IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING ENVELOPES, PARTLY ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING
ENVELOPES, PARTLY ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."-A communication
from abroad by Edwin Allen and John Turner, both of Norwich, in the
State of Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 28th December 1867, and dated the 9th August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th August 1866..
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANU-
FACTURING ENVELOPES, PARTLY ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relatés, firstly, to an improved arrangement of feeder for
supplying envelope blanks to envelope folding machines, and applicable also
for feeding paper generally to machines wherein it is intended to be mani-
pulated; secondly, to improved machinery for gumming, creasing, folding, and
discharging envelopes with rapidity and precision. .

page_text: The pile of stamped paper or blanks is placed upon a board or table carried
by a vertical rod that is capable of sliding in guides and receives an upward
motion by means of a rack pinion, ratchet wheel, and pawl, to maintain the
pile of blanks at an uniform height as the blanks are fed singly to the machine.
The pawl for setting the gear in action is carried by a vertical rod which
receives an up-and-down motion (regulated by a set screw) from a crank
lever connected with a horizontal rock shaft, which is itself actuated by a cam
on a horizontal cam shaft. The regulating screw, which bears upon the end
of the pawl rod, is carried by an arm attached to a short rock shaft that
receives its motion from the rock shaft before mentioned. The short rock
shaft also carries and operates a presser bar which bears upon the pile of
paper and holds the top piece firmly while its edge is being raised and placed
upon a separator, whereby it is presented to a toothed finger which draws it
off the pile. A saw-edged blade made by grooving a plate transversely on its
under side is used for loosening the top blank of the pile; the plate is affixed
to an arm carried by a horizontal shaft that has its bearings in arms pendent
from a larger transverse rock shaft whose motion is derived from a cam on
the transverse cam shaft before mentioned. The saw-edged blade, while
pressed by a spring against the paper, is moved forward and caused to ruck
or gather up the top blank. Before the paper is freed the separator (which
is a wedge-shaped plate mounted on a rock shaft and operated by an arm
from the shaft carrying the saw-edged blade) is brought down by a tension
spring upon the blank next below the top blank; the saw-edged blade now
rises from the top blank and leaves it free to slide on to the separator, which
rises with the blade, and is locked in that position. The toothed finger before
mentioned, which is mounted on a sliding carriage deriving its motion from
the horizontal cam shaft, now comes forward, seizes the blank, and draws it
off the pile, the presser, after performing its office, having risen to allow of
this action. When this arrangement of feeder is applied to an envelope-folding
machine the blank is delivered on to a creasing die plate. The envelope
machine is fitted with two or it may be more sets of folders carried by a rotary
table which is mounted on a vertical shaft driven by gearing from the cam
shaft before mentioned. Above the rotary table is a fixed table which supports
on its upper face the apparatus for gumming the envelopes, and carries on its
under face vertical curved cams for operating the folders; this plate has also
a.segment-shaped slot in which is fitted a die plate that is capable of receiving
a. short lateral motion for the purpose hereafter mentioned. The blank having
been placed over the opening in the die plate in a position for being creased
is gummed by a suitably shaped gumming surface carried by a sliding rod to

page_text: which a vertical and a horizontal motion is imparted; this rod lifts the
gummer out of the cup or vessel containing the gum, carries it over the
blank, depresses it thereon, and then returns it to the vessel. These move-
ments are obtained from a cam on the rotating table operating a crank lever
which is jointed to a horizontal rack; into this rack gears a pinion, on the
axle of which is a crank arm connected to the gumming rod, and the other
end of the rod is jointed to a radius arm. The pin of the link which connects
the rod with the crank arm slides in a segment guide, and thus the axial
motion of the pinion gives the compound motion to the gumming rod, causing
it to impress the blank with gum and return the gummer to the vessel; when
this is effected the creaser comes into operation. Mounted on the upper part
of the vertical shaft which carries the rotating table is a frame which carries
two sliding rods, the lower ends of each of which is fitted with a creasing plate
that fits the opening in the die plate; these creasers are pierced with holes to
receive the pendent pins of a sliding cross head between which and a collar on
the slide rod is a coiled pressure spring; the rods carry studs which are beld
up (by springs) against fixed cams supported by standards on the framing;
these cams as the frame rotates with its shaft serve to depress the creasers
and their pins; corresponding pins stand up from a vertically sliding plate in
each folding box to grip (with the upper pins) the blanks and draw them
down to be folded. The vertically sliding plates are attached to sliding rods
which are acted upon (as the table rotates) by a fixed cam below the table
and they thus raise the pins, which pass through the bed of the folder and
grip the blank between them and the pendent pins. When the blank is thus
gripped it is, through the action of the fixed cams, carried down to the bed of
the folder, and the folding flaps are next to be folded over upon the creased
blank; before, however, this is effected the lateral motion of the die plate
takes place. This motion is required to enable it to follow the motion of the
creaser, which strikes into the die while it is moving round with the 'frame
which carries it. A pin carried by a swinging arm on the rotating table
strikes a pin pendent from the die plate and gives it the forward motion; but
by means of a fixed.cam the pins are shortly disengaged and the die plate
flies back to its quiescent position; to ease the return motion a brake is pro-.
vided. The continued rotation of the table brings the folding flaps (which are
hinged to the bed plate of the folder) under the action of a set of curved cam-
shaped flanges projecting from the under face of the fixed table, and, these
acting either directly on the flaps or on fingers on their axles turn them down
on the creased blank and complete the envelope. When the pressure is
released springs connected to the flaps will raise them to a vertical. position.

