US761229A - Mail-marking machine. - Google Patents

Description

No. 761,229. PATENTED MAY 31,1904.

7 I. G. IELFIELD; MAIL MARKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED r23. '1, 1001.

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No- 761,229. PATENT'ED MAY 31, 1904. F. G. IELFIELD. MAIL MARKING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 7, 1901.

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UNITED STATES I Patented May 31, 1904."

PATENT OFFICE.

FRED c. EL IELD, or SILVERGREEK, NE YORK, ASSIGNOR TO COLUMBIA POSTAL SUPPLY COMPANY, or SILVEROREEK, NEW YORK.

MAIL-MARKING MACHI E.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 761,229, dated May 31, 1904.

Application filed February-7, 1901. Serial No. 46,435- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRED G. IELFIELD, a citi-' zen of the United States, residing at Silvercreek, in the county of Chautauqua, in the State mail-matter from-the remaining pieces preliminary to feeding it to the printing or marking devices. Machines of this type are shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States numbered 667,394 and 667,395, dated February 5, 1901.

One of the objects of my present invention is to simplify the time-stop or front-registering gage by which the stamped frontv end of each piece of mail-matter is properly registered with the printing or marking roller irrespective of the variations in the length of the pieces. 7

Further objects of my invention are to improve the construction of the feeder which delivers the mail-pieces to the printing-roller,

"backing for marking the pieces, while at the same time preventlng lnking of the impression-roller and the consequent smutting of the backs of the pieces.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of three sheets, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine viewed from its feed side. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical section in line 3- 3, Fig. 1,

on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section in line 4 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar section in line 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section in line 6 6, Fig. 4, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 7 is a similar section in line 7 7, Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a sectional top plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the printing and impression rollers and the shifting devices of the latter.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A is the horizontal table of the machine, mounted on a suitable stationary frame, which is preferably composed of a horizontal metallic casing'B and a hollow standard C, secured to the under side of said casing.

D is a longitudinal feed-chute for the pieces to be marked, which is arranged on the table A at the front sideof the machine and which is preferably provided with an inclined bottom 0?. The front side of this chute is open, and its rear side is closed by a longitudinal wall or partition d, against which the stamped ends of the pieces of mail-matter are squared, as shown in Fig. 4.

E is an upright stationary suction head or chamber having its face plate 6 arranged across the front end of the feed-chute D. The bottom of the latter slopes toward the face-plate e, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the pieces in the same automatically slide toward the face-plate, and said bottom is preferably made vertically adjustable atits upper end in any suitable manner, so that its pitch can be adjusted as required. In the construction shown in the drawings the bottom is hinged at its lower end to the table A, as shownat 62 and supported at its upper end bya curved vertically-slotted standard 6?, which is adj ustably secured to the edge of the table by a screw-bolt 61*, passing through the slot of the standard and having a clamping-nut 6Z5.

The'pieces of mail-matter are preferably successively drawn against the face-plate e fro'r'n' the front end of the stack in the end ch-lite by a suction-current which acts upon tlief foremost piece through an opening 0, formed in the face-plate oppositethe delivery end of the feed-chute D, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 7. The pieces of mail matter are prevented from being drawn through this opening by horizontal guard-bars 6 extending across the same. The suction-current is produced by any suitable means-for instance, by a fan 6 arranged underneath the table A and having its eye a connected with the suc' tion-head E. As shown in Figs, 3 and 5, the casing of this fan is preferably formed by the rear portion or compartment 6 of the casing B, and this compartment is separated from the front portion 6 of said casing by a partition 6 The suction-head E communicates with the front compartment 6 by an opening f, Figs. 4 and 7 and said compartment is connected with the eye of the fan a by an air-trunk f, formed by the upper portion of.

the hollow standard G and communicating with the compartment 5 by an opening 3, as shown in Fig. 3. The upper side of the casing B is closed by the table A. The shaft of the fan 0 is supported in a suitable bearing arranged in the upper portion of, the

standard C, as shown in Fig. 3, and is driven from the vmain driving-shaft g of the machine by a belt g, running around pulleys secured to said shafts, as shown, or by other suitable means. cally in bearings mounted on the standard 0 and is provided with a driving-pulley g and also, preferably, With a hand Wheel 9 as shown inFigs. 1 and 2.

