IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WARREN
DE LA RUE, of Bunhill Row, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by
Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Nineteenth
day of December, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, in the thirteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Warren De la Rue, my exors, adiiors, and assigns,
Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
Warren De la Rue, my exors, adiňors, and assigns, and such others as I, the
said Warren De la Rue, my exors, adiñors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Warren De la
Rue, should cause a particular description of the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Warren De la Rue, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, first, of means of applying gum or adhesive cement
to the flaps of envelopes during the process of folding, so as to cause flaps of
each envelope to adhere together according to the order or succession in which
they are folded.
Secondly, my Invention consists of means of subjecting-envelopes (after the
flaps have been gummed) to pressure between surfaces, so as more certainly to
ensure the holding of the cement.
And, thirdly, my Invention consists of the means hereafter described for
causing what I call the "seal flaps" of envelope paper to be coated with gum
or cement, and then to be transmitted to and through drying apparatus, such
envelope paper being fed into the machine by hand; or else such paper may
by the act of the machinery itself (in which gumming or cementing of envelope
paper is to take place) be transmitted from a pile of paper to the gumming
or cementing process, and when desired such paper may be impressed or
embossed with a device before cement or gum is applied.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A.
Figure 1 shews a plan of so much of a machine for folding envelopes as
will, aided by the other views, enable me to describe the first part of my
Invention. Figure 2 shews a transverse section, taken at the line a, a, in
Figure 1, the framing being shewn in dotted lines. Figure 3 shews another
section, taken at the line c, d, in Figure 1; the other views shewn by these
Drawings are several details on a full-size scale. The machinery to which
these improvements are applied is the same as that for which Letters Patent
were formerly granted to me in conjunction with Mr. Edwin Hill, which is the
class of machinery I prefer; but I do not confine myself thereto so long as
gumming apparatus such as herein described be employed, the peculiar
character of which consists in having the gum or cementing material on a
suitable surface, and employing apparatus to take or receive such gum or
cement and transmit a quantity thereof to the flaps of an envelope, so as to
imprint the surfaces of the flaps of an envelope, in contradistinction to what has
been heretofore proposed to be done, wherein the paper has been pressed down

page_text: on the surface of a fountain, or wherein a fountain has been proposed to be
brought down on to the flaps, in both cases the flaps of the envelopes receiving
the gum or cement from the fountain or vessel containing such cementing
matter. It will not be necessary in describing this part of my Invention to
explain the manner of folding envelopes by machinery, as this apparatus for
applying gum or cement may be treated independently; but it may be stated
that such parts of the old machinery as are shewn are marked with the same
letters of reference as are used in the former Specification, in order that a
workman when comparing these parts with the description thereof contained in
the former Specification may the more readily understand the working of the
improvements in combination with the former machinery. 1, 1, is the instru-
ment for giving the impression of gun or cementing matter to the flaps of
envelopes. The under surface of this instrument may be a brush, or it may be
covered with felt, or otherwise rendered suitable for applying gum or coment
which it may take or receive from time to time. The instrument 1 is carried
by the arm 2 in the manner shewn. The arm 2 is affixed to the axis 3 by
means of the set screw 3*, so that its position on the axis may be readily
adjusted. On the axis 8 is fixed the fingers 4 and 5, the object of which will
be hereafter described. 6 is a spring, constantly tending to press the arm with
the instrument 1 downwards; and in order to prevent the instrument 1 going
too far down a screw 7 is employed. The axis 3 is carried by the frame 8,
which is composed of two plates 8, 8, rivetted together, there being a suitable
bearing for the axis 8, as shewn. This frame 8 is caused to move parallel to the
upper surface of the machine in the following manner :-9 is an arm fixed on the
axis 10, and at its other end it is connected to the frame 8 by a pin joint, and
it carries that frame. In order to keep such frame 8 parallel in its movements
the link 11 is used, which at one end is connected by a pin joint to the frame 8,
and at the other it is connected by a pin joint to the framing of the machine.
