US659769A

US659769A - Mail-marking machine.

Info

Publication number: US659769A
Application number: US72877499A
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael J Shea
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1899-08-28
Filing date: 1899-08-28
Publication date: 1900-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1917-10-16

Description

No. 659,769. Patented Oct. l6, I900. M. J. SHEA.

MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 28, 1899) (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 659,769. Patented 001. [6, I900.

M. J. SHEA.

MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 28, 1899.)

6 Sheets$ heat 2.

(No Model.)

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No. 659,769. Patented Oct; l6. I900. m. J. SHEA.

MAIL MARKING MACHINE;

(Application filed Aug. 28, 1899.) (No Model.) s Sheets-Sheet a.

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No. 659,769. Patented Oct. I6, I900.

M. J. SHEA.

MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 28, 1899.)

6 Sheats-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

Wihwaow M. J. SHEA. MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 28, 1899.)

No. 659,769. Patented Oct. I6, I900.

(No Model.)

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Patented Oct. l6, I900. M. J. SHEA.

MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 28, 1899.)

6 Sheets-Sheet e.

(No Model.)

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MAIL-MARKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,769, dated October 16, 1900.

Application filed August 28, 1899. Serial No. 728,774 \No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL J. SHEA, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Marking Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Thisinvention relatesto mail-marking machines, and is directed to improvements in the class of machines employing rotary marking devices, to which the letters or other mail-matter is automatically fed from a stack and from which the marked letters are conveyed to restacking mechanism.

The invention has for its object the production of a mail-marking machine of high capacity constructed on simple and durable lines to have absolute precision of action and to be operated with the minimum of power.

The nature of the invention will be readily comprehended by reference to the following detailed description and to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a mail-marking machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly broken away, showing certain of the parts in different position. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the lefthand side of the machine. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the separating-roller, compression-roller, and shunting mechanism for the latter. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail plan view, partly broken away, of the die-roller, compression-roller, and shunting mechanism for the latter. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, of the inking-roller, ink-supplyingmechanism, and letter-registering mechanism. Figs. 10 and 11 are sectional views of the adjustable bar forming a guide for the restacked letters.

Referring to the said drawings by figures, 1 denotes the main frame of the machine, which is in form of a table having a guide bar or wall 2, against which the letters are initially stacked, and having a secondwall 3, forming a guide for the restacked marked letters. The stack is fed to the operating mechanism preferably by being pressed forwardly by the hand of the operator. The letters are presented flatwise to a separatorbelt 4, preferably of rubber, which is passed around a grooved wheel 5 and around a grooved portion of the die-roller 6. The wheel 5 is mounted on a vertical spindle 7, supported by a block 8, which is moved through an adj Listing-screw 9 to vary the tension of the belt, the adjustment being maintained by a set-screw 10. An idler-roller 11 at the inner side of the belt is employed to prevent the belt from flexing. The guide bar or wall 2 terminates a short distance from the belt 4, leaving a space for the reception of the separating-roller 12,against the surface of which the letters abut after leaving the bar 2. This roller does not contact wlth the belt 4, being separated therefrom a slight distance, but the roller and belt operate in conjunction to separate the letters from the stack and feed them singly to the marking mechanism. The separating-roller 12 is preferably of felt, a material which I have found in practice to be admirably suited for the purpose owing to its yielding nature and the degree of friction which it brings to bear on the letters interposed between it and the rubber belt. The roller is fixedly mounted on an arm 13, pivoted to a post 14, which rises from a block 15, forming a continuation of the guide-bar 3. A spring 16 is employed to press the roller in the direction of the belt, the limit of movement being effected by the employment of a set screw 17, which is carried by the arm and which contacts witha post 18, arranged in the path of the arm. Mail-matter interposed between the belt and roller receives the pressure of the roller, the setscrew being adjusted to cause the spring 16 to exert pressure against matter of the thinnest description, such as cards. Any wear of the roller or belt may be compensated for by adjusting the roller by its set-screw 17. A plate 19 forms a backing to the belt opposite the roller 12.