H is an endless horizontal feed-belt against the face of which the mail-pieces are successively drawn by the suction-current and which conveys the same to the stamp canceling and postmarking devices. This belt runs around horizontal guide wheels or pulleys h it, located above the table A and so arranged that the inner or front portion of the belt is substantially parallel with and forms a continuation of the face-plate of the suction-head E, as shown in Fig. 4.' The front guide-pulley h of the feed-belt is arranged within the suctionhead E and mounted on a vertical shaft H, which extends downwardly through the table A and is driven from the main shaft 9 by gearwhecls k and it, mounted on said shafts, and intermediate idler-gears if 72 meshing therewith, as shown I in "Figs. 3' and 5. The retreating or outer portion of the feed-beltH passes through an opening formed in the wall of the suction-head E, as shown in Fig. 4. The body of the front feed-pulley it is made of such a diameter that it does not project beyond the face-plate e, and the same is provided around about one-half of its periphery with one or more segmental flanges or guards 7L7, Fig. 4, which extend beyond the face-plate and the face of the feed-belt H once during every revolution-of said pulley and hold the foremost piece of mail-matter in the chute out of contact with the feed-belt until said flanges clear the piece, when the latter is drawn against the feed-belt by the suction-current and conveyed onward toward the printing or The main shaft g is journaled verti faces of its separating-flanges it are smooth, so that during the interval that the flanges are in contact with the foremost piece of mailmatter in the feed-chute they simply slip over the piece and do not feed it onward. By this construction the pieces are fed forward intermittently at regular predetermined intervals and only when they are allowed to come in contact With the belt by the recession of the flanged portion of the pulley 7a. The portion of the feed-belt opposite the feed-chute D covers a portion of the opening in the faceplate 0 and in order to' reduce the covering area of the belt to aminimum the same is provided throughout its length with apertures or passages 7L8, through which the suction-current acts upon the. foremost piece of mailmatter.

I is the printing or marking roller, which is arranged above the table A beyond the feed-chute D and on the front side of the advancing portion of the feed-belt H. This roller is secured to the upper end of the main driving-shaft g, and the portion 71 thereof which carries the dating and canceling dies is segmental in form and projects beyond the remaining portion of the periphery of the roller. The printing-roller is provided above the leading end of its stamp-canceling die with a raised segmental flange or lip z", the face of which is substantially flush with the face" of the stamp-canceling die. is an inking-roller of any suitable construction for applying ink to the printing-roller.

K is the im pressiOn-roller, which is arranged on the rear side of the advancing portion of the feed-belt H opposite the printing-roller, so that the feed-belt passes between these rollers. The impression-roller is journaled loosely upon an upright arbor'ls, which turns in a bearing mounted on the free end of a horizontal spring-arm 70 so that the impressionroller can yield .and accommodate itself to mail-pieces of different thicknesses.

The spring-arm k is secured at one end to the portion 70 of the rotary arbor k, on which the impression-roller turns, is cranked or arranged eccentrically to the lower portion thereof, so that the turning of the arbor in its bearing 71: causes the impression-roller to approach or recede from the printing-roller.

m is a horizontally-swinging actuating lever or finger arranged above the table A on.

thefront side of the printing and impression rollers and having its free rear portion arranged to extend normally into the path of the advancing pieces of mail-matter, so that a piece upon entering between this finger and the printing-roller is crowded sidewise toward the impression-roller by the segment iof the printing-roller and its flange z" and in turn pushes the actuating-finger in the same direction. This finger is yieldingly held in its projected position by a spring m, secured at one end to an arm m of the finger and at its other end to the table, as shown in Figs. 4 and 8. The cranked arbor k is turned by the finger m through the medium of a rock-arm m secured to the upper end of the arbor and connected with a rigid arm or lateral extension m of the finger. The rocking movement of the arbor is limited in both directions by a radial stop-arm a, secured to the upper end of the arbor and playing between two stoplugs n 71 which are arranged on a segment 72 secured to the upper side of the table A, as shown in Figs. 4, 6, and 8. The cranked arbor is is so arranged and connected with the finger m that when the finger is in its projected position, in which there is no mail-piece between it and the printing-roller, the impression-roller K is retracted clear of the printing-roller, while when saidfinger is swung inwardly by a piece of mail-matter the-cranked arbor is turned in the proper direction. to

cause the impression-rollerto approach the printing-roller and form a proper backing for the P1806 while thesarne receives the impression of the stamp-canceling and postmarking dies. By this action of. the impression-roller the latter automatically recedes from the printing roller when the rollers run idle, thereby effectually guarding against inking of the roller and smutting of the backs of the pieces subsequently passed through the machine, while as soon as apiece approaches the meeting portions of the printing and impression rollers the impression-roller automatically advances in close proximity to the printing-roller, thereby delivering a proper impression upon the piece. The actuating-finger m is arranged in line with the space between the upper side of the printing-roller and its raised lip i, so that when the machine temporarily runs idle the finger extends into said. space and is unaffected by the rotation of the printing-roller.

