Patent GB-190221234-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Machines for Embossing or Stamping Envelopes, Labels, Cards and the like, and for Sealing and Stacking Envelopes.
Inventor: PITNEY ARTHUR HILL
Filed: 1902-09-30
Granted: 1902-11-20
Abstract: 21,234. Pitney, A. H. Sept. 30. Numbering-apparatus; feeding sheets and envelopes; damping envelopes.-Relates to machinery for printing or impressing postage stamps on envelopes, labels, cards, and the like, and for sealing or closing and stacking ervelopes. Receiving and delivery platforms 14, 20, Fig. 1, and a sealed or locked casing 12, enclosing a continuation platform 22 and provided with vertical inlet and outlet slots 24, 26, are supported by standards on a hollow bedplate 1, Fig. 3. Mechanism not to be tampered with is enclosed in the casing 12, and all the driving-gearing in the bed-plate 1. The envelopes &c. are placed in a trough 14, Fig. 1, formed by walls 27, 28, 29 on the platform 14, and are pressed forwards by a spring- actuated finger 59. The working parts comprise feed-rollers 37, 38, .... 44, a separator roll 49, a roller 50, Figs. 1 and 19, mounted in an adjustable liquid receptacle 51 provided with guide-plates 52, 53, 54, a printing- roller 35, a platen roller 36, feed-rollers 45, 47, a stacker 48, and a movable plate 34 secured to a frame 273 sliding on rods 274. Envelope flaps are passed over the moistened roll 50 and turned down by the guide-plates, and the sealing is then completed by the rollers 41, 42. Some of the rollers, here the rollers 36, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 49, are mounted in swinging bearings. The rollers 39, 40 are loosely mounted and provided with ratchet- and-pawl connections. The printing-roller 35 consists of a cylindrical member 66, Figs. 3 and 7, comprising flanges 68, 69 and a connected shell 70 mounted on a shaft 71. The shaft 71 is seated in an aperture 76 in a clutch flange 75 operated from a shaft 77. A drum part 81 of the flange 69 carries a pair of connected pivoted cams 82, which are held in contact with a rim 80 of the clutch flange by springs 84. Each cam has a downwardly-projecting pin 85, and one cam has a pin 88 engaging a slot in the member 66. Numbering-wheels are mounted within the member 66 on an axis at right-angles to the shaft 71 and operated by a reciprocating lever 97 as usual. A roller on the lever 97 engages an adjustable cam 101 on the shaft 71. The two wheels which print the highest figures are each provided with ten spaced stop-holes, nine of which are filled with flush headed screws, and the tenth left free to receive a locking-pin 107. Separating- washers are secured between the wheels, and a terminal washer is adapted to be advanced onetenth of a revolution. The pin 107 is screwed into a swivel 122 on a lever 123, a pin 125 of which is adapted to engage a shoulder of a lever 127, which is normally urged by a spring towards the pin 88 to release the cams 82. The printing- roller is controlled by an arm 182, Fig. 6, and a connected arm 188, one or other of which engages the pin 88 and releases the cams 82, the arm 182 being controlled by a finger 196 disposed in the pith of the envelopes &c. The connecting-link 203 of the finger 196 has a bevelled shoulder 211, adapted to engage an adjustable stop 212 and to trip the link to disengage the finger from the arm 182. A spring-pressed locking-pin 131, Fig. 7, is adapted to engage a recess in the shaft 71, and a detent on the pin is engaged by an arm of the lever 127. A type-wheel 140, Figs. 7 and 9, is mounted above the numbering-wheels, and has three printing-surfaces 141, 141<1>,141<11>. The shaft 144 extends above the flange 68, and carries a triangular member 145, a pinion 146, and a disc 147, Fig. 3, provided with three pins. An arm 151, Fig. 9, pivoted to the flange 68 is held in engagement with the member 145 by a spring 153. The pinion 146 meshes with gear loosely mounted on the shaft 71, and the same gear also meshes with a pinion on a shaft 166, Fig. 3, which is aligned with a shaft 168 journalled in a dial plate 167 provided with three notches corresponding to the type-wheel surfaces. The shafts 166, 168 are provided with clutch members 169, 170 normally held out of gear. The shaft 168 is also provided with a pin adapted to fit the dial-plate notches, and carries a milled head 174 and pointer 175. A fountain inking-roller 220, Fig. 6, is mounted in a swinging arm 222, and is normally urged towards the printing-roller by an adjustable spring 225. Four registers or counters 281, Fig. 1, are enclosed in a casing 277 within the casing 12, and are operated by gearing 278 and register stars located to engage the pins on the disc 147, Fig. 3. A shuttle for carrying paper sheets or stickers is shown in Fig. 20, and is formed of card or stiff material having an inlaid layer of rubber &c. 322 and provided with metal retaining-flanges 323 and a spring clip 325.