USRE6540E - Improvement in envelope-machines - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheetsf-Sheet 3.

l, BALL. Envelope-Machine'.

y Heissued .Iuvly I3, 1875..

- xm/K UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' JAMES BALL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSGNOR T O SAMUEL t RAYNOR St OO., y

IMPROVEMENT IN ENVELOP-E-MACHINES.

Spccllcat-ion-forming part of Letters Patent No. 78,353, dated Malyr 26, 1863; rei'sssue No. 6,540, dated u y v J uly 13, 187.5 ,.application tiled May 4, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, JAMES BALL, of Brooklyn, in the county ot' Kings and State of lNew York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in En\'elope-l\laelli,nes, of which into 'the' folding mechanism.

Y rlhe invention consists, tirst,in a revolving gummer, provided with a suitable projection, and moving at a different speed from the table which supports the -pile of blanks, Yin combination w' li this table, which has a reciprocating.

motion in such a manner that the guinmer, in passing over, will spread the gum evenly on `the sealing-hap; second, in combining with the gummer a` mechanism for imparting to said gummer a compound rising and falling and revolving motion, in such a manner that the same is depressed on the pile' ot blanks and caused to -revolve thereon for the purpose ot' applying the, gum, and then raised clear of the pile of blanks and brought in contact with theguniming-rollers, wlienit is again revolved for the purpose of takingu p the requisite supp15T of gum; third, iu a cam-stop and weight or spring,iu combination with a shaft of the revolving glimmer, in such a manner that by they combined action, of the cam-stop and weight or spring the pinions on the shaft of the revolving gummer are always held in the required position to drop in gear with the appropriate pinions or racks; fourth,in the combination ot' an automatic self-adjusting clamp with the pile of blanks, so as 'to retain said pile iirmlT in positionw while the gum is applied to any portion of the iirst or top blank inthe pile, and to release the same and permit the top blank being carried oli byy the' pickers at A the proper intervals 5 fifth, in combining with the platform which supports the pile of blanks a mechanism for imparting to said platform a motion under the gummer and picker, so

that the pile of blanks is alternately brought under 'the gummer, which applies gum to the seal-flap, and then under the picker, which applies gum to the lower Hap and raises Ythe blank up to be carried oft' by the conveyor; sixt-h, in the combina-tion of an automatic stop-motion with the gunnner and the picker,

and with the blank-supporting platform, so as to retain said picker and gummerin such a posi- 'tion that they do not interfere with the operation of putting in new Work; seventh,'in the combination with the creasing-box of distinct strips, which catch over the edges of said creasing-box, so that the same can be set to correspond to any variation or defect in the knife or in the blanks fedto the foldingV mechanism; cightlnin the combination ofdetachable heels with theiolding-wings and with the folding-table, said 'heels being provided with one or more set-screws, so that the-wings can rest levelon the folding-table, and thereby press the gum on the lower flaps uniformly over their entire surfaces,` while the thickness of the edges of the envelopes can be adjusted to suit the demand of the trade;

ninth, in the combination, with an envelope-Y folding mechanism, of spiral carriers or wormscrews, for the purpose-of carrying the en velopes along and .retaining them tree from pressure until theA gum on the seal-ilaps has had time to dri; tenth, in the combination of two or more sets of spiral carriersor Wormscr'ews running in opposite directions, so that the ei'ivelopes are delivered from one set of carriers to the other, and that the sam-e are retained by said carriers a soilieient length of time to allow the gum on the seal-tiap to dry; clevcnth,`in combining with the rcceivin g ends oft-he spiral carriers threads of an increased pitch, to facilitate the entrance of the envelopes; twelfth, in the combination, with thel envelope-carrying devicepof a separator, acting at suitable interv-alsjon the envelopes, while the same are supported by the carrying device, for the purpose of preventing the seal-flap of one envelope from adhering to the body of the next succeeding envelope, or

to any part of the mechanism; thirteenth,in` the combination ot' a reciprocating;r conveyor with two or more sets of envelcpecarriers t'or the purpose ot' transferring lthe envelopes from one set ot' 'carriers to the other; fourteenth, -iu the combination cfa 'translmrent ,panelV with the receiving-table of an envelope- !olding machine and with envelope-carriers, vso that the operatoris enabled to watch vsaid 'carriers-and the mechanism connected :with

them, rand to correct any irregularities 0c@ cui-ring in the motion ot the envelopes through said carriers bel'ore any in jur f is produced. y