The die-roller 6 is secured to a vertical shaft 20, journaled in hearings in thetable 1 and in a plate 21, supported below the table. The marking-die occupies a portion of the surface of the die-roller below the groove for the belt 4. The letters as they are fed forwardly by the feed belt and roller are pressed against the die-roller to receive the canceling and post marks by a compression-roller 22, which is rotatably mounted on a spindle carried by an arm 23, supported on a post 24. The compression-roller occupies a position to the rear of the die-roller, as shown. The post 24 forms a pivot for the arm, and'the compression-roller is therefore movable to and from the die-roller, a spring 25 being employed to effect a yielding engagement between them. This spring, which is secured to the post 18, presses against an arm 26, made rigid with the arm 23, and on said arm 26 is a stop-screw 2'7, which by engagement with the block 15 limits the inward movement of the compression-roller, the stop-screw being so adjusted as to cause but a slight pressure between the rollers in the absence of a letter.

To prevent contact between the die and the com pression-roller in the absence of a letter, I provide mechanism which operates to shunt the compression-roller during a part of the revolution of the die-roller. The die, as before stated, occupies only a portion of the surface or periphery of the roller, the remaining portion 28 being plain. In the rotation of the die-roller the portion 28 thereof is engaged by the compression-roller; but when the die is presented opposite to the compres-= sion-roller the latter in the absence of a letter end to enter a locking-recess 31 in the block 1 5. The movements of the parts are'so timed that the narrow portion of the cam 22 is presented in the downward movement of the arm, and thus said arm is free to be depressed to enter the locking-recess when no letter is present. The recess affords a shoulder for the depressed stop-arm, and in the rotation of the cam its wide portion is brought into engagement with the stop-arm, with the result that the compression-roller is carried out of contact with the die, it being understoodthat such shunting action occurs only when the marking portion of the die-roller is opposite to the com pression-roller. When the narrow portion of the cam is presented to the 'stoparm,"the die and compressionrollers are brought together, which relative position is of a letter-the depression of the stop-arm 29 consists of a rock-arm 32, pivotally supported at its inner end on the table and having its outer end movablethrough the action of a spring 33 across the path of the stop-arm 2.). The rock-arm is held normally out of engagement with the stop-arm through the contact of a finger 34, rigid with the rock-arm, witha "peripheral portion 35 of the die-roller, which portion coincides with theperipheral portion 28 below it. terminates at'points which are coincident with The portion35 is cut away or the die or engraved partjof the roller, and said out-away portion or rec ess'36 when brought opposite to the finger- 34welfects the releaseof the latter and enables the spring 33 to move the rock-arm to depress, the stop-arm, and thereby hold the compression-roller against movement, it being understood that the parts are so timed as to cause the stop-arm to operate immediately before the die is presented to the compression-roller. The stop-arm remains elevated so long as the finger is in engagementwiththe periphery 35, and the rock arm occupies a position at. one side of the stop-arm, and with the parts inthis condition the compression-roller is free to move." The interposition of a letter between the die and compression rollers operates to maintain the normal retracted'position of the finger during the complete rotation of the die-roller, with the result that the stop-arm remains eleiated,

and the compression-roller is free when the die is presented opposite to itto exert proper pressure against the latter to obtain thereon the mark or impression. In otherwords, a

letter when present acts to close the recess 36, and thereby to prevent movement of the finger"through its springs, to rock the arm 32 and depress thestop-arm and shunt the compression-roller.

The feed of the letters with reference to the movement of the 'die is governed by a stopfinger 37, which is normallybrought intothe path of a letter at a pointadjacent to the feed-roller'12. This stop-finger is carried by one end of a rock-arm 38, centrally pivoted to a post 39, securedto the table. The other end 40 of the rock-arm 38 is located in the path of a cam41, fixedly secured to a vertical shaft 42, journal'ed in bearings in thegtable and plate 21. Keyed to this shaft, which-is by preference the power-shaft; is a gear-wheel 43, the *teethof which mesh with the teeth of an idler gear-wheel .44. This idler wheel in turn meshes with a gear-wheel 45,keyed to the shaft 20 of the die-roller, and meshing'with the gear 45 is a gear-wheel 4t, th e shaft 47 of which is connected by a universal joint 48 with the spindle of the compression roller, whereby said roller is independently rotated in a direction opposite to that of the dieroller and is permitted movement to and from the latter, as hereinbefore stated. During a partial rotation of the die-roller the stop finger is projected through a slot in the plate 19 across the path of the letter, and the feed of the letter is thus interrupted until the die has reached a predetermined point or nearly opposite to the compression-roller. The movement of the cam 41 is, through the gearing connection, coincident with the rotation of the die-roller, and as the die reaches the point referred to the cam engages the outer end 40 of the arm 38 and rocks it a sufficient distance to bring the stop-finger out of the path of the letter, which is then fed forwardly between the die and compression rollers to receive the mark or impression. A spring 49 is employed to retract the rock-arm when the cam 41 is disengaged therefrom. By the employment of the stop-finger and the means for controlling it coincidently with a predetermined partial revolution of the die-roller the letters are properly and uniformly marked regardless of any irregularity in the feed.