page_text: A table made with compartments for receiving the folded envelopes is mounted
on.a vertical shaft, and it receives an intermittent rotary motion after a given
number of envelopes have been deposited thereon to present an empty com-
partment to a pair of nippers which remove the envelopes from the folder and
place them on this table. The nippers are mounted on a vertical rock shaft
which is operated by a cam on the shaft that carries the table with the folders,
and. its jaws are suitably manipulated by a stationary cam and springs to
enable them to close upon and release the envelope. The envelopes may be
removed from the compartments by hand.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make;
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING ENVELOPES, PARTLY ALSO APPLICABLE
TO OTHER PURPOSES," being a communication from abroad, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands, and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention may be divided into two general or leading heads, which is
subdivided into several distinctive features. The one of these leading divisions
relates to an apparatus for feeding the paper to an envelope machine, and as
a paper feeder; the same is applicable to printing pressers and other machines
in which paper is required to be fed from a pile in detached sheets or blanks ;
and the other leading division of the improvements, which form the subject of
this Patent, relates to a machine for making envelopes from sheets of paper
supplied either by the feeding apparatus herein referred to, or by any other
suitable means..
In the paper feeder, forming the one division of this Invention, the blank or
sheet of paper which is to be fed is loosened from those which are below it in
a pile by a blade having an edge of peculiar form, and which takes hold of
the paper with more than the usual certainty; and this part of the present
Invention also consists in a peculiar mode of applying the blade for the above
purpose, whereby it is enabled to adapt itself to the level of the top of the pile
and to any inaccuracies in its operating machinery, and so as always to press
uniformly upon the paper; also said portion of this Invention consists in a
reciprocating and vibrating toothed finger operating in combination with the
before-mentioned devices to convey the separate blank piece or sheet to the
mechanism by which it is to be converted into an envelope, or otherwise
manipulated or treated for
any other
purpose.
In the second main division of the Invention the improvements relate to
an envelope machine employing two or more sets of folders for the greater
dispatch of work, and the nature of the improvements consists in arranging
two or more sets of automatic folders upon or in a horizontal table, by the
rotation of which the several sets of folders are brought one after another
opposite to a feeder or feed table for the reception of the blanks, and the latter
folded as the table proceeds to rotate. Other features of the said improvements
consist in the mechanism einployed to produce the operation of the folders,
and in certain devices or means whereby the blanks in their passage through
the machine are gummed, also in certain devices for delivering from the
folders the envelopes in a finished condition or ready for use.
The nature of the Invention having been generally specified, its description,
with reference to the accompanying Drawing, forming part of the Specification.
will be proceeded with.
T: 1
Namation
مطابع
Candian
and antalone

