US468774A - Machine for marking mail-matter - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1-.

M. V. B. ETHRIDGE. MACHINE FOR MARKING MAIL MATTER.

Patented Feb. 9, 1892'.

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{No Model.)

5 SheetsSheet 2.

M. V. B. ETHRIDGE.

MACHINE FOR MARKING MAIL MATTER.

Patented Feb. 9, 1892.

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5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

M. V. B. ETHRIDGE. MACHINE FOR MARKING MAIL MATTER.

No. 468,774. Patented Feb. 9, 1892.

(No Model.) 5 Sh'eetsSheet 5.

M. -V.. B. ETHRIDGE.

MACHINE FOR MARKING MAIL MATTER.

No. 468,774. Patented Feb. 9, 1892.

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ilnirnn STATES PATENT @rrrcs.

MARTIN V. B. ETHRIDGE, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN POSTAL MACHINES COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

MACHINE FOR MARKING MAIL-MATTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,? '74, dated February 9, 1892. Application filed October 16, 1391. Serial No- 408,943. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: work, and thus holding it positively in a pre- Be it known that I, MARTINV. B. ETHRIDGE, determined position preparatory to the next of Everett, in the county of Middlesex and operation. State of Massachusetts, have invented cer- The invention also includes certain combi- 5 tain new and useful Improvements in Manations and the construction of certain elechines for Marking Mail-Matter, of which the ments of an organized machine embodying following is a specification. my invention.

This invention relates to that class of ma- Of the accompanying drawings, forming a chines for marking letters and other mailpart of this specification, Figure 1 represents to matter in which a printing-roll or die-cylina side elevation of a machine embodying my der is caused to rotate by the movement of a invention, that portion of the machine which letter toward it, the letter acting on a suitincludes the die-cylinder, its driver, and lockable starting device, which indirectly causes ing or arresting devices being shown in secthe die cylinder to rotate at the proper time tion. Fig. 1 represents a part detached. 15 to print an impression upon the passingletter. Fig. 2 represents a detached view of a portion The invention has for its chief object to of the machine, showing the air-pump which provide means for more efficiently operating supplies power to the motor. Fig. 3 reprethe die-cylinder than heretofore and for caussents a top view of the machine. Fig. 4 reping the rotation of the die-cylinder by the resents a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1, looking 7o 20 action of a motor supplied with power in any toward the left. Fig. 5 represents a section suitable way, the motor acting to engage a on line 5 5, Fig. 1, looking toward the right. driver with the die-cylinder, which is thus Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of aportion more positively and effectively operated than of the machine, showing movable hearings or in machines of this class heretofore used, in holders which support the impression-r011 2 5 which the die-cylinder is engaged with a drivand one of the feed-rolls hereinafter referred ing-shaft and caused to rotate by the direct to. Fig. 6 represents an enlarged section on action of a trigger or starting device located line 6 6 Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a section in the path through which the letters pass to on line 7 7, Fig. 1, looking toward the right. the die-cylinder, my improvement involving Fig. 8 represents a section on line 8 8, Fig. 1, 0 the employment of a starting device which and a plan view of the parts below said line.

acts only to release or set in operation the Fig. 9 represents a side elevation of parts of motor which performs the operation of startthe machine shown in Fig. 8. Fig; 10 repreing the die-cylinder. sents a side View of the die-cylinder. Fig.

My invention therefore consists mainly in 11 represents an end view, and Fig. 12a side 3 5 the combination, with a die-cylinder which is View, of the va1ve-chestand the valve-operadapted to be connected with and disconating devices. Fig. 13 represents a perspecnected from the shaft or driver that rotates tive view of the valve. Figs. 14E and 15 repit, of a motor adapted to establish the connecresent sections on lines 14 and 15, Fig. 12. tion between the die-cylinder and its driver, Fig. 16 represents a perspective view of the 0 40 a starting device located in the path through valve in a difierent position. Figs. 17 and 18 which the letters pass to the die-cylinder and are sections on lines Hand 15, Fig. 12, showadapted to release or start the motor, which is ing the valve in the position shown in Fig. 16. adapted to impart a given movement to the Fig. 19 represents a longitudinal section of driver of the die-cylinder and thus connect the valve on the plane indicated by line 19 19, 5 45 said driverand cylinder, and means operated Fig. 16. Figs. 20, 21, and 22 represent modiby the resulting rotation of the die-cylinder, fications hereinafter referred to.