The belt and roller separating and feeding mechanism obtains high efficiency in operation; but I prefer to employ in connection therewith means for preventing two or more letters being conveyed together to the die, which means consists of a shoe 50, carried by an arm 51, pivoted to the post 39, said shoe being brought by the action of a spring 52 into frictional contact with the stack immediately upon the withdrawal therefrom of a letter. The arm 51 is moved by the engagement therewith of a cam 53 on the shaft 20, the movement of the parts being so timed as that the shoe will remain in retracted position during a partial movement of a letter from the stack, but will be carried into frictional engagement with the stack before the separation of the letter therefrom is completed. The shoe is faced with rubber or equivalent material.

The letters as they pass from the die and compression rollers are carried by their own momentum to the stacking mechanism, by which they are restacked at the opposite side of the table. The stacking mechanism consists of a roller 54 of cam form which is fixed to the power-shaft 42 to rotate therewith. The periphery of the roller throughout is eccentric to the shaft, the diameter increasing from the point marked 00, whereby there is formed a shoulder 55. The rotation of the roller is so timed with reference to the rotation of the die as to bring the shoulder 55 in the path of a marked letter, and in the continued rotation of the roller its cam-surface forces the letter forward against a movable follower-plate 56 and against a guide-bar 57. The peculiarformation of the cam enables it to perform the function of positively and continuously propelling the marked letter or stack of letters, and in addition when the shoulder is presented in the path of a letter the widest portion of the cam is brought against the stack, whereby the passage of the next letter is unimpeded. The follower-plate 56 is movably supported at its outer end on the table, being slightly elevated by a shoe 58, while at its inner end isa bracket 59, slidably mounted on a guide rod 60, located slightly below the rear edge of the table. The guide-bar 57 extends for a portion of its length at a right angle to the passage of the letters to form a stop against which the letters are carried by the cam-roller. The support for the guide-bar 57 consists of two uprights or brackets secured to the table, one of which, 61, carries a spring-controlled dog 62, which engages, when the bar is in the position shown in Fig. 11, a V-shaped groove 63 in the under side of the bar, whereby the extension of the bar is maintained in proper position with relation to the path of the marked letters. The bar 57, to accommodate letters of different lengths, is made to headjustable, and to maintain the adjusted positions I employ a spring-controlled dog 64, which engages in one direction any one of a number of notches 65, formed in the upper side of the bar. The notches each have a shoulder and an inclined approach thereto, which latter conforms to the engaging portion of the dog, with the result that the baris free to be moved inwardly, but is prevent-ed from outward movement by the engagement of the dog with the shoulder of the notch. To move the bar outwardly for an increased length of letter, the extension of the bar must be raised, and such movement carries the notches out of the path of the dog, with the result that the dog is permitted to ride freely over a plain surface of the bar. The bar is rotated by the elevation of its extension, and in addition to carrying the line of notches out of the path of the dog 64 the groove 63 in its under side is disengaged from the dog 62, though the latter dog in no way interferes with the adjustment of the bar. For simplicity of construction the

dogs

62 and 64 are pivotally attached to the bracket 61 above and below the bar, and a single coiled spring 66 is employ d to control them both.

