Patent GB-998139-A (GB)
Title: Envelope attaching machine
IPC: B31B27/00
Filed: 1962-02-27
Abstract: 998,139. Feeding sheets &c., continuous series of envelopes. CONVERTERS Inc. Feb. 27, 1962 [March 3, 1961], No. 7572/62. Headings B6A and B6B. [Also in Division B8] Sheet separators: pile tables.-An envelope attaching machine, in Figs. 2 and 3, for securing envelopes 4, Fig. 10, having side tabs 6, in sequential and aligned order upon a web 2, to form a composite web and envelope product 1, comprises a magazine 10, Fig. 2, having adjustable corner angle pieces 15 to deal with varying sizes of envelopes, the magazine being designed to hold the envelopes in stacked relationship and provide a bottom opening through which the envelopes may be removed singly by a feed drum 24, having diametricallyopposed section ports 28, 28<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 5, which successively connect with an arcuate groove 34 mounted in a valve member 30 mounted coaxially on the shaft 25 and anchored against rotation thereon. The periphery of the drum 24 is provided with a pair of circumferential grooves 26 to receive a pair of fingers 46 of a throat plate 45 upon which the envelopes are advanced by the drum towards a conveyer, by a drive roller 47 and a pair of rubber-surfaced holddown wheels 48. Sheet forwarders: pusher feeds for single sheets.-The conveyer comprises a pair of endless chains 55, Figs. 1 and 2, running over sprockets 50, 56 and carrying a plurality of pivotally mounted, vertically spring - urged pusher fingers 60 for engaging the trailing edges of the envelopes to align them transversely to the path of motion The envelopes are advanced in a guideway comprising a pair of guide strips 67 adjustably mounted on a transverse screw shaft 69, having opposite threads, so as to maintain the envelopes in lateral alignment. Sheet smoothers.-A pair of hold-down strips 66, Fig. 1, and a plurality of light springs 63, Fig. 2, mounted on a top bar 64 exert a light holding down force to enable adjusting movement of the envelopes to take place. Sheet registering devices: turning back the flaps of envelopes.-As the pusher fingers 60 approach the sprockets 56, Fig. 2, the leading portions of the envelopes are received between drive rollers 70 and hold-down wheels 71, the timing of the drive being such that the envelopes are brought into edge-abutting relationship and as they approach the drive roller 75 and hold-down wheels 76. Each envelope passes over an air jet emitted from a perforated tube 78 to partially open the closure flap 5 (Fig. 10), which subsequently engages a shaped plate 79, which assists in opening of the flip to the extended position, in which it underlies the body of the succeeding envelope. Gumming and pasting.-Located transversely between drive rollers 75 and 80 are a pair of adjustably mounted liquid adhesive spraying nozzles 83, Fig. 2, applying an adhesive coating, such as a thermosetting polyvinyl acetate emulsion to the side tabs 6. The aligned envelopes are now applied to web 2 passing around roller 85 from the supply roll 12 via guide rollers 88, 89, 90 and speed-regulating roller 91. The composite web and envelope product is advanced along a plate 92, beneath heat and pressure sealing assemblies 95, Figs. 1 and 3, to a perforator 107. Cutting and perforating.-The perforator 107 includes a bottom roller 108 and a pair of axially adjustable perforating wheels 109, having punches 110, about the periphery thereof, which engage the marginal edges of the web to form the regularly spaced perforations 3. A pair of adjustable trimming or cutting wheels may be provided for trimming of the web if it is too wide or slitting of the web if the web is formed with more than one row of envelopes. A folder unit 120, Fig. 3, is provided in which folding occurs at regular intervals with two or more envelopes located between the folds. Continuous series envelopes.-The method of forming the composite envelope and web product 1, Fig. 10, comprises the steps of feeding a succession of envelopes 4 of the type having a folded closure flap 5 and detachable end tabs 6 so as to form a moving line of such envelopes orientated transversely of the path of movement in edge-abutting relationship, unfolding the closure flap 5 of each envelope to overlap the succeeding envelope, applying a liquid adhesive to the end tabs 6, feeding a web 2 to underlie the envelopes and adhering the envelopes thereto.