whereby the motor is reset for its next opera- The same letters and numerals of reference tion. indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The invention also includes the provision In the drawings, a represents the support- 0 of means for arresting the rotation of the die- I ing-frame, having a shelf or table a, along cylinder after it has performed its allotted which the letters to be marked are carried by means such as a conveying-belt b and pressure devices co-operating therewith to the feed-rolls and printing mechanism presently described, and another table (1 which receives the printed letters and is provided with a packing device, the packing-table being preferably located at a lower plane than the feeding or supply table, so that the printed letters, after leaving the table Cb, descend onto the packing-table. The feed-table is preferably formed to continuously support the letters not only while they are being impelled by the carrying-belt, but also while they are under the positive control of the feedrolls and printing and impression rolls next described.

0 represents the printing-roll or dye-cylin' der, which is located above the table a and is mounted on a fixed tubular journal or sleeve a and rotated by a continuously-rotating driver, which is composed of a shaft or spindle c, passing through said journal or sleeve, and a movable clutch on said shaft, the die-cylinder receiving motion from said driver only when connected therewith by the clutch, which is caused to connect the die-cylinder with the shaft by a letter approaching the die-cylinder, as hereinafter described, and maintains the connection until the die-cylinder has made a complete rotation, the connection being then automatically discontinued, so that the rotation of the die-cylinder ceases. A clutch or locking device is provided to arrest the die-cylinder and prevent from the conveyor b.

it from rotating loosely at the moment of its disconnection from the shaft, so that the dieis at all times positively controlled.

An impression-roll d co-operates with the die-cylinder in printing the letters, and the letters are positively presented to the im; pression-roll and die-cylinder by means of feed-rolls e e, arranged to receive the letters The impression-roll is aiiixed to a shaft d, and the feed-rolls c e are affixed to shafts 6' c The said shafts c, d, e, and e are provided with gearsf at their lower ends and are rotated by power communicated from a shaft g by means of a gear g on said shaft meshing with an independent gear 9 (shown in dotted linesin Fig. 3) and a gear 9 affixed to the shaft 6, a gear g af-' fixed to the independent gear 9 and meshing with the gears ffon the shafts c and d", and

a gear 9 meshing with the gears ff on the shafts e and c, as shown in. Fig. 3, the feedrolls, die-cylinder, driver, and impression-roll being rotated simultaneously by said gearing and all receiving motion from the shaft g. The shafts e c are journaled in bearings in an ear or flange 0 formed on or attached to a standard or bracket 0 affixed to the supporting-frame. I Figs. 1 and at as offset to accommodate the roll 13 hereinafter referred to, on the shaft 0. The shafts d and e are journaled in bear- 1 ings in yokes or frames 8 8, having ears 3 3 which are'mounted to swing on a stud 3 Fig.

Said flange is shown in- 6, affixed to the supporting-frame, the lower end of said stud being attached to a bracket or car 5 Figs. 5 and 6, formed on a vertical plate 3 forming a part of the supportingframe, while its upper end is engaged with the horizontal plate 3 of the supportingframe. The lower end of one of the frames 8 rests and turns freely on the bracket 5 The swinging movement of the frames 8 5 enables the impression-roll and the feed-roll on the shaft 6 to yield to the extent required by variationsin the thickness of letters passing between the feed-rolls and between the impression-roll and die-cylinder. Springs .9 bearing on" the frames 5, act to normally press the rolls carried by said frames against the parts with which they co'operate.

