US569132A - Mechanical movement - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) l 3 Sheets--Sheet 1.

G. W. HEY. MECHANICAL MOVEMENT.

No. 569,132. Patented 0011.6, 1896.

ATTOR N EYS (No Model.) G W HEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. MECHANICAL MOVEMENT.

No. 669,132. Patented 066. 6, 1696.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

G. W. HEY.

MBGHANIGAL MOVEMENT. No. 569,132. Patented 0011.6, 1896.

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1 `bu J l l q #la L Jl WlTNESSES: INVENTOR y www' f www ATTOH N EYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. HEY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

MECHANICAL MOVEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,132, dated October 6, 1896.

Application led July 19, 1894I To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE W. HEY, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Movements, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic mail-marking machines, and has for its object the production of a simple and practical device for transmitting motion to the marker by the engagement of said device with the sealed flaps of the envelops of the mail-matter; and to this end it consists, essentially, in the construction and arrangement of its component parts, all as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In specifying my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of my invention provided with a marker for making contact with the mail-matter and mechanism for holding the marker out of the mail-matter path when no mail is passing and releasing the same when the mail is present for permitting registration of the marker therewith. Fig. V2 is an inverted plan View, part thereof being broken away, of the parts as illustrated in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of the detached mechanism for normally holding the marker out of the mailmatter path and releasing said marker for permitting the same to register with the mailmatter. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan View of the feeler and its tip shown at Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view looking upward, taken on line m, Fig. 3. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively enlarged side elevation and inverted plan view of a slightlyLmcdified construction of feeler used in my invention. Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively enlarged side elevation and top plan view of a further modiiied construction of feeler used in my mechanical movement; and Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a letter, the feelers, (one being partly broken away for illustrating its engagement with the envelop-flap,) the lower supporting-links for the feelers, and the die-carrying roller, (shown Serial No. 517,978. (No model.)

by dotted lines,) the letter being illustrated by dotted lines as advanced and one of the feelers being shown by dotted lines as rocked inwardly by the advanced letter.

A represents the mail-matter-supporting bed, which is here illustrated as a traveling belt, and A mail-matter-feeding rollers journaled above said bed and normally in contact therewith in a frame A2, mounted on suitable supports (not illustrated) and consisting of side bars A3 and cross -bars A4. The marker A5 consists of a pair of dies arranged diametrically opposite upon the periphery of a roller A0, having trunnions A7, journaled in normally vertical slots A8, provided in the depending arm A9 of an L-shaped bracket or yoke A10, having one extremity pivoted at A11 between the side-bars A3 of the frame A.

The bracket A10 is provided with a shoulder a, adapted to be engaged by a movable catch f, presently described, and when released from said catch is drawn into registration with the mail by a spring a', secured at one end to said yoke and at the other to one of the side bars A3 of the frame A2.

W'hen in registration with the mail which is being fed along the belt A, the die-carrying roller A6 is rotated by the moving letter, and one of the two teeth of a cam a? on said roller engages a pin a3 on the yoke or bracket A10 and thereby raises the same into position to be again engaged with the catch-shoulder f, which, as presently described, is returned to operative position before the passage of the mail. After the yoke or bracket A10 reaches its normal position and the highest point of one of the teeth of the cam a2, engaged with the pin as, has passed said pin, a spring a1, having one extremity secured to the bracket A10 and the other to the pivotal pin or trunnion of the die-carrying roller A0, returns said roller to its normal position, this movement being permitted by the normally vertical slot A8, in which said trunnion is journaled. v

The marking-die a0 is inked bya roller a1, j )urnaled in movable bars as, pivoted upon the rod A11 and is drawn into operative position by a spring a0, having one end secured to a shoulder @L10 on a cross-bar C013 between said bars cts, and the other to an arm a11, se-

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cured at L12 to a cross-bar a between the arms or walls of the bracket A10.

It will be understood that my invention is particularly applicable for use in the construction of machine just briefly described, but that it may also be used in other marking-machines and that the construction of the marker and its supporting-bracket may be greatly varied at will without affecting the scope of my invention.

