Patent GB-625469-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for sealing and opening envelopes
IPC: B43M7/00
Filed: 1947-02-04
Abstract: 625,469. Opening envelopes. COLEMAN, A. M., and BATER, C. C. Feb. 4, 1947, No. 3340. [Class 31 (i)] [Also in Group XVII] In a machine for sealing and opening envelopes comprising means for feeding the envelopes in succession along a guide, means for sealing, and means for opening the envelopes as they pass therealong, the sealing means includes a disc across one face of which the envelopes pass, having moistening means on its other face, and a selector device to render the opening means operative or inoperative and acting also on a deflector member which when the opening means is in the operative position, presents envelopes to the disc so that the flaps thereof pass on the same side of the disc as the body of the envelope, and when the opening means is in the inoperative position presents envelopes to the disc so that the flaps pass across the side of the disc bearing the moistening means. In the construction described, a base-plate 10 carries a pair of spaced vertical frame-plates 11, 12 (12 only, visible in Fig. 2), and a third plate 52, parallel, spaced from, and of less height and length than the plates 11, 12. A platform 16 carrying a stack of envelopes 29 to be sealed or opened is supported by two spaced-pairs of links 17, 18, each pivotally connected at 19. The links 17 of each pair are pivotally connected at 20 with the base 10 and bear by rollers 22 on the platform 16. The links 18 are pivoted at 21 to the platform 16 and carry rollers 23 which bear on the base 10. The platform 16.is raised during operation of the machine by a screw 24 which is rotated by gearing (not shown) connected with the main (manual) drive spindle 49 and co-operates with a half-nut 25 carried by a lever 26 pivotally connected with the platform 16. The halfnut is urged into engagement with the screw 24 by the action of a spring (not shown) connected between the lever 26 and the platform 16, but by deflection of the lever 26 the halfnut 25 and screw may be disengaged in order to enable the platform height to be adjusted. Each envelope is fed successively from the top of the pile 29 by a roller 35 driven by a spindle having an obliquely-mounted bearing in the plate 12 and connected by gearing with the spindle 49. The envelope is then engaged between a pair of laterally-spaced knurled rollers 53, 54 (54 only shown in Fig. 2), supporting its lower surface, and a pair of laterallyspaced rollers 56. The rollers 56 are mounted so as to be laterally spring-urged apart on an axle which is carried by an L-shaped arm 58, one limb of which is pivotally mounted in the plates 11, 12 and is connected with them by a torsion spring (not shown) which urges the rollers 56 downwardly against the rollers 53, 54. A horizontal guide plate 67 leads to a horizontal disc 64 which has a fine bevelled edge 119. An absorbent felt ring 120 is mounted concentrically in the lower face of the disc and is in engagement with a frusto-conical wheel 125 mounted in a water reservoir 121 mounted on the outer side of the plate 52. The reservoir 121 is of semi-circular shape in plan and has a filling spout 127. A downwardly spring-urged feed roller 69 is carried by a spindle mountedin the plates 11, 12 and driven by gearing (not shown) from the spindle 49. The envelope finally passes through a pair of sealing rollers 83, 84. The roller 84 is mounted on the frame plates 11, 12 and is driven from the spindle 49 in a similar fashion to the roller 69. The roller 83 is mounted on a spindle, each end of which is carried by arms 92 each of which is pivotally connected with the frame member 11 at its other end and is independently downwardly spring-urged. The spindle 49 carries a sharp-edged circular disc (not shown) between the inner face of the roller 53 and the outer face of the frame plate 12. The axial position of the disc is adjustable by a screw 51 which is rotatably mounted in the frame plate 52 and so as to displace axially the shaft 49 against the resistance of a coiled spring (not shown). A second sharp-edged disc 101, disposed within a circular recess 100 in the frame plate 12, is carried by a spindle 102, Fig. 5, which is slidably mounted in bearings in the frame member 11 and in a member 104 carried by, and spaced from, the frame member 12. A spring 107 acts between the frame member 11 and a stop 106 on the shaft 102. A wedge-shaped cam member 109 lies between the stop 106 and a face of the bearing member 104, and is displaceable by means of a manual selector lever 113, thereby to project the disc 101 into, or retract it from, operative relation with the sharp-edged disc on the spindle 49. Also connected with the selector lever 113 is a deflector member having a lower portion 116 which curves around the adjacent periphery of the disc 64 and an upper portion 117 which extends parallel with the frame plates. The member 116, 117 is movable by the selector lever 113 from the position shown in Fig. 2, corresponding to sealing operation of the machine, to a position in which the portion 117 is flush with the upper surface of the disc 64. The portion 116 carries a fin 118 for guiding the leading corner of the envelope. Operation.-The envelopes are arranged in the pile 29 with their flaps downward and the flap hinge inward against the plate 12. The top envelope is forwardly fed when the platform 16 is sufficiently raised by the action of the screw 24 to press the envelope against the roller 35. The envelope is maintained against the side face of the plate 12 by the oblique disposition of the roller 35. In the case of an envelope to be sealed, the selector lever is pushed forwardly to retract the disc 101 into its recess 100 and to raise the deflector member 116, 117. The fine edge of the disc 64 passes between the flap and body of the envelope as the latter is pressed downwardly on to the disc by the deflector portion 116. The envelope flap is upwardly pressed into engagement with the felt pad 120 by a guide rail. The flap is finally sealed by pressure exerted between the roller 84 and the spring-pressed roller 83. When the envelopes are to be sealed the lever 113 is moved rearwardly so that the hinged edge of the envelope is cut between the sharpedged discs. The depth of cut may be adjusted by rotation of the screw 51. The deflector portion 117 deflects the envelope on to the upper surface of the disc 64 and it is delivered as before through the rollers 83, 84 into a convenient receptacle (not shown). According to the Provisional Specification the initial feed roller 35 may be adjustable axially upon its spindle and the reservoir roller 125 may be spring-urged into engagement with the felt ring 120. A catch may be provided to hold the roller in the disengaged position.