US964448A - Machine for sealing and stamping envelops, &c. - Google Patents

Description

13. M. NI'ELSEN. MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOIB, 6:0-

- urmoumu nun nov. a, 1904.

Patented July 12, 1910.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L. M. NIELSEN. MAQHINE POE SEALING AND STAMPIHG ENVELOPS, &o.

APPLIOLTION FILED NOV- 3. 1904.

' Patezited July 12,1910.

1B SHEETS-SHEET 3.

L. M. NIELSEN.

MAGHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING BNVELOPS, 6w.

- APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1904. W 964,448.- Patented July 12, 1910.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

\A/ITIJEEEES: Ma da Jx? L. M. NIELSEN. MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPE, he.

uruunmn FILED NOV. 3, 1904.

Patented July 12, 1910 m U U H w .H

L. M. NIELSEN. MACHINE FOB. SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS, 1&0.-

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1904. I

- Patented July 12, 1910.v

13 8HEETSSHEET 6.

\JITP'EEEEE:

*wa wgy Patented July 12,1910.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 3, 1904. 964A48.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

9 M l MW L 0/ 0 m 4,7 r a 1; 4

ML; 5 E 5 Z22? MACHINE r011 SEALING AND smmme ENVELOPS! 6w.

LPPLIOATION FILED NOV. 3, 1904.

Patented July 12,1910.

L. M. NIELSEN.

1s SHEETS-SHEET a.

Elg- 24 26 L. M. NIELSEN.

MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS, 6w.

APPLICATION TILED NOV. 3, 19,04. E

' Patented July 12, 1910.

1a SHEETS-SHEET 9.

TJ J. m

L. M. NIELSEN.

MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS, 8w.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.3,1904.

Patented July 12, 1910.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 10.

\A/ITHEEE E E: MJKQHN L. M. NIELSEN.

MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS, 6m.

Patented July 12, 1910.

. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3. 1904.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 11.

I I I i v i //V//// WITH-C5555 L. M. NIELSEN.

MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPE, 6w. 9

APPLIUATIDN FILED NOV. 3, 1904 964,448. Patented July 12, 1910.

13 SHEETS-SHEET l2.-

MQQIAQ. My??? L. M. NIELSEN.

MACHINE FOR SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS, 6w.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 3. 1904. 964,448.

Patented July 12,1910;

1a sums-sum 1a.

I: ll 1 3 |||||||||||Hh LIMIUIIIIIIH'H! mmmm a =UNITED STATES Y PATENT OFFICE.

LAURITS M. NIELSEN, 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSYITS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO NIELSEN MAILING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA,

A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

,MAGHINE roe SEALING AND STAMPING ENVELOPS, 80:.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 12, 1910.

Application filed. November 3, 1904. Serial No. 231,235.

To all whom it mdy concern: w

Be it known that I, LAURrrs M. NIELSEN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Sealing and Stamping Envelope, &c.; and I hereby declare that the following is' a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. I

This invention has reference to improvements in machines for sealing envelope, or wrappers, and for affixing stamps to envelops, wrappers, cards, or similar articles.

One object. of thisinvention is to so construct a machine of this character that envelops or wrappers placed in quantities on a receiving table may be successively fed forward through sealing mechanism to stamp afiixing mechanism, the flaps and stamp spaces of the envelops or wrappers being moistened during their through'the machine. Another object of:

passage his invention'is to so construct a machineof this character that the sealing. mechanism or the stamping mechanism maybe disconnected from 0 era.- tionjj without affecting the operation 0 the other of said mechanisms or the feedingmeans-by' which the envelop, card, or, other article is'fed th'rbugh the machine.

, Another. object of the invention isto .S0 construct a. stampvaflixing mechanism that itsoperatiQn may. bdontrolledby an" envelop or other article-being. fed ther'eto.

' Another object of the invention is to provide means for adjusting thev relative tions of, the envelop receiving. tablean theenvelop feeding means.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a novel and positive envelop feedin connections llustrated in Fig. 6. Fig. 8,

devices whereby the flap and stamp position of the envelop are more effectively moistened.