To give motion to these parts the cam 12 is employed, which gives motion to
the lever 13 by its truck running in the course of the cam 12. The other
end of the lever 18 has a toothed rack, which takes into and drives the cog
wheel 14 on the axis 10, by means of which parts the gum printing instru-
ment 1 will be alternately placed on the surface whereon the gum or cement
is placed or spread to take up the same on its under surface, and then on to
the flaps of an envelope to apply cement to the same. The Drawings shew
the instrument in the act of impressing the envelope with cement, and the red
lines indicate the instrument when in position for taking gum or cement from
the source of supply; and the green lines in Figure 2 indicate the position

page_text: of the instrument 15 when that instrument would prevent the instru
ment 1 receiving and applying gum or cement, so that the instrument 1,
although it may be passed through its movements, will be prevented taking
up or giving off gum or cement, which is a desirable provision, in case no
paper should have been fed into the machine: 15 is a bar, which can
be slided to and fro by its handle, and it has two projections 16 and 17,
which when moved into the position shewn by the green lines come under the
finger 4 to prevent the instrument 1 descending, either to give off or to receive
gum or coment, as will readily be traced on examining the Drawings. The
time of applying the impression of gum or cement will depend on the order in
which the folding takes place, and this may be varied; but as shewn in the
Drawings the cement is applied immediately after the two end flaps have
been folded and before the others are folded thereon, and the cam 12 shewn
is timed, with reference to the former machine, so as to cause the instrument
1 just to precede the folding of the third flap down on the two first. The
gum or cement is placed in the trough 18, there being an endless apron 19
on the two rollers 20, 21, one of which revolves in the trough, and it has
motion communicated periodically to it by the clawker 22, which receives
motion by the crank 24, which gives motion to the arm 25 which carries the
clawker, which acting on the ratchet wheel 23, gives motion to the roller 20
in the trough. 26 is a plate, moving on an axis at its lower edge, and its
position is adjusted by the screw and nuts 27, 28, 28, and this plate 26 acts
as a doctor to adjust the quantity of gum or cement brought up by the endless
apron; 29 is a fixed table over which the endless apron moves; 30 are
screws acting on the bearings of the axes of one of the rollers of the endless
apron, as shewn. The table is used to support the endless apron where the
instrument 1 descends to take up the gum or cement. I would remark, in
respect to this part of my Invention, that although I have been particular in
describing the details as practised by me, that the same may be varied in form
and also in the instruments, and yet remain substantively the same apparatus
as that described, the peculiar character of the same being the applying of
gum or cement to the flaps of envelopes by imprinting the same thereon by
suitable surfaces, caused to take or receive gum or cement from a suitable
surface or source, and to convey or impart the same on to the flaps of envelopes.
In order to ensure the gum or cement securely holding the flaps, it is
desirable that the envelopes should be subjected as soon as possible to further
pressure. After completing the folding for this purpose, the envelopes are
conducted from the folding instrument. to and between pressing rollers by a

page_text: like endless cloth to that which I formerly used for receiving and aiding in
piling up the envelopes as made; 31 is such endless apron, on to which the
envelopes are successively received and are carried forward, one under the other,
and they are in their progress pressed flat after gumming by passing between
the rollers 32, and thence they are accumulated into a pile between the guide
plates 33, 33. The endless apron or belt 31 receives motion from the worm
or screw 34, the shaft of which receives motion by a band or strap from the
drum or pulley 35 on the shaft b6 acting on the drum or pulley 36, fixed on
the axis or shaft of the screw.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention, which is shown
in the Drawings marked B. These improvements are also shewn as applied
to my patent machinery before referred to, and according to these improve-
ments the moveable platform on which the folding takes place, in place
of being arranged to deliver the folded envelopes by rising upwards, as
formerly described, is caused to descend, so that the envelope may descend
with it and fall on to an endless apron moving constantly under the platform.
Figure 1 shows a plan of part of one of the said former machines. Figure 2
is a front section thereof, and Figure 3 a transverse section thereof. In
these Figures there is only so much of the foriner machine shown as will
aid in pointing out the variations made in applying the present improve-
ments to such machinery, and the letters of reference marked on the
parts of the present Drawing are those formerly used, and the description
of the former Specification apply to such letters, the parts now added
being referred to by figures of reference. k is the moveable platform,
the stem of which passes through the arm (1) and is retained therein, as shewn,
the spring (2) tending constantly to press the platform away from the arm, so
that the moveable platform has an elastic support, and can give way to
pressure on its upper surface, which is desirable. The arm (1) is affixed to
the plate (3), which is fixed on the axis (4), the centre of which is in a line
with the centre of the axis of the folding instrument q, as is shewn. (5) is a
crank pin; (6) is a connecting rod, which is capable of adjustment in its
length, as shewn, which at one end is attached to the crank pin (5), and at its
other end it is attached to the lever (7), the truck of which works in the
course of the cam (8), which is so formed as to hold the moveable platform k
in an inclined position, as shewn by dotted red lines, when the paper is bein.g
fed into the machine, then to cause it to assume the horizontal position when
the folding takes place, and then to cause the platform to descend and stand
in the vertical position, as shown by the red lines,. in order to deliver the folded

page_text: envelope from its upper surface down on to the moving endless apron below.