page_text: machine combined; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same taken through
the line x, x, in Fig. 1, with an envelope deliverer attached; Fig. 3 is a
horizontal transverse section of the envelope machine taken as denoted by the
line z, z, in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the envelope folders in an oper
position, and Fig 5 is a side view of the same; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the
folders in a closed condition; Fig. 7, a side view of the envelope grippers
and Fig. 8 an end view thereof; Fig. 9 is a face view on an enlarged scale
of the blade which loosens the blank in the feeder from that or those below
it on the pile; Fig. 10 is an edge view, and Fig. 11 is an under side view
of the same; Fig. 12 is a view in perspective on a still larger scale of the
blade; Fig. 13 is a sectional view of a portion of the feeder seen looking in
the opposite direction to Fig. 1; Fig. 14 is an elevation of certain details for
raising, locking, and lowering the finger that takes the blank from off the
separator; Fig. 15, a view in elevation of details connected with the opera-
tion of the separator; Fig. 16, a like view of the envelope gumming device;
like letters refer to like parts in all the Figures. Commencing with the
paper or sheet feeding portion of the Invention as applied to work in connection
with or to supply with blanks the envelope machine, A is the framing, and B
is a table upon which is placed a pile of properly cut or shaped. envelope
blanks a, as represented in red color. This table has a very slow or occasional
slight upward movement given it in order to keep the top blank of the pile
at about the same level as the pile is reduced by the operation of the machine.
The means for doing this may be varied, but the following will suffice to
explain how this is or may be done :-C is a vertical rod or sliding guide on
which the table B rests; this rod has a rack on one side of it into which
meshes a pinion 6 that in the operation of the machine has a slow or occasional
movement given it by means of a ratchet wheel c fast to the shaft of the
pinion 6; D is a vertical sliding rod having attached to it a pawl d that acts
upon the ratchet wheel c to operate through the pinion 6 the table B by the
rack rod C as described. To produce this action a slight upward movement
is communicated at intervals to the pawl rod D by the upper arm of a bell
crank e acting on or under a stop projecting from said rod. This bell crank
e is operated by a rod fattached to an arm g bung on a shaft h, a rod i
operated by a cam on a driving shaft F serving to rock the arm g in one
direction by a corresponding lower arm attached to said rock shaft h, while a
spring E rocks it in the other. To adjust the occasional elevation of the pile
table B a stop or set screw j is brought to bear upon the pawl rod D so as
to control either the number or extent of its upward movements by adjusting
it, and with it its lifter or stop relatively to the bell crank e; this set

page_text: screw jis attached to an arm.k connected with a rocking shaft / that is
raised by a toe m acted upon by another toe n on the shaft h, a spring o
serving to return or depress the arm k, and with it the screw j, which
accordingly as it is adjusted acts upon the pawl rod D to limit its action as.
specified. p, p, are gauges (see Fig. 2) secured in the pile table B for
keeping the back edges of the blanks in proper position to be taken by the
feeding devices.. Lower gauges similarly arranged may be used in front,
or a gauge q may be attached to the frame or stationary bed G, which forms.
as it were a raised continuation of the pile table B for keeping the front
edges of the blanks in proper position. H is a presser consisting of a
straight-edged plate attached securely to the front end of a lever I, which is
fast to the horizontal rocking shaft 7. Attached to this rock shaft is the arm
k to which is connected the spring o that will serve to keep the presser down
upon the pile of blanks during one vibration or movement of the rock
shaft 1, the said presser being raised during the other or return movement.
of said rock shaft. J is the blade for loosening the top blank of the
pile, having its edge of the form shewn in Figures 9 and 10, set with a
downward inclination toward the presser H, or in the opposite direction to that
in which the feed is to take place, the object of such inclination being to loosen
the front ends of the top blanks from the pile by gathering them up, as shewn
at a¹ in Fig. 1, and slipping them backward in the opposite direction to the
feed, or toward the presser H while the latter is pressed down upon the
back part of the pile. The blade J has an edge of the peculiar forin shewn.
These points or
in Fig. 9, presenting a series of sharp points or teeth r.
teeth are produced by cutting with a chisel in the flat surface of the
under face of the blade a series of notches, as shewn in Figures 10 and 11,
similar to those made in what is termed a float-cut file, the direction of the
said notches being transverse to the edge of the blade, and afterwards grinding
the opposite side of the blade on a bevil, as shewn in Fig. 1 till the edges
between the notches form sharp points or teeth. The blade J is attached to
a lever K, which is carried by a horizontal rocking shaft L that is fitted to
work in arms M rigidly attached to a horizontal rock shaft N, whose
journals are arranged in fixed bearings supported by the sides of the
frame A. This rock shaft N has its rocking motion produced by the
combined action of an arm s, rod t, bell crank u, rod v operated by
a cam on the driving shaft F, and spring w, the latter operating to
The motion
lower the rod t after it has been raised by the bell crank u.
of the rock shaft N produces the necessary backward and forward
movement of the blade J, and its upward and downward movement is