Another object of the invention is to im-. prove the stamp sheet feeding, the stamp strip cutting and feeding mechanisms, together with the means for severing the end stamp from its strip and forcing it flatwise against the envelop or other" object positioned therebeneath.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description of the machine and of its operation.

The invention consists in such novel fea tures of construction of the several parts of the mechanism, their arrangement in distinct groups and in the combination of several of the cooperating groups oftm echanism, or of said groups with single related parts,. as shall hereinafter be more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1, represents a plan view of the improved sealing and stamping machine and of its receiving table for receiving, in quantities, envelops, wrappers, cards, or other objects adapted to be sealed or stamped by this machine. Fig. 2, represents a sectional view oft-he same taken on line 2-2 Fig. 1, looking toward the right... Fig. 3, represents a similar view, partly. -broken away, taken on line 3-'3, Fig. 1, looking toward the left insaid figure. Fig.

4, represents a side elevationof. the'machine 'teasingorlongitudinal frame being broken :awayto show the Water tank and its roll.

6, represents an enlarged'vertical cross sectional view of arts of the mechanism,-

"takenon line'6 6 ig. 3. Fig. 7, represents a plan view of some of the gears and their sents a similar view takenon line 1010- cutter and af- Fig. 3. Fig. 11, represents a vertical sectional. view of the stamp plunger showing details of construction. Fig. 12, represents a view of the lower end of the stamp plunger. Fig. 13, represents a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2, on enlarged scale, of the envelop feeding, moistenii'ig, and pressing mechanism with some of their associated parts, these parts being shown approximately in position as when the flap of the envelop is being moistened. I Fig. 14, represents a similar view showing the position of the arts as .at a certain point in the moistening of the stamp position and approximately as the envelop is to be engaged by the rolls which press the moistened flap against the body of the envelop to seal the same. Fig. 15, represents a side view of parts of the stamp sheet feed gear and the sheet cutter drive gear. Fig. 16, represents an edge view of one of said gears. Fig. 17, represents a side elevation of the stamp plunger actuating gear and its related stamp strip feeding actuating gear. Fig. 18 represents a plan view of portions of the mechanism adapted to assist the forward movement of the stamp sheet. Fig. 19,. represents a sectional view of parts thereof taken on line 19-19 F ig. 18.

Similar numbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

Machines of this character are primarily designed for the sealing, stamping, or the sealing and stamping of envelo s, or other objects which are adapted to be ed through the machine.

While the machine under consideration is adapted to seal or stamp other objects or articles than envelops, its construction and operation will hereinafter be considered more particularly with reference to the sealing and stamping of envelops without however limiting its use.

In the sealing and stamping of envelops practice has demonstrated the importance of accurately positioning the envelop while it is being subjected to the several steps of flap moistenmg, stamp position moistening, flap sealing, and stamp afhxmg; while it is of equal importance, in the stamping o eration that the stamp severing and afiliiing mechanism should betimd with relation to the. envelop feeding mechanism. This accuracy of manipulation is best accomplished by dispensing with human agency in adjustmerit or handling of the envelope at any part of. the operation and by providing mechanism which acts positively in the feeding and positioning of the envelop at certain points in the operation.

Envelope are generally formed with side flaps, or with end flaps, havin at their under edge portions strips of a hesive material; stamps are generally and preferably applied to the upper right hand corner of the envelops close to the edges. A 1116 i and bulk of the envelops vary greatly, mechanical feeding of the same and their correct positioning for the con'ipletc moistcning of the adhesive material on the c f the flap, to effect the adhesion o pr ctic lly the entire length of the edges o 6 ap to the body of the envelop, as well asthe bringing of the moistened stamp positl Il 011 the face of the envelop to a point at which the severed stamp may be accurately applied thereto, has proved to be a diflicult problem. Machines of this nature being designed for rapid operation to effect the sealing and stam mg of large quantities of envelops shou d preferably be driven by some motive power and provision should be made to so receive envelops in quantities that they may be successively and positively fed forward through the machine.