In these Drawings I have not shewn the means of applying gum or cement to
the flaps, in order to avoid complexity; but in carrying out this part of my
Invention the same are to be applied in the manner above described, or other
suitable means are to be used for applying gum or cement before or in the act
of folding. The object of this part of my Invention is to cause the envelope
to be pressed between two flat surfaces, in order to ensure the holding of the
gum or cement, and for this purpose I employ a flap 9 to act on as large a
surface as possible, in fact I use it as large as the folded envelope, so that an
envelope, having been folded and gummed, is finished by a flat pressure
between the folding instrument 7 and the moveable platform k. The causing
the platform k to descend allows time for the action of the folding instrument
9 to perform its part with full effect and without retarding the other move-
ments of the machinery. By this means the gumming or cementing will be
rendered very certain, and the envelope will be pressed into a flat form before
leaving the moveable platform. I would remark that the parts or details by
which this improvement is carried out may be varied without departing from
Invention, so long as envelopes are caused to be pressed (after cementing
and folding) between two flat surfaces.
my
I will now proceed to describe the third part of my Invention, which has
for its object the causing properly cut pieces of paper fed into machinery to
have what may be called the "seal flaps thereof coated with gum or cement,
and then to be dried before being folded; also the arrangement of transmitting
apparatus employed between process and process; likewise, when desired,
impressing or embossing apparatus. By which machinery and apparatus
properly cut pieces of paper will be transmitted in succession from the surface
of a heap or otherwise directly to apparatus where the gumming or cementing
is performed, or else to the impressing or embossing process, thence to the
cementing, and thence to the drying process, as hereafter explained, the
apparatus working somewhat in the manner of printing machinery.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS MARKED C.
The nature of the various Figures of the Drawings being written thereon,
it will not be necessary to repeat the same here. I will first describe the
machinery whereby properly cut pieces of paper fed in by hand are transmitted
by the act of the machinery through the cementing or gumming processes;
will then describe how machinery where the gumming or cementing process
is being carried on may be self-feeding, so that properly cut paper may by the
I

page_text: working of the machinery be successively transmitted from a heap to the
gumming or cementing process; and then I will describe the means of inter-
posing apparatus for impressing or embossing the parts (where the cement is
to be applied) with a device, together with the means of transmitting the
envelope paper from the impressing and embossing process to the cementing
or gumming process. a, a, shows the framing of the machinery, the nature
of which will readily be understood on examining the various Figures of these
Drawings. 6 is the main or driving shaft, which receives motion by a strap
from a steam engine or other power acting on the fixed drum c on the main
or driving shaft b. On the shaft 6 is a tubular axis d, which can turn freely on
the axis b, and on the axis 6 are a series of cams, which will be hereafter
described. e, e are drums, which are fixed on the axis d and turn with it, and
it is by means of these drums, aided by endless bands or aprons d', that the
pieces of properly cut paper for envelopes are held in position for being
gummed or cemented at that part which is to act as the seal or closing means
to each envelope, and therefore I have and shall in this Specification call
them the "seal flaps" of envelopes. The endless bands or aprons d' are
kept tight by means of rollers d and weights d', as shown. The hollow axis
d has motion communicated to it at intervals, and then remains stationary for
a time, during which gum or cement is applied; and such interrupted motion
is effected in the following manner:- is a ratchet wheel fixed on the
tubular axis d, and it is arranged to move one-sixth of a rotation at each
movement, the tubular axis & being retained in position by means of the
catch wheel d* fixed on to the tubular axis d, and the spring d** affixed to
the framing; e is a lever carrying a driver e, which is caused to act on the