page_text: obtained by the movement of the rock shaft L in its bearings produced in
the following manner :-As the arms M and rock shaft L (see Fig. 13) are
swinging forward or away from the table B, a pin x carried by an arm O
secured to L runs up a stationary incline plane y, and so causes L to turn in
a direction to raise the blade j, and as the arms M swing back again the said
blade is depressed by the action of springs a¹ which connect the front end of
the lever K with the rock shaft N. The lever K is not rigidly secured to the
rock shaft L, but fitted to oscillate thereon to a slight extent in order to enable
the spring or springs a¹ always to bring the toothed edge of the blade J in
contact with the top blank with a suitable and uniform pressure notwithstanding
slight variations in the elevation of the top of the pile or any inaccuracy in
the mechanism from which the said blade derives its motion, and the said lever
is lifted to raise the blade J by means of an arm P which is firmly secured
upon the rock shaft L, and which is furnished with a pin or projecting piece b
situated under the said lever. As the rock shaft L is swung back towards the
presser H by the action of the rock shaft N, the springs a' keep the lever K
bearing upon the pin 63 until the edge of the blade J is allowed (by the pin a
decending the incline plane y) to come in contact with the top blank and be
pressed down thereon by the said springs a', and in the continued backward
movement of the rock shaft L, blade J, and their appurtenances the arm P is
allowed to drop to bring its pin 6 out of contact with the lever K and leave.
the blade J pressed upon the paper with such pressure as is due to the springs
a. Qis the separator for separating the top sheet of the pile from the one
next below it when its front end is moved forward again after having been.
moved back, consisting of a plate attached to a horizontal rock shaft R (see
Figures 13 and. 15), which shaft is arranged parallel with the rock shafts L
and N in fixed bearings secured to the bed G just in front of the pile table B..
This plate is bevilled to a thin edge which is presented over the front edge of
the table B toward the presser H, and which projects over the front gauge q..
This separator has applied to it a spring c¹ (Fig. 13) which tends to press its
edge down upon the pile of blanks a. The rock shaft R has secured to it near
one end an elbow lever d', e', (Fig. 15), the upper arm d¹ of which has a hole
through which plays a rod f¹ (see Figures 1 and 2), which is connected with
one of the arms M of the rock shaft N, and on this rod there is a screw thread
fitted with a nut g', which as the said arm M swings forward with the motion
of the rock shaft N comes in contact with the arm d', and by pushing said arm
back raises up the separator from the pile to permit the front end of the top
blank to be drawn from under it by the blade J when the latter moves back
again. After the separator has been thus raised it is locked to prevent its
-

page_text: This finger is furnished
teeth k, and is secured
descending when the arm M swings back again by means of a spring stop lever.
S which works on a fixed fulcrum h' (Fig. 1), and which is drawn by the
spring under the arm of the elbow lever so soon as that arm has been
raised above its projection ¹. As the knife is about to terminate its backward
movement the end of the rod f1 comes in contact with the said stop lever S
and pushes it from under the arm of the elbow lever, and so permits the
spring c¹ to bring down the separator on the next blank below the top one,
which has been exposed by the blade J having drawn back the front end of
the top one; the
consequence of this descent of the separator is that when the
blade J moves forward again with the front part of the top blank the latter
is caused to pass over the separator. T is the toothed finger which takes
hold of the front end of the blank after it has been deposited upon the separator,
and draws the whole blank forward over the bed G.
with two or more fine and sharp pointed pins or
rigidly to a horizontal rock shaft U which is fitted to bearings in a carriage or
slide V that is made to slide on ways in the framing, and is connected by a joint
through an arm or arms to a rocking lever m' which has a fixed fulcrum
n and is operated through an arm o¹ by a rod p¹ deriving its motion from an
excentric W on the driving shaft F. The rock shaft U is furnished with a.
pin or arm g¹ to which a spring is applied in such manner as to exert a
constant tendency to raise it and so depress the finger T. On the other end
of the rock shaft U is an arm t¹ so formed that in passing under a stationary
pin u just before the carriage V completes its forward movement it is
depressed and the finger T thereby caused to be raised up. When thus
depressed the said arm t' is locked by a self-acting spring stop v³ (see Fig. 14).
which swings on a pin attached to the carriage V, and the finger T is thus
kept raised above the bed G during nearly the whole of its backward
movement, but just before the latter movement terminates the spring stop v¹
strikes a stationary pin w¹, and is so caused to liberate the arm and allow
the spring to bring down the finger T and make it stick its points k¹ into
the front part of the top blank which has had that part deposited upon the
separator, the presser H and separator being now raised up and the said blank
being free to be carried forward. The top of the separator and surface of
the bed G have grooves provided in them for the reception of the pins k', to
prevent the blunting of the said pins and insure their penetrating the paper.
The construction and separate operations of the various parts of the feeder
having now been described, their combined operation in feeding the blanks may,
be stated as follows:-The blade J comes down upon the front part of the top
blank of the pile while it is held down some distance further back by the

