US2880656A

US2880656A - Window envelope machine

Info

Publication number: US2880656A
Application number: US439335A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ormonde P Welsh
Original assignee: PARTEN MACHINERY CO
Current assignee: PARTEN MACHINERY CO
Priority date: 1954-06-25
Filing date: 1954-06-25
Publication date: 1959-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 1976-04-07

Description

April 1959 o. P. WELSH 2,880,656

WINDOW ENVELOPE MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1954 1N VEN TOR.

' 113 A J05 07 mm} ZZ/ZZF J BY :75 m m//fl J L I J8 April 1959 4 o. P. WELSH 2,880,656

WINDOW ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed June 25, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J5 J4 J5 j? :1 w A g I" ,M in J 74 a 3 6 m i i i -@z' J55 16% 70 wmfimms f I. 154 72 g} I \E m #7: ;:it: v v y;r;j; r. 5 1' 73 3E 5 ,y I L -L EN TOR.

United States Patent '0 "ice 80456 Patented Apr. 7, 19.59

economies may be effected since it is unnecessary to build an entire envelope processing machine for processing only 2,880,656 envelope blanks having windows therein. With the at- WINDOW ENVELOPE MACHINE Ormonde P. Welsh, Minneapolis, Minn., assiguor to Parten Machinery Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a partnership Application June 25, 1954, Serial No. 439,335 6 Claims. (Cl. 9361) The present invention relates to a novel apparatus for applying patches to blanks and, more particularly, to a novel method and apparatus for applying window patches to envelope blanks having pre-formed window openings therein.

It has heretofore been the general practice when applying window patches to envelope blanks to build a separate envelope blank processing machine, including means for applying glue or adhesive material directly to the envelope blanks, and means for subsequently applying a window patch to the glued blank. Considerable difiiculty has often been encountered in applying the patches so that the adhesive material on the blank is completely covered while the blanks and patches are moving through the apparatus at high speeds. It is obvious that in the event a patch were not properly applied to a glued blank, the exposed glue on the blank might cause fouling and jamming of the apparatus. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for applying window patches to envelope blanks rapidly and economically and in a manner such that the glue or adhesive material between the window patches and the blanks is always fully covered, whereby to eliminate any possibility of the glue fouling the blanks or the apparatus.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for feeding window patches and applying glue or adhesive material thereto in a manner so that the patches are brought into proper registration with blanks moving along a path of travel.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel apparatus, as set forth in the preceding paragraph, which apparatus is operable to discard a patch having glue applied thereto whenever an interruption occurs in the flow of envelope blanks through the apparatus.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a somewhat diagrammatic cross-sectional view illustrating an apparatus embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 22 in Fig. l;

' Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating an envelope blank having a window patch applied thereto;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Fig. l with some elements omitted; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in Fig. 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, an apparatus embodying the features of this invention is shown best in Figs. 1 and 4. Preferably, the window patch applying and gluing apparatus 10 is in the form of an attachment which may readily be mounted on various envelope folding and processing machines. With such an attachment, substantial tachment of the present invention, many standard enve lope processing machines may quickly and easily be converted to a machine for handling window type envelope blanks. As shown best in Fig. 4, the attachment 10 includes a pair of side frame members 12 which are connected together by spacing sleeves 14. The attachment may readily be mounted between side frame members 16 of the main envelope processing machine by sliding the sleeves 14 over main frame spreader bars 18. Furthermore, with this arrangement, the attachment may be easily adjusted laterally so that window patches may be applied to any desired portion of an envelope blank.