teeth of the ratchet wheel by a cam e³ acting on the truck or roller e, which is
carried by the sliding link e** jointed to the lever c³, which is fixed to an axis
es, the connecting rod e' communicating the motion of the lever e" to the lever
e', and consequently to the driver et. On the axis e are fixed two arms e³,
by which the pieces of properly cut paper are moved forward when they
have been fed on to the tables f, which have gauge projections f³, against
which the pieces of paper are placed, as will be understood on examining the
Drawings. The tables f are moved forward and back by the arms es, which
are connected to the tables f, as shown, and the tables f are guided by the
slots e of the fixed bed of the machine, as shown; consequently the move-
ment of the lever gives motion not only to the axis d but at the same time
to the axis e, by which the motion of the tables f and the drums d is derived
from the same source, yet the drums always move in the same direction, whilst

page_text: the tables fare caused to move to and fro, hence the pieces of envelope paper
are moved up to the drums & by the tables f nearly into the position for
receiving gum; the rollers g then descend, the drums d together with the
rollers g (which with their endless bands or aprons are moving in the same
direction) take such pieces of paper and aid in bringing them into the
position for receiving the gum and then stop, the tables f go back to receive
and bring up fresh pieces of envelope paper. The pieces of envelope paper
brought up to the drums & will be first held between the aprons d¹, g', by the
drums d and rollers g during the process of gumming, and will then be carried
forward thereby to the drying apparatus. The endless bands or aprons g¹ are
kept tight by means of the rollers 9³, as shewn, and the rollers 9, which
rest with their endless bands g¹ on the drums d, are capable of being raised
and lowered, so that the pieces of envelope paper brought up by the tables f
may pass under the first rollers g, and when they descend the pieces of
envelope paper will be held between the endless bands or aprons g¹ and d', as
above described. The rollers 9, 9 are carried by the frames g³, g³, which
move on the axis 9', as shown, and the lifting of these frames of rollers g is
effected in the following manner:-On the axis of the rollers g there are
trucks or rollers g' which rest on the cams gs, which have alternate rises and
falls, so that by their revolution the rollers 9, 9 are lifted at the time of the
coming up of the pieces of envelope paper caused by the movements of the
tables f, and they fall just before the drums & complete one of their move-
ments, by which the pieces of envelope paper will be held between the
endless bands or aprons d', g', and will, as before stated, be moved thereby.
I will now proceed to describe the manner in which the gum or cement
is applied. h, h, are the troughs (in which the gum or cement is placed), fixed
in the position shown; ' are endless aprons or felts, each of which is carried
by the two rollers h2, h3, one of which turns in the gum or cement in the trough,
there being a fixed table h³, to each trough, over which the endless apron or
felt moves, and by which it is supported when the brush or other instrument
used comes thereon to take a quantity of gum or cement; h is a plate in each
trough, hinged at its lower edge, and it is pressed towards the felt on the roller
h³, so as to cause the proper quantity of gum or cement to be spread over the
endless felt or band. Motion is communicated to the endless felt or apron in the
following manner:-To the lever e³ (at its other end to that at which the lever
gives motion to the drums d) is attached a connecting rod h, which at its
other end is attached to the lever he, which moves freely on the axis h' of the
rollers in the gum or cement troughs, such axis h' being in several parts, and

page_text: connected by cranks h, as shown, to admit of the rollers being readily removed
to be cleansed, all which will readily be understood by reference to the Draw-
ings. is a ratchet wheel on the axis h'; and h is a clawker, moving on an
axis carried by the lever h, the spring h" keeping the clawker in position;
hence the movement of the lever he will give motion to the rollers in the gum
troughs, and cause their endless aprons or felts to present fresh surfaces covered
with gum or cement: i, i, are the instruments for receiving gum or cement
and for transmitting it to the pieces of envelope paper for the time being in
position to receive it.
