IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR GUMMING, EMBOSSING, FOLDING, COUNTING, AND OTHERWISE TREATING THE SAME, AND IN PART APPLICABLE IN THE TREATMENT OF NOTE AND OTHER WRITING PAPER
Year: 1859

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Clark at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th May
1859.
I, JOHN CLARK, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Wholesale Stationer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR GUMMING,
EMBOSSING, FOLDING, COUNTING, AND OTHERWISE TREATING THE SAME, AND IN PART
APPLICABLE IN THE TREATMENT OF NOTE AND OTHER WRITING PAPER," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
The portion of this Invention relating to envelopes aims at increased security
therein, and consists in providing them with a gummed surface not only on
the inside of the closing flap point, but also on the parts to which this flap
point is intended to adhere. On closing the envelope one of these gummed
surfaces is moistened, and instead of being applied to an ungumined paper
surface as hitherto, it is applied to a gummed surface, whereby its adherence
is rendered much more certain. In making envelopes to be gummed in this'
way it is preferred to first fold down the narrow or side flaps, the bottom flap
being next folded and gummed down thereon, and being shaped so as to leave
portions of the points of the side flaps uncovered, which points are the parts
to be gummed for the adherence of the point of the closing flap.
The nature of the improvements in envelope machinery or apparatus will,
for the most part, be best indicated in describing the processes to which the

page_text: envelopes are subjected. After the envelope blanks are cut into the requisite
shape, they are first gummed as required for closing them, and this gumming
is dried before they are folded and completed. This gumming is effected in a
machine in which the blanks are deposited in a pile. From this pile the
blanks are lifted one by one by means of a hollow screw, the under side of
the blade or thread of which is perforated. A partial vacuum being maintained
inside the screw, each blank is in turn lifted against the thread or blade by
atmospheric pressure, and on one blank reaching a determined elevation above
the pile by the rotation of the screw, it is moved horizontally by eccentrics or
reciprocators in such a way as to be caught between a pair of rollers, which
carry it forward; the motions of the parts are such as to cause the blanks to
follow each other, and to overlap to such an extent as to expose a determined
portion of the flap point. The gum is applied continuously by a narrow roller,
in contact with which the points of the closing flaps are made to pass.
If the
envelopes are to be of the improved kind herein-before described, additional
gumming rollers are provided for gumming the points of the narrow or side
flaps. The gummed blanks pass continuously onwards upon an endless
blanket contrived so as to deposit them in separate dozens, or other con-
venient parcels, upon frames to be arranged on shelves for drying. The
endless blanket moves continuously and at a uniform rate round a stationary
roller at or near the point where it receives the blanks, it passes thence
horizontally to a second roller which travels towards and from the gumming
apparatus, and it returns from this second roller to a third roller stationary
near the first roller; it also passes round a fourth roller which is moved in an
opposite sense to the second roller, so as to keep the blanket always stretched.
A frame is placed beneath the blanket, and when the second roller moves
inwards the blanks become deposited on the frame. Then on the frame
being filled, the second roller begins to move outwards, and the blanket
continues to receive the blanks, but keeps them up until the frame is shifted
laterally, or until an empty one has been substituted for that just filled. The
frame is, by preference, contrived so as to keep the blanks separate though
overlapping, and thereby economise space. When the blanks are dry they are
again placed in a pile in a second machine, from which pile they are fed in
succession by means of contrivances, such as have already been described,
between a pair of rollers which pass them (overlapping each other to a
determinate extent) in contact with a gumming roller, by which gum is
applied to the inside edges of the bottom flap to afterwards secure it down
upon the side or narrow flaps when folded upon them. The blanks are next
caught by rollers revolving at an increased speed, so as to separate them from

page_text: each other, and by these rollers such devices or lettering (including the
maker's name) as may be required are embossed upon them. They are
delivered from the embossing rollers upon a species of paddle wheel, each
blank being in succession received between a pair of plates as each pair of
plates is brought round by the rotation of the wheel. Immediately after
receiving a blank the plates, which are of the size of the folded envelope or
nearly so, close, so as to hold the blank firmly and steadily, a lip on one plate
partially folding the closing flap. The side or narrow flaps and the bottom
flap are folded over by the action of rollers, between which the blank is carried
by the rotation of the paddle wheel. The three flaps are finally closed by an
advancing movement of one of the plates, such plate in each case acting on the
envelope in advance of the one to which it was first applied. The envelope is
then drawn off the wheel and deposited in a pile. Counting mechanism is
connected with the paddle wheel to mark the completion of each parcel of (for
example) twenty-five envelopes, either by striking an alarum or by inserting a
thread or other mark between the envelopes.
Instead of the vacuum screw herein-before described for lifting the blanks
singly off the pile, a reciprocating instrument may be used, such instrument
being contrived to draw up the blanks by atmospheric pressure, as in the case
of the screw; other parts also of the apparatus are susceptible of modification;
but one important aim in the present improvements is to obtain continuous
action wherever it is possible. The term "gumming," herein-before used, is
intended to include the application of various adhesive matters.
Black edges may be applied to envelopes and writing papers by means of
apparatus similar to that berein-before described for gumming the envelopes.
Further improvements comprehended in this Invention relate to dies used
in embossing envelopes and writing paper, and to the application of colours
in connection with such embossing. In carrying out these improvements
common devices, such as garters and shields, are formed in the embossing die
by means of dies formed with such devices and letters or other superinposed
devices are formed on such garters, shields, or ground devices by separate
dies. The dies for letters are arranged upon a wheel, which is shifted round
to bring into position any letter that is required, and this letter is impressed
upon the embossing die by levers arranged for the purpose, provision being
made for shifting the embossing die as each fresh letter is brought to bear
upon it. Where the letters are wanted in curved lines, the contrivances for
shifting the embossing die are modified accordingly. When letters in relief
are to be coloured, the ground being left uncoloured or being coloured
differently, the letters sunk in the embossing die are made of the exact shapes

page_text: . of any easily obtainable types, such as are used by letter-press printers, and a
stamp is formed of such types wherewith to print the paper prior to the letters
being thrown up by the embossing action.
When colour printings are combined with die embossing in such a way that
. two or more impressions are required upon the same part of the envelope or
. paper, the blanks are passed by mean of rollers moving intermittently from
. one die or stamp to the other. All the dies or stamps are actuated between
each forward movement, and operate upon separate blanks each at a different
stage, so that a completed blank is delivered at each movement when the
machine is once in full operation.