In thedrawing, the letter A designates' the frame ot' my machine, which is iliade ot' castirou or any other suitable material, and which supports the fixed bed B and' then-lovable table U. 'On this movable table rests a platform,

D, being` hinged to the table bya pivot, a,

Fig.2, which passes through one end ot' the same, and being provided with a thumb-piece or lip, b, connected to its other end, so that by pulling the thumb-piece, said platform canbe turned vin or out. This hinged platform isintended to receive and support the pile of blanks,which are heldin the proper position by studs c risingfrom the platform, and which are introduced when the platform is turned out. When the plattori'n is turned in, and occupies its working position', the blanks could not be introduced except at much loss ottime.

When the platform 'is turned in, it is locked' by the latch d1, which is pivoted to the front edge of the movable table, and which also forms the main element ot' thc stop motion, as will-be presently explained. y

The table C is fitted in suit-able ways in the -frame A, and reciprocating mot-ion is imparted toit by means of a cam, d, Fig. 1, which is mounted on the driving-shaft e,y and acts on anV arm, f, that extends from a rock-shaft, g, whichhas its bearings in the rear part ofthe frame A. This rock-shaft connects by two arms, h/and rods i, .with vthe table, assliown in Figs.=1 and 3.

Above the, table C risesafplate, E,'wliich lrests on suitable standards rising vfrom the frame A, and th'islnlatel forms the support for two gum-boxes, F l1", (best seen in Figs. 1 and i3.) AEach of these gum-boxes is provided with a roller, j or j', to which a continuous revoiring motion is imparted by belts la 'k1 from the drivingshaft e. Close to the roller j, in th'e gum-box' F, is a secondary roller, l, which turns freely in its bearings, and receives a revolving inotionby frictonal con'taetwith the roller j, so that the gum taken up by thislastnamed roller istransferred to the revolving gummer G, which is mounted on the shaft m.

This shafty has its .bearings in slides n, to

which a rising and falling motion vis imparted byl the combined action ofsprings ol and farms o, which. extend from a rock-shaft, p, which derives its motion from a cam, q, on the driving-shaft. 1 Y 4 On iheshaft4 m are mounted twopinions, r

recede, until the llez' olmo rl and a nille s on which winds a cord' t, 1 .la 1 r carrying' a weight, tl, for which a spring may be substituted, it' desired, and 'l"ro1u.tl1el iul v-rheii' the shaftm is permitted to follow the action? of which extends a tappct, a,- Fign.

ot the weight t, the tappet u is brought up against astinnul,v projectin from one ot' the 'l slides u, and by these means the pinions 'r-rl archeld in ,suchV a position that, when the` slides u rise the pinion -r will en gagejcorrectly '-witha pinion, o, and when the slidesdesceml. n

the pinion r1 will engage correctly with the toothed rack un 'v, that is secured to the plate E, and it gears into a'pinion, el, which is mounted on the ar. f

bor et' vthe gum-roller j, and revolves with the same, and when the pinion r drops in to gear with the pinion o, a partial revolving.

motion is v.imparted to the glimmer G, causing its surface tor'ollagainst the distributing gum-roller l, and thereby said-revolving gumlner is supplied with the requisite amount otl gum. Vhile the glimmer G; is thus revolved,

the'cord d is wound up on the pulleys s, and

as soon as the slides descend `far enough to throw the pinion fr out 4of gear with the pinion' c, the weight tl drops down, causing-the shattjf-J m to turn,l and throwing` the gummer Gin' the proper position to transmit itsgum to the tirst` blank on the platform l), and in order to bring said blanksunder the revolving glimmer,v the i table C, with the platform, moves out to 1tsex treme position. -As the revolvin gummer dcscends the pinion .r1 drops in gear with the 'v l" .toothed ack ze, which is tted into the table v C, and which'is supported bysprings, so that itcan yield to the pressure oi' vthe pinion, and p glimmer strikes the pilepot L blanks. n A L At the moment the table begins to move 1n` toward the foldn r mechanism the oumnier is' made to revolve on the first blank by the action othe toothed rack u' on the pinion 1'1, so as to transmit its gum to the seal-nap, and, the pinion r is so proportioned that the circum` ferential velocity ot' the glimmer is greater or less than the velocity ot' the reciprocating table, so thatawipng motion is produced,