These instruments I prefer to be made in the form of brushes, as shewn, but
this may
be varied; and it is desirable when the same are in the form of
brushes that their motion in taking the gum or cement should be in the same
direction as that in which they deliver the gum or cement to the seal flaps of
envelope paper, otherwise the brushes would be bent first in one direction
and then in another, which would be objectionable; and it will be found that
this machinery is arranged with reference to this point, and provision is also
made to prevent the instruments i, i, descending, should paper not have been
fed in at any time, in order to prevent the instruments i, i, applying gum or
cement to the surface of the fixed table on which the envelope paper is placed
to receive cement or gum; and it will be seen that there are openings made
through the fixed table at j, j, where the envelope paper is placed, so that the
edges of the seal flaps overhang the projecting portions j, j, by which the
elasticity of the brush tends to force down the edges of the pieces of paper
where the cement or gum is to be applied, and thus the application of gum or
cement to the edges of the seal portions of the pieces of paper will be insured,
the act of gumming by the instruments being in a direction outwards towards
the edges of the seal portions of the envelope paper. The stems of the instru-
ments i, i, are carried by the sockets', 1, and retained therein by the set
screws,; and in order to give the proper motions to the instruments i, i,
the following arrangement is employed:- are levers which carry the sockets i³,
and they are each constantly acted on by a spring it, which tends to press the
lever against its regulating screw or stop . The axes of the levers are carried
by slides, the position of the bearings of the axes being adjustable by means
of the screws. 7 and 18 are fingers or projections which rest on the stops
when no paper is being fed into the machine, at which time the stops ?" are
slided into position to receive the fingers, and thus prevent the descent of the
instruments i, i, there being adjusting stop screws at the tops of the stops ?.
The slides & move on the levers 2¹0, which have a movement up and down by

page_text: means of a cam course ", which acting on the arm on the the axis shown,
gives motion to the levers 20 by the connecting rod is, which is attached to an
arm. On the upper part of the connecting rod a crosshead it is fixed, and
the two levers are connected to the cylindrical ends of this crosshead, as
shown, so that the two levers i will thus be caused to rise and fall together;
and in order to give motion to the slides on their levers, the cam course k is
used, which gives motion to the slides in the following manner :-k¹ is a lever
which is acted on by the cam k; the axis of this lever ¹ is hollow, and
receives and acts as the bearing of one end of the axis which carries the
arms or levers, 4; on the hollow axis of the lever is affixed an arm ², to
which is affixed the connecting rod k*, which at its upper end is attached to
the arm k³ on the axis k, on which there are two arms k, l, which by means
of the links ko give motion to the bar ke, which connects and gives motion to
the two slides, and it is by the compounding of the rising and falling motion
of the slides with the moving to and fro of the slides on their levers that
the motion above explained is given to the instruments i, i, and by which they
give and take gum or cement from the surfaces on which the same is spread,
and then bring and apply it to the proper parts of the envelope paper.
The pieces of envelope paper having had the seal portions thereof cemented
or gummed require to be dried, and for this purpose the machinery is arranged
to transmit by suitable apparatus such pieces of paper to be dried. The
envelope paper having been held stationary between the aprons on the rollers
d, g, during the time of applying the gum or cement will be moved onwards,
when motion is again communicated to the rollers or drums d, to allow fresh
pieces of paper to come into position in succession to be gummed or cemented,
and the pieces of paper so successively brought up will be moved a distance
beyond that to which the endless aprons on the rollers d, g, bring them by
means of rotatory brushes 1, 2, the axis of which is driven by the band ³,
driven by the pulley on the main shaft or axis 6, as shown; these brushes
revolving somewhat faster than the pieces of paper, are moved up to them by
the endless aprons, in order that the pieces of paper may be moved by the
brushes, so as to bring them between the rollers m and the felt or aprons n, the
motion of the aprons n being the means by their friction of giving motion to the
rollers m, and these rollers m are the commencement of the drying apparatus,
and the felt or aprons n are so arranged that they move through a space of
about seven-eighths of an inch between the succeeding acts of gumming, by which
they have a much slower motion than the endless aprons on the rollers d, g;
and the effect is that the succeeding pieces of paper will overlap each other on

page_text: the felts or aprons n, leaving, however, the parts of the seal flaps which are
gummed or cemented uncovered, and in this state will the pieces of paper
be carried through a drying process by means of the felts n and the pairs of
felts 0, the pairs of felts being connected at intervals by cross straps of
metal o¹, as shewn. The object of having these bands o separate is that they
may not interfere with the gummed surfaces of the pieces of envelope paper.