In the drawings 20. and 21 represent the outer sides of the machine case, 22 the bottom of said case and 23 one end thereof. Within these side plates are located longitudinally extending plates 24 and 25 in the nature of frames on which many of the op erative parts of the machine are mounted, see Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6; the frame late 26 see Figs. 4, 6 and 10 being located etween the frame plate 24 and the-casing 20.

The end 23 has an opening sufficiently large to permit the passage therethrough of the largest envelop upon which the particular machine is designed to operate; beneath this opening are mounted brackets 27-27 having the inclined upper ends 2828 adapted to support the gage plate 29 which is plvoted to the sides of said opening and rests on the inclined portions of the brackets, this plate having the slots 3030 the surface of a portion of the plate having gage marks indicating the points of adu stment at' which the envelop receiving envelop to be sealed, as is shown on the part 31 of said plate.

27-27 is journaled theshaft 32 having ends of which are pivoted to the slotted the studs 3737 secured on the side portions of the case end 23. The guides 36 are the, preferably inclined envelop receiving table 39 is mounted, the forward end portion of this table having the fingers 40-40 which are free to work in the slots 30-30 of the plate 29. At one edge portion the table 39 is provided with a guide late 41 mounted for lateral adjustment an adapt.- ed to prevent the lateral movement move own the inclined surface of the tab e.

table should be set for the particular size of- In the lower portions of the brackets guides 36-36 which are free to move on furnished with brackets 38-38 on whichof. the envelo s, 111 one direct-ion, as said envelo s clever arms 33-33 and 34; to the arms 33-33 are pivoted the rods 35-35 the upper This guide plate is herein preferably shown as applied to the right hand side of the envelo tab e in order that it may, when desire be moved inward beyond the position of the detecter, to be hereinafter described, but the locatibnof this guide is not limited to that shown,

The rocking of the shaft 32 to effectthe vertical'adjustment of the envelop receiving fabl 1S effected by means of the connecting rod 4 f-pivoted to the "arm 34 of the shaft 32 and to the lever 43 which is pivotally supported on a stud secured in the member 22 extending from the bottom 22, see F 4 and 60f the drawings; this lever 43 has the curved portion 44 and the upper portion of the lever is supplied with the latch pin 46 movable in 'uides on said lever and actuated by means of the bell crank lever 47 pivoted to the lever 43 and to said pin 46 whereby said-pin may be moved to engage or disengage any one of the sockets of the rack 48 carried by the frame plate 26, see Fig. 4, thus providing means for locking the lever 43 in the adjusted position and preventing the accidental movement of the envelop table.

Supported at'the lower part of the caseis the water tank 49 having the inclined end 50 and the dash plate ii located at a distance from said end to form a compartment between said plate 51 and the end 50; water is preferably supplied from this tank by means of the roll 52 the shaft of which is journaled in the side of the tank and is furnished with the gear 53, seeFig. 5, motion being. imparted to this gear 53 by means of the gear 54 of the shaft 55 which is journaled in bearings carried by the frame plate '25 and. has the bevel gear 56. Pivotally supported on studs extending from the frame plate 24 and 25 is the frame 57 the depending. arms, as 58, of which are connected by retraction springs as 59 with some fixed part of the machine represent-ed herein by the stamp table, this frame having the arms 60-60 formed in part with or se-.

cured thereto and on these arms are carried the rolls 616l; pivotally mounted on studs 60 of'the arms 60 are pairs ofarms 62"having lever ends 64 which are connected by .retraction springs as 65 with the frame 57 while the arms. 63 having the lever ends 66 are connected by the retraction springs 67 with the frame 57 between the arms 6262 is rotatably mounted the moisture transferring roll 68 and between the arms 6363 extend the presser rolls 69-69 the ofiice of which in pressing the envelop flap against the flap moistener will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 14 of the drawings, where it will also be seen that the upper of the rolls 61 acts as a stop-for limiting the swinging of the arms 63 iinder the action of their springs, while the lower of saidrolls 61 acts similarly to limit the motion of the arms 62 under the retractive strain of their springs.