whereby the transmission ot' surplus gum to the iiaps is prevented- After this object has been accomplished the slides -n rise,tlie pinion r1 disengages from the rack w, and the 'gu'nr mer is carried back t its original. position by the weight tk@ While'the revolving glimmer acts' ou the pile of blanks, saidy pile is subjected to the action ot' a clamp, ,.which is composed ofV two fingers, extending ffroi'n vertical rods, which slide'v up and down freely in sockets iu lthejtable U. lThe lower ends of these rods bear on bracket y, which extends from the slides n, and, as these slides rise, the clamp is1 raised clear of the pile of blanks, so as not to:

interfere with the action of vthe pickers H; but

when the slidesdeseend theclamp sinks down by its own gravity, and bears on the pile of The pinion lv is mounted" on a stud, 'which is fastened' in a bracket,`

S6540 j y :i

blanks, retaining thel same firmly in position while the revolving gummer takes effect.I

The pickers H are raised by means of an arm, z', which extends from the plunger-rod a2, and they descend by their own gravity until they strike the pile of blanks, the arm z4 being made to work in a slot, so thatA its motion is not limited by that of the pickers.l

When the pickershave arrived in their highest position, (which is the case while the re- -volving gummer transmits its gum to the sealilap,) the'distributing gum-roller 1.1 of the gumbox F. is 'moved out in such a manner that it rolls along under the pickers and transmits the requisite supply of gum to the picker-faces. To effect this motion, said distributing gumroller has its bearings in a carriage, b2, which moves between suitable guides on the top of the plate E, motion being imparted to it by rods c, which extend from said carriage toa rod, d2, secured to arms e2, which are mounted on a shaft, f2, to which a rocking motion is imparted, at the required intervals, by a cam on the driving-shaft. Aiter the pickers have been thus supplied with gum the roller ll recedes, the table C with the blanks moves in, and thepickers descend until vthey strikethe pile of blanks. By these means gum is transmitted to the lower iiap oi' the first blank, and when the pickers rise said-blank adheres to' them, and is raised from the pile to the proper position to be received bythe conveyerl. In order to prevent the pickers and the revolving gummer from descendingwhen the platform D is not in the proper working position, and lmrticularly to obtain time for introducing new work, I have applied an automatic stop-motion, which will now be described. NVhen the platform D is turned in to its Working position, it is locked by the latch di, as has been previously stated. This latch is attached to the outer end of the table G (Fig. 2')

`by a pivot, g2, and` it is operated by a button or thumb-piece, h2. When turned to its locking position it rests on a stop, 2, secured in the lip b, which is connected to the platform l), and serves .to move the same in or ont.`

'When the latch is reversed on its pivot, its tip strikes theend Vof the frame A, and its heel still projects over'the lip b, and prevents the platform D being movedl until the table C has reached the inner end of its stroke.Y At that point the tip of the latch d* drops into a notclnb, (Fig. 3,) in the frame, and the heel. ot' saidlatch releases the lip b, leaving the platform D free to be moved out from vunder the plate E. 1 At the same time a small plate, k2, (Figs. 2 and 3,.) ,which `is secured te the table U, has arrived under a stop, l, which projects from the inner surface of one. oi' the slides a, and by these mea-ns the slides are prevented from following' the action of their springs ol; 1 l

Simultaneously-with this action the inner edge of the table U bears on a spring-arm, m2, which extends from an arbor, n, on which is mounted n toe, o, audwhich is subjected t0 the action of a spring-p. This spring has a tendency to throivthe toe back, so that its point will cleara projection, q2, onl the inner surface of the rod to which the pickersare secured.. But ifthetable bears against thearm m2 the toe is thrown forward, so that it catches under the projectio'n'qi, andthe pickers are prevented from descending. vThe platform' D can now be turned out and new work putin without stopping the mainishaft of the machine, and, after thel platform h as been rev adjusted the latch d1 is turned back, 'and the operation ot' the machine progresses, as heretofore described.