0 is a supplemental suction head or retarder arranged above the table A between the feedchute D and the printing-roller I and facing the advancingportion of the feed-belt H. This suction-head has a face-plate 0, arranged parallel with the feed-belt and provided with a suction-opening 0 similar to the head of the suction-separator E. This supplemental suction-head communicates with the suction-- chamber .7) of the casing B, so that an air-current isdrawn through the face-plate of said head. In case more thanone piece of mailmatter should be separated from the stack and feel toward the printing devices the suctioncurrent through the supplemental head 0 draws the surplus piece or pieces against the faceplate of said head and holdsback suchpieces until the piece which is in contact with the feed-belt H has passed between the printing and impression rollers, when the next retarded piece will be pushed away from the face-plate of the supplemental suction-head 0 by thesalient portions t a" of the printing-roller and fed between the latter and the impression-roller. The printing and impression rollers are located at such a distance from the suction-separator E that the advancing end of the shortest piece of mail-matter enters between saidrollers before said piece passes beyond the influence of the air-current through the separator, and the supplemental suction-head 0 is smaller than the head'of the suction-separator, so that the supplemental or retarding current is weaker than the separator-current and does not withdraw the pieces from the feed-belt H when a' single piece is fed at a time. The face-plate of the suction-retarder 0 is arranged at a sufficient distance from the feed-belt H to permit the passage of the thickest mail-matter.

In order to further guard against the feeding of more, than a single piece of mail-matter at a time, a yielding retarding-finger p is arranged to extend across the letter-path at the front side of the suction-retarder 0, so as to interceptv the surplus pieces. This finger is pivoted to the front wall of the suctionhead oby a vertical pin and is yieldingly held in its normal position by a spring 19, as most clearly shown in Fig. 8. The retarding-finger 19, while allowing a single piece of mail-matter to pass by it at a time, tends to hold back any additional piece or pieces in case two or more should be accidentally separated from the stack in the feed-chute and fed forward by the fed-belt.

q is a stationary registering stop or gage against which the pieces of mail-matter are registered'before being allowed to pass between the printing and impression rollers I and K, so that the canceling lines or characters are printed squarely upon the postagestamps affixed to the mail-matter. This step preferably consists of 'a fixed lip which is carried by the free end of a horizontal arm q, secured to the head 0 of the suction-retarder. The stop (1 is located above the printing-roller immediately in rear of a line drawn through the axes of the printing and impression rollers, and the face of the stop is sufiiciently abrupt to arrest each piece of mail-matter as it is propelled forwardly by the feed-belt H. During each rotation of the printing-roller the salient segment 2 of this roller and its segmental flange or lip a" strike against the piece of mail-matter which has been prev1ouslyar-.

tween the rollers.

stop by the printing-roller;

' mail-matter. wardly to a face-plate 8, arranged across the the feed-chute. shifted to the front end of the receiving-chute, 6o

, matter in the feed-chute slide toward the face- 'rested by the stop and press the piece toward the feed-belt a suflicient distance to clear the stop. The piece is then seized by the impres- -sion roller and the salient portions of the printing-roller and propelled onwardly be- The face of the stop (1 is slightly beveled. to facilitate the disengagement of the piece of mail-matter from the In this manner each piece is positively arrested at a predetermined point before being allowed to enter front end of thereceiving-chute substantially in line with the advancing portion of the feedbelt H, as shown in Fig. 4.

Any suitable device may be employed for stacking or piling the marked pieces in the receiving-chute, or the marked pieces may be otherwise disposed of. The stacking devices shown in the drawings consist of projecting cams or beveled teeth It, formed at the edges of the flanges of the rear belt-pulley it. During the rotation of these cams they are successively projected through a cut-away portion t formed in the face-plate s and bear with their beveled sides against the front end of the stack of marked mail-matter in the receiving-chute,pressing the matter backwardly and stacking the newly-arrived marked piecesagainst the front end of the stack.

a is the usual receding block or abutment in the receiving-chute, against which the mailmatter is banked.

