Improvements in Machines for Making Envelopes and Placing Enclosures therein.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Envelopes and Placing
Enclosures therein.
communication by JAMES R. MCDONALD, of Chicago, in the County of Cook,
State of Illinois, United States of America, President of the National Mailing
Machine Company.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, & 6 Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to gum and fold an envelope from a previously
prepared blank upon which a business address or return address, or both, may have
been previously printed, and to enclose within such envelope, while in the process
of forming it, one or more circulars, manifold letters, or other material intended for
the mail; and to this end there is combined with a gum-box or reservoir and a
holder for a stack of envelope-blanks, a picker for removing a single blank at a time
from the stack and applying gum thereto, devices for conveying the envelope to
the forming or folding-box and for giving the initial crease thereto, and an inter-
mittent carrier or feeder whereby circulars or other material are delivered to the
partially formed envelope, stops or cut-off's which regulate the delivery of such
circulars, and folding devices whereby the flaps of the cuvelopes are pasted down
upon each other and secured after the circulars have been received.
Although the primary feature of this invention consists in combining with any
suitable mechanism for gumming, creasing and folding envelopes, devices whereby
folded material for enclosures is carried to and deposited within the partially formed
envelope at the proper intervals, yet in carrying out this idea to its full fruition
various novel and useful improvements have been introduced into the envelope
mechanism itself which may or may not be used independently of or in connection
with said devices for delivering enclosures, as will appear from the ensuing
description.
A strong frame is provided, advisedly of iron or steel, and for lightness made of
skeleton outline, with sills and girts for the support of the various bearings of the
machine; also a main driving-shaft, having fast and loose pulleys, and turning in a
bearing in said frame. Upon this shaft is keyed a driving pinion, that directly
meshes with an idle gear, inounted on a stub axle, and in its turn driving a gear,
which revolves a through-shaft, extending from side to side of the machine and
bearing cams, as presently explained.
The gear engages with and drives another gear, also fixed to a through-shaft,
and bearing at one or both ends, preferably at both, cams, hereinafter termed the
plunger-cam or cams, whereby the frame carrying the picker and plunger is raised
vertically at the proper times and at the proper relative speed, and permitted to
descend by gravity at times according with the actions of other parts of the
mechanism. Said through-shaft has also at one end another cam, having a slotted
or grooved track, in which travels an anti-friction roll, borne upon the end of one
arm of an elbow-lever, keyed to a through-shaft, carrying at the opposite side of
the machine a lever-arm, corresponding in length and parallel with the lever-arm,
of said elbow-lever, and the upper ends of these two lever-arms are connected by
links with pins, from a carriage, reciprocating in ways, upon the upper plane
Eurface of the frame, and having a bridge, carrying the nippers for the blank and a
rake for the circulars and certain other accessories, all as will be hereinafter

page_text: explained; and for the purpose of reference this carriage may be called the nipper-
carriage, and the cam by which it is actuated and given its to-and-fro movements
may be called the nipper-carriage-cam.
The plunger-frame consists of two vertical rods, sliding in ways, at each side of
the frame, and at their lower ends having anti-friction rolls, which rest upon the
periphery of the plunger-cams, so that the revolutions of the latter may lift the
rods to allow them to sink, depending upon whether they are travelling upon a
spiral or concentric portion of said cam or sinking into the cutaway portion. At
their upper ends these rods are united by a strong cross-head, which has an
ascending bracket, overhung towards the outer end of the machine, and in the end
of this bracket, and also vertically beneath, are formed sleeves or guides, for the
spindle, of the picker, whereby the blanks are gummed and lifted. This spindle is
adjustable by nuts, resting upon the upper end of the lower sleeve, and is urged
down by a coiled spring, seated at one end against the nuts and at the other end
against the upper bearing or guide. The picker itself is of the usual outline, with
downwardly projecting flanges, the edges of which receive the gum for the back-
flap and seal-flap of the envelope, and a foot, to gum one of the side-flaps, but the
flange for the scal-flap is made detachable, so that said flap may be left ungummed
when desired; that is to say, said flange is secured to the picker by screws, so that
it may at any time be removed. Inside of these gumming-flanges is located a
stripper-plate, substantially conforming to their outline, but normally held above
the plane of the gumming edges by means of pins, and coiled springs, the stress of
which may be adjusted by nuts, upon said pins. At the sides, where the picker is
open to avoid gumming the side-flaps of the envelope, the stripper-plate is bent up
and then horizontally to form ears, projecting beyond the picker, which cars afford
purchase for depressing fingers, presently to be described, whereby at the proper
moment the stripper and picker depart relatively from each other to press the
blank away from the picker and detach it therefrom to be grasped by the jaws of
the nippers.