The letter operated mechanism that engages the die-cylinder with its driver is as follows: 0 Fig. 1, represents a sleeve adapted to slide on the shaft 0' and connected therewith by means of a feather or spline c on the shaft engaging a groove (not shown) in the sleeve, this connection causing the sleeve to rotate with the shaft and permittingit to slide thereon. The sleeve 0 is provided with a clutch surface or member 0 formed to engage a corresponding clutch surface or member c on the die-cylinder c, said members being preferably formed to act as a clutch of the frictional type, although they may be formed to act positively, if preferred. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 6 the sleeve 0 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 to make the clutch members inoperative by means of a sleeve 0, which is mounted to slide on the fixed bearing or sleeve a and is normally raised by a spring c into contact with the sleeve 0 A spring 0 is arranged to press the sleeve 0 in the opposite direction, and thus operatively connect the two clutch members; but said spring is weaker than the spring 0 Hence it acts only when the spring 0 and sleeve 0 are retracted, as presently described. The clutch members 0 c are therefore normally separated by the spring 0 leaving the die-cylinder loose upon its drivingshaft.

0 is a roll or drum mounted on the shaft 0 and having a cavity which receives the spring 0 said roll being formed to cover the driver-clutch collar 0 and to co-operate with the impression-roll d in supporting and guiding the letters. The sleeve 0 is prevented from rotating by means of a pin or stud z, affixed to the sleeve orbearing a and passing through a slot 2' in said sleeve.

To engage the die-cylinder with the driver above described I employ a motor which is caused to act by starting device operated by suitably affixed to the supporting-frame, and a piston 72, in said cylinder, means being provided, as presently described, to introduce compressed air or other fluid under pressure into the cylinderin sucha manner as to move the piston first in one direction and then back. The piston has a rod 7L2 extending through one end of the cylinder and engaged with a lever 77?, which is affixed to a rock-shaft 7L mounted in fixed bearings and provided with an arm 71. which bears on a stud h 0n a lever 72 One end of said lever 77. is pivoted at it to the supporting-frame, and its other end bears on a flange on the lower end of the sleeve 0". When the piston and its rod are moved in the direction indicated by the arrowin Fig.

1, the arm 7L5 is moved to depress the lever 7L7, said lever being thus caused to retract the sleeve 0 and spring and permit the spring c to force the driver-clutch c into engagment with the die-cylinder.

The motorcylinder h is provided with a valve chest or casing h, havinginlets at h h for the reception of the piston-impelling fluid, said inlets being connected by a suitable arrangement of pipes 71 with a source of supply of the impelling-fluid, which source is here shown as a pump 2', (see Fig. 2,) the piston of which is operated by a connection with the driving-shaft of the machine, as hereinafterdescribed,said pump beingconnected with the conducting-pipe h in such a manner as to force compressed air therethrough to the inlets h It. In the valve-chest h is a rotary cylindrical valve 71 aflixed to a shaft or spin- (lle 7t, adapted to oscillate in hearings in the valve-casing, said valve being constructed and arranged so that when said shaft is turned to the position shown in Figs. 16, 17, and 18 the impelling-fluid will pass to one end of the cylinderthrough a passage 71 and thus impel the piston in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, the fluid in the opposite end of the cylinder at the same time exhausting through a passage h and an exhaust-port h, which is connected therewith by the valve h. lVhen the shaft h is turned to its other position, (shown in Figs. 13, 14, and 15,) the impellingfluid is permitted to pass through the passage h into the opposite end of the cylinder,th us retracting the piston, the fluid exhausting from the other end of the cylinder through the passage h and an exhaust-port h, which is then connected by the valve with the lastnamed passage. The valve is provided at one end with ports 25 26 in its lower portion, which connect alternately wlth the passage h and with a port 29 in its upper portion, which in one position of the valve connects with the exhaust-port It. (See Figs. 14 and 17.) The opposite end of the valve has ports 27 28 in its lower portion, connecting alternately with the passage 77, and a port 30 in its upper portion, which in one position of the valve connects with the exhaust-port h". (See Figs.15 and 18.) The interior of the valve is divided by partitions 31 and 33 into chambers, two of which are closed at the ends of the cylinder by walls 32 32. One of said chambers connects the exhaust-ports 26 and 29 at one end of the valve, Fig. 14, while the other chamber connects the exhaust- ports 28 and 30 at the other end of the valve, Fig. 18. The chambers containing the inlet-ports 25 and 27' are open at the ends of the valve and both receive the impelling-fiuid.

