IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Hely, of Lower Ormond Quay, in
the City of Dublin, Envelope Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES,"
Sealed the 28th May 1869, and dated the 2nd December 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Hely at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd December 1868.
I, EDWARD HELY, of Lower Ormond Quay, in the City of Dublin,
Envelope Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
ENVELOPES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a simple and effective combination or
arrangement of machinery or apparatus for making envelopes, and
consists in arranging the various parts so that they may be made to
perform their various functions without the necessity for a continuous
driving motion, being worked by a foot lever or treadle. This treadle
first brings into motion a hammer causing it to turn over on a pivot or
centre and to emboss the design on the seal flap of the blank by the aid

page_text: of a die under the hammer face. By this motion of the hammer two appli-
ances are brought down for the purpose of pressing the the requisite parts
of the blank against the gum or cement, after which they in company
with the hammer are moved back again to their original position and a
plunger of the size of the envelope descends upon the blank and forces
it down into a box or cavity leaving the four flaps of the envelope erect.
A further descent of the plunger forces the box still further downwards.
To the edges of this descending box are hinged or fastened four folding
flappers which are forced inwards by contact with the outer edges of the
opening in the metal table through which the box descends and causes
the folding Happers to turn down the erect flaps round the plunger
which completes the manufacture of the envelope. As the plunger
ascends again it encounters two fingers or rods which pass through it
and remove the envelope just made, the motions being repeated as
hercin-before described for the next envelope and so on. If desired the
machine may be made to leave a thickened edge on the envelope of any
desired width.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Edward Hely in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd June 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
HELY, of Lower Ormond Quay, in the City of Dublin, Envelope
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, givè
and grant unto me, the said Edward Hely, Her special license that I,
the said Edward Hely, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Edward Hely, my executors, administrators, or
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE

page_text: MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Edward Hely, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Edward Hely, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to a simple and effective combination or
arrangement of machinery or apparatus for stamping, gumming, and folding
envelope blanks, and consists in arranging the various parts of the machine
so that they may be made to perform their various functions without the
necessity for a continuous driving motion, they being all worked from one
foot lever or treadle. This treadle first brings into motion a hammer
causing it to turn over on a. pivot or centre and to emboss the design on
the seal flap of the blank by the aid of a fixed die situate under the hammer
face. By this motion of the hammer two appliances may be brought
down if desired for the purpose of pressing the requisite parts of the
blank against the gumming or cementing appliances, after which they
in company with the hammer are moved back again to their original
position and a plunger of the size of the envelope descends upon the
blank and forces it down into a box sliding like a piston in a cavity in
the table of the machine, the four flaps of the envelope being left erect.
The continued or further descent of the plunger forces the box still
further downwards, and by the action of four folding flappers which are
hinged to the edge of the said box and are forced inwards by contact
with the outer edges of the opening in the metal table through which
the box descends the erect flaps of the envelope are folded or turned
down round or over the edges of the plunger which completes the folding
of the envelope; as the plunger ascends again with the folded envelope
upon it the latter encounters two fingers or rods which work through
the plunger and remove the envelope just folded, the motions being
repeated as herein-before described for the next envelope, and so on.
The peculiar folding action of this machine leaves a thickened edge

page_text: hereafter.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheets of Drawings,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all
the Figures.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of my Drawings represents a sectional elevation of
my improved envelope making machine looking at the front thereof;
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken at right angles to Figure 1 and
corresponding therewith; Figure 3 (Sheet 2) is a full sized transverse
vertical sectional detail of the sliding box and folding flappers taken
through the centre thereof, the box being shewn elevated and the flappers
out of action; -Figure-4-is a similar view taken through the hinges of
the flappers, showing the box and plunger depressed to their lowest
position, and the flappers erect or in action; and Figure 5 is a half plan
of the sliding box folding flappers and one of the gum reservoirs.
A is a cast iron or other standard which supports the whole of the
mechanism, and Bis a treadle lever-hinged-to the-lower-part. of_the
standard from which all the working parts of the machine are actuated.
On the upper part of the standard there is fitted or formed a metal
table C which carries a portion of the folding mechanism herein-after
more fully referred to. The standard A is continued above the table C,
and carries two fixed overhanging guiding brackets A', A', within which
slides the square stem D of a thin metal plunger E, which is secured to
the lower end thereof. F is a lever working on an oscillating fulcrum G,
and engaging at one end in a slot in the slide D, whilst its rear end is
jointed by the adjustable pin a to the upper end of a connecting rod H;
the lower end of this rod is jointed to the rear end of the treadle lever B,
so that on depressing such lever the slide D and the plunger E will be
forced down, the descent being controlled and regulated by the strong
leather washer 6 fixed and adjusted on the upper screwed end of the
slide D by the jam nuts c, c, which serve also as regulators for adjusting
the height of the plunger to suit different thicknesses of paper. The
slide D descends until the leather washer comes in contact with the
top of the upper bracket A', any undue noise or jar being prevented by
the buffing action of the leather washer. The ascent of the slide D and.

