Patent GB-190605565-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Envelope Stampng and Sealing Machines or the like.
Inventor: LAKE HAROLD WILLIAMSON
Filed: 1906-03-07
Granted: 1907-03-07
Abstract: 5565. Lake, H. W., [Agnew Auto Mailing Machine Co.]. March 7. Damping envelopes; feeding sheets.-Relates to machines for closing or sealing and affixing stamps to envelopes &c., or applying stamps or labels to packages. The machine is constructed to affix the stamp prior to closing, and to operate on envelopes varying considerably in size, and is provided with feeler mechanisms controlling the stamping- mechanism from the envelope feed, and a stampsheet feed from a stamp-strip feed. The envelopes are fed forward in piles upon an endless belt 68, Figs. 3 and 4, to inclined spring fingers 108 and friction-separator rollers 112, 121, and are carried singly through the machine by rollers 48, 132. 138, 139, 49. The flap is opened and turned up at rightangles to the body by a piece 69, 69<1>, and enters between guides 70, 71. The face of the envelope is damped to receive the stamp by means of a pad 190 on a roller reservoir 189. The stamp feed comprises the sheet feed 231 and the strip feed 273 with corresponding cutters, and the stamp is brought into position by a plate 211 and applied by rollers 208, 209. The flap is damped, by vertical roller 74 supplied by a disk 73 from a reservoir 72, and is closed down by means of a blade 95 and the feed - rollers. In order to take extra wide envelopes, a gap is left at one side of the framing. In order to avoid a‹ flap of unusual size, the lower feed-rollers are movable laterally by means of a frame 44, 45, connexions 53. 56, 55, and a lever 57. In order to take envelopes of various thicknesses, the upper feed-rollers are mounted in spring- retained pivoted arms 97, Fig. 1. The separator rollers 112, 121 are both mounted in pivoted arms, the lower roller 121 being spring- supported. The belt rollers 64, 65. the rollers 112, 121, and the lower feedrollers are driven from a shaft 26. The disk 73 is on a shaft 75 driven from the shaft of one feed-roller. The roller 74 is driven by chain gearing 90, Fig. 1, from the shaft of another feed-roller ; a presser roller 82 bears against the roller 74. Motion is transmitted from a driven shaft 149, Figs. 1 and 3, through an intermediate shaft 136, to the shaft 26 by fast gear, and to gear 179 operating the stamp-feed mechanism by loose gear having a pawl-and-ratchet connexion 145, 137 controlled by a feeler 152, Fig. 4, in the path of the envelope. The feeler 152 is on a shaft 151 provided with an arm 154 for closing the circuit x, y of an electro-magnet M at contacts 157, 158. When an envelope is present, the electro-magnet M is energized and draws down a lever 169 normally holding the pawl 145 clear of the ratchet 137 ; a second lever 172 moved by the lever 169 is normally in the path of a stop 153 on 'the pawl plate. The gear 179 is on a shaft connected by chain gearing 181, Fig. 3, to a shaft 165, on which is a cam 166, Fig. 1, operating an arm 163 for breaking circuit. The damping-roller 189, Figs. 3 and 4, is driven from the shaft 165, through gear on a swinging arm ; the roller shaft is mounted in the swinging arm and in a yielding bearing 188. Rollers 192, 193 are mounted under and adjacent to the roller 189. The stamp-applying rollers 208, 209 are carried by a pivoted frame 204 lowered by means of a cam 168 on the shaft 165 and connexions 196, 195, 200. The stamp-receiving plate 211 is carried by arms 210 depressed with the frame 204. The plate 211.is shaped so that one edge of the stamp projects in position to be pressed down upon the envelope by the roller 209 ; as the edge adheres, the stamp advances with the envelope under the roller 209. A sheet of stamps is fed by a belt 231, Fig. 3, under guide disks 233 to strip cutters 253, 254, Fig. 9. The belt 231 is driven by chain gearing 238 from a shaft 234 driven by the gear 179 through a loose gear 236, clutch 243, and fast gear 237. The pivoted cutter member 253 is connected to a plate 250 actuated by a cam 248 on. the shaft 234. The member 253 is furnished near its free end with a guide-plate 256 for preventing curling of the stamp strip. A pivoted gauge-plate held in position by a spring presser 261 determines the position of the sheet relative to the cutters, and is swung clear in the downward movement of the member 253. The severed strip is fed forward on bands 273, driven through gearing 270 from a shaft 264, which is driven continuously from the loose gear 236. A feeler passing down between the bands 273 is provided on a piece 278 connected to a forked rod 280 vibrated by a cam 266 on the shaft 264 and controlling the clutch 243. Single stamps are cut from the strip by cutters 289, 290, the pivoted member 290 carrying a' presser and being operated from a cam 268 on the shaft 264. The severed stamp is fed forward to the plate 211 on a belt 310 driven from the shaft 264. A stamp gauge-plate and gate 311 swings to and from the belt 310 between limits determined by an arm 314 and stops 315, 316. The initial movement of the part 311 in either direction is effected by means of a finger 297 on the cutter 290 and lips 317 on the arm 314, the movements being completed by spring action.