B represents the supporting plate or frame, upon which the extension-bar b is guided and the cranks C C pivoted.

b is the main bar or lever, connecting with and transmitting motion to the mechanism to which it is applied. As shown at Fig. 1, it is pivoted at P to the bar E, pivoted at P to one of the side walls A3 of the frame A2, extends at right angles to the bar E in a horizontal plane in this example of my invention, and is provided with pins c c, resting in the forked ends of the cranks C C and connecting the said bar movably with said cranks. The outward or free end of the barb is slotted part way its length at b', as seen at Figs. 2 and 3, for the reception of a pin b2, secured in the plate or frame B and serving` to guide the bar b in its movement.

Bars or rods F F, which carry feelers J, are mounted and vertically guided in links D and G, pivoted, respectively, at d to the plate B and at g to a cross-bar A4 of the frame A2, and bear against the cranks C C, being yieldingly forced toward the mail-feed bed A by a spring S, interposed between the link G and a shoulder G', rigidly secured on said bar F for allowing the feelers to yield vertically to letters of different thickness.

Upon the pivoted bar Eis a shoulder f, adapted to engage the shoulder a on the yoke A10 for the marking-roller AG. A spiral spring S, secured at one end to the bar E and at the other to an arm S2, secured to the rod @14, serves to keep the shoulder fand shoulder co in engagement and also to return bar l) to its normal position after it has been moved, as presently described, by the engagement of the feelers .I with the letter.

When the mail fed by the belt A and the rollers A encounters the feeler, it is raised vertically against the action of the spring S, being guided through openings in the links D and G, and, as presently described, the feeler adjacent to the flap of the envelop is rocked inwardly upon the pivots d and g, as shown by dotted lines at Fig. l0, thus rocking the adjacent arms of the lever C inwardly, retractin g the bar l), withdrawing the catch j' from the shoulder CL, and permitting the spring a to draw the marker into registration with the mail, as previously described.

As soon as the widest part of the envelopflap passes the feeler the spring S draws the catch-carrying lever E backward into posi'- tion to be again engaged by the shoulder on the marking-roller frame when said frame, as previously described, is restored to its normal position, and thereby forces the feelers to their normal position outward, and by the action of the spring S the same are forced against the feedin g-belt A. The longitudinal edges of the mail-matter from which the liaps project are not always similarly arranged adjacent to one edge of the belt A, and consequently I use two feelers, one of which is engaged by the flap of each of the passing letters.

The engaging feeler consists of a circular disk of metal J, having a circumferential catching or engaging edge, as best shown at Figs. 2, 3, and it, and a spindle j, which rotates freely in a bearing K, secured at 7c to the lower end of the rod F.

In order to prevent the sharp engaging edge A The purpose of the feeler being4 to engage i the edge of the flap at the back of the envelops of letters or other mail-matter, it is highly important that it may-passfreelyover any other portion of the letter, as its advancing end, and thus engage only said rear flap.`

This result I obtain at Figs. 1 and 3 by attaching the tip-piece to the bar F so that the lower surface of said tip-piece is iiush with the bottom of the disk, and by forming .said tip of much less width than the diameter of the disk, thus exposing only the sides of. said disk to the ap and preventing the engagement of its edge, except by the curved or diagonal edges of the rear flap of the envelop. It will thus beunderstoodthat as the letter passes the flap constantly increasesin width, and thus rocks the feeler and its supporting-lever inwardly, as previously described, until the point of greatest width is passed, and that all tearing of the flap is obviated by the free rotation of the feeler.

At Figs. G and 7 I have shown a tip I, consisting of a plate of greater width than the feeler J, which is formed with a cut-out for exposing one side of the feeler, and is provided at its front extremity with an antifriction-roller I.

At Figs. 8 and 9 I haveshown a tip I of similar shape to the one illustrated at Figs. 6 and 7, with the exception that it is improvided with a cut-out in its side edge, the side edge of the feeler being exposed by extending the same beneath the lower face of the rear portion of said tip, vand the feeler being prevented from engagement by the front of the letter by depressing the front portion of said lower face to a planesubstantially parallel with that of the lower face of the feeler. In

this modified construction the tip I is pivoted at i to an extension or arm F of the bar F,

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and the feeler-frame K is pivoted at k to the lower extremity of the bar F and secured at one extremity to a spring 2, having its opposite extremity secured at 3f to the rear extremity of the tip I.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description and upon reference to the drawings, and it is evident that motion is communicated from the flap of the letter to govern the registration of the marker With said letter.