page_text: plunger E is effected by the weight of the treadle lever and parts
connected therewith. So soon as the pressure of the foot is removed
therefrom, a shoulder at d, on the slide D. serving as a stop to arrest
the ascent of the slide D by coming in, contact with the under-side of
the upper bracket arm A, which shoulder may also be padded with
leather if desired to prevent unnecessary noise and jarring of the
machine. I is a bell-crank, lever working on a fixed centre e, and
carrying on. the end of its horizontal, limb a hammer head K, in or on.
which is fitted a copper or other force corresponding to the steel
embossing die/situate bencath the said hammer. An india-rubber or
other spring Lattached to, the vertical limb of the. bell-crank tends to.
give power and speed: to the. hammer and counterpart or force, and to.
keep the hammer and force down, upon the dic.. The hammer is. lifted,
by means of a vertical sliding, rod M working in guides in the back of
the standard, and provided, at its upper and lower ends with an anti..
friction roller the bottom one of which rests. upon, the top of the treadle.
lever, whilst the upper-one acts against the under-side-of the-horizontal
limb of the bell crank. I, so that on depressing. the treadle lever the.
hammer will be lifted. When lifted this hammer is retained in its.
elevated position by a sliding- inclined spring catch g, carried on the.
back of the upper part of the standard and engaging with the upper-end
of the vertical limb of the bell crank I.. On a plate h, fixed to the upper-
end of the connecting rod H, there is fitted a hinged weighted trigger i,
which when the connecting rod riscs. catches against an, antifriction,
roller k in the sliding spring, catch g, and by lifting- the same releases.
the bell crank and allows the hammer. to, descend on to the die with.
the force due to its gravity and the strength of the spring L. On the
descent of the connecting rod the trigger i, turns back on passing
the antifriction roller k, resumes its. position underneath it so as to be
ready to release the bell crank at the next ascent of the connecting rod;
a slight longitudinal play is afforded to the lifter rod M of the hammer.
in order that the hammer shall not be acted upon thereby until it has
had time to be first released, and to emboss. the envelope as herein-after
explained. Directly underneath the plunger E a rectangular opening
is made in the table C, such opening having raised sides bolted to the
said table. Within the sides of this opening works vertically a shallow
box or moveable bottom N, the sunk or recessed face of which is.
bounded by the raised edges m, m, and corresponds in size and position.
with the plunger E, which fits it easily. The size and contour of the

page_text: plunger E, and of the sunk or recessed portion of the sliding box
correspond to the size and contour of the envelopes to be folded in the
machine. This sliding box is secured to the upper end of a vertical
rod O working in a fixed guide n bolted to a bracket projecting from the
standard A; to this slide O is connected one end of a weighted lever P,
working on an oscillating fulcrum o, and having for its object the
elevating the box N after it has been depressed by the descent of the
plunger E, as herein-after described. The lower end of the slide O
carries a leather pad, which on its descent comes in contact with an
adjustable screw stop Q and an adjustable collar or nut p. is provided for
regulating the ascent of the box N when released, and for adjusting its
position so as to suit different thicknesses of paper in conjunction with
the upper nut c, c, herein-before referred to. To the four sides of the
box N are hinged four metal flaps q, q, by the hinge pieces 7, ¹, which
flaps when the box N is elevated turn. back and lie horizontally upon
the top of the raised sides of the rectangular opening in the table,
being brought into that position by the india-rubber or other springs 8,8¹,
attached to a piece of gut or other material which passes along a rounded
groove made in the outer face of each of the raised sides I, 1, and is
secured to each flap, whilst the other end of the corresponding spring s
is hooked to a piu fixed to the under side of the table C. The inner
sides of the rectangular opening are grooved vertically to receive the
hinge pieces, 7, of the flaps q, q', and the upper and inner edge of
each of these grooves may be more or less rounded in order to cause the
flaps to turn up and assume an erect position by the action of the
descent of the box N in any determined order according to the particular
kind of envelope required. Thus, supposing the two end flaps 1, q, be
required to turn over or come into action together before the side
flaps q', q', the tops of the grooves which act upon the hinge pieces of
these last-mentioned flaps should be more rounded than those which
correspond to the end flaps which may if desired be left square even.
Through the vertical sliding spindle O there is fitted a cross arm R to
each end of which a projecting pin t, t, is secured, each pin having
secured thereto a vertical sliding rod u, u, working in guides e, secured
to the under side of the table C, through which table the vertical sliding
rods u, u, project some distance. To each of the upper or protruding
ends of these rods there is fitted a bent piece 10 carrying a horizontal
blade, which dips into the gum contained in the gum reservoirs y, y,
the upper edge of such blades being grooved or channelled longitudinally

