Patent GB-190814919-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Envelope Sealing and Stamp Affixing Machines.
Inventor: ROBBINS IRA
Filed: 1908-07-14
Granted: 1909-06-10
Abstract: 14,919. Robbins, I. July 14. Damping envelopes.-Relates to a machine for damping and closing envelopes and affixing stamps thereto. The envelopes are placed in a pile with their flaps downwards on the flanges 31, Fig. 11, of tables 20, which can be adjusted to take envelopes of various sizes. The envelopes are fed forwards to feeding-rollers 56, 57 by fingers 30, which come between the flap and body of the lower envelope and lower it below an adjustable spring-pressed pawl 72, which permits only one envelope to be fed forwards at a time. The fingers 30 are connected to weighted levers 26, which are pivoted in a plate 19 and of which the lower ends form a cam face 24. A part of the table 20 is formed into a guide 21, on which the plate 19 is reciprocated by means of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5, and as a part of the guide 21 is formed into a cam face 23, the fingers 30 are moved vertically as well as longitudinally when the plate moves. From the rollers 56, 57 the envelope passes to feeding-rollers 61, 62, which deliver it to guides 89 mounted on a shaft 85, which is oscillated by means of a cam 81, Fig. 5, so that the envelope is tipped on to a guide-plate 91, and rests on hooks 99 formed on a pivoted arm 98. A spring-controlled plate 150 is now fed forwards to the position shown in Fig. 13 by a cam-actuated arm 154, which engages a pin 148 connected to it. The arm 98 is now moved to the right by a cam 102, and the envelope falls between the moistening-rollers 92, 93. During its fall, the plate 150 being in the way of the flap turns it back as shown in Fig. 14 so that the envelope is now open. The moistening-rollers are flanged, and to the roller 92 is fixed a suitably-shaped plate 124, which receives moisture from a pad of absorbent material 134 in a water container 133 the position of which is adjusted by rotating a shaft on which is a cam 137. The container is supported by pivoted bars 128 from which depend lugs 141 engaging the cam 137. The plate 124 co-operates with a suitably-shaped pad 125 fixed to the roller 93. During its passage between the rollers, the envelope flap is moistened, and the envelope then passes over a guide 131 to a position between an arm 184 and a plate 178 as shown in Fig. 15. The plate 178 is connected to a shaft 169, and in its flanges 179 is journaled a shaft 180 bearing a block 185 and a (am member 186. Adjustably mounted on the shaft 180 is an arm 189 having pivoted at one end a member 192, aid provided at its other end with cam faces 201, 202. The shaft 169 is rocked by a roller 166, Fig. 5, which is mounted in one end of an elbow-lever 161, the other end of which carries a roller 162 coacting with a cam. As the plate 178 is moved, the arm 189 is alsomoved relatively to it by means of the cam 186, so that the member 192 turns down the flap of the envelope as it is forced to the sealing rollers 210, 211 by the arm 198. The envelope is then fed by rollers 219, 220, Fig. 9, to below a liquidcontainer 248, and is raised by a reciprocating arm 257 while it is moistened by a wick 254<x>. The liquid-container 248 is adjustably mounted on a pivoted bar 235, which is rocked at the required time by means of a cam-operated lever 227, to which it is connected by a link 232. The envelope is then moved forwards to the table 310 by a serrated arm 321, which is operated by a cam 311, Fig. 3, through a cam member 313 and rod 314. The stamps are fed into the machine from the roller 323 by rollers 278, 287, which rotate intermittently so as to feed the stamps forward one at a time. The feed-rollers are connected by gearing to a toothed wheel 276 carried by a shaft 266. Fixed to the shaft 266 is a collar, which is connected by ratchet mechanism to a pinion 265, Fig. 5, which is driven from a gear-wheel 260 by a crank 261 and rack 263. The stamps are severed by a knife 304, to which is also adjustably connected a pressing-piece 308. The knife 304 is pivoted on a rod 299, to which is secured a block having a depending arm which engages a cam 302 adjustably mounted on the shaft 266. While a stamp is being severed, movement of the stamp next to it is prevented by a spring 296. The envelope is thrown out of the machine by an arm 332 connected to a shaft, which is rocked by a cam. One of each pair of feed-rollers is mounted in spring bearings so as to allow the passage of envelopes of varying thicknesses.