV. 16, 1937. I ov c v 2,098,970'

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed May 18, 1933 l1 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Abra/mm Nor/ck.

A TTORNEYS A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE Nov. 16, 1937.

Filed May 18, l933 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 K? V 8 8 k m N v4} ink N g. Y. Q .8 @WQ NW A m INVENTOR Abraham Nor/ck. BY

A TTORNEYS Nov. 16, 1937. A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 18, 1933 INVENTOR Abraham Nov/ck. BY

ATTORNEYS Nov. 16, 1937. 7

A. NOVICK I 2,098,970

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed May 18, 1933 ll Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR Abra/7am Nay/ck.

A TTORNE Y5 Nov. 16, 1937. NOVICK 2,098,970

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed May 18, 1953 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 IN VEN TOR Abra/7am Ivar/ck.

A TTORNEYS Nov. 16, 1937. A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed May 18, 1933 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR Abra/7am Nor/ck. BY

@uw w A T TORNE Y5 Nov. 16, 1937. 1 NQVICK 2,098,970

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed May 18, 1933 11 Sheets$heet 9 Abra/7am No Vick.

A TTORNEYS Nov. 16, 1937; A. NOVICK 2,098,970

ENVELOPE MACHINE INVENTOR Abraham Nov/ck.

A TTORNEYS Nov.1 6,1937. A NOVIC K 2,098,970

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed May 1 8, 1933 ll Sheets-Sheet l1 FfqZd Y f7'422 INVENTOR' Abra/2am Nov/ck.

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENVELOPE MACHINE Application May 18, 1933, Serial No. 671,630

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in rotary machines for folding and gumming envelopes, and the principles of my invention have been illustrated as applied to the manufacture of so-called open end envelopes having a central longitudinal seam. In general, it is the object of my invention to improve existing machines of this type by way of greatly increasing their output per unit time. In prior machines with which I am familiar, the speed of operation has been limited by the fact that the blanks had to be fed to the machine with great accuracy whereby high speed frictional conveying elements which admit of slight errors in registry of the blanks 1'5 could not be used. 7

More specifically, all object of my invention is therefore to so devise the rotary folding machine as to enable it to handle blanks fed to it at high speed as by a frictional conveying ele ment, which blanks arrive at the rotary drum of the machine slightly out of registry, say onesix'teenth of an inch either way. In the prior machines the bottom flap of the envelope, because of this slight error in registry, would not receive an accurate fold. In my present machine I have undertaken to solve this difficulty by scoring the bottom flap previous to its arrival at the drum and at a point so early in the travel of the blank as to obviate errors in registry. By means of my improved folding mechanism on the drum, it is then possible to gum and fold this bottom flap along previously made score lines within the limits of error of the frictional feeding means to the drum. In my preferred embodiment I accomplish this by the ccaction of an improved forward gripping device for the partially completed blank and fingers which initiate folding of the flap along the previously made score line after which the fold is completed by a presser element 40 pressing the blank against the drum, the forward gripping device having in the meantime been withdrawn so as to avoid the presser element.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unitary flap gumming device so that gum from different sources may be applied to the bottom and sealing flaps, respectively. Because of the practice of licking the gum on the sealing flap of envelopes, certain types of gum cannot be used on this flap. This consideration, however, does not apply to the bottom flap and hence the desirability of being able to use two types of gum on the two flaps. In connection with the gumming mechanism it is also an object of the invention to provide an improved feeler mechanism for rendering the gummers inoperative when no blank is passing through the machine.

Further objects of the invention are to perfect the means for folding the bottom flaps and for delivering the envelopes containing the 5 freshly gummed sealing flap surface to a suitable conveyor for conveying the envelopes through a drier.