The window patches are preferably formed from a strip 20 of suitable stock material such as cellophane or glassine and, thus, a roll 22 of the stock material is supported between the attachment side frame members 12 onan axle 24. The strip 20 is passed between a pair of

feed rollers

26 and 28 which are rotatably mounted in any suitable manner and then around a tensioning roller 30 to a suction roller 32. The suction roller carries oppositely disposed

anvil members

34 and 36 which are adapted to cooperate with

knife blades

38 and 40 carried by a roller 42 for separating the strip 20 into a plurality of window patches. The suction roller which will be described in more detail hereinbelow is adapted to grip the severed window patches and apply them against the envelope blanks. In the particular embodiment illustrated,

envelope blanks 44 are fed in predetermined timed relationship by means of a suitably driven timing chain 46 to a position between the suction roller 32 and a pressure and gathering roller 48 where the patches are pressed against the blanks. The gathering roller 48 is provided with suction ports 50 which intermittently communicate with a suitable source of vacuum, not shown, through the hollow roller shaft 52 for pulling the blanks away from the roller 32. Endless belt means 54 is wrapped around the roller 48 and an idler roller 56 so that as the blanks are drawn downwardly by the roller 48, they are stripped from the roller and stacked on any suitable means, such as a conveyor 58.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, means is provided for applying glue or adhesive material to the window patches while the patches are being conveyed by the suction roller 32 and before the patches are applied against the envelope blanks. Thus, a roller 60, mounted on a shaft 62, is provided with rubber glue dies 64 for applying glue to the window patches on the roller 32. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the envelope blank is shown as having a generally rectangular Window opening 66, and a rectangular window patch 68 is provided for covering the opening. Thus, the glue dies 64 are shaped to apply a rectangular band of glue or adhesive material to the marginal portions of the window patches 68. It is, of course, understood that the apparatus may be adapted for handling window patches of various sizes and shapes. Preferably, the glue applying roller 60 is adjustable toward and away from the suction roller 32 to permit the window patch material to be initially threaded through the apparatus, or for any other desired purpose, and this is accomplished by journaling the shaft 62 in brackets 70, pivoted to the side frame members 12 by pins 72. The upper end of at least one of the brackets 70 is provided with an adjustable screw 74 which is engageable with an accentric cam 76 fixed on a shaft 78. Thus, by rotating the shaft 78 through a suitable handle or crank 80, the glue applying roller may be swung to and from operative, and inoperative positions.

In order to supply glue or adhesive material to the dies .64, a glue supply through 82 is supported by any suitable means, not shown, adjacent the roller 60, and a glue transfer roller 84 is mounted on a shaft 86 journ'aled in the ends of the trough. The roller 84 is partly submerged in a body of glue or adhesive material in the supply trough and also contacts the die 64 for transferring the adhesive material from the trough to the dies. An adjustable blade 88 is provided for controlling the thickness of the film of glue formed on the transfer roller 84. Any suitable means, not shown, may be provided for adjusting the distance between the edge of the blade 88 and the roller 84. If desired, an auxilliary supply of glue or adhesive material may be provided in a suitably supported reservoir 9i) connected with the trough through a conduit 92. With this structure, the level of the glue Within the trough 82 will remain substantially constant.

The glue or adhesive applying roller 60 is preferably constructed from two or more segments 94 and 9,6. These segments can be moved angularly to provide adjustment for registering the glue dies 64 with patches carried on the suction roller 32. Any suitable means, not shown, such as screws and the like, may be provided for retaining the segments of the glue applying roll in the desired adjusted position.

Another important feature of the present invention is found in the manner in which the patch is retained on the suction roller 32, especially during the application of the glue to the patch. As shown best in Figs. 1 and 2, the roll 32 is provided with a plurality of suction ports 98 arranged in rows extending longitudinally of the roll and spaced circumferentially around the roll. Each row of suction ports 98 communicates with one of a plurality of passageway 18% extending longitudinally through the roll. Suction is selectively applied to the passageways 1:98 and the ports associated therewith so that one row of suction ports is operative to grip the forward or leading marginal portion of a patch While the remaining ports are inoperative. With this structure, the patch is firmly held by its leading edge and pulled away from the glue applying roller while, on the other hand, if the suction were evenly distributed over substantially the entire area of the patch, there would be a substantial tendency for the patch to pulled away from the ports by the glue applying roller. By providing a plurality of rows of suction ports 98 which may be selective used, the apparatus may be readily adapted for handling window patches of dilferent widths.