The valve-chest is longer than the valve (see Fig. 12) and contains chambers at the ends oftthe valve which receive the impellingfluid from the inlet h h, the valve being therefore at all times balanced, so that it may be easily turned from one position to the other by the spring 77. and arm. j as next described.

The valve is normally held in the position shown in Figs. 13, 14, and by means of an arm and devices co-operating therewith, as hereinafter described, said arm acting on the valve through a lever 71 pivoted at h to the supporting-frame and provided with a gearsegment h meshing with a gear or pinion W affixed to the shaft 71.

72 represents a spring engaged at one end with the lever 72, and at its other end with a fixed arm or other support h the stress of said spring being exerted to move the lever h from the position in which it is held by the arm 3' when said arm is displaced by a moving letter, as presently described, the shaft 71 and its valve being moved by the spring to the position required to admit the impelling-fluid to the right-hand end of the cylinder, as viewed in Fig. 1, and permit the fluid to exhaust. from the opposite end of the cylinder.

j represents a finger or projectiomwhich is arranged in the path through which a letter moves in entering between the feed-rolls, said finger being preferably arranged at about the point of nearest approach of said rolls, as shown in Fig. 8. Said. finger is formed on a yoke or frame j, which has a sliding motion on a block 7' mounted loosely on the shaft 6, the slot or opening in the framej, that receives the block 7' being longer than said block, so that the frame j and the projection j thereon are adapted to move toward and from the path of the letter, the loose connection of the block to the shaft e permitting said block and the framej to turn or oscillate on the shaft 6. The yoke or frame j is provided withan arm j which is arranged to bear upon the lever 771 as shown in Fig. 8. When the letter is advancing in the direction indicated by the arrow along the path indicated by the dotted line It it in Fig. 8 and strikes the finger or projection 7, it moves the said finger and the yoke or frame j and its attachments from the position shown in full lines to that shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8. This movement causes the arm j to move toward the fixed support W of the spring 72 and thus permits-said spring to move the lever 72, to the position required to change the valve 77, to the position required to give the piston its forward orclutch-operating motion. As the finger or projection j is moved in the arc of a circle by the letter, it is gradually displaced out of the path of the letter, as shown by dotted lines, so that the letter passes by the projection on its way to the die-cylinder. A springj is connected to the arm j formed on the yoke or frame j, said spring being connected at one end with the supporting-frame and arranged so that it normally holds the yoke or frame and its projectionj in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 8, the spring yielding to permit the displacement of the projection and frame by the letter.

j represents a finger, which is pivotally connected at f to the supporting-frame, and is normally held by the spring j in position to encounter a stud 7' on the lower end of the arm when the latter is moving from its full-line to its dotted-line position. The

swinging end of said finger hasa projection which enters a segmental slot 7 in the sup- 1 porting-frame, and is held by the spring j against one end of said slot.

When the armj is moving to its dotted-line position, its studj passes over the fingerj the latter yielding and 1 swinging horizontally until the stud passes,

over it, the spring j returning the finger j to the position shown after the arm 7' has passed to its dotted-line position. WVhen the yoke 0r framej' is restored to its normal position by Q the spring 7' the arm 3' strikes the under side 1 of the finger j and is caused thereby to move downwardly, thus carrying the yoke or frame j and fingerj downwardly during the return movement of said finger, so that the finger assumes a position at right angles to the path of the letter and is ready to re-enter said path as soon as the passing letter has passed on, t

the spring 3' pressing the finger upwardly against the letter and raising it to its operative position after the passage of the letter. The operation of the mechanism above described is as follows: The letters are presented to the belt or carrierbbyaclerk stand- 1 ing by the table a, the letters being guided toward the belt by a diagonal guide a attached thereto.