Various other and more specific objects of the invention and advantages thereof will be apl0 parent as the description proceeds.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the detailed description which follows, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view elevation (with portions of the various shafts broken away) of a preferred embodiment and showing the rotary folding drum and associated mechanism;

Figure 1a is a diagrammatic view showing the driveconnections to the various parts;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the feeding and scoring operations taking place prior to the arrival of the blanks at the drum;

Figure 3 is a developed plan view of the drum and parts associated therewith;

Figure 4 is a view taken in a substantially radial section through the drum and illustrating the mounting of the same and of the parts associated therewith;

Figure 5 is a detail in radial section showing the construction of the trailing. grippers;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of one of the trailing grippers showing further constructional details thereof;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the gummer bar for the bottom flap of the envelope;

Figure 8 is a view partly in section of the gummer bar unit;

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of the gummer bar for the seal flap;

Figure 10 is a side view of the gummer bar mechanism showing an arrangement of the parts at the time the seal flap gummer bar is about to receive its gum;

Figure 10a is a detail view showing the con-, nection between the end of a gummer bar and the end of the actuating arm;

Figure 11 is an enlarged view showing the feeler mechanism which acts to render inoperative the gumming mechanism in case there is no blank to be gummed, and the grippers in their released position;

Figure 12 is a view of the same parts in a different position;

Figure 13 is a view of the feelers looking from the top;

Figure 14 is a view showing the leading grippers in holding position and the trailing grippers before actuation;

Figure 15 shows the same parts as Figure 14 but in a more advanced position with the trailing grippers in holding position;

Figure 16 shows the parts when the bottom flap is being gummed;

Figure 17 shows the cylinder in a position further advanced from that of Figure 16 and in which the seal flap is being gummed. It also shows the bottom flap folding fingers partly operated. It also shows the presser bar which is soon to be operated to further complete the action of the turning fingers to fold the bottom fiap;

Figure 18 shows the position of the cylinder and the presser bar immediately after the presser bar has performed its function of pressing down the bottom flap and that of stripping the envelope from the presser bar;

Figure 19 shows the next step in which the end of the envelope is separated from the cylinder by means of fingers to be described;

Figure 20 shows the further step of compressing the bottom flap after it has been folded;

Figure 21 shows a type of envelope in which the bottom flap is gummed and which is scoredbeyond the edges of the side flaps, the seal flap also being gummed;

Figure 22 shows the same envelope with the bottom flap and the seal flap folded;

Figure 23 shows an envelope which may be made on this machine in which .the bottom score line extends over the ends' of the side fiaps for the purpose of making a leak-proof hold as seen in Figure 24;

Figure24 shows the envelope of Figure 23, with flaps folded;

Figure 25 shows the means employed for scoring the envelope shown in Figures 23 and 251;

Figure 26 shows an envelope scored to provide both ends with a leak-proof or safety seal;

Figure 27 showsthe same envelope with the 5 ends sealed;

Figure 28 shows the scoring of both flaps; and Figure 29 shows. an adjustable scoring element associated with the gum pad for the sealing flap.

When the blanks reach the mechanism herein shown in Figure 1-, the side flaps have been folded and gummed, and in the case of the ordinary envelope the top and bottom flaps have been scored. Thus partially folded and gummed, the blank is advanced bottom flap foremost and middle seamupward into the folding cylinder by means of the scorer I: and having scoring blades 2 and 3, whereupon the side fiaps are longitudinally scored by scorer 4 after which the blanks'are conveyed by frictional conveying rolls 5,5 etci through the customary side flap folding and'gumming mechanism which may beof' known type-not .shown in Figure 2, after Which the partially folded blank is conveyed by further friction rolls l I and 12 into the drum for the further gumming and folding operations to be described. The first operation performed by the drum is to grip the forward end of the. envelope by means of forward grippers A, Figure 3, after which trailing grippers B come into play further to secure the blank to the drum. Then the bottom flap is gummed by means of the gum applying device C following which the seal flap is gummed by means of another part of the same device, Figure 1. present to receive the gum, the gumming devices are rendered inoperative by means of feeler mechanism D. The next operation consists in folding the bottom flaps, which action is initiated by means of fingers E, as best seen in Figure 17, whereupon this folding is further accomplished by means of a presser bar F, Figure 1 and Figure 17, after which the blank leaves the drum, being positively released therefrom by the action of an ejector finger G, Figure 17, the forward grippers in the meantime having been released. The folded bottom flap is then further subjected to a rolling or ironing action at H, Figure 20, after which the advancing end of the envelope is fed into the grip of grippers of the conveying chain I, the trailing grippers having been in the meantime released.