67 denotes the inking-roller, having preferably a felt inking-surface which is brought into contact with the die at each revolution of the latter. The roller is mounted on a spindle 68, carried by an arm 69, which ispivotally connected to one arm of a lever 70. This lever is employed to adjustthe position of the inking-roller with relation to the die, its other arm being provided with an adjustiug-screw 71, which is loosely passed through a downwardly-projecting portion 72 of the arm into a threaded aperture in the table. The screw is turned inwardly. against the action of a spring 73, which is coiled around it and interposed between the table and projection 72. The inking-roller is in constant yielding contact with a cam-roller 74, fixed to the power-shaft below the stacking-roller to rotate with the latter. The wide portion of the cam is positioned and its movement is timed to bring the inking-roller into contact with the die to ink it at each revolution, but in the rotation of the die past the inkingroller the narrower portion of the cam is presented to the latter, with the result that the roller is carried out of contact with the plain surface of the die-roller, the retraction of the inking-roller being efifected by the action of a spring 75, connecting the lever 70 and arm 69. In this way the inking roller being shunted from the plain surface of the dieroller the surface is kept free from ink which otherwise would be transferred to the letters during the marking operation. The camroller 74 operates to rotate the inking-roller in the proper direction for contact with the die and at the same rate of speed of the lat- I ter, and the cam-roller further operates to properly distribute the ink deposited upon theinking-roller.

I have provided means in connection with a letter-registering device for supplying the inking-roller with ink at intervals which are governed by the marking of a predetermined number of letters. Said means consist of an arm 76, which is caused to enter an ink-receptacle and to be elevated therefrom into contact with the periphery of the inking-roller through the operation of the registering device. The registering device consists of a plurality of wheels 77, the uppermost wheel being fixedly secured to a vertical shaft 78, while the other wheels are loose on said shaft and are successively rotated to exhibit the numbers on their peripheries through a slot provided in a plate 79. The shaft 78 carries at its upper end a wheel 80, having radiallydisposed teeth,which are successively engaged and moved by a pawl 81, carried by the dieroller, and to insure rotation of the wheel a 1 i as before stated, is governed by the operation distance equal to the space between two of its teeth, and consequently equal to the space between numbers on the upper registeringwheel as a letter is marked, I employ a springpawl 82, which is secured at one end to the plate 78 and which has an outer end of V form engaging the teeth to impel the wheel the proper distance. The pawl 81 is pivotally mounted on the upper side of the diewheel, and beyond the pivotal connection is provided with an arm 83, to which is attached one end of a spring 84, the spring operating to project the pawl into the path of the teeth of wheel 80. The engagement of the pawl 81 with the teeth of wheel is effected only when a letter is presented to the die, and means are employed for effecting in the absence of a letter the retraction of the pawl from the path of the teeth, said means consisting of the finger 34 and a link connection between a fixed pin 85 and the arm 83 of the projection is by the move pawl 81. The link connectiori consists of two arms pivoted together at 86, one of the arms 87 being connected to the pin 85 and pro- 1 When a letter ispresent, the finger 34 is withheld from the recess in the manner hereinbefore stated, andthe pawl 81 in the rotation of the die-roller is brought into engagement with the wheel 80 and registration is effected. The registering-wheels are provided on their upper side with radial teeth 89 and on their under side with a recess 90, and adjacent to the registering-wheels are star-wheels 91, which operate in connection with the teeth 89 and recesses 90 to successively rotate the wheels, it being understood that the complete rotation of a wheel is denoted by the partial rotation of the wheel next below it.

Keyed to the lower end of the shaft 78 of the registering mechanism is a worm gearwheel 92, the teeth of which \mesh with the teeth of a gear-wheel 93, mounted on a bearing-screw secured in a bracket extending out 1 from the casing of the registering mechanism. 1 On the gear-wheel is a crank-pin 94, to which ;is connected one end of a rod 95, the other 3 end of the rod being attached toa pin 96, extending out from a vertical rock-shaft 97, mounted to turn in a fixed sl eve 98.

arm 76 of the inking device is pivotally connected by means of a screw 99 to the upper end of the rock-shaft 97, which extendsabove the sleeve-bearing 98. The outer or free end of the arm 76 carries an inki g-finger 100, preferably in the form of a roller, and means are employed to efiect movement of the arm 1 between an ink-receptacle 101 and the inking- 3 roller 67 to cause the finger to take ink and deposit it upon the roller, which movement,

