US540253A - Combined moistener - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) A 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. R. S. HARRISON. COMBINED MOISTENER, SEALER, AND STAMP AFPIXBR.

No. 540,253. Patented June 4, 1895 Inrenw 7' Rm mwh SQWMMM.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. R..S. HARRISON.

COMBINED MOISTENER, SEALER, AND STAMP AFPIXER.

N0. 540,253. Patented June 4, 1895.

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WWW/0W sylvania, have invented certain new and use- 50 the moistener. The roll K is covered with STATES if PATENT reins.

RICHARD S. HARRISON, OF MERCER, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO SOMERS M.

RUTLEDGE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINED MOISTENER, SEALER, AND STAMP-AFFIXER.

SFECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,253, dated June 4,1895.

Application filed December 6, 1894- Serlal No. 531,061. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RICHARD S. HARRISON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mercer, in the county of Mercer and State of Pennful Improvements in a Combined Envelope Moistener, Sealer, and Stamp-Affixer; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of theinvention, I0 such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a combined device for moistening, sealing and affixing the stamp to envelopes inwhich these operations are performed in one as rapidly as they can be inserted into the device, thereby doing away with the slow and tedious process of licking or otherwise moistening the envelope flap and stamp and sealing the same. Envelopes may be sealed without affixing the stamps, and stamps may be affixed without sealing the envelopes. I attain these objects by the mechanism shown and described in the accompanying drawings and specification, in which- Figure l is a side view of the devicewith a portion of the base or water-reservoir broken away to show the interior parts. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 isan end view showing the method employed in moistening the flap of the envelope. Fig. 4 is a view of the stampbox, partly shown insection together with other working parts, some of which are partly broken away.

Similar letters refer to similar parts th roughout the several views.

The base or Water reservoir U is partly filled with water. The envelope flap moistener P consists of cloth or other suitable material with its upper portion covered with gum or other material to give it a slight spring and 5 held in place by theholderR and located in the angular incline y. The stamp moistener M is composed of felt or other suitable material and is attached to the spring N, the spring 0 preventing the stamps from adhering to gum and encased within the bearing L which is attached to the spring S the tension of which may be regulated by the screw T. The flange V for guiding the envelope terminates in the housing V. Located within the said housing is the feed roll J which is also covered with gum and loosely centered upon the shafttsecured to which are the pinions G and ratchet wheel 2'. The pawl 0 works in the said ratchet and is attached to the feed roll. The internal racks E are centered upon the upright portion of the housing V by the screws e. The slot G in the said racks has playing therein the screws Y which are passed through the lugs h and their ends screwed into the lever O and serve to transmit power to the said racks. The screws Y may be held at different locations along the slot G, so as to regulate the throw of the racks.

The stamp box D (see Fig. 4) is provided with internal flanges 'n that serve to hold the stamps in the boxuntil removed. The plate or and pad w located above the stamps s serve to apply pressure to the stamps by means of the screw F which is attached to the extension lever B, the said lever being secured to the lever O by the screw a. Upon the upper end of the stamp box are the externalflanges a which serve to hold the said box in the frame b, which latter is hung on the screws Y, which are held to the lever C, and the forward upwardly extending portion of b rests in a recess on the under side of the lever B. The lever B is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, turned at right angles to its former position, to allow the stamp receptacle to be refilled.

The button A serves to operate the lever. The post H is secured at its lower end to the lug X. Upon its upper end is cut a thread and the thumb nut I screwed thereon, the said post passing through a hole in the lever G. The spring V is for holding the lever in place. The screw G serves to secure the lever to the flange. The hole fprovides a means of filling the reservoir with water. The bot- 5 tom piece Z composed of sheet metal may be soldered inplace. The dotted lines shown on Fig. 1 indicate the lever depressed.

m indicates envelope, m flap of same.

The device is prepared for operating in the too following manner: Water being placed in the reservoir and the moisteners allowed to absorb moisture therefrom, the screw F is run up and out of the stamp box. By pulling the extension lever over as shown in Fig. 2 by the dotted lines, the stamp box may be removed. Place the stamps within, gummedside down, with the pad and plate on top. Replace the box and lever and adjust the screw down onto theplate, care being taken not to screw it up too tight so as to allow some play to insure the easy release of the stamps. The device is then ready for use.

To operate the device, press the lever down to moisten the stamp on the moistener and release. The envelope is then taken in the right hand and passed along the surface of the reservoir beginning at the end with the edge of the envelope agains't the flange the flap passing beneath the moistener and moistening the same. When the envelope reaches the point between the rolls the lever is pressed which operation forces the envelope part way between the rolls. At this point the envelope stops owing to the pinions having traveled the length of the internal gears and the slot G being in a radial line with the center on the end of the lever the lever-descends with the stamp box andaffixes the stamp on the portion of the envelope which projects out under the stampbox. By releasing the lever it returns to its former position without moving the rolls as the ratchet is free to revolve in an opposite direction. By again pressing the lever the envelope is carried through the rolls sealing the envelope and moistening the stampfor the next one. By screwingthe nut I up or down on thepost H the stroke may be regulated to suit any sized envelope. It will be noted, see Fig. 4, that when the stamp box presses on the envelope the end of the envelope forces the spring N down thus preventing the moistener M from wetting the 'under side of the envelope. In moistening the stamp the springs 0 being disposed at right angles to the flanges n a-complete flange is formed all the way around the stamp box until the stamp is free of the moistener thus preventing any possibility of the stamp adhering to the moistener.

Having thus fully shown and described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an envelope and stamp affixer the combination of a lever pivoted to a suitable standard, a stamp receptacle mounted on said lever, a spring actuated stamp moistener located beneath the said stamp receptacle, means for depressing the spring actuated stamp moistener when a stamp is affixed to 2. In an envelope moistening, sealing and stamp affixing machine, the combination of a spring actuated lever mounted on the framework of the machine, a stamp receptacle carried by said lever, pressure plates carried within said receptacle, and connected to a swinging arm by a thumb screw, the said arm being pivoted to the lever carrying the stamp receptacle, and'a spring actuated stamp moistener located beneath the stamp box, substantially as shown and described.

3. In combination in an envelope moistener and stamp affixing machine, a base portion, designed to hold water, a stamp moistener mounted on springs secured therein, an envelope flap moistener located in a depressed portion of the said receptacle, the envelope sealing rollerL spring actuated and designed to frictionally contact with a feed roller J, a

stamp box carried on a lever as described, substantially as set forth. 7

4B. In combination, the roller K mounted on a spring S secured to the wall of the water holding receptacle, the feed roller J having a ratchet wheel secured thereto and mounted on the shaft 15, the pinion G on said shaft, the dog (I, the segment racks E, mounted on the screws e and having guide slots G, the screws Ysecnred to the lever O and adapted to play in said slots, the key rod B pivoted to the lever' 0, stamp box D and pressure plate X substantially as shown and described.

5. In combination with the stamp box mounted as described, the flanges n on the lower inner edges of the said box, the stamp moistener M mounted on the springs N the springs '0 adapted to rest "against the edges of the stamp, carried in the stamp box, as the latter is depressed against the said moistener, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In combination with the base portion, the friction roller L carried on the free end of a spring S, the screw T bearing against .the said spring, the feed roller J, the pinion G meshing with the teeth of a segment rack E, the screws Y secured to the lever O and traveling in theslots G and designed to rock said rack bars, the spring actuated stamp moistener and envelope flap moistener, all arranged and operated substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto affix my signature this 13th day of November, A. D. 1894.

RICHARD S. HARRISON. [L. s]

In presence of A. B. THOMPSON, JOHN W. Bxnas.

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