In order to seiectively apply suction to the ports 98, the roller 32 is fixed on a rotatable shaft 1'02. An end plate or flange 104 surrounds the shaft 102 and is held against rotation by a fixed bracket arm I06. The end plate 104 is resiliently urged toward the roller 32 by a compression spring 183 acting between the end plate and a collar 118 to maintain a substantially airtight joint. The end plate is provided with an elongated arcuate passageway 112 which is connected to suitable vacuum apparatus, not shown, by a line 114 and is adapted to register with each of the passageways 188. However, a cap 116 is disposed between the roller 32 and the end plate Elli-4, which cap is provided with a single aperture 3.18. Thus, by rotating the cap 116 relative to the roller 32, the aperture may selectively be brought into registration with one of the passageways 100 so as to establish communication between this passageway 160 and the passageway 112. Any suitable means, such as screws 128, may be provided for retaining the cap in the desired adjusted position.

Operation of the apparatus described above is as follows. The strip 20 of material, such as cellophane or glassine, is first fed through the

rollers

26 and 28, around the roller 30 and into the suction roller 32. A floating friction roller 122 is provided for maintaining a portion of the web or strip 20 between the

knife blades

38 and 40 and the roller 30 under tension. The apparatus is then driven from any suitable source of power, not shown. It is, of course, understood that the envelope blank feeding and timingchain 46 is driven in timed relationship with the window patch applying attachment rollers and this may be accomplished by any well known drive means such as belts, gears and the like, not shown. In the embodiment illustrated, the timing chain may be driven in timed relationship with the gathering roller 48, and the suction roller 122 is mounted on a shaft 124 having a gear 126 thereon, which gear is driven from the roller 48 by gear means, not shown. At the opposite ends of the shaft 124 is a pulley 128, which pulley drives a V-belt 130 wrapped around a second pulley 132 for driving the feed roller 28. The gear 126 meshes with a gear 134 keyed to a shaft 136 carrying the knife roller 42 and the gear 134 meshes with an idler gear 138 on the shaft 78. In order to drive the glue applying roller 60, a gear 140 is mounted on the shaft 62 for meshing engagement with the idler gear 138. In addition, another gear 142 is keyed or otherwise fixed on the shaft 62 for driving the gear 144 mounted on the glue transfer roller shaft 86. Thus, as the timing chain 46 and gathering roller 48 are driven, the various rollers of the attachment 10 are also driven in timed relationship. As the attachment rollers revolve, the web or strip 20 is fed between the suction roller 32 and the knife roller 42 and one of the knives cooperates with one of the anvils to cut a patch from the web. In order to space the belts on the suction roller 32, in accordance with the spacing of the blanks moving along the chain 46, the roller 32 is moved substantially faster than the web or strip 20. Therefore, in order to prevent tearing of the web when the patch is severed, it is necessary to provide slack in the web and this is accomplished by mounting the roller 30 on a bracket 146 pivotally supported on a shaft 148. The bracket is normally urged upwardly by spring 150 but is maintained in a downward web tightening position by a cam 152 mounted on the shaft 136 during the intervals between the cutting operations. A patch, which is gripped adjacent its leading marginal portion by the suction ports 98, assumes the speed of the suction roller 32 upon severance from the web 20 and is carried by the glue applying roller 60 to receive glue therefrom, after which the patch is applied to a blank passing between the

rollers

32 and 48. With this novel method and apparatus, it is seen that high speed operation may be obtained while at the same time complete coverage of the glue or adhesive material by the window patch is assured whereby to prevent fouling or jamming of the apparatus.

In the event a blank is missing from a series of blanks fed by the timing chain 46, it is obvious that a patch having glue applied thereto would foul the gathering roller 48. Therefore, in accordance with another feature of the present invention, means is provided for insuring that a window patch will be delivered to thenormal position for application to a blank only when a blank will also be in this position. This means includes a valve 154 in the suction line 114 and means for closing the valve to shut off the suction whenever an interruption in the series of envelope blanks occurs. When the suction to the wheel 32 is shut off, a window patch will be picked from the Wheel by the glue dies 64 on the roller 68. In order to strip such patches from the dies and prevent fouling of the rollers, one or more wires 156 are suitably mounted for engaging the surface of ;the roller as and stripping window patches therefrom. ;Preferably, the glue applying dies 64 are provided with notches 158 for receiving the fingers or wires 156. A tray 158 is disposed beneath the fingers of wires 1-56 for receiving the window patches therefrom.