of the registering mechanism. The ink-receptacle is located adjacent tb but below the roller 67, and the elevation and depression of the arm and finger are obtained by means of a projection 102 on the arm adjacent to its pivotal connection with the rock-shaft, which cut of the said shaft through the rotation bf the crank-gear 93 brought into engagement with a cam-slot 103, provided in the upper edge of the sleeve 98. The formation of theslot is such that in the rotation of the shaft, and consequently in the lateral movement of the arm, the projection is caused to ride upward on the inclined wall of the cam-slot and cause the arm to rise from the ink-receptacle into contact with the inking-roller. The arm 76 and its finger through the operation of the camslot and projection are thus given both a latoral and vertical movement to and from the The inkingroller, which movement is timed to occur when a predetermined number of letters have been marked, whereby an accumulation of ink on the inking-roller and a consequent imperfect marking of the letters is avoided. The rotation of the rock-shaft to effect the elevation of the arm and finger is preferably accomplished against the action of a coiled spring 104, which is attached at its ends to the frame and to the pin 96 on the rock shaft. This spring supplements the crank-gear and connecting-rod in the retraction of the shaft and facilitates the return movement of the arm and finger into the receptacle 101 for a fresh supply of ink. The arm 76 is preferably made from spring metal to secure a yielding contact between the finger 100 and the inking-roller.

In the operation of the machine the letters, which are pressed against the feed-belt, are separated and conveyed singly between the belt and feed-roller to the die and compression rollers, from whence they are carried to the cam-stacker and restacked at the opposite side of the table. The passage of a letter through the machine operates to move the compression-roller into coacting relation with the die to mark the letter, and coincidently with the marking operation mechanism is actuated to register the passage of the letter and also to set in motion the device for reinking the inking-roller. The employment of the stop finger and the means for timing its movement insure a proper presentation of the letter with reference to the die, with the result that the letters are marked uniformly and are brought in their movement against the shoulder of the cam-stacker, which shoulder, as hereinbefore stated, afiords a temporary stop in passage of the letters from the die and compression rollers.

The employment of rotary separating,feeding, marking, and restacking devices enables the machine to be run at a high rate of speed, and the parts being few in number and the friction minimized the rate of speed is obtained and maintained with comparatively little power.

All of the parts are constructed with a view to securing durability, non-liability to disorder, and absolute precision of action and economy of production.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In a mail-marking machine, the combination with a letter separating and feeding belt, of a non-rotatable roller having a periphery of felt said roller being yieldingly mounted, and means for adjusting the roller with relation to the belt, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a mail-marking machine, the combination wit-h a letter separating and feeding belt,of a separating and feeding roller against which the letters are presented endwise, said roller having yielding contact with the belt,

and means for limiting the pressure between the roller and belt.

3. In a mailmarking machine, the combination \vilh. a letter separating and feeding belt, of a pivoted arm carrying at its free end a friction-shoe, a spring operating to press the shoe against the stack of letters to move them away from the belt, and means for retracting the shoe in advance of the separation of a letter.

4. In a mail-marking machine, the combination with a letter separating and feeding belt, of a pivoted arm carrying at its free end a friction-shoe and normally moved by the action of a spring to press said shoe against the stack of letters to move them away from the belt and a cam operating in its rotation to move the arm and disengage the shoe from the stack in advance of the separation of a letter.

5. In a mail-marking machine, the combination with a die-roller carrying a die, of a compression-roller, and means for shunting the compression-roller from the die in the absence of a letter consisting of a cam on the compression-roller spindle, a stop-arm movable into the path of the cam, and a finger operated 'in the movement of the die-roller to actuate the stop-arm.

6. In a mail-marking machine, the combination with a die-roller a portion of the periphery of which is occupied by the die, of a compression-roller supported to have yielding contact with the die-roller, and means operating in the absence of aletter to shunt the compression-roller from the die consisting of a cam on the compression-roller spindle a spring-retained stop-arm adapted to be brought into the path of the cam, a spring-actuated rockarm to move the stop-arm and a finger operated in the rotation of the die-roller to actuate the rock-arm.

7. In a mail-marking machine the combination with a die-roller a portion of the periphery of which is occupied by the die, of a compression-roller mounted on a spring-pressed arm and held in yielding contact with the dieroller, and means for shunting the compression-roller from the die in the absence of a letter consisting of a cam on the compressionroller spindle, a pivoted spring-retained stoparm adapted to be brought into the path of the cam, a pivoted spring-actuated rock-arm to move the stop-arm, and a finger rigid with the rock-arm adapted in the rotation of the die-roller to enter a recess therein and permit the spring to actuate the rock-arm.