Mounted in bearings of the frame plates 24 and 25 is the feldder shaft 70 on the end portions of which are journaled the arms 7l71and 72-72 on the outer ends of which arms is fixed the envelop feed plate 7 having the bent lip 74 at its upper edge, see Figs. 1, 13 and 14,.which edge is furnished with the vertically disposed slot 75, see Fig. 1; to the back of the feed plate. 73 is secured the fiap moistening pad 76 formed of a rigid frame carrying a pad of absorbent material. The arms 7777 are free to'swing on the shaft 70 and between these arms extends the rod 78 carrying accelerating feed fingers 797 9, see Figs. 2, 13 and 14, which work between the frame of the moistening pad 76 and the feed plate 73 and are at times projected through open ings formed in the edge of the lip 74. These arms 77 are operated by ITIBELIIS of the connecting rod 80 pivotally connected with one of said arms and with the gear 81 so that a complete forward and backward movement of the arms 77 and the accelerating feed fingers 79 carried thereby is effected at each rotation of the gear 81, jour naled on the stud shaft 81 extending from I the frame 24, theanovementof the arms 77 being guided by the plate 82 thereof working over the guide 83 carried by the flap feeding plate 73. Pivotally connected with one of the arms 77 is the link 84 which has .t-he stop lip 85 and is pivotally connected by the link 86 with the related arm 72 and also by the retractive spring 87 with said arm 72 at a distance from the pivot of the link 86 so that a pressure is 'exerted by said spring to maintain the links 84and 86 in line, the link 86 bearing against the stop lip 85. A springSS, connected with the other of said arms 71 at the left of the-machine, see Fig. l, and to a fixed part of the machine tends to exert a lifting pressure on this arm and its related mechanism;

Mounted on the frame plate 24 and ex--- tending into the path ofmovement of the links 84 and 86 is. the stop 89 which, when the feed plate7 3 has moved f0r'- -.'ard a suit-" .able' distance, intercepts said links so that the straight line of theselinks-is broken attheir common pivot, the feeding plate. 73

then remaining stationary while the accelerating feed fingers 79 continue their forward movement under the action of the gear 81 and the connecting rod 80, the forward movement of the plate 73 being also limited by the-lip 90' on the stop 89 which intercepts the arm,7 2. When the pivot'connecting'the rod 80 with the gear 81 reaches its farthest "point of throw and begins to-return, the first action is to retract the feed fingers to the.

point where the links 84 and 86 are movedaway from the stop 89, the' action of thespring 87 then being to draw these links into llne, the retractive pressure of these links then drawing backward the arm 72, to which .the link 86 is pivoted, and its related mechried by the frame 24, the lower end of this end of which is pivoted to the,. stamp osi-- "tion when the bearing 113 0 is resting on either of the cams 110, as is,

rod 95, when depressed resting on the barrel 97 of the cam 98 which cam has the enlargement 99 furnished with the pins 100100 and is so mounted on the shaft 101 that it is free to reciprocate thereon, as the cam 98 rides against the side of the rod 95, while it, the cam, rotates with said shaft, see Figs. 6, 7, and 8.

The shaft 101 is journaled in bearings in the frames 24 and 26 and has the gear 102 and the plate 103 carrying the springs 104- 104 which bear against the outer end surface of the cam 98 and tend to press the same inward; the gear 105 is free on this shaft and has sockets as 106, Fig. 8, adapted to receive the pins 100 extending from the en largement 99 of the cam 98 whereby said gear 105 may be locked to the cam to rotate with the shaft 101 at times; also mounted 0n-this shaft 101 and fixed thereto is the gear 107 which meshes with the ear 81.

Meshing with the gear 105 is t e gear 108 journaled on the stud shaft 109 of the frame 24 and having the. diametrically opposed cams 110-l10, with the intermediate contracted portions 111. Pivotally mounted on v a stud-extending from the frame 24 is the arm 112 having the bearing 113 which rides on the" cams for approximate] one third of the rotation of the car 108 t en is perm'itted to move towar the axis of said gear, this motion being made twice in each rotationof said ear; to the free end of the arm 112 is plvoted the rod 114 the upper tion moistening tank stud-115 and ten s to sustain""'said tank in the inoperative posithe arm. 112

