US2141258A - Moistening device - Google Patents

Description

7,- W..H. WHEELER, JR; ET AL 2,141,

MOISTENING DEVICE Original Filed 001;. 29, 19:55

A rroe NE Patented Dec. 27', 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOISTENING DEVICE Walter H. Wheeler, Jr., Stamford, Jacob W. Ogden, Springdale, and Francis J. Rouan, Stamford, Conn, assignors to Pitney-Bowes Postage Meter 00., Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Original application October 29, 1935, Serial No.

Divided and this application November 24, 1936, Serial N0. 112,466

Claims.

predetermined length. After the cutting operation is completed, the stamp is manually withdrawn, and while withdrawing same, it is adapted to be drawn across a moistening member to mois-.

ten same or may be withdrawn in its nonmoistened state.

In general, the moistening of a stamp is not new, but by means of a selectively controlled deflector member, as provided by the structure of this invention, a new and novel feature is presented wherein the individual stamps are adapted 1 to be received in a moistened or a non-moistened state-in accordance with the selection made.

It is the principal object of this invention therefore to provide a selective control means for use with a gummed tape moistening device which so will permit the taking of a previously cut portion thereof in either a moistened or a non-moistened s a. e.

It is a further object to provide a manually controlleddeflector member which is positioned in 35 the path of travel of the tape and which is adapted to be manually moved to one of two positions to deflect the stamp over a moistening surface or over the top of a non-moistening surface.

With the above and other objects in view, which 40 will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changesin the precise embodi- 45 ment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. where- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the moisten- .ing device including a portion of the discharge end of a. metered mailing machine, adjacent the printing structure;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 with part in sec- (Ol. ill-14.5)

tion and taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the moistening device looking at the side opposite to that of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic part sectional and part elevational view showing the pathof travel of the tape over an impression roller, through a cutting knife and past a deflecting member, with said deflecting member so positioned as to direct the tape through a moistening position; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4, and showing the tape deflected through a nonmoistening position.

bracket structure is shown at I I which is adapted to support an impression roller l2, a letter guide plate 13 and a tape cutting member ll.

Above the impression bracket is a printing drum structure, a portion of which is indicated at l5, which is adapted to be rotated once for each cycle of machine operation to print an impression of a stamp indicia on tape T as'the tape is moved through a printing operation and is forwarded to a moistening position by means of the printing drum structure and the impression roller. While only the back plate portion of the printing drum support is illustrated in Fig. 1, the complete illustration and description of this structure may be found in the above named parent application.

The moistening device comprises a tank 16 which is supported upon a bracket 11, fixed to a portion of the impression bracket II, and is positioned adjacent the cutting member ll. A moistening brush 18 has its lower end submerged in water within the tank l6 and is supported therein by meansof a bracket 19 secured within said tank. The upper end of the brush 18 projects above the top of the moistener tank in the path of the gummed surface of the tape.

A cap or closure 2|, closes the open upper mouth of the tank up to the point where the brush projects from the tank and is shaped to provide a guide for directing the tape over the brush portion when the tape is to be moistened. By means of a thumb screw 22 said tank It may be easily attached to or detached from the bracket I1 Within downwardly extending wings 23'-23 of a bracket 24, which is secured to the underside of the letter guide plate l3, one end of a guard plate 25 is pivotally mounted. The free end of said plate extends over the projecting portion of the brush 18, to normally cover same. Y

Also pivotally mounted between the wings 23-23, is a deflector member 26, there being a Referring to Fig. 1, part of an impression shaft 21 therethrough which is supported by said wings. on a forwardly extended end of said shaft, there is also provided a selector knob 28. On the upper surface of the selector knob 28, two initials are printed, one initial indicated as W, which designates the term wet for moistened stamps, and the other initial indicated as D, which designates the term dry or unmoistened stamps. Through an opening 28 in the letter guide plate I3, either one or the other of said initials W or D may be seen in accordance with the position of the selector knob.

Upon rotation of said selector knob 28 to the right or to the left, from the position of Fig. 1, the shaft 27 will be rocked and the deflector blade 28 will be tipped above or below the normal path of travel of the tape to thereby direct the tape along the upper surface of the plate 25 or along the lower surface thereof.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5 it will be noted that as the tape leaves the cuting knife position of Fig. 4, the deflector being in a raised position will direct the tape along the under surface of the plate 25 to permit the lower or gummed surface of the tape to engage the moistening brush l8 and thus become moistened. With the deflector in a lowered position as in Fig. 5, the tape will be directed through a path above the surface of the plate 25 and thereby cause the gummed surface of the tape to engage the dry surface of said plate and be left unmoistened.

It is to be understood that the tape will be fed, after a printing operation has been completed, to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 before a cutting operation becomes effective. After a cutting operation is effected, the end of the tape is grasped by an operator and drawn across the surface of the moistening brush in the position of Fig. 4 or is lifted from the upper surface of the plate 25, Fig. 5, as the cut stamp is withdrawn from the machine.