(See Fig. 3.) A series of swinging arms or fingers m, pressed by springs m toward the belt, press the letters against the-belt as they pass along and thus insure the frictional contact between the letters and 1 belt necessary for the carrying of the letters forward by the belt. livered to the feed-rolls e e, which are con- Each letter is thus detinuously rotated by the means above de scribed. The feed-rolls impart a positive for.- ward movement to the letter and force it against the projection or finger .7 Which is displaced by the letter, as described, so that the lever 71 is released by the arm j The spring h thereupon acts through the lever h segment 71 gear 72 and shaft 71, on the I valve 72 and changes its position so that compressed air is admitted through the passage h to the right-hand end of the cylinder.

The piston being normally at this end of the cylinder, the admission of air thereto forces the piston and its rod in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1,thus moving the lever 72, and causing it to retract the clutchdisplacing sleeve. The driverclutch c is then engaged by the spring 0 with the die cylinder clutch c and the die-cylinder thereupon commencesto rotate positively with the shaft 0, the printing characters or surfaces on the die-cylinder being thus caused to act on the letter at a given point in the forward movement thereof. The impression -roll (I, which is continuously rotated, co-operates with the die cylinder during the rotation thereof in feeding the letter forward and delivering it upon the packing-table a The die-cylinder is provided with a tooth or projection c at its upper end, which strikes an arm 7' on the yoke or frame j when the diecylinder has nearly completed its rotation and restores the said yoke and the finger j to their operative position just at the completion of a full rotation of the die-cylinder. This movement of the yoke or frame j causes the armj to move the lever 71 against the stress of the spring 713, thus shifting the valve to the position required to retract the piston and release the lever h ,whereupon the spring 0' raises the sleevec anddisconnectsthedriver-clutch from thedie-cylinder. Thesleevec isprovidedwith a clutch-surface 0 which is brought in contact with a similar clutch-surface 0 on the die cylinder by the upward movement of the sleeve, thus stopping the rotation of the diecylinder. At the same time two lugs or ears 0 0 Fig. 1, on the sleeve 0 enter recesses 0 0 Fig. 10, in the lower end of the die-cylinder, and bybearing against shoulders at the ends of said recesses determine with exactness the position in which the die-cylinder stops, so that when said cylinder is again rotated its printing characters are exactly timed as to the point where they commence to print the letter.

It will be seen from the foregoing that each letter on its way to the die-cylinder actuates the finger j and arm 3' the latter releasing the lever h and permitting the spring 71, to shift the valve, thus causing the motor to perform the operation of connecting the die-cylinder with its driver. It will also be seen that the die-cylinder in completing the resulting rotation acts by its tooth o to restore the motor-starting device to its operative position, and thusby again changing the position of the valve reset or prepare the motor for its next operation.

Bythe employment of a motorset in operation by a letter-operated starting device to connect the die-cylinder with its driver, I enable each moving letter to quickly make the marking device operative without imposing any excessive and inj urious duty on the moving letters, the only force or pressure required valve being that involved in overcoming the slight excess of force of the spring-j over that of the spring W, the spring being suiiiciently stronger than the spring h to enable the arm 7' to hold the device 71 against the force of the spring h when there is no pressure against the finger j. The motor therefore makes the machine more reliable and positive in its operation than a machine in which the diecylinder is connected with its driving-shaft wholly by the force or pressure exerted by the moving letters against a starting device or trigger.