shown in Fig. 8. I I

' Stamp position moistening tank 116 is pivotally mounted, to swing vertically, on a ivot extending the mner side'jo'f the rame24, the stud .115 of said tank'w'orking throu h the slot 24 Figs and thecompartment 118, to rovide clearance for the detector 92,, an is furnished with the spout 119 extending above the point at which it i; to the stamp positionof 'envle'llgp, 1 the-03:1 end of thisspont eing WPP ifwf fl i 13 and, in the same rame; this tank 116 has the inlet 117 120 of absorbent material adapted to be maintained in a moistened 'conditio i y h water supplied thereto t rough the spout 119 when said spout is in t e deprefssed position shown in Fig. 13 of the drawings.

Gear 102 is preferably driven By a small gear 121 Fig. 4, on the shaft 122 jiournaled 1n the frames 24 and 26 and provided at its outer end, outside the casing with-a\ Iive pulley 123 or its equivalent, for effecti g the rotation of the shaft 122. Any othe means may, however, be used for effecting the rotation of the gear 102.

Attention is here called to the fact that when the gear 102 is rotated the envelop feeding mechanism is operated through the medium of the shaft 101,"the gears 107 and '81, and the connectin rod while, if the detector 92 occupy t e depressed position shown in Fig. 8 the end of the rod so limits the lateral movement of the cam 98 and its barrel 97 under pressure of springs 104 that the pins 101 cannot enter the sockets 106 of the loose gear 105 and this'gear will not be driven, consequently, no motion will be imparted to the gear 108 and the depression of the spout end of the tank 116 will occur. When, however, the rod 95 is elevated from theposi'ti'on shown in Fig. 8, by the lifting of the detector 92, the cam 98 and its barrel 97 maybe moved along the shaft 101 by the springs 104 to eifect the engagement of the pins with the sockets of the gear 106 during one or more-rotations of the shaft 101,- and said gear and its connected mechanism will be driven during such time as such'engagement continues. If now the rod 95 be again allowed to return to the position shown in-Fig. 8 the end of the rod will-drop on to the surface of the barrel 97 and, when the rise or projection of the cam 98 works against the -rod, the barrel with the enlargement 99 and the pins 101 will move outward against the action of the springs 104 and the pins 101 will be disengaged from the sockets of the gear 105. It isto be understood that the lateral movement of the barrel 97in the direction for the engagement of the pins 101 in the sockets of the gear 105 is never suificient to carry the fiat way of the cam beyond the position shown in Fig. 8, hence the rod95 is free to drop to the pos'ition shown in such figure except when the camrise is passing under the end of said rod Journaled in the frames 24 and 25 is the,

shaft 124 which isd-riven by the engagement of its gear 125 .:with the constant driven gears 81 and 107, see Fig.2; on t is shaft "124 is the bevel gear 126, which meshes with ar 56 to transmit motion to the water the distr buting roll52,and the ear 127 at the outside of the frames 25, see ig. 5', this late ter gear having teeth arranged around slightly more than one half its perlphery,

the remainder of its periphery being in the nature \of a smooth way to provide a dwell in the drivi'ngaction of this gear.

On a'satud secured to the frame is journaled the gear 128 having the gear 129 of smaller'dliameter and having teeth equaling in niunber the teeth of the gear 127 and a smooth peripheral portion 130 on which rides 'the smooth way of said gear 127 so that the gears 128 and 129 and the mechanism driven thereby dwells during nearly dicated in arrows in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

In bearings of the frames 24 and 25 is. journaled the feedand press roll shaft 133 having the gear 134 which is driven in the direction indicated by the arrow, in Fig. 5, by its engagement with the gear 131; on this shaft is mounted the preferably hard roll section 135, adapted to sustain the stamp position of the envelop at the time such portion is receiving moisture, and the cushioned roll section 136 adapted to frictionall. engage an envelop, provision being ma e, as-

--by the peripherally open channels 137138 for the reception of the ends of the accelerating feed fingers 79 when these fingers move forward between this roll "section 135 and the feeding and pressing roll' section 139, the shaft 140 of which is journaled in bearing blocks which are adjustablymounted in slots 141-142 of the respective frames 24 and 25, this shaft 140 having the gear 143 which is driven in the direction indicated by the arrow, in Fig. 5, by its engagement with the gears 1.32 and 134.