'v is a shelf upon which the mail-matter may be piled preparatory to placing it into the feedchute in small batches.

The printing-roller is geared to run at the same speed as the feed-belt.

The operation of the machine, briefly stated, is as follows: A batch of mail-matter to be marked is placed edgewise in the feed-chute- ,D in an inverted position with the backs of the pieces facing the feed-belt H and the face' plate of the suction separator E and the stamped ends squared against the rear wall of The sliding abutment a is and the machine is started. The pieces of mailplate of the suction-separator E by gravity, bringing the foremost piece within the range of the air-current through the separator E. The current acting upon the foremost piece separates the same from the stack and draws I the piece against the adjacent portion of the feed-belt H in case the projecting flanges k of the front guide-pulley h are at that moment behind the face-plate of the suction-separator or against said flanges in case they project beyond the face-plate and the feed-belt at that time. The separated piece covers the suction-opening e entirely or partly and shuts off the air-current correspondingly. As soon as the foremost piece is allowed to come in contact with the feed-belt it is held against the belt by the air-current and carried onward bythe belt past the retarding-finger p and the suction-retarder 0 and against the registeringstop q. The registered piece is next pressed laterally away from the stop by the salient portions i t" of the printing-roller I, and the released piece in turn presses the actuatingfinger an out of the path of the mail-pieces, thereby shifting the impression-roller K toward the printing-roller, as hereinbefore described. Immediately after this action takes place the front end of the piece is seized by the printing and impressionrollers and fed onward between the same, thereby canceling and postmarking the piece. The marked piece is delivered into the front end of the receiving-chute R by the printing and impression rollers, whereupon it is pressed backward in the chute by the stacker.

The segmental flanges [L7 of the front beltpulley lb extend around a sufficient portion of the circumference of the pulley to hold the foremost piece of the stack in the feed-chute D away from the feed-belt H until the piece previously separated from-the stack and fed onward by the belthas entered between the printing and impression rollers.

It will be observed that in this machine the impression-roller is advanced to its operative position by causing each piece of mail-matter to be pressed sidewise against the actuatingfinger m, which controls the action of the cranked arbor of the impression-roller. The pieces are therefore not liable to buckle and actuate the shifting devices of the impressionroller in an uncertain manner, as is liable to be the case when said'shifting devices are engaged or tripped by the front edge of each piece of mail-matter.

The impression-roller is preferably provided on its periphery with oblique or spiral ribs, Figs. 3 and 6, which form a backing for themail-matter while the impression is deliveredupon the same. These ribs preferably have the form ofv a screw-thread which extends entirely around the impression-roller, as shown, but theymay extend only over that part of the face of the roller which coincides with the printing die or dies on the printingroller. These ribs intersect the horizontal ribs of the canceling-die of the printing-roller, and thereby form a substantial backing for the mail-matter duringthe delivery of the im- IZC pression. In the operation of the machine if apiece of mail-matter should not quite reach its proper register when the dies of the printing-roller comeopposite the impression-roller these rollers would be permitted to touch slightly. The spiral ribs or threads of the impression-roller, however, present so small a surface that no considerable amount of ink will be received by said roller, and the pieces will be but slightly smutted under the abovementioned condition.-

' By employing the casing B between the table A and the standard G the same serves as a casing for the fan 6 and also asa housing for the gear-wheels by which the feed-belt is driven from the main shaft, while the enlarged upper portion of the hollow standard forms a housing for the driving-belt and pulleys of against the feeder, substantially as set forth. 7

2. The combination with a chute or support for the mail-matter to be marked, and a marking mechanism, of a traveling feed-belt running around guide-pulleys and arranged to convey the mail-matter from said chute tothe marking mechanism, one of said guide-pub leys being arranged at the front end of said chute and provided around a portion of its circumference with a guard or flange which projects beyond the face of said traveling belt, and a suction-head which faces the stack of mail-matter in said chute and draws the foremost piece against the feed-belt, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a chute for the mail-matter to be marked, and a marking mechanism, of a suction head or separator arranged at the front end of said chute and having a vertically disposed suction opening which faces said chute, and a traveling feedbelt arranged to run across said suction-opening and provided with air apertures or passages, the suction-opening having an unobstructed part at one side of the belt through which communication is had with the chute, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a chute or support and a marking mechanism, of a belt for carrying the mail-matter extending to and past said marking mechanism, and a suction-head having an opening arranged at one end of said belt and facing said chute or support.