The conveyers I are constructed like those of any common envelope-machine, and they carry the 4blank which they take -from the pickers under the creasing-plunger K. This plunger receivespits motion from al suitable cam on thedriving-shaft, and it forces the blank down through the upper creasing-box L, and delivers it on the folding-table M. This table is supported by a rod,` r2, which is pivoted to a" rocking arm, s2, and by said arm itv receives a rising and falling motion, causing it to pass up into 'the lower creasing-box N to theposition'which it occupies in Fig. l, and then down to dischargethe folded envelope, and as it descends it is tilted on the pivot which forms its connection with the rod r2, so that the iolded envelope will slide oli' on the chute t2.

On Athe edges of the lower creasiiig-bok` are the folding wings wf wz, and after the creasedl envelope has been delivered on the foldingtable, these wings turn in the prdper order to produce the operation of folding. Saidwings are mounted on oscillating spindles orarbors, to which the requiredjlnotion is imparted from the main shaft, and ltheir pressure is regulated by heels t?, which are"adjustable by one or more set-screws. n l l.

By this arrangement the folding-Wings can be made to rest level with the folding-table,

and thereby the lower iiaps are pressed down i evenly,while the edges of the envelopes are left unpressed, and envelopes of greater or less thickness can be producedl to suit the'demand of the trade..

The wing which acts on the seal-flap of the envelopes is operated like the other foldingwings by aora-amic, mounted on one end of its arbor, and, as said wing turns down, this crank strikes a stop, 1/3,which consists of a screw', so that it can be adjusted, and the said folding-wing is prevented from pressing the seal-flap close dowu'on the body ot' the envelope. By adjusting the stop yhthe distance to which the seal-ilap is can be adjusted. A (See Fig. 4.)

The sides of .the lower creasing-box N-are adjustable, so that said box can be slightly increased or decreased, to correspond to any irregularity in the l knives or to any defect in' the blanks. Y

rllhe chute t2 is perforated with two slots, to admit ngers u, which extend from the top pressed down carriers O.

end of a lever, t3, (Fig. 1,) that receives a vibrating motion by the combined action of a cam on the driving-shaft, andof a spring, w3. As the fin gers n3 come in contact with the envelope slidingdown over the-chute, they push the same into the first set of carriers 0.l This setconsists of one or more pairs of wormscrews, each pair containing one'right and one left hand screw., placed parallel to each other, and made to revolve in such a direction that they carry the envelopes delivered to them down.v The lupper end .of each carrier is pro- 'vided with a screw-thread, of increased pitch, so` that the envelopes on dropping down from vthe chute are caught and delivered to the threads of the carrier, and the spread of the carriersis sllch that. they complete one revolution while the folding mechanism completes one envelope.

to the spiral carriers are, therefore, separated The envelopes delivered by the intervening screw-threads, and they are 'carrieddown 'wit-hout being exposed to the slightest pressure, which might have a tendency to canse the seal-flaps to adhere to the bodies of the envelopes. It happens sometimes, however, that the seal-flap ot' one en velope bea-rs againstthe body of the next succeeding envelope, and adheres to it by small drfops of gum projecting over the edge of `said scalda-p, and I have, therefore, applied a separatorfff; which consists of an arm extending from an upright shaft, z2, to which a rocking motion is imparted by the combined action of aspring, a, and ofa cam, b3, which'is mounted on the upper end ofthe gudgeonof one of the y spiral carriers, (Fig. 1.) This operator sweeps through between the several envelopes, and separates the sea-l-aps if they should happen to adhere to the bodies of the succeeding envelopes, Fig. 5.

An'arm, c3, extending from the upper part v of'the shaft e2 assists in causing the envelopes to arrive 1n the proper posit-ion between the spiral carriers.