Beyond the roll section-136 is the stamping: table 144 one end of which is supported by theframe 25 while the other end is yieldingly supported by the spring 145- carried by a bracketon the frame 24 in order that "gear 131, Fig. 5, while delivery roll 149 is mounted on the shaft 150 which is journaled .in bearing blocks which are adjustable in.

the slots 151 and 152 of the respective o frames 24 and 25, pressure being exerted on these blocks by the screws 153 and 154, Figsm l, 2, 4 and 5; this, shaft 150 being driven from the gear 148 by means of the idle gears 155 and-156 rotatable onstuds extending from .the frame 25, the gear 156 meshing with the gear-157 with which 'the 'shaft 150is furnished. Beyond these de livery rolls 146 and 149 is mounted, on the frames 24 and 25, the inclined delivery chute, or apron 158, from which the envelops are delivered from the machine.

Stamp sheet feeding, strip cutting, and stamp severing and cutting devices are driven by means of the gear 159 journaled on a stud extending from the outer side of the frame 24 and meshing with the gear 105, see Figs. 3 and 8, hence when the gear 105 is disconnected from the shaft 101 the gear 159 and the mechanism in driving relation thereto will rest inoperative. As the stamps are fed in a direction opposite to that in which the envelope move I will now proceed to describe the stamping mechanism progressively approximately in the order in, which the stamp sheet, the stamp strip, and

the single stamp are operated upon until-the latter is applied to the stamp position of the envelop.

At the upper part of the delivery end of the machine is farmed a compartment having the table 160 adapted to receive a sheet of stamps when spread flat; at one end of this table is the concavity 16.1 furnished with the roll 162 on which sheets of stamps may be rolled in a continuous strip, to the wall of this concavity is hinged the cover 163 having the lip 164--which when the cover. isclosed, extends to a poi'ntadjacent to the roll 139 and protects the stamps during their progress through the machine from unauthorized removal, this cover has also a staple 165 adapted to receive the bolt of any ordinary lockingmechanism shown at 166 Fig.1.

located at the inner end of the table 160, the

roll 167 being journaled in hearings in the frames 24 and 25 and having the gears 169, shown'in-Fig. 5; and 170, shown in Figs. '3 and 10, this latter gear having a plainperipheral portion at one point as shown in Fig. 3. The roll 168 is free tomove vertically in the slots 171-172 of the frames 24 and 25 and is furnished with the gear 17 8 which meshes with the gear 169 of the roll 167, when engaged therewith, the ends of this roll 168 are journaled in the frames.re-. spectively marked-174 and 175, seeFigs. 3 and 5, which have slots working over the v corresponding ends of the roll 167, the frame 175 being normally drawn downward by. its

spring 176 attached to the frame and" to of the thumb piece 182, pivotcd'to the side frame 24, may bear to depress this end. of

the lever 177 in order that the roll 168 may be elevated by hand when necessary. The lower portion of the frame 175 is pivoted to the arm 182 which idfixed on the shaft 178 journaled in bearings in the frames 24 and 25, whereby the frame 175 is also raised by the action of the thumb piece 181. The bar 184 extends transversely of the machine and is secured to the frames 24 and 25, the upper surface of this bar being approximately on the level with the surface of the table 160 and being designed to form a sup port immediately back of the stamp strlp cutter to support the sheet of stamps at this point.

Above the bar 184 is the stamp stri cut- ;-ter bar 185 mounted to move vertica ly in guides with which the frames 24 and 25 are provided and having a cutting blade 1 86 adapted in its downward -movement, to sever a row of stampseiitending beyond the bar 184 from the main sheet of stamps. This strip cutter bar 185 is actuated periodically and with a comparatively quick motion, or impulse,by means of the rods 187-l87 which work in guides of the frames 24 and 25, these rods being pivotally connected by the links 188-488 with the small gears 189189 which "are journaled on studs extending'respectively from the frames 24 and 25 and are driven by their en agement with large gears as 190 on the she. t 191 which is journaledxin bearings of the frames 24-25 and 26 and, on that portion between the frames 24 and 26, is furnished with the small segmental gear 192 which has pair of riding surfaces and two series of teeth as shown in Fig. 3.