In order to operate the valve 154 whenevenan interruption in the flow of envelope blanks occurs and ;i n proper timed relationship, a pair of

electrical contacts

162 and 164 are provided, between which the blanks must pass. These contacts are connected to a solenoid 166 through suitable

electrical lines

168 and 170 so that as long as the fiow of blanks is uninterrupted, the circuit remains open and the solenoid is de-energized. However, when an interruption in the flow of blanks occurs, the contact between the

members

162 and 164 enables the circuit to be closed to energize the solenoid and advance the solenoid plunger 172 against the valve stem 174 and the action of compression spring 176 to close the valve. In order to time the closing of the valve so that the suction is not shut off prematurely, a timing switch is inserted in the electrical line 168 and this switch includes

brushes

178 and 180 disposed for engagement with a suitable contact, not shown, mounted on the rotating shaft 62.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. An apparatus for applying window patches to blanks moving along a path of travel in predetermined spaced relationship, comprising means for feeding patches toward and applying the patches to the blanks moving along said path of travel, means for applying adhesive material to the patches prior to the application of the patches to the blanks, and means operable to release a patch from said feeding and applying means when a blank is missing from a predetermined arrangement of blanks moving along said path of travel and when the patch is in alignment with the adhesive applying means which is operable to pick up a patch released from the feeding and applying means.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 which includes means for stripping patches from the glue applying means and for discarding such patches to prevent fouling of the apparatus.

3. An apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for feeding and applying the patches comprises a suction roller having means for gripping only leading margin portions of said patches, of portions of the patches controlling said leading margin portions being free of any gripping means.

4. An attachment adapted to be mounted on an envelope forming machine for applying window patches to envelope blanks continuously moving along a path of travel on conveying means of the envelope forming machine, comprising auxiliary frame means mountable on a main frame structure of the envelope forming machine, a suction roller mounted on said auxiliary frame means and continuously rotatable so as to have a predetermined lineal speed at its periphery, said suction roller including patch gripping port means circumferentially spaced :1 distance greater than a predetermined width of patches to be applied for gripping only leading marginal portions of successive patches with the remainder of each suecessive gripped patch being free, means for feeding a continuous strip of patch material to said suction roller at a lineal speed less than said predetermined lineal speed, means cooperable with said suction roller for separating a patch gripped by one of said port means from the remainder of said strip, which patch is then advanced and spaced from the remainder of the strip as a result of the difference in lineal speeds of the suction roller and the strip, means mounted on said auxiliary frame means for applying adhesive material to marginal portions only of the separated patch, said suction roller being disposed to apply the separated patch with adhesive mate rial therein to a blank moving along said path of travel, and means operable to release a patch from said suction roller when a blank is missing from a predetermined arrangement of blanks moving along said path of travel and when the patches are in alignment with the adhesive applying means which is operable to pick up a patch released from the suction roller means.

5. An attachment, as defined in claim 4, wherein said means for feeding the continuous strip of patch material comprises a pair of feed rollers spaced from said suction roller and mounted on said auxiliary frame means, a tensioning member disposed between said feed roller and said suction roller and engaging the strip to provide a loop therein, and means shiftably mounting said tensioning member for movement to a retracted position when the leading end of the strip is gripped by the port means and accelerated to the lineal speed of the suction roller.

6. An attachment, as defined in claim 5, which includes a retaining roller mounted adjacent the periphery of said suction roller for maintaining a severed end of the strip in engagement with the suction roller when a patch gripped by port means is separated by the strip.

References (Jited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,372,223 Funk Mar. 22, 1921 1,406,661 Levine Feb. 14, 1922 1,827,539 Novick Oct. 12, 1931 1,998,701 Berkowitz Apr. 23, 1935 2,061,885 Wensler Nov. 24, 1936 2,202,496 La Bombard May 28, 1940 2,606,681 Ridenour Aug. 12, 1952 2,613,008 Ouellette Oct. 7, 1952 2,635,776 Cook et al Apr. 21, 1953 2,723,604 Fischer Nov. 15, 1955