US2530037A

US2530037A - Envelope moistener and sealer

Info

Publication number: US2530037A
Application number: US753407A
Authority: US
Inventors: Willis Paul
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-06-09
Filing date: 1947-06-09
Publication date: 1950-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1967-11-14

Description

Nov. 14, 1950 P. WILLIS 2,530,037

ENVELOPE MOISTENER AND SEALER Filed June 9, 1947 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l4 if l8 INVENTOR. PAUL WILLIS BY i g ATTURNEY Nov. 14, 1950 P. w|| |s 2,530,037

ENVELOPE MOISTENER AND SEALER Filed June 9, 1947 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. PA UL WILL 15 A TTURNZEJY Patented Nov. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENVELOPE MOISTENER AND SEALER Paul Willis, San Francisco, Calif. I

Application June 9, 1947, Serial No. 753,407

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a new and improved envelope sealer and has particular reference to a device which will automatically moisten the glue on the flaps and seal the flaps to the envelope by merely drawing the envelopes through the device.

An object of the present invention is to provide a water reservoir and a valve for automatically releasing a small amount of the water on a pad for moistening the glue on the flap of the envelope.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of means for guiding the flap of the envelope over the moistener and another means for automatically sealing the flap after it has passed the moistening pad.

Another object of the present invention is to form the main body of the device of a single piece of material, which body includes in its construction a means for holding the moistening pad, 2. means for guiding the flap of the envelope over the said pad and a means for automaticall sealing the flap to the envelope.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an envelope sealing device of the character described that is durable, simple in construction, economical to manufacture and highly efficient and serviceable in use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, wherein for the purpose of illustration like numerals designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal side elevational view of the improved envelope sealing device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same,

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view loo-king in direction of the arrows 3 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a vertical end sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2, looking in direction of the arrows, and simplified by the elimination of sealer 9 from the background,

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4 looking in direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the improved envelope sealing device embodying the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings and the numerals thereof the numeral 1 designates, as a whole, the main body of the device comprising an envelope flap guide portion 8, a sealing portion 9 and a base member I0. The said base portion preferably projects downwardly and is bent inwardly as at H and a suitable screw member I2 having a handle I3 functions to retain the device on a desk or the like. Any suitable means can be provided for securing the device to a wall or other object in any suitable manner. The fluid reservoir I4 is preferably rectangular and is formed with a valve opening l6 as shown to advantage in Figs. 4 and 5. A plunger ll provides a seat for covering the said opening, the said plunger carrying a vertical rod l8 provided with a shoulder portion IQ for accommodating a coil spring 20. The top of the reservoir is formed with an inwardly extending horizontal lip 2| and is apertured as at 22 to guide the said plunger rod l8. The said coil spring 20 is secured to the said lip and also to the said plunger rod around the said shoulder portion 19 thereof and the tension of the said spring is in an upward direction as indicated by the arrow 23 in Figs. 4 and 5 for retaining the said plunger I! in a closed position over the said opening I6.

The said plunger is automatically controlled, for opening and closing the said valve opening, by a suitable lever 24 pivotally secured to suitable uprights 25 as at 26, shown to advantage in Figs. 1 and 5. An inwardly bent portion 21 having a suitable absorbent pad 28 thereon functions to receive the fluid discharged upon the valve opening [6 and provides a medium for moistening the glue on the flap 29 of the envelope 30. When it is desired to seal the envelope the said flap is positioned on the moistener as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6, after which it is drawn across the moistener and pulled underneath the sealer 9 and automatically sealed. As the said device is preferably made of plastic there is sufficient resiliency in the sealer to accomplish the sealing. It will be noted that each time the envelope is drawn over the moisture pad 28 the lever 24 will be tilted automatically opening the valve, whereby a quantity of fluid 3| from within the reservoir I4 is discharged upon the said moisture pad.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the shape, size, material and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

A small rotatable roller can be positioned on or secured to the top of the device to thus provide a convenient means for applying moisture to stamps for the sealed envelopes, or for any desired moistening purpose.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A device for sealing envelopes embodying in its construction a base, a fluid reservoir secured thereto and spaced above said base, a flange depending from said reservoir and extending at an angle beneath the bottom of the same and toward the front portion of the base, a moistening pad fixed to the top face of said flange, a valve in the bottom of the reservoir capable of releasing fluid to the pad, means including a downwardly extending lever for operating the valve, means pivotally securing the upper end portion of the lever to the said reservoir, means carried by said base for receiving and guiding the inner glued portion of an envelope flap to and across the said moistening pad, means for sealing the flap to the envelope,

the said sealing means including a member on the 15 top of the base at the rear extremity thereof and extending at an angle upwardly therefrom toward the moistening pad.

PAUL WILLIS.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 743,667 Strong Nov. 10, 1903 796,936 Saunders Aug. 8, 1905 2,074,811 Schuh Mar. 23, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 59,798 Germany Nov. 21, 1891 470,581 France Sept. 17, 1914