Extending along beside the bar 184 and, preferably, at a lower level is the trough shaped stamp strip su 1port 193 positioned above the stamping talge 144, 'orextendin to 'a'position' thereabove 'so that stamps fe along said trough may reach a position above the stamp' area of the envelop an s ported, on th table 144. 'At one end this stamp strip support has an 0 shownin section. in Fig. 10, o a size and shape to permitthe" assage of stamp flat- 'wise therethrough. X

I djacent'to this openingand extending across the stamp strip support 193 is the stain stri feed roll 195 journaled below the leve of t e support 193 aving a bevel gear196,Fi 9, meshin with the sunilar ea'r 197 of t e shaft 198- which is journals" in the sleeve 199 supported by the bracket 200, which forms one wall ofthe stamp opening '194, and having at its outer end, beyond the frame 24, the gear 201 of the shape'shown in'Fi-g, 3. 1 Above the sleeve 199 in bearings of the bracket 200*a'nd the frame 24 is journaled the rock shaft 202 carrying at its inner .end the frame 203 in which t e spring pressed. roll 204 is supported above the stamp strip ening. 194, 7

feed roll 195, the outer end of this shaft 202 being furnished with the lefver arm 205 which has a pin working in tlhe curved slot 206 of the plate 207, which plfate is pivoted, eccentrically to the extension (if the slot 206, on a stud extending from the late 24. Pivoted to the plate 207 is the lin -208 which in turn is pivoted to the rod 209 which has the bearing 209 and the forked end 2110 pivotally connected by the link 211 with the lever 212 and havin the bearing 213, the forked end of the rod 209 forming a guide which works over a shaft, to be hereafter described,

and being retracted by the spring 214 secured to said rod-and to the frame plate 24, whereby when thelever, 212 is moved to slide the rod 209 to the ri ht, as shown in Fig. 3, and the lever 209 is epressed as shall hereinafter be described, the plate 207 will be swung on its pivot and the stud of the arm 205 will ride up the curve of the slot 206 and cause the swinging of this arm 205 to rotate the shaft 202 thus elevating the frame 203 and its resser roller 204, to permit the feeding of a strip of stamps on to the stamp strip support and between the feedrolls 195 and 204, the return movement of the rod 209 permitting the dro ping of the roll 204 and its frame whereby the stamp strip is engaged between said rolls. 95

Atthe upper. part of the frame 24, in line with the stain strip support, is mounted the vertical guide frame 215 in the guides of which the stamp severing and pressing plunger 216 works; this plunger has the sev- 10o ering blade 217, which coiiperates with the ed 0 193. of the stamp strip support 193,

an its lower end is formed by a series of plates 218- 218 yieldingly mounted to accommodate any irregularities in the surface to which the stamp is to be applied, see Figs.

.10, 11 and 12-. To this plunger is pivoted the lever 219 which ispivotally mounted on the frame 24 and is in'turn pivoted to the rod 220 which works in guides extending from the frame 26 and has the studs 221 and 222 against the latter of which works the arm 223- pivoted to the frame 26 and furnished with the bearing224a Returning now to gear 159, Figs. 3 and 115,