5. The combination with a chute or support for the mail-matter to be marked, a marking mechanism, and a traveling feed-belt, of a suction head or separator arranged at the front end of said chute and having a suctionopening which faces the latter and is exposed to one side of said belt, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a chute or support for the mail-matter to be marked, and a marking mechanism, of a suction head or separator arranged at the frontv end of said chute, and having a suction-opening which faces the latter, and a traveling feed-belt of less width than said suction-opening arranged to run across the same, substantially as described.

7. T hecombination with a chute or support for the mail-matter to be marked, and a marking mechanism, of a feeder for moving the mail-matter from said chute to the marking mechanism, and a suction-head which is arranged between said feeder and the marking mechanism adjacent to the path of the mailmatter and which holds back any surplus pieces of mail-matter propelled toward the marking mechanism by the feeder, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with a chute or support for the stack of pieces to be marked, and a marking mechanism, of a feeder for moving the mail-matter from said chute to the marking mechanism, a suction-separator which is arranged at the front end of said chute at one side of the path of the mail-matter and which separates the foremost piece from the stack and draws the same against said feeder, and a supplemental suction-head arranged at the opposite side of said path between said chute and the marking mechanism, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with a support for the stack of pieces to be marked, of a separating mechanism whereby the foremost piece is separated from the stack, an impressionroller, an opposing printing-roller having a projecting segment, a feeder for propelling the separated pieces toward the printingroller, and a fixed registering-stoparranged in the path of the pieces immediately in rear of a line drawn through the axes of the printing and impression rollers, substantially as i set forth.

10. The combination with a support for the stack of pieces to be marked, of a suction-separator whereby the foremost piece is separated from the stack, a marking mechanism, a trav: eling feed-belt which conveys the separated pieces toward the marking mechanism, a fixed registering-stop projecting into the path of the mail-matter between said chute and the marking mechanism, and means whereby each arrested piece is released from said stop and presented to the markingmechanism, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination with a chute or support for the mail-matter to be marked, of a printing-roller, a feeder for propelling the pieces of mail-matter from said chute to the printing-roller, an impression-roller, a'rotary arbor having a cranked or eccentric portion upon which the impression-roller is mounted, and an actuating-finger connected with said cranked arbor and projecting into the-path of the mail-pieces, substantially as setforth.

12. The combination with a chute or support for the mail-matter to be marked, of a printing-roller, a feeder for propelling the pieces of mail-matter from said chute to the printing-roller, an impression-roller, a rotary arborhavingarock-armandacrankedoreccentric portion upon which the impression-roller is mounted, an actuating-finger connected with said rock-arm and projecting into the path of the advancing mail-pieces, and a spring which tends to hold said finger in its projected position, substantially as set forth.

a 13. The combination with a chute or support for. the mail-matter to be marked, of a printing-roller, a feeder for propelling the piecesof mail-matter from said chute to the printing-roller, an impression-roller, a rotary arbor having a cranked or eccentric portion upon Which the impression-roller is mounted, an actuating finger connected with said cranked arbor and projecting into the'path of the mail-pieces, and stops for limiting the rotation of said arbor, substantially as set forth. 7

14. The combination with a chute or support for the mail-matter to be marked, of a printing-roller having a projecting segment arranged to move the pieces of mail-matter laterally, a feeder for propelling the pieces from said chute toward the printing-roller, an impression-roller movable toward and from the printing-roller, a movable actuating-finger projectinginto the path of the mail-pieces opposite the printing-roller and adapted to be pressed laterally by contact with the side of each mail-piece when the same is moved laterally by thesegment of the printing-roller, and a shifting device controlled by said finger, and operating to move the impression-roller toward the printing-roller, substantially as set forth.

15. In a mail-marking machine, the combination with a table or support and a feedehute mounted thereon, of a printing mechanism, a suction head or separator facing the front end of said chute, a casing arranged underneath said table and divided into two compartments which communicate with each other by an air-passage, said suction-head communicating with one of said. compartments, a fan arranged in the other of said compartments, a feeder for propelling the pieces of mailmatter from said chute to the printing mechanism, and driving-gearing for said feeder arranged in the compartment of said casing with which said suction-head communicates, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 2d 1901.

FRED C. IELFIELD.

' Witnesses:

J NO. J. BONNER CLAUDIA M.'BENTLEY.

day of February,

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