My improved machine also is adapted to form the so-called safety fold envelopes, illustrated in Figures 23 and 24, in which the fold includes a slight portion of the side flaps. To accomplish this, a score line is first made in the body of the envelope by means of the scorer J Figure 25 which is only operated when this type of envelope is made.

Having described in general the operations which are to be gone through with, the various individual mechanisms involved will now be separately described.

Construction of rotary drum While the construction of various parts of the drum will be apparent from the description of the various mechanisms associated with it, it is desiredat this time to point out the certain general features of the drum by means of which great ease and latitude of adjustment of 'the machine for different size envelopes may be had. Referring to'Figures 1 and 4," the drum is mounted upon a main shaft IS, the drum consisting of a middle'portion l6, constituting the drum proper, and side sections or brackets l1, l8 upon which gripping mechanisms A and B are mounted (as will be apparent from a consideration, which follows, of these gripping mechanisms).

It will be apparent from Figure 4 that two sets of envelope handling devices are provided in the drum. To facilitate adjustment of the gripping mechanisms laterally of the drum, sections 17 and I8 are slidable on the shaft l5 by means of racks l9, l9 and pinions 2G, 20, respectively, and are held in any given position by means of set screws 2|, 2!.

Forward grippers A It is desirable that the grippers A have a movement both lateral of the drum and radial of it, the radial movement being necessary to grip the blank. The lateral movement is desirable in order'that the grippers may clear the presser bars F. To accomplish this, the grippers A are secured to shafts 35 each pivotally supported in a bracket 25 secured to the brackets l1 and I8, Figures 1 and4. To accomplish the upward movement of the grippers is provided a bar 21 engaging lugs 26 secured to the shafts 35, said bar 2'! being thus effective to move the shafts 35 against the action of return springs 35a. The bar 21 is attached to arms 28, 28, Figure 3, pivotedon a shaft 29, Figures 3 and 4. Also attached to shaft 29 is a crank 30 terminating in a follower 3!, Figure 3, which rides within In case no blank isa cam groove 3|a within the cam disc 32, such groove causing the upward tilting of bar 21 and hence the grippers A through lugs 28. A cam disc 33 is provided on the opposite side as will be referred to hereinafter. To move the grippers or fingers A laterally of the drum, such fingers are provided each with an inwardly extending portion 36 beyond the pivot, to which portion is attached a pin 31. These depending pins 31 (see also Figure 4) are adapted to be contacted with a bar 38 having arms 39 secured to shaft 89a to which is secured crank 48, terminating in a cam follower 4| within the cam track 42 of the disc 33. It will be noted that when this follower moves in accordance with the cam track, the bar 38 will be tilted to move pins 3'! to move the grippers outward against the action of springs 43.

Trailing grippers B These are shown best in Figures 3, 5, and 6 which show thegrippers B pivoted at 58 to an extension of the brackets l1, l8, Figure 5. The fingers B are each urged against the face of the drum by means of a spring I a acting on plunger 5|, Figure 6, the latter acting against pin 52 in the body of the gripper. These fingers are actuated away from the drum by means of a bar 53,

Figures 1, 3, 5, and 6, suitably journaled in the central portion I6 of the drum, such bar having arms 55 secured to a shaft 55a to which is connected crank 55b provided with a follower 56 in a cam groove 51 in the cam disc 32. In operation, the bar will be actuated (by the action of the cam groove 51 on the follower 55) to move the bellcrank finger elements B upwardly against spring 5|a by contacting with the ends 58 of said elements.