page_text: presser H and while the separator Q is raised, and in moving backward the
said blade gathers up the said blank in front of the presser H, as shown in
Fig. 1, and draws its front edge from under the separator, leaving all the other
blanks undisturbed; the separator now comes down upon the uncovered
front portion of the blank next below the top one, and the blade J moves
forward to bring the front edge of the top one upon the separator, having done
which it rises up out of contact with the blank. The separator then rises up
from the pile, raising the front portion of the top blank, and being locked by
the lever S as herein-before explained, and this movement of the separator is
followed by the rise of the presser H to liberate the said blank, which is then
immediately taken by the finger T, and by it drawn back over the bed G
and delivered to. the mechanism in which it is to be folded or otherwise
manipulated or used. As soon as one blank has been drawn from under the
presser H the latter, descends upon the next one below, and as soon as the
first one has entirely passed the blade J the said blade comes down upon the
next one and begins to gather it up towards the presser as before described -
with reference to the first one, and in this way the operation is repeated with
every revolution of the shaft F..
The envelope machine, which is the next subject matter of this Invention,
will now be described. The paper blanks supplied by the feeder being in the
present instance of the form of an envelope distended or open may have the
gum previously applied to and allowed to dry on one of their flaps, such blanks
being fed one by one by the action of the finger T of the feeder along the
stationary bed G, each succeeding blank in being thus operated on by the
finger serves to drive the previous one yet, further over the bed G and on to
the table of the envelope machine over a die A¹. Suitable framework supports
the plate or table D¹ and other, including the working, parts of the machine.
B' is a vertical rotating shaft supported by bearings a³ at either end; this
shaft B derives its motion from the driving shaft F by a bevil wheel b
meshing into a similar wheel on that shaft. Firmly secured to the shaft B₁
below the table D' is a circular horizontal table C¹ (see Figures 1 and 2), and
situated opposite each other upon this rotating table C¹³, near the periphery
thereof, are two sets of folders E', the construction and operation of which will
be herein-after fully set forth. Rigidly fixed upon the vertical shaft B¹ above
the table, one over the other, and parallel to each other, are two horizontal cross
bars . These cross bars have vertical holes formed in their ends, through
which are run sliding rods which play up and down therein. These rods
have plungers F¹ secured to their lower extremities. Upon each side of the
shaft B is an upright rod that extends from each cross bar to the other,

page_text: and is firmly attached thereto. Secured to the sliding rods: dare short
horizontal bars which have vertical notches at their inner ends to receive
within them the rods . These rods thus act as guides to keep the rods
d with their plungers F from turning round. Spiral springs 9 extend from
the bars to the upper cross bar c in order to provide for the upward move-
ment of the rods d and their plungers F¹. Projecting downwards and rigidly
secured to the framework of the machine at its top are two stationary cams
G¹, H¹, which are curved horizontally in the arc of a circle concentric with
the shaft B¹ and arranged opposite each other, the one cam G¹ being nearly
over the die plate I', and the lower edges of these cams G, H, being so
formed as to move the sliding rods d by means of rollers h³ projecting from
them downwards at the proper time during the rotation of said rods with 'and
round the vertical shaft B¹: Arranged upon the lower end of each vertical
sliding rod d, between its plunger F and the lower cross bar c³, is a flat
horizontal plate which has an up-and-down movement upon its sliding rod
and is provided at its four corners with downwardly projecting pins, the
lower ends of which are of. less diameter than their main length and pass
through vertical holes in the plungers F¹. The plates are pressed down-
wardly by spiral springs coiled around the rods d. Supported upon short
posts is the table or plate D'. One side of this plate carries vertical curved-
cams or guides which are secured by any suitable means to the under surface
thereof, and operate the folders as will be presently explained. In this
stationary horizontal. plate D¹ is a broad slot, the inner and outer edges of
which are formed on the arcs of circles concentric with the shaft B, and in
which is situated the horizontally moving die plate I'. This die plate I¹ is.
secured upon a horizontal .arm p3 which is fitted to turn upon the hub of a
cam J, the said hub being concentric with the vertical shaft B. The slot in
which the dié plate I' lies is open at one end to allow the said die plate to .be
moved out therefrom when required in the operation of the machine. A
spiral spring q, one end of which is fastened to the stationary plate D¹ and
the other end to the 'arim p³, tends to draw the die plate I¹ back into the slot
after it has been moved out therefrom. Formed in this die plate is the die or
slot A' through which the blanks after being gummed, as herein-after described,
are successively pressed by the plunger F¹ at the commencement of the folding
operations, and which die is longer and broader than the plungers by at least
twice the thickness of the paper of which the blank is formed; is a small
opening formed at one end of the die A' which allows the shafts d to pass out:
from the die in the removal of the blank therefrom. Before describing the
folders into or between which the 'blanks are successively pressed by the

