The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-02-29
How Envelopes Are Made.

Springfield has six firms engaged in the
manufacture of either envelopes or pap
eterie, o. both these produ, Is. The proc
ess OF manufacturing envelopes is APP
parently simple, although IN reality
complicated. True there are only three
distinct operations to be gone through
with-the cutting. cumming and fold
ing, but the blending of the last two
operations into one makes necessary
the use of complex machine. There
is nothing remarkable in the first , art
of the operation. The paper as it comes
from the factories is cut in squares or
diagonals measuring thirty by forty
inches, special diagonal shapes being
chosen for particular cutting dies. IN
order to save waste which would follow
from the sheet not being especially
adapted to the die. Each sheet will
average thirteen envelopes. which are
cut out by dies OF innumerable sizes
and shapes. but all verging on the d;a-
mond, five hundred sheets being placed
on the press at a time. In spite of al
precautions there is waste of two
pounds in every forty, and some idea
of the extent of the business may b.
gained from the fact that out of this
waste fifty tons are sent away every
year. The folding and cumming ma
chimes are now brought into use, and
no more fascinating occupationscan be
found for awhile than to watch their
lightn!ng-lke motion as they turn out
finished envelopes at the rate Of seventy
five minute. There. are sixty-six OF
these machines in operation, eacl of
which requires no other attendant than
a girl who receives the envelopes as
they are forced out, binds them, and
packs them into boxes. Six of the ma
chimes are used entirely for papeterie,
five for cumming, TO ding and printing
at the same time, and the rest for plain
commercial envelopes. The process S
an interesting one, the machines being
self-feeding, taking the paper direct
from the cutters, and turning the COM
pleted envelopes to the packers in lots
counted out to suit.
Abouta gross are laid in a receiving
box near the top of the machine. and
above this hangs picker" the edges
of which conform to the edges of the
envelope. This works up and down
like fash. receiving mucilage on its
edges from little rollers that fly back
and forth between couple of reservoirs
filled with gum-arabic Pouncing on
the Top sheet, the picker catches it
up, cumming it with the same move
ment- Long fingers dart in, seize the
captive, and hurry it back n couple of
feet to the '.plunser.' a couple of
'.separators' having shot in beneath
the sheet to keep the rest in place, all
being done so quickly that the top sheet
of those remaining seems to have been
the one touched by the picker" The
''plunger," an iron cube, the lower
surface of which is the size and shape OF
the intended envelope, FORKS up and
down like piston, punching the sheet
down through a square Orifce that
gives the correct shape. An in
Simultaneous folding and pressing opera
ton is performed by some unseen APP
paratus. and, almost before one has
fairly realized that the sheet has been
snatched up by the picker" it comes
out of the machine 3 complete srelope.
and. passing along chan with hun
dreds of others in order to dry, takes a
eircultous route back under the ma
chine, where it drops into the hands of
the folder and packer. as mentioned be-
Tore The machines which gum, fold
and print, work of only twenty-five
thousand day, or forty-one q minute,
the sheet having to receive an impress
sion from the types Just before it reaches |
the ''plunger. s-6prfhqtetd (Aass.) |
Republican.