US959793A - Envelop-moistener. - Google Patents

Description

H. E. PAGKER. ENVELOP MOISTENBR. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 21, 1909.

I Patented May 31, 1910.

15 Jim ANDREW a. GRAHAM coypuowumosmwms. WASNNGTON, n. c,

HARRY E. PACKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO B. E. DELCAMP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ENVELOP-MOISTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 31, 1916.

Application filed June 21, 1909. Serial No. 503,520.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, HARRY E. PAGKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Moisteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined guiding and moistening device adapted to be used for sealing envelops, and its objects are to provide a rigid and substantial article for this purpose, which will be effective to moisten not only the flaps but also the backs of the envelops, which will enable envelopsto be sealed with great rapidity, and which will be exceedingly simple and economical in construction and can therefore be manufactured at a low price. I accomplish these objects, and such advantages as will appear hereinafter, by means of the device shown in the accompanying drawings, in whieh- Figure '1 is a side view, with parts broken away to show the interior construction; Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view taken through about the center of the device; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base of the device, with the top removed; and Fig. 4: is a plan view of the complete device, showing the way in which the envelops are passed thereover.

As shown in these drawings, 5 indicates a substantial base portion or receptacle which is preferably made sufficient-ly heavy so that the device will stand firmly on a table or desk when it is being used. This base or receptacle portion has one of its sides cut away as indicated at 6 to form a lateral opening, and a portion of the bottom adjacent to the opening 6 is cut away as inclicated at 7 to make room for a portion of a sponge or other water retaining and distributing member 8. The cover 9 is provided at one side with a downward projection 10, which fits in the upper end of the opening 6 in order to hold the sponge in position and also to form a guide for the envelop flap in passing over this opening. The top of the cover 9 is provided with an opening 11 at about the center thereof, this opening being opposite to the opening 6 in the side wall of the base portion. At each end of the opening 11 are downwardly and inwardly projecting deflectors or plates 12 which serve to hold the upwardly projecting portion of the sponge 8 centrally of the opening 11 and also press the sponge in such a manner that the lower portion thereof will be compressed more tightly than the upper portion, thereby enabling the lower portion to carry more moisture while the upper portion will only be slightly moistened. The cover is also provided with downwardly pro ecting lugs 13 adjacent to the ends thereof, one of which is engaged by a screw 14 passlng through the base 5 to hold the cover securely in position.

It will be noted that, by means of the simple form of both the base and cover portions, these can each be readily cast from suitable patterns, without the necessity of making.

cores, and therefore these parts can be made very readily and economically.

In operation, an envelop 15 is grasped in thehand and laid with its back on the upper face of the cover 9, as indicated in Fig. 4, with the flap l6 hanging down over the corner as indicated in this figure and also in Fig. 2, and is then moved longitudinally over the moistening device, the palm of the hand pressing the back down against the upwardly projecting portion of the sponge and the fingers pressing the flap against the laterally projecting portion of the sponge, whereby both the mucilage or gum on the flap and also a corresponding portion of the back will be moistened. Then, the flap is closed down against the back and the envelop drawn through the fingers, thereby completing the sealing operation which may be done almost instantaneously on account of the back being moistened as well as the mucilage 0n the flap; that is, when the back of the envelop is moistened, it will at once penetrate or dampen the envelop so that when the mueilage on the flap comes in contact therewith, it will adhere at once without the necessity of the moisture of the flap passing into or dampening the back portion of the envelop. On account of the construction and arrangement of this invention, envelops may be passed across the same with exceeding rapidity and the sealing operation performed without the danger of any portions getting outof orderor becomingderanged. It will also be noted that as the palm of the hand presses the backs of the envelops against the upwardly projecting portions of the sponge, this will tend to cause the water to be pressed down into the lower portion of the sponge where a larger quantity isrneeded on account of its being desirable to moisten the mucilage more thoroughly than the backs.

Having thus described my invention and having pointed out the beneficial features thereof, I do not Wish to be limited to, the exact construction or arrangement shown and described, but

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device for moistening envelops, the combination of a base or receptacle having an opening in one side thereof, a cover for said receptacle, having an opening in the top thereof, and a sponge secured in said receptacle, with one portion thereof extending through said side opening and another portion thereof extending through said cover opening.

2. In an envelop moistener, the combination of a substantially rectangular receptacle having an opening in one sidethereof, a cover for said receptacle, having a clownward projection extending into the upper portion of said opening, said cover being also provided With an opening therein adjacent to the opening in the side of said receptacle and having downwardly projecting deflectors at the ends of said opening, and moisture retaining and distributing means in said receptacle, said means being held by the deflectors and extending into said side and cover openings.

8. In adevice of the character set forth, the combination of a heavy base portion having an opening in one side thereof and having a recess in the bottom thereof opposite to said opening, a cover for said base portion, having a downwardly projecting lip extending into said side opening to form a guide for the envelop flaps, said cover also having an opening in the center thereof, downwardly and inwardly projecting ribs at the ends of said opening, and a sponge in said base portion, said sponge being engaged and held in position by means of said deflectors or ribs and extending upwardly and laterally through said openings, whereby envelops passed over said device, with the flaps engaging with the side thereof, will be moistened along the backs Where the sealing is to be effected and will also have the gum or mucilage on the flaps moistened.

HARRY E. PACKER.

Vitnesses A. WV. FENsTEMAKnR, CARL H. CRAWFORD.

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