Flap gumming devices 0 The gumming devices, seen best in Figures 1, '7, 8, 9, 10, and a, consist of a seal flap gummer or stamping element 18 and a bottom flap gummer or stamping element 'II which are mounted on a common cylinder having an axial shaft 12, Figures 1 and 8. In this construction one of the gummers, as for example the seal flap gummer I8, is fixed to the shaft I2 by means of collars I3, I4 in which it is loosely mounted so as to permit slight radial movement which is limited by slots 14a, Figure 18, such collars being pinned to shaft 12 as shown. As shown, the stamping element I8 is confined within the slots by bars 13a. and is urged outwardly by means of springs 75 which are in contact with the shaft 12. Stamper element II, on the other hand, is mounted for angular adjustment relative to the shaft by means of collars IE and 11 which are secured to the shaft I2 by means of set screws of which one, 18, is seen in Figure 8. Stamper II is accordingly provided with a tie bar I8 which holds springs 88, corresponding to spring I5, away from shaft '12. As in the case of the stamper I8, radial movement of the stamper "II is permitted within slots 88a of the collars I6, 11 as seen best in Figure 10. It is desirable for each stamper to have a separate source of gum for which are provided gum boxes 8|, 82, Figure 1, for the bottom and seal flap Stampers, respectively. Each gum box has a driven feed roller 83 and a driven applicator roller 84 which applies gum to the stampers. In order that the stampers I8 and ":I may be gummed by the proper applicators and none other, it is necessary to withdraw a given stamper when it passes the applicator serving the other stamper.

, To accomplish this, the ends of the stanipers are slotted at 85, as in Figure 10a (see also Figure 1) to accommodate the ends 81 of a bifurcated rocking shaft 88 for stamper I8, and a similar shaft 88 for stamper II, such shafts being journaled in the respective collars (I3, 14 and I6, 11) for the stampers as seen best in Figure 10. Rock shaft 88 is further provided, opposite one of its ends 81 in contact with the slot in the stamping element, with a cam follower 98, rock shaft 89 being similarly provided with a cam follower 9|. A stationary cam 92 is now provided for the follower 9|, whereas a cam 93 is provided for follower 98. Because of the location of these cams, as will be seen from Figures 10 and 1, the stamper III will be retracted as it passes the applicator 84 of the gummer 8| but will be in an extended position to be gummed by the applicator 84 of the seal flap gummer 82, and the bottom flap gummer II will have a corresponding movement to enable it to receive gum from the gummer 8| only.

It will therefore be seen that by continued rotation of the shaft I2 gum from different sources, namely, gum boxes 8|, 82, will be applied to the bottom and seal flaps, respectively.

Feeler mechanism D for rendering gummers ineflective when no blank is passing through the machine This feeler mechanism comprises first a reciprocating upper tamper I88, Figures 11 and 13, terminating in an apertured portion |8|, within which aperture is adapted to register a reciprocating bottom tamper I 82. Tamper'l88 is moved up and down by means of a crank I83, Figure 1, terminating in a cam follower I84 which is constrained to follow cam I85 by means of a spring I86. The lower tamper I82 is pivoted at I81 and is attached to a vertically extending arm I88 which is spring pressed so as to throw the tamper I82 upward when the arm I88 is released, such motion being limited by means of a stop I89. However, movement of the arm I88 is influenced by a rock arm 8 having a fork II8a receiving the pointed end of arm I88, arm 8 being pivoted at I and reciprocated by means of crank II2, follower I 3, cam track H4 and spring, not shown. Cam tracks I85 and I I4 are so arranged that the upper and lower tampers I88 and I82, respectively, will be brought together at the same time, i. e., by the raising of the rock arm H8 so as to permit the upward movement of the lower tamper I 82. When a blank is being fed through the machine the upward movement of tamper I82 will be limited by the interposition of the blank as seen in Figures 12 and 13. Consequently, the arm I88 will constantly be in a position to intercept the downward movement of the rock arm 8. When, however, a blank is no longer passing, the lower tamper I82 will be allowed to move above the plane of the blank into the aperture of the upper tamper I 88 so that arm I88 will no longer arrest the downward movement of rock arm H8, whereby a pair of arms 5 attached thereto (of which only one is seen in Figure 1) are brought upwardly so as to engage respectively the cam followers 98 and SI of the gummer bars 18 and II, thereby preventing them from coming into contact with and smearing gum upon the backing pad I I6 upon which the blank would ordinarily be gummed.

It will be noted that because of the momentary contact of the upper and lower tampers I88 and I82, there is substantially no drag exerted on the feed of the envelopes.