page_text: plungers through the die A', it will be well to refer to the gumming apparatus,
which is previously brought into operation on each blank as it is brought by
the finger T and an intervening blank as already mentioned over the die A
In explanation of this gummer (see Figures 1, 2, and 16). The gum is
deposited in one compartments of a cup K' arranged on the plate D' in rear
of the die A¹. This: compartment has at its bottom a sponge for drawing
moisture through a communicating aperture at the bottom from an adjoining
compartment t* of the cup containing water to keep the gum at its required
fluidity; is the gummer rod carrying the gummer . This rod has a
reciprocating motion communicated to it both vertically and horizontally, but
preserving its parallelism or nearly so with the table or plate D¹ lengthwise,
over which it moves by means of the rear end of the rod being jointed to a
rocking arm w while its opposite end is pivotted by a rod to a crank y' that
has a reciprocating curvilinear motion given to it, causing the end of the
gummer rod that is attached to it to similarly reciprocate in a slot of a
standard L by the combined action of a spring and rack a³, which latter
gears into a pinion b³ on the shaft of the crank y* and is operated by a bell
crank M' acted on by a cam N' attached to the revolving table C¹ to give the
gummer (see Fig. 1) by its rod u' its lift out of the gum compartiment s³,
then a forward motion towards and over the envelope blank and afterwards
down upon the flap of the blank to be gummed, after which the cam N¹ ceases
to act upon the bell crank M', which causes the spring to throw the gummer
back, in doing which it is first lifted from off the envelope blank, then recip-
rocated backwards, and afterwards depressed to return it to its original position
in the gum compartment & for in due time a repetition of its gumming action
on the succeeding blank. The manner in which the rod u³ is hung, guided,
and operated secures as will be seen this action of the gummer, the gumming
edge of which may correspond in shape to the edge of the envelope flap.
The sets of folders E¹ are each composed of a bottom plate d³ and of four
pivotted folding wings e, f, g, h³, the folding wings and being situated
opposite each other to fold the longitudinal flaps of the envelopes, and the
folding wings g³, hs, being also opposite each other but at right angles to the
wings, and folding the end flaps of the envelope. Each of these folding
wings is pivotted at its lower or outer edge in suitable bearings fixed upon the
upper surface of the table C³, and upon the inner side of the said table, imme-
diately under each of the said folding wings, is a small downwardly projecting.
arm or staple, to the lower extremity of which is attached a spiral spring j³
which passes up through a hole in the table and has its upper end attached to
the lower or outer edge of the folding wing above it. By this means the said

page_text: folding wings are kept in an upright position except when pressed down by the
curved stationary cams or guides m³, n², o³, and the similar stationary cam or
guide. Projecting downwards from the under surface of the table C¹ and
underneath each folder E' is a hanger O¹, and working in a hole formed in
the bottom of this hanger is a short vertical shaft P¹, which has a horizontal
plate secured upon it above the said bottom, and projecting upward from
this plate into holes formed in the lower plates of the folders above it are
four upright pins m³, which are so situated as to be immediately under and
opposite the downwardly projecting pins j of the plate i and to meet the
same when the pins m³ are forced upward. The upper end of the shaft P¹
also projects up into a hole in the bottom plate of the folder to steady their
movement in sliding up and down; these shafts P¹ with their plates /³ and
pins m³ descend by their own weight and rest upon the bottoms of the
bangers O¹, except when moved and held upward by the stationary arm Q¹
to deliver the folded envelope from the sets of folders E¹ to the nippers R¹
which convey it to the deliverer, and which have their construction more
clearly represented in Figures 7 and 8. Situated in suitable bearings at one
side of the shaft B' is a vertical shaft S!, to the upper end of which is rigidly
secured a horizontal bar n³, and upon the outer extremity of this bar is a flat
uipping jaw o. A small lug or ear projects downwards from the rearmost
corner of this jaw, and extending from this lug to the upper end of the
shaft S is a small shaft p³, to the outer end of which underneath the jaw o³
is secured a similar jaw q³ which acts in conjunction with the jaw o³ to grasp
the envelope. A spiral spring is coiled around the shaft p³ with one end
attached thereto, and the other secured to the bar n³ in such manner as that
the said spring draws or forces the jaws together. In order to open the jaws
when required a curved arm ³ projects back from the shaft p³, and behind
said shaft is a stationary upright cam T¹ (see Fig. 2), so that when the
nippers are moved back as herein-after set forth the arm s³ is brought in
contact with the said cam T', and the jaws o³ and q³ are thereby forced apart.
Inasmuch as it is necessary to hold the jaws open previously to their grasping
the envelope, a spur t³ projects forward from the inner end of the arm, and
a catch us operated by a spiral spring w³ is pivotted upon the front side of the
bar n, and has a notch or shoulder formed upon it which holds the spur t³
down to retain the jaws in an open position. A small projection ³ (see left-
hand side, Fig. 1,) secured to the revolving table C¹ in rear of each folder E',
trips the spring catch us to allow the jaws to close and grasp the folded
envelope. Fixed transversely upon the shaft S¹ (Fig. 1) below the table C

