Liquid applicator to activate adhesive

A liquid applicator with reservoir within a housing with a slot through which the material, or in this embodiment, the envelope flap, is drawn to activate the previously applied adhesive thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of Invention 
The present Invention relates to moistening and sealing envelopes. More 
specifically, the present invention relates to a liquid applicator for 
activating the adhesive on envelope flaps. 
2. Prior Art 
Millions of envelopes in a variety of sizes and shapes are moistened and 
sealed on a weekly basis in the payment of and mailing of bills, sending 
of notices and greetings, and the mailing of letters by homes, offices and 
institutions. Such moistening ranges from the use of the tongue to highly 
sophisticated computer controlled spray methods used for the high speed 
machines. The very uncertain taste of the envelope flap adhesive and the 
very real possibility of getting a painful cut on the tongue lead to 
considering a simple and convenient alternate. 
U.S. Design Pat. #247,231 is an approach that provides a moistening surface 
but one that is subject to rapid evaporation. 
U.S. Design Pat. #4,428,794 provides for a moistening method as an integral 
part of a sealing machine with a multiplicity of parts including moving 
parts. 
U.S. Pat. No. #5,007,371 provides for electronic controls of a spray 
moistening system within a highly automated piece of machinery. 
No device is known that combines the features of a manually fed moistening 
surface with an attractive enclosure which minimizes evaporation from the 
moistening surface, provides positive contact between the adhesive and 
moistening surfaces and minimizes any spillage from the liquid reservoir. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The principal object of the present invention is to provide the user with a 
safe and convenient alternate to the use of the tongue for moistening 
envelope flaps. 
It also is an object of the present invention to provide a device with an 
adequate liquid reservoir and a moisturizing surface with minimum 
evaporation and wear. 
It is also an object of the present invention to be attractive and 
economical for the user and to use. 
A further object is to provide a convenient way to refill the reservoir and 
to minimize any spillage should the device be upset. 
The foregoing objects can be accomplished by the following: The moistening 
device consists of an applicator within a container. The lower half of the 
container provides a reservoir for the moistening agent and a support for 
the applicator. The top half seals firmly with the bottom half enclosing 
the container and includes a shaped area with limited opening through 
which the surface with adhesive is guided and comes in contact with the 
applicator. The limited opening minimizes loss of the moistening agent by 
evaporation or spillage. The applicator, one end of which resides in the 
moistening agent, carries the moistening agent by capillary action to the 
area of application. 
For example, if the item to be moistened is an envelope flap, the flap is 
drawn from one side to the other. The shaped and limited opening controls 
the application of the moistening agent to the adhesive coated surface. 
After removel, the flap is folded over and sealed with pressure. Any flap 
shape can be guided through the shaped opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
As shown in the drawings a preferred embodiment of the liquid applicator to 
activate adhesive in accordance with the present invention includes a 
shaped lower housing 1 that acts as a reservoir 6 for the moistening agent 
and provides a shaft 5 around which the applicator 3 is free to rotate in 
either direction and a shaped upper housing 2 which includes shaped areas 
12A, 12B so configured to allow movement of the envelope flap in either 
direction and ensuring contact between the applicator 3 and the adhesive 
on the flap within the slot 8. The shaft 5 for the applicator 3 is off 
center in the lower housing 1 to conform with the slot 8 and shaped areas 
12A, 12B through which the envelope flap is drawn. The applicator 3 is 
composed of such a material as to carry the moistening agent from the 
reservoir 6 to the limited width of application 13 on a continuing basis 
and may include a sleeve 4 with an inside diameter to loosely fit the 
shaft 5. The replaceable applicator 3 is allowed to rotate freely 
providing a fresh surface of moistening agent as the adhesive coated flap 
passes through. The shaped areas 12A, 12B beginning at 11A,11B guide the 
envelope flap up and into slot 8 where a limited width 13 of the 
applicator 3 comes in contact with the flap and applies the moistening 
agent to the adhesive. The shaped areas 12A, 12B are wider and lower at 
11A and 11B on either side to facilitate entering the envelope flap from 
either side narrowing down and rising to the restricted slot 8 that 
confines the flap where it lightly compresses the applicator 3 and is held 
in contact with the rotating applicator 3 as is passes through. The 
nominal slot 8 and minimum openings, 7, 9 around the applicator 3 minimize 
evaporation of the moistening agent and prevent contact between the user 
and the applicator 3, as well as minimizing spillage should the device be 
upset. A bayonet type fastening, or similar known technique, would be used 
to assure the proper orientation between the upper housing 2 and lower 
housing 1 as required by the off-center location of the applicator 3. 
Except for the capillary applicator 3 carrying the moistening agent from 
the reservoir 6 to the area of application 13, the material of choice for 
making the invention is likely to be some form of moldable material. 
The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has 
been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not 
intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form 
disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the 
above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited 
not by this 
detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.