The apparatus for carrying the envelope paper through the drying process con-
sists, therefore, in each case of these two sets of felts or bands, which may be
caused to run in any convenient direction, so as to subject the gummed en-
velope paper to a warm dry temperature. The most convenient arrangement
I believe to be that shown in the Drawing, wherein the bands or felts n, o, are
caused to pass to and fro by means of rollers p, there being tightening rollers
n', o, to keep the respective bands or felts n, o, tight. As shewn in this
arrangement, the paper passes in at the lower part of the drying apparatus,
and hence proceeds upwards till the pieces of paper successively arrive at
the points q, where they will be stopped by the stops q, where they pile, and
from which they are to be taken in order to be folded.
Motion is communicated to this apparatus by means of the bevelled toothed
wheel r, which takes into and drives the bevelled toothed pinion s, on which is a
screw t, which takes into and drives the screw wheel t*, which is on the axis of
the first roller p, which is of small diameter as compared with the others which
carry the felts n, o, and there is a cog wheel on this axis, which takes into
an intermediate cog wheel u, which in its turn gives motion to the next roller p,
and the other rollers p receive motion from this roller in succession by the aid of
intermediate wheels, as shown by the red circles, which indicate the pitch lines
of the severel wheels employed. This apparatus may be enclosed or be in a
separate room or otherwise, so long as the gummed envelope paper be
subjected to a warm current of air to dry it. The machine and apparatus as
above described is supplied by means of two persons standing in front of the
machine, who feed pieces of properly cut paper from the fixed table w on to
the tables f.
I will now proceed to describe, by the aid of Drawings D, means of causing
the supply of the pieces of envelope paper to be performed by the act of the
machine, so that the person attending the gumming or cementing machine
may only be required from time to time to place piles of pieces of paper into
the machine. For this purpose, in place of employing the cam e³, I substitute
therofor the cam a, which gives motion to the sliding link e ** of the lever e³,
which in place of giving notion to sliding tables by the arms es on the axis e,

page_text: as before explained, now, by connecting rods a¹, gives motion to the arm a³
(shown by red lines in the sectional view) on the axis a, which (when it is to
supply a double machine, as before explained,) has two arms ³, which give
motion to the feeding apparatus, which works in the following manner :-x" is
a connecting rod, which has means of adjustment in its length. The connecting
roda is attached by a pin joint to an arm a³, which connects it to the shaft
, and this shaft has at its two ends flanched wheels 7, which run on the
guide rails a³, and the shaft a is kept in position by the sliding bar aº, which
slides through the socket al, which has the capability of movement on its axis
all, as shewn, for the purpose of allowing the apparatus to be turned back
when the receiver is to have a fresh pile of cut envelopes introduced. The
rails have an up-and-down motion given to them by a cam course y, acting
on the arm y' (shewn by red lines in the sectional view) of the axis y³, there
being arms y³ to carry the two guide rails, and to keep the rails parallel to
the table in their movements the links y' are used. By this arrangement the
frictional apparatus, which is used to slide the pieces of paper successively
from a heap, are caused to be raised off the piece of paper which has been
slided up to the aprons d', g'. The apparatus is then allowed to go back and
descend on to the next piece of paper.
The pile of properly cut pieces of paper are placed in a box or receiver,
which has a moveable inclined bottom, as shown, so that the edge of the
uppermost piece of paper will stand just above the edge of the box or
receiver, over which it is to be pushed; and one peculiarity of this apparatus
is the using of such a degree of friction to the uppermost piece of paper that
the friction holding will be greater than that which exists between two surfaces
of paper, and thus will the upper one be slided or pushed off the under one.
This apparatus may be variously medified, but the arrangement I prefer is that
shown in the Drawings.
The pile of paper is constantly moved upwards by the spring = acting on the
moveable bottom z' of the box or receiver. The arrangement of the rollers
g, g, and their endless bands or aprons is modified by placing the tightening
rollers above, in place of in front as shown.
The friction apparatus consists of the tubes (1) 1), within which is a second
tube (2) 2), the tubes (2) being capable of adjustment in the tubes (1) by the
screws (3) 4); the screws (4) passing through a slot in the tubes (1) admit of
the tubes (2) being raised or lowered and then set fast by the screws (4).