page_text: is an arm U', to the outer end of which is pivotted one end of a horizontal
bars, the inner end of which is forked and placed astride (see Fig. 3) of the
lower end of the vertical shaft B'; upon the under side. of this bar a³ is
arranged a friction roller y³, and secured upon the shaft B¹ is a cam V', which
acts upon the said friction roller to push the bar a³ outward to turn the
shaft S' in order to move the nippers outward requisite for removal of the
envelopes. The inward movement of the nippers is produced by a spiral
spring W, one end of which is secured to the arm U¹ and the other to a
transverse bar of the framing of the machine, as shewn in Figures 1 and 3.
Arranged on the nipper side of the machine and in proximity to the nippers is
a delivery table X' supported on a vertical shaft Y¹, and made with compart-
ments to receive the envelopes as they are dropped by the nippers; this table
may be intermittently rotated, either by band or any suitable mechanism, the
distance of a compartment 23 so soon as one compartment has had deposited
within it by the nippers a certain number of envelopes to bring under said
nippers the next adjacent empty compartment for reception of a like number
of envelopes, the compartments being relieved of their contents from time to
time as circumstances or occasion may require. Rotary motion in direction
of the arrow shewn in Fig. 2 being given to the vertical shaft B', the table C¹
and other parts of the machine supported by said shaft are also caused to
revolve; during such rotation the vertical rods or shafts d³ are forced down-
wards at suitable points by the travel of their rollers h² under the vertical
cams G¹, H¹, and are kept elevated at all other or intervening points by the
spiral springs g. The operation of each set of folders E' with the plungers F¹
and other parts connected therewith is as follows:-The blanks are fed
alternately to each folder, and the folded envelope removed from one folder
while the folding of the succeeding envelope is being commenced by the
other. The blanks from which the envelopes are formed are conveyed one
at a time to the die plate 1 by the action of the finger T, as already
described. Here the gummer, as also previously described, gums the opposite
flap of the envelope to that which has the dried gum on it, so that in
the after operation of folding the wings of the folder act by a slight lead
being given the cams that close them, first to shut down the end flaps of
the envelope, then the wet gummed flap to unite the three closed flaps,
and finally the dried gum or "seal flap," that is consequently left unsealed as
required. As each blank is acted upon or being acted on by the gummer,
one of the folders E¹ is by the rotation of the table C¹ brought under the
die A¹, when the elevation a' at the end of the cam Q¹ forces upward said

page_text: folders shaft P¹, so that the upper ends of the pins m³ are raised up flush
with the top of the die plate I' under the central part of the blank, or in
other words, that part which forms the smooth side of the envelope; next, the
shaft B in revolving brings one of the plungers F¹ over the die A' and blank
covering it, when the roller h² of one of the rods d being acted upon by the
cam G¹ causes said plunger to be forced downwards, so that the blank is
clamped between the upper ends of the pins m³ and the lower ends of the
pins which project downwards through holes in the plunger, as herein-before
set forth; this being done the shaft P¹ passes from the cam Q', and the
cam G' continues to force the plunger downwards, so that it creases the blank
and carries it down through the die A until it reaches the bottom plate & of
the set of folders E¹ beneath it, the sides and ends of the die turning the
flaps of the blank into a vertical position and properly forming the corners of
the envelope. Inasmuch as the folders, plungers, and other parts attached
to the shaft B¹ continue to rotate while the blank is being forced downwards
through the die it is necessary that the die plate 1 should have a lateral
movement to work in concert with the rotating plunger during such passage
of the blank through the die. This movement of the die plate is produced as
follows: A small pin 6 projects downwards from the under side of the
arm på, and pivotted upon the upper surface of the table Ci at the inner side
of each set of folders E¹ is a horizontal bar c', which has at one end an
upright pin d, and is operated by a spiral spring e (see Fig. 2) to press the
said end against the stationary cam J₁ secured to the under side of the
stationary plate or table D₁; the bars c being so situated that as they are
carried underneath the arm p² of the die plate I¹ the pin d' strikes the pin b
and moves the said arm p² with its die plate in the direction of the travel of
the table C as the latter revolves, until the blank has been brought down
upon the bottom plate of the folder, as already explained, on which the
cam turns the said bar c' upon its pivot and moves the pin d' away from
the pin ', and thus allows the die plate to be drawn back to its first position
by means of the spiral spring 9 (see Figures 1 and 2). In order to prevent
the die plate from being drawn back too quickly, and to prevent it slamming
as it comes back to its place, a brake 9* (Figures 1 and 2) is pivotted under-,
neath the table D' with its end bearing against a downwardly projecting rim
formed upon the outer edge of the die plate I¹, and said brake being.
operated by a spring it, so that its friction upon the rim h* retards the motion
of the die plate as it returns to its place as mentioned. A short spur ;*
secured to the edge of the table C¹ immediately in rear of each folder E'
,