It is evident that considerable change may be made in the detail constrution and arrangement of my invention Without departing from the spirit thereof.

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

l. The combination with a printing device and a catch for holding the printing device out of the path of the mail-matter; of a vertically and laterally movable rotary feeler provided'with a tip-piece for engaging the flapsj of the envelops of the mail-matter, connected to the catch for forcing the same from operative position, and a feed for feeding the letters to the feeler, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination with a printing device and a catch for holding the printing device out of the path of the mail-matter; of a vertically and laterally movable bar F having a rotary feeler provided with a tip-piece for engaging the flaps of the envelops of the mail-matter, a feed for feeding the letters to the feeler, a crank C operated by the bar F, and a movable bar b connected to said crank and catch for forcing the catch from operative position, substantially as and for the purpose specilied.

3. The combination With a-printing device and a bar E carrying a catch for holding the printing device out of the path of the mailmatter; of oppositely-arranged vertically and laterally movable bars F F having rotary feelers provided with a tip-piece for engaging the ilaps of the envelops of the mail -matter, a feed for feeding the letters to the feelers, cranks C C operated by the bars F F, and a movable bar b connected to said cranks and bar E for forcing the catch from operative position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. v

4. The combination with a printing device and a catch for holding the printing device out of the path of the mail-matter; of a vertically and laterally movable bar F having a rotary feeler for engaging the flaps of the envelops of the mail-matter, a feed for feeding the letters to the feeler, a pivoted link D connected to the bar F, a crank C operated by the bar F, and a movable bar b connected to said crank and catch for forcing the catch from operative position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of a printing device and a bar E carrying a catch for holding the printing device out of the path of the mail letters to the feelers,cranks C C operated by the bars F F, and a movable bar b connected to said cranks and bar E for forcing the catch from operative position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination With a printing device and a catch for holding the printing device out of the path of the mail-matter; of a vertically and laterally movable rotary feeler for engaging the iiaps of the envelops of the mail-matter, connected to the catch for forcing the same from operative position, a tip projecting in advance of the feeler for engaging the mail-matter, and a feed for feeding the letters to the feeler and tip, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. The combination with a printing device and a catch for holding the printing device out of the path of the mail-matter; Yof a vertically and laterally movable rotary feeler for engaging the flaps of the envelops of the mail-matter, connected to the catch for forcing the same from operative position, a tip of less Width than the feeler projecting in advance of the feeler for engaging the mailmatter, and a feed for feeding the letters to the feeler and tip, substantially as and for the purpose speciiied.

8. The combination with a printing device and a catch for holding .the printing device out of the path of the mail-matter; of a vertically and laterally movable bar F having a rotary feeler for engaging the iiaps of the envelops of the mail-matter, a tip project' lng in advance of the feeler for engagingthe mail-matter, a feed for feeding the mail-mat ter to the feeler and tip, a crank C operated by the bar F, and a movable bar b connected to said crank and catch for forcing the catch from operative position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. The combination with a printing device and a bar E carrying a catch for holding the printing device out of the path of the mailmatter; of oppositely-arranged vertically and laterally movable bars F F having rotary feelers for engaging the flaps of the envelops of the mail-matter, a tip projecting in advance of the feeler for engaging the mailmatter, a feed for feeding the mail-matter to the feelerV and tip, cranks C C operated by the bars F F, and a movable bar b connected to said cranks and bar E for forcing the catch from operative position, substantially as set forth.

With a tip-piece projecting in advance of its engaging edge, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

l0. The herein-described feeler provided IOO IIO

11. A feeler provided with a tip-piece proof Onondaga, inthe Sttte of New York, this jectng in advance of its engaging edge and 17th day of July, 1894. formed of less Width than said engaging edge, r substantially as andfor the purpose set forth. GEORGE XV' HEX 5 In testimony whereof I have hereunto Vtnesses:

signed my name, in the presence of two ztt- CLARK H. NORTON, testing Witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county K. H. THEOBALD.

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