8. In a mail-marking machine, the combi-, nation with a die-roller a portion of the periphery of which is occupied by the die and provided in its upper edge with a recess, of a compression-roller, shunting mechanism operating in the absence of a letter to prevent contact between the compression roller and die, and a finger actuating the shunting mechanism said finger being in the path of the recess.

9. In a mail-marking machine, in combination with the stacking-roller of a guide-bar for the stacked letters, said bar having an extension forming the guide and provided with means for its adjustment to accommodate letters of diiferent lengths.

10. In a mail-marking machine, in combination with the stacking-roller, of an adjustable guide-bar for the stacked letters, said bar being supported in brackets one of which is provided with a spring-controlled dog for maintaining the adjusted position of the bar.

11. In a mail-marking machine, in combination with the stacking-roller, of a rod having a right-angle extension forming astop and guide for the marked letters, said rod being provided in its under side with a horizontal groove and in its upper side with transverse notches, supports for the rod, and spring-controlled dogs one of which engages the groove in one direction to support the extension and the other one of which engages any one of the notches in one direction, whereby the rod may be adjusted in position in the mannerand for the purpose set forth.

12. In a mail-marking machine, the combination-with the die-roller a portion of the pe-' riphery of which is occupied by the 'die, an inking-roller normally held out of cont-act with the die-roller, and a cam in constant contact with the periphery of the inking-rollerery of which is occupied by the die, a cam-* roller geared to the die-roller, an inking-roller mounted to have lateral movement and inter posed between the die-roller and cam, a spring operating to move the inking-roller against the cam and away from the die-roller the Wide portion of the cam operating to press the inking-roller against the die in the revolution of the latter.

14. In a mail-marking machine,*the combination with the die-roller, of a letter-register;

a pawl on the die-roller operating in the pres ence of a letter to actuate the register, and means for retracting the pawlin the absence of a letter consisting of a spring-impelled finger arranged in the path of a cam-arm connected with the pawl.

15. In a mail-marking machine, the combination with the die-roller and with a letterregistering device having a toothed wheel, a pawlon the die-roller in the path ofthe wheel, a link connection between the pawl and a fixed pivot, one of the arms of the link being adjacent to a recess in the roller and having an oifset, and a spring-impelled finger operating in the absence of a letter to enterthe recess and engage the link-arni to retract the pawl from the path of the wheel.

16. In a mail-marking machine, in combi nation with a die-inking roller and with a letter-registering device of a piyoted arm carrying an inking-finger, and a connection between the registering device and finger whereby the operating of the registering device moves the finger between the. inking-roller and an ink-receptacle. r

17. In a mail-marking machine, the combination with adie-inking roller and with a letter-registering device, of a shaft adapted to be rocked through connection with the registering device, and an arm pivoted to the rock shaft and carrying an in king-finger and adapted inthemovemcnt of the rock-shaft to cause the finger to enteran ink-receptacle and to depositthe ink upon the roller.

18. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a worm gear-wheel carried by the shaft of a letter-registering device, a crank gear-wheel meshing with the worm-wheel, a vertical rock-shaft journaled in a fixed hearing-sleeve, a rod connecting the crank gearwheel with a pin on the rock-shaft, a spring connected With theshaft to retract it, an inkreceptacle, a die-inking roller, a spring-arm carryingan inking-finger in the form of a roller, said'arm being pivoted to the rockshaftabove the sleeve and provided with a projection, and a cam-slot in the upper end of the sleeve operating in the rotation of the shaft to iinparta lateral inovement to thearm and finger between the link-receptacle and inking-roller.

19. In amail-marking machine,thecombination of an inking-roller and an inking device therefor, of means foractuating the inking device, consisting of a wormgear-wheel and a connection between the crank-wheel and device, a toothed wheel on the shaft of the worm-wheel, and a pawl carried by the 1 die-roller operating in the presence of a letter to engage-and move the tohthed wheel.

20." In a'mail-marking machine, the combination with a dieroller, stacking-roller In testimony whereof Igaffix my signature in presenceof twowitnesses;

MICHAEL J-. SHEA;

Witnesses: I

F. P. BLODGETT, P. Y. LINKER.