page_text: 24
strikes the inner side of this break while the die plate is being moved laterally
as described, and so releases said die plate from the pressure of the brake
during such forward movement. The die plate having been thus returned to
its original position, and the blank brought down upon the bottom plate d of
the one set of folders E¹, the continued rotation of the shaft B¹ brings the one
sliding rod d² clear of the cam G¹, whereupon the spring of said rod draws
the latter upward, thus raising its plunger F¹ clear of the blank, and the con-
tinued rotation of the shaft B¹ causes the wings of the folder successively to
turn down the flaps of the blank as previously referred to, and as will now be
more minutely described. The pivot (see more particularly Figures 4, 5,
and 6) to which the folding wing at the foremost end of the folder is
secured has rigidly attached to its outer end a short upwardly projecting arm
or spur k, the upper end of which strikes the inclined under side of the
stationary cam m' and is turned down in a horizontal position, and with it the
wing h³, completing the folding of one flap of the blank, while the pivot of the
opposite or rearmost wing is similarly acted upon by a like arm or spur
projecting downwards and striking the inclined upper side of the stationary
cam k³, said arm is turned upwards in such manner as to turn the wing g
down upon the other end flap of the blank as soon as the wing h³ has been
brought to a horizontal position as just described. The back of the wing e
then strikes first upon the curved outer side of the cam o³, and then upon the
inclined under side thereof, causing it to be forced into a horizontal position,
and completes the folding and adhesion to or on the end flaps of the longitu-
dinal flap which has the wet gum applied to it by the gummer as previously
described, and immediately after this the back of the wing f³ striking first
upon the curved inner side of the cam n³, and afterwards upon the inclined
under side thereof, is also brought into a horizontal position, and completes
the folding of the remaining longitudinal flap which forms the closing or
seal flap of the envelope, and has on its inner face dry gum. The folder then
passes out from contact with the cams m³, n², o², and k³, and the springs,³,
bring the wings back to a vertical position, thus uncovering the folded
envelope. The sliding rod d over the said set of folders is then forced down-
wards by the stationary cam H¹ to bring the end of the pins 7, which project
through the plunger F', down upon the folded envelope, said rod then
passing beyond the outer projection or point of the said cam and rising again
simultaneously with the upward movement of the shaft P¹ of the set of folders
now referred to, produced by the stationary cam Q acting upon the lower
end of said shaft, the pins m³ of the horizontal plate m¹ proceeding upwards

page_text: to
through the holes in the bottom plate of the folder push the envelope
upwards from between the wings thereof, the envelope being clamped while
rising between the pins m³ and, the springs k³ allowing a suitable yielding
movement to the pins when desired, and enabling them to retain the envelope
at a little distance below the plunger F¹. The envelope being thus elevated
is brought opposite the nipping or removing device R', the jaws of which have
been previously opened by the action of the cam T¹ upon the curved arm s³, as
before described. The continued rotation of the cam V₁ then allows the
spring W₁ acting on the arm of the shaft S' to turn the said shaft in such
manner as to bring the jaws o³, q, inwards, the one above and the other below
the outer edge of the envelope, whereupon the spur or projection strikes the
catch and releases the jaw q³ therefrom, thus allowing the spring
bring the jaw q up against the upper jaw o³, so that
between them. The cam V' acting ou the bar
outward, thus bringing the jaws back until the arm
which opens the said jaws to deposit the envelope
ments of the deliverer X, and allow the catch us to seize upon the spur t
to hold the jaws open as herein-before fully set forth. The folder E', plunger F',
with their appurtenances then pass on to their first position with reference to
the die plate I. The description given for the action of one set of folders and
plunger with their accompanying parts applies equally to the other set of like
devices. Instead of only two sets of folders with the plungers and other
appurtenances any desired number of the same may be arranged upon the
table C to operate in connection with the die A', gummer, and devices for
removing and depositing the envelopes.
the envelope is clamped
then turns the arm U¹
is raised by the cam T',
in one of the compart-
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements
in Machinery for Manufacturing Envelopes, Partly also applicable to other
Purposes," as communicated to me from abroad, and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above
in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First, in respect of paper feeding apparatus, the means above described for
loosening or detaching the sheets, blanks, or pieces of paper composing a pile
singly from that pile.
Second, the attachment to an envelope machine of an automatic gummer
constructed and operating substantially in the manner described.
Third, the arrangement above described for creasing and folding the
envelope blanks and delivering the envelopes from the folding apparatus, as
herein set forth.

page_text: Fourth, the means above described for transferring the envelopes from the
folding apparatus to a delivery table constructed with compartments for the
reception of the envelopes, and operating essentially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Ninth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
'Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)