Bottom flap folding operations, elements E to H The gum having been applied to both the end flaps of the envelope, the next operation is to fold the freshly gummed bottom flap. The first fold is initiated by means of fingers E, Figure 17 (and Figure 3) which are adjustably attached to arms I20 secured to a shaft I2I supported on the drum section I6. Secured to the shaft I2! is an arm I2Ia having a cam follower I22, the latter operating in a cam groove I23, Figure 3. Fingers E are movable through slots (not shown) in the drum, additional slots being provided to accommodate additional fingers (not shown) if required. When the position shown in Figure 17 is reached, the cam follower I22 is forced inwardly to move the fingers E outwardly and thereby initiate the folding of the bottom flap (designated I24, Figure 17) aided by-the action of grippers A which hold the blank a short distance (say Within A" thereof depending upon the nature of the paper and the size of the blank) behind the score line. Continued rotation of the drum brings the bottom flap in position to be further folded by means of a presser bar F, as best seen in Figures 17 and 18. This presser bar is urged outwardly by means of springs I3I. However, before the presser F is brought into operation, the leading grippers A are released and retracted to the position shown in Figure 18. (In some instances, however, it may be desirable to arrange the presser sothat it Will contact with the fold, but not the' gripper just before the grippers A are released.) In order, however, to provide against the blank following the presser F, a releasing finger I32 is provided. This finger' further, after the presser bar F leaves the drum,

' permit a variation in the position of the score to strip the blank from-the presserbar as in Figurelil,

Tornake sure that the leading end of the blank does not adhere to the.- surface of the drum, I also provide ejector fingers,G,iFigure 17, which are also attached'to the arms I20. By'means of the cam track I23 the arms I20 carrying both fingers E and ejector G are further moved outward so as to bringthe ejectors G in the oper ative position of Figure 19.

The end of the blank now having been released from the drum passes between the ironing elements H, Figure 20, comprising a cylindrical element I40 and the sector I4 I'rotatable by shaft I42. These ironing elements further complete the folding action and insure a thorough contact of the surfaces to be gummed together. The feed of the blank is further facilitated by means of a feed sector I43 cooperating with a portion, not shown, of the cylindrical element I40, sector I43 reaching short of the gummed surface of the sealing flap. 1

It will be seen from' the foregoing that flap turning means have been provided which do not depend for their operation upon exact registry of the score line of the flap to be folded with the folding mechanism. Thus, in practice I have found that normal operation of the machine will line of a sixteenth of an inch in either direction, such a toleranceabsorbing any error resulting from the normal high speed operation of the friction feeding devices shown in Figure 20.

Blank removal conveyor I The folding operations so far as the drum mechanisms are concerned having been completed, it is necessary now to remove the envelopes from the drum (without smearing the gummed sealing flap) and dry the gum on the sealing flap. The feed section I43 aided by guides I64, Figure 1, operates to present the blank to the gripper I53 of the chain I, such gripper being spring pressed against the chain by a spring, not shown, except when the gripper is released from the chain by contact of the cam surface II against the cam I 52, such contact occurring at the moment when the envelope is presented to the chain conveyor, after which the grippers snap shut and the blank is conveyed through a drier, not shown. Shortly prior tothe presentation of the blank to the conveyor the trailing grippers B have been released as shown in Figure 20. A feature of the chain I is that the speed thereof is slowed up at the time the envelope is presented to the grippers, this being accomplished by means of the elliptical gear set I53, IE4 (or equivalent device), Figure 1a. This feature is described at length, and is made the subject of claims in a co-pending application, Serial No. 58,335.

In'Figure lo I have shown diagrammatically the driving connections for the machine consisting of main drive shaft I63 and gears Ififla, I381), ISI, I82, I63, I64, I65, I66, I61, I68. Gear I62 driven by gear IiiI is mounted on the shaft of sector I43, gear I83 on the shaft of the presser element F, gear I64 on the shaft I5 of the drum, gear I65 on the optional scoring elements J or J, gear 55 on the shaft I2 of the gummers, gear IS! on the shaft of the gum applicator 84 of gum box BI, and gear IE3 on the shaft 84 of the gum box 82.

These gears are adjustable angularly of their respective shafts as seen for example in Figure 8 at ISM.