9, it will be seenthat this gear meshes with the gear 225 of the sleeve 226\whicl1 has also the int-ermittent'gear 227 having the series of teeth 228 equal in number to the teeth of the gear 201 and the peripheral plain 12c surface on which the projection of said gear 'rnay ride, the effect beingto cause the rotation of the gear 201 during each rotation ofthe gear 227, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 17 of the drawings; on this sleeve 226 is also the cam 229 which is adapted, when the lever 209 is moved toward the right, to bear on the bearing 209' of said lever and depress the same; the cam 230 of the sleeve 226 is designed to work 3 tively moved downward and upward and the gear 201- is given a Single rotation, resulting in the similar rotation of the stamp vstrip feed roll, at the time when the plunger 216 is in the raised position, and the feeding forward of the stamp strip for the space of one stamp. Also driven from the gear 159 is the gear .232, Figs. 3 and 10 which is journaled on a stud extending from the frame 24 and which. meshes with the gear 233 similarly mounted, this latter gear in turn engages with and drives the gear 234 which drives the shaft 235 on which said gear is mounted, this shaftbeing journaled in bearings in the frames 24 and 26 and be ing furnished with the intermittent gear 236. Also journaled in the frames 24 and 26 are the shafts 237 and 238 havingrespectively the gears 239240 and 241-242 shown in plan view in Fig. 15 of the drawings: the gears 239 and 242 being approximately in line, vertically, and so related to the gear 236 that the teeth of the latter may engage. periodically with the toothed sections of said gears 239-242, as these toothed sections number ten in each of said gears and as the number of teeth in each of the sections correspond to the number of teeth on the periphery of the gear 236 the gears 239 and 242 will be advanced one tenth of a rotation for each rotation of the gear 236 these periodical advancements being divided by an equal number of dwells which occur Whilethe plain peripheral portion of the gear 236 works against the-slightly concave riding portions which are between the toothed sections of said gears; the gears .240 and 241 have each a plain periphery furnished with a single group 243-244 of teeth which equal in number the teeth in each of the groups of the gears 170 of the roll 167 with which the teeth 243 of the, gear 240 engage, andthose of the gear 192 of the shaft191. with'which the teeth 244 of the Y gear 241 engage whereby said gears are each given a :one half rotation, at a high speed proportioned to the difierence in diameter' of the gears, at each complete rota tion of the gears 240241. This impulse of the gear 192 is transmitted :t'rom the large gear 190 to the gear 189,-of one half the circumference of the gear 190, to effect a rapid and crm'iplete rotation of the gear 189 and a complete upward and downward I moveuwnt of the stamp strip cutter blade 186 at each rotation of the gear 241, while approximately at thesame time, slightly before, the gear 170 IS given a one half rotation by the teeth 243 of the gear'240 to effect the feeding forward of the stamp sheet the distance of a stamp so that a row of stamps may be severed when the blade 186 descends.

Extending from the gear 239 is the pin 245, and mounted to slide on the stud 246 of the frame 26 is the rod 247 the end-of which is adapted to intercept the pin 245, at each rotation of the gear 239, and to thereby be moved to effect the swinging of the lever 248 to which said rod 247 is pivoted, this lever 248 being pivotally mounted on the bracket 249 extending from the frame 24 and. being retracted by the spring- 250'secured to this lever and to the frame 26.

mounted to move in bearings of the frames 24 and 26 and its arms 251251 working in slots in the table 160 and having the spring resser-fingers 254.254 which frictionally engage the. surface of the stamp sheet near the feed rolls 167 and 168 and tend to assist its forward movement at each forward impulse of the fingers. which supplements the action of the rolls 167 and 168 is particularly valuable in the feeding forward of the last strip of stamps of the stamp sheet which, being narrow as compared with its length, is diflicult to feed forward to the stamp strip support.

Within the frame of the machine is the registering device 255 of any-usual construction adapted to be operated by the bell crank lever 256, Fig. 3; which lever is pivotally mounted on a stud of the frame 25 and has,

in its lower end, a slot 257 in which. works the pin 258 of the gear 259 suitably journaled on a stud of the frame 25 and driven,

from the gear 260 with which the shaft of the gear 236 is furnished, whereby at each This feeding device rotation of said shaft the lever 266 is swung to actuate the register and thus recordthe application of each stamp. By omitting water from the tank 50, or by removing said tank .envelOps may be fed through the machine without sealing while, a if said envelope pass beneaththe detector 92,

stamps may be-applied thereto. If it is desired to feed envelopsthrough the machine for sealing without stamping the gage 41 is so setthat the path of movement of theme envelops is at one side, in this particular machine at. the left, of'the detector 92, therefore this machine may be used for sealing or stamping envelops or similar objects, or it may be used as a combined sealing and stamping machine.

-Envelops to be sealed and stamped are placed in position on the table 39 being partially supported by .the inclined plate 30 and bearing against the edge of the flap-engag-

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