The cutting member indicated is preferably a I screw type of cutter, such as illustrated and described in Patent 1,849,443, there being a stationary member 3| and a rotary screw portion 32, which screw is controlled through connections indicated at 33, Fig. 3, which are timed to be operated with the operation of the printing mem'- her to cause the screw portion 32 to be rocked through a cutting operation. The tape is fed through a slot 33 between the member 3| and screw 32 and after the desired length has passed through, the rotary screw 32 is rocked by the action of the levers 33 in a manner described in the aforesaid parent application Sr. No. 47,330, to thereby sever the printed portion of the tape and thus provide an individual stamp. I

The operation of this device comprises, first the selection of wet or dry stamps by means of the selector knob 28. Assuming that it is desired to place the stamps upon packages of parcels post wherein the packages represent a variety of different sizes and weights, it will be desirable to have each stamp moistened for placement on the packages as the stamps are received from the machine. The selector knob 28 is thus rotated partially to bring the initial W into view beneath the opening 23 in the letter guide plate I3, which will move the deflector blade 24 to the position shown in Fig. 4 above the path of the tape.

During each operating cycle of the machine, the tape will first be printed and will be simultaneously fed through the cutter E4 to a position wherein the leading end will project slightly beyond the brush as in Fig. 4. While in this position, the rotary cutter 32 is rocked to sever the printed portion of the tape, which thus frees the stamp for removal. The operator now takes hold of the projecting end of the stamp and withdraws it from the moistener. The weight of the hinged plate 25 will bear upon the upper surface of the stamp to cause the gummed portion of the stamp to bear against the moistening brush with. sufficient pressure to cause said gummed portion to be moistened.

When it is desired to take non-moistened stamps, the selector knob 28 is moved to the potape to the moistenlng member, and a selectively controlled deflector positioned apart from the moistening member and arranged to engage either the upper or the lower surface of the tape to direct the travel of said tape, whereby the tape is adapted to have its gummed surface moistened or remain unmoistened in accordance with the position of the deflector.

2. In a tape device of the class described, tape feeding means, tape moistening means having a moistening and a non-moistening surface and normally arranged in a fixed position, and a selectively controlled deflector movable with relation to the moistening means and adapted to engage either the upper or the lower surface of the tape, whereby the tape is directed over either the moistening or non-moistening surface.

' 3. The combination with a gummed tape device, of a tape moistener ,unit, and a selectively controlled deflecting member positioned in the path of the leading end of the tape and adapted to be moved so as to be engaged by either of the two surfaces of the tape, whereby the tape may be directed through a moistening position or a non-moistening position as desired.

4. The combination with a gummed tape device having tape forwarding means and tape moistening means; of a tape deflector positioned in the path of the leading end of the tape, and manipulative means to move the deflector so that it may be engaged by either the gummed or non-gummed surface of the tape, whereby the tape may be deflected to a moistening or a nonmoistening position with relation to-the moistening means.

5. The combination with a gummed tape device having tape forwarding means and tape moistening means; of a guard member over the tape moistening means, a tape deflector positioned in the path of the leading end of the tape, and manipulative means to move the deflector, whereby the tape is adapted to be directed above or below the guard member to produce a nonmoistened or a moistened stamp respectively.

6. In a gummed tape dispensing device having tape forwarding means and tape moistening means; a hinged plate having its free end covering the moistening surface of the moistening means, a tape deflector positioned in the path of the tape, and manipulative means to move the 'deflector, whereby the tape may be directed to pass beneath the plate to a moistening position or may be directed above the plate to a nonmoistening position.

said brush, a tape deflector blade positioned in the path of the leading end of the tape, manipulative means to move the deflector blade above or below the tape whereby the tape may be deflected below the yieldable plate to a moistening position or above the yieldable plate to .a non-moistening position respectively.

8. In a device of the character described including a tape supply and a tape cutting device; a tape moistening member arranged to receive the tape after it passes through the cutting device,

and a manually controlled deflector member positioned adjacent the cutting device'and in the pathof the tape, whereby the leading end of tape may be deflected to a moistening or non-moistening position after passing through the cutting device.

.9. The combination with a gummed tape device, of a tape moistener unit, a deflector blade positioned in the path of the leading end of the tape, a yieldable plate positioned over the moistener unit, a knob connected with said deflector blade to rock the deflector above or below the path of the leading end of the tape and thereby direct the tape above or below the yieldable plate to a non-moistening position or a moistening position respectively, and indicating means associated with said knob whereby the relative position of the deflector blade may be readily determined.

10. The combination with a gummed tape device, of a tape moistener unit including a removable water tank having a brush projecting therefrom, supporting means positioned above said tank, a deflecting member carried by said supporting means and arranged in the path of the leading edge of the tape, a plate having one end hinged to the supporting means and its ,opposite end concealing themoistener brush, and a manually operabl'e member connected with said deflector to rock same above or below the path of the leading end of the tape and thereby direct the tape above or below the hinged plate to a gum moistening or non-moistening position.

WALTER H. WHEELER, JR. JACOB W. OGDEN. FRANCIS J. ROUAN.

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