Within each of the tubes (2) is a spring (5), which rests on the tubes (6),
which are within the tubes (2). The tubes (6) have within them blocks of

page_text: vulcanized india-rubber, retained therein by the pins (7), which also serve to
guide and control the movement of the tube 6. The paper is prevented rising
too high by the rollers (8) 8) carried by the arms (9) 9) on the axis (10), and
these rollers can be readily turned back out of the way (when a fresh pile of
paper is to be introduced into the box or reciver) by the spring arm (11),
which is held when down by a catch (12), as is shown. By this arrangement
the pieces of paper will be successively moved or pushed off from the pile of
paper by friction or pressure of the surfaces of india-rubber, which being
pushed along cause the upper piece of paper to be slided over the edge of the
box or receiver, and so as to bring the same into position to have gum or
cement applied, as before explained; and then in order to take the friction
apparatus back clear of the paper in the box or receiver, the rails are raised,
so that in going back the friction apparatus will be above the paper, and then
the rails will descend and allow the friction surfaces again to come on to the
uppermost piece of paper, and so on, till the box or receiver is empty, when a
fresh supply or pile of pieces of envelope paper will be introduced into the
machine by turning back the apparatus, above described. It will be evident
that variations may be made in the form and movements of the frictional
apparatus, and the apparatus with which the same is employed may likewise
be varied without departing from my Invention, so long as frictional means are
used to transmit envelope paper from a pile to a gumming or cementing
process.
When it is desired that the portion of the envelope flaps which are to be
gummed or cemented be impressed or embossed with a device, then I inter-
pose apparatus, as shewn in Drawing E, for that purpose; so that in trans-
mitting the pieces of paper from a pile to the gumming or cementing appara-
tus, whether fed by hand or otherwise, the pieces of paper shall before being
gummed or cemented be so impressed or embossed. On the main or driving
shaft 6 is fixed the cam course A, which gives motion to the connecting rod
B, which is forked to embrace the main axis, as shown; the truck or roller
B', which is acted on by the cam course A, being carried by an axis projecting
from one side of the connecting rod B, and this connecting rod gives motion
to the arm C, fixed on the axis D, which carries the cams or excentrics E, which
actuate the forcers F, carrying the counterparts of the two presses, which
forcers are at all times kept upwards by the springs G, as shewn. H, H, are
the dies. This stamping or embossing machinery is of the ordinary kind, and is
not separately claimed. The two presses are combined in one frame, which is
capable of being moved to and fro laterally, in order that when the embossing
has been performed it may get out of the way of the apparatus for moving the

page_text: pieces of paper forwards to the gumming process. The framing of these
presses is supported by the frame H' and the bars H³, as shown, so that the
same may readily slide to and fro. The frame of the stamping apparatus is
constantly borne towards one side by the weighted lever I, and the stamping
apparatus is brought into position for operating by means of the plate or pro-
jection J, on the wheel upon which is formed the cam courses i", k, acting
on the roller I', as shown, at the proper time.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the details as herein shown and described, so long as the
peculiar character of any part of my improvements be retained; but what I
claim is,―
First, the applying gum or cement to the flaps of envelopes which are
folded by machinery on to each other in such manner that part of the
process of folding of the flaps is performed before and part after the appli-
cation of the gum or cement. I also claim the application of gum or
cement to the flaps of envelopes by apparatus acting in the manner of surface
printing, in contradistinction to the application of gum or cement direct from
a fountain or vessel containing the fluid gum or cement; and I also claim the
causing of envelopes, the flaps of which have had gum or cement applied
thereto, to be conveyed to and to be pressed flat by rollers, as herein
described.
Secondly, I claim the so arranging apparatus used for applying gum or
cement to and for folding the flaps of envelopes that the envelopes may
be pressed between two flat surfaces after gumming and folding the flaps."
"
And, thirdly, I claim the so arranging or combining machinery that the "seal
flaps of envelope paper may have gum or cement applied thereto and be con-
ducted to drying apparatus to be dried before folding. I also claim the means
herein described of drying envelope paper, and the so accumulating envelope
paper after gumming or cementing the seal flaps thereof, by machinery, that
the same may be caused to overlap one over the other without the gummed or
cemented parts touching the envelopes next in succession. And I also claim
the means herein described of transmitting envelope paper by machinery to
and from the process of gumming or cementing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Warren De la Rue, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty.
WARREN (L.S.) DE LA RUE.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighteenth day of June, in the
year of our Lord 1850, the aforesaid Warren De la Rue came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statute made for that purpose.