Optional scoring devices J and J As heretofore stated, it may be desired to scoreeither end of the partially completed envelope as indicated in Figures 23, 24, 26 and 27. When one end of the envelope is to be scored, as for example the bottom flap end, as seen in Figure 23, the mechanism of Figure 25 is provided consisting of a blade I75 secured in a collar I16 which is mounted on a shaft I'II', driven in timed relation with the drum on which the envelope blank is contained. Behind the envelope is a suitable backing plate I18. Shaft I T5 is mounted in a bracket I79 capable of angular movement on shaft I83 and limited in such movement by means of a spring I8I in conjunction with astop I82 and a set screw I33.

When both ends of the envelope are to be scored as shown in Figures 26 and 27, the mechanism J, Figure 28, is provided which is similar to mechanism J except that two collars containing two score blades are provided, one of which is angularly adjustable on the shaft IT! by means of a set screw I84, and by means of this adjustment, the space between the score lines may be adjusted for different sizes of envelopes. In the use of the scorer J, it is desirable to provide an adjustable backing pad as shown in Figures 28 and 29 in which a portion I85 constituting a backing for the sealing fiap (receiving the force of the sealing flap gummer I3) is made adjustable in respect of a portion I86 having a groove I81 which comes opposite the scorer for this portion of the envelope.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for making envelopes, said machine being of the type characterized by means for scoring the blank longitudinally and transversely, and by means for folding the side flaps of the blank; the combination of a rotatable member; a flap-folding means revoluble bodily therewith in an arcuate path conforming in part with the path of travel of the blank, said lastnamed flap-folding means being swingable in an arcuate path intersecting said first-named arcuate path, for folding an end-flap of the blank; and frictional conveying means for transporting said blank, after it has been acted on by said side flap folding means, to its arcuate path of travel to be acted on by said end-flap folding means, the latter being adapted to accomplish the end flap fold irrespective of the normal error in registry imparted by the frictional feeding means.

2. A machine having the features claimed in claim 1, and 'in which said rotatable member is constituted by a rotary drum, and is provided with means for securing the blank thereto.

3. In a machine for making envelopes, a rotary drum, means for feeding thereto bottom flap foremost an envelope blank having the side flaps already folded and bottom flap previously scored, and means for folding the forward flap including forward gripping elements pressing the envelope to the drum behind the score line of the bottom flap, a folding finger operative to initiate the folding of the blank while held by the said forward grippers, and means for completing the folding of the bottom flap.

4. The machine according to the preceding claim in which the means last mentioned includes a presser element bringing the flap against the body of the envelope and means for retracting the gripper elements from beneath the bottom flap being folded.

5. In an envelope making machine, a rotary drum, means for feeding blanks with side flaps folded to the drum in a direction parallel to the side flaps, means for securing the blanks to the drum, means for gumming the end flaps of the blank, means for initiating the folding of the bottom flap which has been previously scored, means for completing the folding of said flap in the form of a presser element, and means for retracting the forward gripping means which has aided in the initial folding movement, upon the operation of the presser element.

6. The machine according to the preceding claim including means for stripping the folded and of the blank from the drum.

7. The machine according to claim 3, including means for feeding the blank having the bottom flap folded by a feeding sector which does not extend to the freshly gummed surface of the sealing flap.

8. The machine according to claim 3, including a presser element for bringing the gummed surface of the bottom flap against the body of the envelope, together with means preventing the envelope from following the presser.

9. The machine according to claim 3, including elements between which the folded bottom flap is squeezed or ironed without squeezing the rest of the envelope.

10. In a machine for making envelopes of the so-called safety fold type, including a drum upon which the blanks with the side flaps folded are fed bottom flap foremost, means for securing the blank to the drum, means for gumming an end flap, and scoring means so disposed with relation to the drum as to serve for scoring an end flap of the envelope, including a portion of the side flaps, said scoring means comprising a rotary scorer driven in timed relation with the drum, and means, co-ordinated with said drum and scoring means, for folding the bottom flap.

11. In a machine of the rotary type for gumming and folding an end flap of an envelope, a rotary drum comprising three parallel sections, each mounted on a common shaft, blank gripping elements carried by the outer sections,

means for adjusting the outer sections along the shaft to accommodate different sizes of envelope blanks, and a common actuating member carried by the central section, for the grippers carried by the outer sections, and arranged to maintain cooperative relation with them regardless of adjustment.

ABRAHAM NOVICK.

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