A Machine for Automatically Moistening, Folding, and Sealing Envelopes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1898-Accepted, 14th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Machine for Automatically Moistening, Folding, and Sealing
Envelopes.
JOSIAH DUPAW, of 212, Fourth Street, N.E., in the City of Washington, Dis-
trict of Columbia, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
:-
Reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
-
Fig. 1, represents a perspective view of my machine mounted upon a table
in connection with a foot or treadle power driving mechanism.
Fig. 2, represents a sectional, longitudinal view thereof,
Fig. 3, represents an enlarged detail view of the folding arm.
My invention relates to improvements in machines for moistening, folding and
sealing envelopes, and one object of my invention is, the provision of a machine
which will moisten and seal envelopes in a rapid and perfect manner, and which
will readily accomodate any size or thickness of envelope. Another object of my
invention is the provision of a machine of the character and for the purpose
named, which will be extremely simple, durable and inexpensive to construct
and maintain, thus producing a practical and useful machine for the purpose
named. To attain the desired objects the invention consists of a machine for
expeditiously moistening, folding and sealing envelopes, embodying novel features
of construction and a combination of automatically working parts, substantially
as described herein.
In order that the construction of my machine may be fully understood and its
numerous advantages be fully appreciated, I invite attention to the accompanying
drawings.
Referring by numerals to the drawings:-
The numeral 1, designates the frame of my machine formed with the feed plat-
form 2, on which the envelopes are placed with supporting legs 3, and upright
journal bearing brackets 4, vertically slotted 5, to receive journals, the latter com-
pressed by spiral springs 21. The tops of the brackets 4, are tied together and
strengthened by cross bars or straps 6. Placed in the frame close to the feed plat-
form is a lower shaft 7, carrying a small double grooved pulley 8, and a larger
pulley 9, also grooved. In a lower position in the leg framing or base of the
machine table is hung a grooved driving pulley 11, which latter pulley is con-
nected to pulley 9, by a strap, belt or cord passing around them. This driving
pulley 11, can be operated by treadle 13, as shown in plan, or by power or hand,
and any motion imparted to it gives corresponding results to pulley 9, or the
driving pulley 11 may be dispensed with and the machine operates entirely by
applying the primary motion directly to the pulley 9, by means of crank 14 or any
other power that could be applied to pulley 11. Upon the shaft 7 is mounted at
proper distance apart two rollers 15, and 17, preferably of rubber, the lower side
of 15 dipping into a moistening trough 16, to operate on the gum edge of the
envelope. Over the centre line of the above shaft 7, is another shaft 18, carrying

page_text: rollers 15 and 17%, of any suitable material, roller 17 being a feed or carrier to
the envelope, 17, being a retaining or compressing roller to the envelope, thus
motion being imparted to 17, carries the envelope along. Between the rollers on
shaft 7, a space or gap 19, is left in order to allow roller 15 alone to dip into the
moistening trough, and retain roller 17, perfectly dry so as not to blot or deface
writing on the envelope which would otherwise occur. The gap 20 between
rollers 15 and 17 is optional, as the rollers may be in one continuous piece. The
shafts 7 and 18 operate or revolve in 5, of the first set of slotted brackets 4, and
upon the upper sides of the journals of shaft 18, rest spiral springs 21, as a yield-
ing convenience to admit of varying thicknesses of envelopes passing between rol-
lers 17 and 17, the pressure on these springs 21, being controlled by adjusting
It must be stated however that spiral springs 21, and adjusting
screws 22, may be dispensed with by making rollers 15 and 17*, of sufficient
weight to press the envelope heavily against the carrying or feed roller 17.
screws 22.
In the second pair of upright bearing brackets 4, is another pair of feed rollers,
and 23, of similar construction and size as 17 and 17, the roller 23 has a grooved
pulley 8, on its outer end which receives motion from pulley 8, by a belt strap
or cord 23 adjusting itself as 17* does for varying thickness of envelope.
In the third pair of uprights bearing brackets 4, is another pair of feed' and seal-
ing rollers 24 and 25, similarly constructed to the preceding rollers 17 and 17,
and 23 and 23. The roller 24 having a grooved pulley 27, also on its outer end
and likewise receiving motion from pulley 8, by the same means of the strap, belt
or cord 28. Thus pulley 8, being mounted on the same shaft as driving pulley 9,
the act of revolving the latter gives all three feed rollers 17, 23 and 25 the same
rate of motion.
Between the middle pair of rollers and the sealing rollers 24 and 25 is placed
an arm 29, constructed with a flanged crease or groove 30, led up to by curved
and inclined guiding or turning over faces 31, the combined operation of the arm
being the folding over and closing of the envelope flap just before it passes between
the sealing rollers. To avoid the possibility of any raising up of the envelope
during this folding operation a yielding strip 32 may be attached to the machine,
beneath which the envelope would pass.
The operation of my machine will be readily understood from the accompanying
drawings taken in connection with the foregoing description, and I may simply
state that, after the contents are inserted inside the envelope the flap is distended
and the envelope placed on the feed table (the gummed side of flap downwards),
the rollers being in motion seize the envelope passing the gummed flap over the
moistening roller, between the next pair of feed rollers and on to the folding arm
which turns back the flap into position before it reaches the sealing rollers, the
latter completing the operation and leaving the envelope in a proper state for trans-
mission. The machine thus wets the gummed surface, turns the flap over, closes
the envelope up in a secure manner, all in a most expeditous manner, and by the
simple adjustment of the arm 29 any width or size of envelope can be operated on.
The object of my machine is principally its compactness, simplicity, inexpensive-
ness, and efficiency in producing results which are practical in every respect, and
will fill a long felt want.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A machine for automatically moistening, folding, and sealing envelopes, con-
sisting of a frame, a set of feeding rollers, moistening devices, intermediate devices
for receiving the moistened envelope and closing the flap thereof and a set of
rollers for receiving the envelope from the closing devices and sealing and deliver-
ing the same substantially as described.
2. A machine for automatically moistening, folding and sealing envelopes,

page_text: consisting of a horizontal disposed frame, mechanism in one end of the frame for
moistening and feeding the envelopes in open condition, devices arranged inter-
mediate of the frame for closing the moistened flap of the envelope, devices in
the other end of the machine for sealing and delivering the envelope, the mechan-
ism for imparting motion to the feed rollers, moistening devices and sealing devices,
substantially as described.
3. A machine for automatically moistening, folding and sealing envelopes, con-
sisting of a frame having a feed table or platform, feed rollers mounted in the
frame contiguous to the said platform, a moistening roller adjacent to the feed
rollers, means for supplying moisture to the said roller, intermediate devices
secured to the frame for guiding the envelope and closing the moistened flap there-
of, sealing rollers which receive the envelope from said devices and mechanism
for operating the moisting roller, feed rollers and sealing rollers.
4. A machine for automatically moistening, folding, and sealing envelopes,
consisting of a frame having a horizontally disposed feeding platform, a pair of
feed rollers contiguous to said platform, a moistening roller for moistening the
flap of the envelope, intermediate guiding and closing devices and sealing rollers
for sealing the envelope after it leaves the guiding and closing devices, and mechan-
ism for driving the moistening, feeding and sealing rollers.
Dated 1
τ
TI
1000