I do not limit myself to the particular motor and the means for starting and resetting the same here shown, but may employ any other suitable motor and starting and resetting devices Without departing from the spirit of my invention. An equivalent motor is shown and described in another application filed by me concurrently herewith, which consists of an electro-magnet, the armature of which is secured to the lever 7L7, said magnet being energized by the action of a circuit-closer operated by the movement of the fingerj by a letter, and thus caused to attract the armature with sufficient force to give the lever k the movement which connects the driverclutch with the die-cylinder, the circuit being broken by the return of the finger j to its starting position, thus releasing the armature and permitting the separation of the driverclutch from the die-cylinder.

The packing-table a has an opening a in which is located the packing-screwm Said screw is attached to a shaft m arranged at right angles with the path in which the letters are moved forward by the feeding and printing mechanism. The letters as they are forced upon the packingtable enter the spaces between the convolutions of the screw, and are moved by the rotation of the latter in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. A guard or wall a extends along two sides of the table to prevent the letters from falling off. A linger n is pivoted at n to said wall and has a curved end n arranged to be struck by the forward end of an advancing letter, the blow of the letter causing the part 01 of said finger to swing against the side of the letter and force it laterally out of the path in which it advances to the screw, so that it will not obstruct the succeeding letter.

0 represents the driving-shaft of the machine, which is connected by gears 0 0 with a shaft 0 One end of the shaft 0 is con nected by bevel-gears 0 0 with a shaft 0 which in turn is connected by gears 0 o with the shaft m that rotates the packing-screw. The other end of the shaft 0 is connected by bevel-gears 0 0 with the shaft g, which operates the feed-rolls,impression-roll, and diecylinder driver, as above described. The shaft 9 has a pulley o which is connected by a belt 0 with a pulley o 011 a shaft 0 on which is a pulley 0 which drives the conveying-belt Z).

The air-pump i, Fig. 2, comprises a cylinder attached to the supporting-frame, a piston 71' in said cylinder, and spring-controlled inlet and outlet valves 2' and 2' the valve 2 yielding inwardly to admit air to the cylinder when the piston is raised, while the valve 2 yields to permit the air to pass under pressure to the pipe h when the piston descends. The rod 2' of the piston is connected by a rod 71 with a strap 2' on an eccentric on the driving-shaft 0.

The construction of various parts of the above-described mechanism may be modified in several particulars Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In Fig. I show the driver-clutch sleeve 0 extended down to the lever h", the spring bearing directly against the lower end of said sleeve, the sleeve 0 being omitted. In this case the lever h bears on a flange c on the clutch-sleeve, and is therefore adapted to depress said sleeve without the aid of the spring 0 the latter being omitted. It will be seen, therefore, that the motor may act directly in connecting the driver-clutch with the die-cylinder instead of acting only to release the clutch, so that the latter may be connected with the die-cylinder by the spring 0 In Fig. 21 I show the sleeve 0 provided with two flanges 0 and 0 arranged to bear on opposite sides of the lever h so that said lever moves the sleeve 0 positively in both directions, the spring 0 being omitted, it being understood that with such construction suitable means will be employed to insure the operation of the lever 71, positively in both directions by the motion of the lever 71 In Fig. 22 I show the arm j connected by a linkj' with the lever k and thus adapted to move said lever in both directions, the spring h being omitted.

u, Figs. 3 and 5, represents a slide, which is movable toward and from the die-cylinder c on guides on the plate 5 and carries an inkingroll it, having a handle 1.0 by which the operator can remove theink-roll into contact with the die-cylinder. A spring a attached at one end to an arm n on the slide a and at the other end to a fixed arm a normallyseparates the inking-roll from the die-cylinder.

I claim- 1. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a die-cylinder, a driver having a clutch normally separated from the diecylinder, a motor, a motor-starting device arranged in the letter-path, devices controlled by the motor, whereby the clutch is connected with the die-cylinder when the motor is operated, and means for resetting the motor by the rotation of the die-cylinder, as set forth.

2. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of a die-cylinder, a driver having a clutch normallyseparated from and adapted to be engaged with the die-cylinder, a motor, a motor-starting mechanism operated by an advancing letter, devicescontrolled by the motor, whereby the clutch is connected with the die-cylinder when the motor is operated, devices operated by the resulting rotation of the die-cylinder to reset the motor for its next operation, and a die-cylinder-locking device engaged with the motor and adapted to be displaced by the clutch-operating movement of the motor and made operative by the resetting movement of the motor, as set forth.

3. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of a die-cylinder mounted on a fixed sleeve or journal, a driver comprising a'rotating shaft or spindle and a clutch rotating with and movable on said spindle, a spring adapted to engage the clutch with the die-cylinder, a stronger spring adapted to normally displace the driver-clutch, a motor adapted to displace said stronger spring and thereby permit the connection of the driverclutch with the die-cylinder, a motor-starting device operated by a moving letter, and means operated by the rotation of the die-cylinder for resetting the motor and permitting the displacement of the driver-clutch, as set forth.

4. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of a die-cylinder mounted on a fixed sleeve or journal, a driver comprising a rotating shaft or spindle, and a clutch rotating with and movable on said spindle, a spring adapted to automatically engage the clutch with the die-cylinder, a stronger spring adapted to displace the driver-clutch, alever adapted to retract said stronger spring and thus permit the operation of the driver-clutch, and means, substantially as described, for operating the said lever, as set forth.

5. In a machine for marking mail-matter, a die-cylinder mounted on a'fi-xed sleeve or journal, combined with a driver comprising a rotary shaft or spindle and a clutch rotating with and movable on said spindle, a spring adapted to engage the driver-clutch with the die-cylinder, a stopping-sleeve having means for engaging and locking the die-cylinder and provided with an actuating-spring which is stronger than the driver clutch spring, a motor adapted to displace the stopping-sleeve and permit the operation of the driver-clutch, a motor-starting device operated by a moving letter, and means operated by the rotation of the die-cylinder for resetting the motor and permitting the actionof the stopping-sleeve, as set forth.

6. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination,with letter-feeding mechanism and an impression-roll, of a die-cylinder, a'driver having a clutch adapted to engage the die-cylinder an d normally separated th erefrom, a motor, including a cylinder, a piston and a lever operated by movements of said piston, connections between said lever and the driver-clutch, wh ereby said clutch is made operative by a movement of the piston in one direction, means for operating the clutch, a motor-starting device, including a valve and a casing therefor controlling the admission and exha't'st ofanimpelling flnid to and from said cylinder, a finger normally in the letter-path, connections between the finger and valve, whereby the valve is held in one position when the finger is in the letter-path and in another position when the finger is ont ot' the letter-path, the valve being turned to its motor-starting position by the displacement of the finger from the letter-path, and a tooth or projection on the die-cylinder adapted to co-operate with said motor-starting mechanism in resetting the motor during the rotation of the die-cylinder, as set forth.

7. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination, with letter-feeding mechanism and an impression-roll, of a die-cylinder,

. a driver having a clutch adapted to engage the die-cylinder and normally separated therefrom, a motor, including a cylinder, a piston .and a lever operated by movements of the piston, connections between said lever and driver-clutch, whereby said clutch is made operative by a movement of the piston in one direction, means for operating the clutch, the motor-starting mechanism, including an oscillatory valve and a casing therefor adapted to control the admission and exhaust of an impelling-fluid to and from the cylinder, a valve-operatin g lever engaged with the shaft of said valve, a movable yoke or frame having a finger arranged to stand in the letterpath, a spring whereby said finger is yieldingly held in the letter-path and an arm arranged to bear on the valve-operating lever, said arm holding the valve in its motor-resetting position through the operating-lever when the finger is in the letter-path, and means, such as a spring W whereby the valve is caused to assume its motor-starting position when the finger is displaced from the letterpath by an advancing letter, as set forth.

8. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination, with letter-feeding mechanism and an impression-roll, of a die-cylinder, a driver having a clutch adapted to engage the die cylinder and normally separated therefrom, a motor, including, first, a cylinder; secondly, a piston therein; thirdly, a lever adapted to be moved by said piston, and, fourthly, connections between said lever and the piston, whereby the lever is given an operating movement by the forward movement of the piston, devices controlled by the motor, whereby the clutch is connected with the diecylinder when said operating movement takes place, motor-starting mechanism operated by an advancing letter to give the piston its for- Ward movement, and means operated by the rotation of the die-cylinder to give the piston a backward movement, as set forth.

9. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination, with a die-cylinder, a driver having a clutch normally separated from and adapted to be engaged with the die-cylinder, a motor, inclndin g a cylinder, a piston therein, and a lever adapted to be moved by said cylinder when the motor is operated, motor-starting mechanism consisting of a. movable yoke or frame having a finger yieldingly held in the letter-path, an oscillatory valve and a casing therefor adapted to control admission and escape of an iupelling-fluid to and from said cylinder, a valve-operating lever having a gear-segment meshing with a gear in the shaft of the valve, a spring ar-- ranged to move the valve through said lever to position to give the motor its clutch-operating movement, an arm on said yoke or frame arranged to prevent the action of said spring when the finger is in the letter-path, the spring being permitted to act by the displacement of said finger, and a tooth or projection on the die-cylinder adapted to engage another arm on said yoke or frame, during the rotation of the die-cyiinder and thereby move the yoke or frame to its starting position, thus causing the movement of the valve to the position for resetting the motor, as set forth.

10. The combination, with a die-cylinder, a driver having a clutch normally separated from and adapted to be engaged with the diecylinder, a motor which includes a cylinder, a piston tl1erein,-and a lever adapted to communicate motion from said piston, and devices controlled by the motor whereby the clutch is connected with the die-cylinder when the motor is operated, of a motor-starting mechanism, including a valve chest or casing connected with the opposite ends of the cylinder by two passages and provided with two inlets for an impelling-fluid and two exhaustports, a valve in said casing having two pairs of ports, each adapted to coincide alternately with one of said passages and with two exhaust-ports adapted to coincide alternately with the exhaust-ports of the casing, said valve being subdivided, as described, so that one port of each pair is separated from the other, a spring-pressed querating-lever engaged with the shaft of the valve and adapted to hold the valve in one of its positions, a spring-eontrolled lever-actuating yoke or frame having a finger yieldiugly held in the letter-path, and an arm arranged to force the valve through the operating-lever to its other position against the stress of the operatinglever spring, as set forth.

11. The combination, with the feed-rolls, impression-roll, and die-cylinder, of a driver having a clutch normally separated from and adapted to be engaged with the die-cylinder, a motor, devices controlled by the motor adapted to connect the clutch with the diecylinder, said motor including a cylinder, a piston therein, a lever adapted to communicate motion from said piston, a valve chest or casing, and a valve therein, an operatinglever engaged with said valve, the yoke 01- frame mounted to both slide and oscillate on the shaft of one of the feed-rolls and provided with a finger arranged to move the valve-operating lever, a spring to yieldingly retain said yoke or frame in the position from which it is adapted to be moved by a letter, and a deflector, such as j, arrangedto yield to the movement imparted to the yoke or frame by a letter and to obstruct the return movement caused by the spring, whereby the yoke or frame is retracted during its return movement and prepared to re-enter the letter-path in the proper position, as set forth.

12. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of a die-cylinder, a driver therefor having a clutch which is normally disconnected from the die-cylinder, amotor, including a cylinder and a piston therein, a lever adapted to communicate motion from said piston, devices controlled by the motor, whereby the clutch is connected with the die-cylinder when the motor is operated, an air-pump or compressor operated by the power of the machine to supply the motor with compressed air, a motor-starting mechanism including avalve controlling the admission and exhaust of the compressed air, and devices operated through the agencyof an advancing letter to give the motor its clutch-operating movement, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 3d day of October, A. D. 1891.

MARTIN V. ETHRIDGE.

Witnesses:

O. F. BROWN, A. D. HARRISON.

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