page_text: in order to hold sufficient gum for cementing the end flaps of the
envelope, as herein-after described. So long as the box N remains
elevated the gummers x, x, will also be elevated, so as to be about on a
level with the inner edges of the gum reservoirs, but on the depression
of the box N the gummers will be simultaneously depressed below the
surface of the gum, and on their next ascent will take up or be charged
with a sufficient quantity of the gum to effect the adhesion of the end
and side flaps of the envelope when pressed together.
The gum
reservoirs y are maintained in their places by pius z, z, fixed into the
table C and passing through lugs in the reservoirs, which may be readily
removed for cleaning or repairs when required. C', C, are lateral
extensions of the metal table C, which may be composed of wood simply,
and C is an inclined spout or shoot attached to one of the bands C¹ for
the discharge of the envelopes as they are made; 1, 1, arc four carrier
pieces or guides secured to the raised sides l, and situate one at each
corner of the rectangular opening in the metal table. The inner and
pointed ends of these guides coincide with the carriers of the recess or
sunk portion of the sliding box N, their object being to ensure the proper
position of the blank to be folded and folded over the box N.
The following is the modus operandi of this machine :-Supposing the
gum reservoirs to be charged with gum or other suitable cement up to
about a quarter of an inel from the tops thereof, and the bell crank lever I
to be held back by the catch g in order to keep the hammer elevated, an
envelope blank (shown in red lines in Figures 4 and 5) previously cut by
any well known or other method to the form and dimensions required,
and having had the seal flap previously gummed, is placed by hand above
the box N so as to rest upon the four flaps q, q', the accuracy of its
position being insured by the four guides P, . Two fingers, namely,
one finger of each hand of the operator, are when adjusting the envelope
blank in its proper position on the flappers lightly pressed upon the end
flaps of the blank which brings their under surfaces in contact with the
clevated and charged gummers x. The treadle B is now depressed, and
the trigger i in rising elevates the sliding catch g and releases the
hammer K which descends with its copper or other force upon the seal
Hap of the blank and stamps or embosses the same, such flap resting
upon or being immediately over the stationary die f. In the meantime
the plunger E has commenced to descend, but before it comes into actual
contact with the blank the rod M commences to elevate again the
hammer K, and by the time the plunger E has completed its descent

page_text: the sliding spring catch g has locked back the upper end of the vertical
limb of the bell crank, thereby keeping the hammer K elevated until
it is required to be released for the stamping of the next blank. The
plunger on first coming in contact with the blank forces it into the sunk
or recessed portion of the box N, thereby causing the four flaps of the
blank to turn up into a vertical or nearly vertical position so soon as the
pressure of the plunger is exerted upon the box, N, the latter is, forced
downwards by the continued descent of the plunger, and the four folding
flaps q, q', and q', q', now come into action in pairs successively or in
any other order singly or otherwise, that is to say, the end folders. 9.
(as the machine is arranged in the Drawings) operate first upon the end
flaps of the partly-finished envelope and fold them over the thin ends
of the plunger E, and after them tho side folders g', q', commence to
operate and fold the side flaps over the thin sides or edges of the plunger.
One of the-advantages. of this mode of folding the blank by turning the
flaps over and on to the edges of the plunger is that the fibre of the
paper is not broken by the folding as is. the case in other envelope
folding machines. My machine produces a round and folded edge,
whereas other machines employed in this manufacture produce a sharp
creased and broken edge. The depth of the edge of an envelope folded
in my machine is equal to the thickness of the plunger E plus the
thickness of the paper itself, and as the fibre of the paper is thus left
unbroken the envelope is less liable to be torn at the edges. By this
time the blank has been gummed on the end flaps, stamped or embossed,
and folded. The plunger E now rises, and the box N is elevated to its
original position by the action of the weighted lever P. As the plunger
rises clear of the box N it carries upon it the gummed, stamped, and
folded blank, which is separated from or pushed off the plunger by the
action, of two stationary rods 1, 1, passing freely through holes in the
plunger, and secured to the lower bracket arm A', one on each side of
the slide D. By the time the plunger has risen a given height, the
rods 1, 1, protrude through it and push off the partly finished envelope,
which simply requires to have its four flaps pressed down (the seal flap
having been previously gummed in the usual way) in order to complete
the manufacture, which operation may be performed by hand or
otherwise.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of
my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be
used or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I

page_text: consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The peculiar combination, arrangement, and mode of operating
mechanism for gumming, stamping, and folding of the blanks of
envelopes, as herein-before described.
Second. The imparting the necessary movements in their proper order
of sequence to gumming, stamping, and folding mechanism employed in
the manufacture of envelopes from a single foot lever or treadle.
Third. The combination in envelope making machines of a hammer
and fixed or stationary die, operating substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before described.
Fourth. The combination of a thin edged plunger and folding flappers
hinged to a box or recessed plate sliding within a cavity or opening in
the table of an envelope making machine, whereby the flaps of the
envelope are folded over or on to the plunger, and the envelope is folded
without the necessity for a second descent of the plunger, the whole
being arranged and operating together substantially as and for the
purpose herein-before described.
In witness whercof, I, the said Edward Hely, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of
May, One thousand cight hundred and sixty-nine.