Ou reaching the bottom end ot' the carriers O the envelopes are discharged nponthe conveyer d, to which a reciprocat-- ing motion lis imparted by thev action'of the levert". By this conveyer one envelope after the other is delivered to the second set of spiral the. envelopes 'has dried, and the envelopes cani'b'e' put up in packages without delay. IFor this purpose a table, P, is attached to the end ofthe frame'A, at sllcll --a height that the ent'elopesg on ariivi-ng atl the top ends of the car'- riers Oean be readily counted oli", taken out,

placedon said table, and put up as desired. The table P is provided with a transparent pane, f3, (Figs. '.t and 3,) so -that the operator These carriers are constructed. *similarto'the carriers O, but they revolve in snella direct-ion that the envelopes delivered l@tothem'arecarried u p. Each ofthe carriers Ois provided with a screw-thread,-c3, of increased pitch' at its bottom end, so that the same are enabled to receive-the envelopes from the conveyer d3 without failure. 0n. reaching -the top ends ofthe carriers 0.', the gum on v'is enabled to watch the action'of the carriers,

and to see that nodisorder takes place as the envelopes pass through said carriers. By these means an envelope-machine is obtained,

which gums the seal-flaps as well as the lolver end ila-ps, alld which completes the envelopes, so that the operator has nothing to do but to keep the requisite supply of blanksin the machine, and to take the finished envelopes ollt. What I claim as new, and desire to. secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of a revolving gum mer having a suitable projection, with a recipro* A eating table supporting the pile of blanks, said gummer movingl at a different speed from the table, substantially as described, so that the glimmer vin revolving.;` against the llrst blank in the pilcwill apply the gum evenly on the seal-ap of said blank.

Y. 2.111V combination with the glimmer of an envelope-machine, the mechanism, substantially as described, for imparting to said gum-` mer a' compound rising and falling and revolving motion, whereby' the same is depressed j ou the pileof blanks, and caused to revolve thereon, for .the purpose ot .applying the gum,

and then raised clear of the pile ot'blanks and revolved-in contact with the gnmming-rollcrs to receive a fresh supply of gum.

3. The combination of acam-stop and weight or spring with theshaft of the revolving guinincr, and with'the pinions mounted on -said shaft, substantially asl described, whereby said pinions are always retained in the proper posit-ion to drop in gear with the appropriate pinions or racks. A

' 4. T hecombination of the clamp a: and slide n with the vertical rods and bracket y, for operating on the pile ot blanks, substantially as described. 4 5. The combina-tion, with the blank-support ing platform', and with the glimmer and picker, of the mechanism, substantially as described,*

for imparting to said platform a motion under the gulnmer and picker, whereby the pile of blanks is alternately brought under the giunymer, which applies gum to the seal-flap, and

then under the picker, which applies gum to the lower. ap.

6. The combination of an automatic stopf motion, substantially as described, with the f.

glimmer, the picker, and the blank-supporting platform, whereby said glimmer and picker `are thrown out of operation when the vplat- -form is turned out to receive new work.

` 7. The combination, with the creasing-box, of distinct strips, which catch over the edges of said box, substantially as described, soth'at the same can be set to variations in the blanks.

8. The combination of detachable heels with the .folding-wings and with the 'folding-table, substantially as described, so that envelopes of more or less thickness can be made to suit the demand of the trade.

9. rllhe combination, with an envelope-folding mechanism, 'constructed substantially as described, of spiral carriers or worm-screws for carrying the envelopes until the gum on the seal-ap has dried.

10. The combination of two or more sets of s spiral carriers or Worm-screws running 1n opposite directions, substantially as and for the purpose set'forth. l

11. The combination of threads, having an increased pitch, with the receiving ends of the' spiral carriers, to facilitatel the entrance of the envelopes, substantially as described.

12. The combination, with a device for carrying the envelopes of a separator acting at suitable intervals on the envelopes, While the same are supported by the carrying device, substantially as and for the purpose described.

v 13. The combination of a reciprocating con-k veyer, substantially as described, with two or more sets of envelope-carriers, for transferring the envelopes from one carrier to the other.

14. The combination of a transparent panel with the receiving-table of an envelope-foldu ing machin e', and with the envelope-carriers, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claimv the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this- 15th day of April, 1875.

JAMES BALL. [L.,S.,]

Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E F. KASTENHUBER.

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