The cross-head is also opposite the sleeves for the picker-spindle; that is to say,
towards the inner end of the machine, provided with a boss, in which is secured the
shank, of the creasing plunger, so that whenever the plunger-frame descends said
plunger may be carried positively downward, while on the other hand the picker
will descend positively only until it meets an obstruction, when the spring coiled
about its spindle will permit it to yield. The creasing plunger does not differ
essentially or need not differ essentially from those heretofore in use, and needs no
further detailed description, except such as may hereafter relate to its co-operation
with the folding box and other mechanism.
..
Besides the cams already described, the plunger-shaft carries still two others, the
first of which, alongside the nipper-carriage-cam, has a cam-groove, in which runs
an anti-friction roll, on a short arm of an elbow-lever, keyed to a through-shaft,
which bears at the other end a lever-arm, corresponding with the longer arm, of
said elbow-lever, and the upper ends of these two arms are connected by links,
with pins depending from a second sliding carriage, which moves, or may move, in
continuations of the same ways on the upper plane surface of the frame that the
other does, and which carries the gum-box, and gum-rolls, and is reciprocated back
and forth underneath the picker, in order to apply gum to the gumming edges of
the latter. The gum-box has two or more gumming rolls, in frictional contact, the
upper one of which has at one end a spur-pinion, that meshes with a rack, fixed to
the frame parallel with the ways in which the carriage reciprocates, and is provided
with a backing ratchet or one-way clutch, to drive said upper roll in one direction
only, whereby the rolls are revolved with the reciprocations of the carriage away
from the picker and the gum properly distributed and delivered to the upper roll,
but remain stationary as the carriage moves toward and passes beneath the picker,
except so far as they may be turned by frictional contact with its edges. For
'couvenience of designation hereafter this second carriage will be termed the gum-
carriage, and the cam by which it is driven the gum-cam.

page_text: Finally, the plunger-shaft carries at the opposite side of the frame from the
gum-cam a pear-shaped peripheral cam, which engages with an anti-friction roll, ou
the end of a pitman, slotted to take over the plunger-shaft. This pitman connects
with one arm of a bell-crank lever, the other arm being connected by a link, with a
frame, reciprocating in vertical ways, and carrying the blank-table, located directly
beneath the picker, and the operation of the plunger-cams and of what may be
termed the table-cam is such that when the picker descends upon the pile of blanks
carried by the table and commences to reascend the table, which has already partly
met it in its downward journey, follows it up, but at a gradually slower speed, so
that the separation of the two may be by degrees and thus insure more certainly
the picking of but a single blank from the pile, after which the table is withdrawn,
to be again carried up against and along with the picker. The blank-table is con-
structed with two stationary hollow posts, vertically slotted, and receiving within
them weight-spindles, having at their upper ends inclined or bevelled spurs,
projecting through the slots, the purpose of which is to still further insure the
separation of but a single blank from the pile whenever the picker rises, by dividing
such blank from the one beneath. These hollow posts form stops for and are in
contact with the edge of the back-flap of the blanks, while at the opposite side of
the blanks, and located at the re-entrant angles between the seal-flap and side-flap,
are posts, having bevel-faces, and secured to the plate by suitable clamping-bolts,
whereby they may be adjusted. The edges of the scal-flaps are pressed upon, so as
to carry the whole stack against the stationary hollow posts, by spring-gates, com-
posed of a series of flat fingers, which may be slotted out from a single sheet, and
are turned downward at their adjacent ends to prevent the blanks from catching in
the slots. These gates swing upon pivot-pins, and have heel projections, which are
connected by a removable hook-link, so that they may be opened for the insertion
of the fresh stack of blanks and then swung in against said stack and secured in
position by replacing the link. The gates however may be omitted and a second
pair of slotted hollow posts with weight-spindles and dividing spurs substituted
therefor.
Heretofore it has been customary to place posts carrying dividing spurs at the
re-entering angles between the seal or back-flaps and the side-flaps, so that the
spurs would act at these angles upon the ends of the gummed edge of the back-
flap, the adjacent edges of the side-flaps being ungummed, and, therefore, it followed
that with the reinforcement of the weight of these ungummed side-flaps the spurs
would tend to strip or peel the gummed edges of such seal or back-flaps from the
picker. But, by placing the posts and spurs in contact with the gummed edges of
said flaps at points along their length, and on both sides of and equidistant from
their centers, this tendency is now counteracted.
The folding-box is located beneath the plunger and in outline resembles those
heretofore in use. Its bottom is normally closed by a platen, which is connected
with a standard, sliding in vertical ways, and having at its lower end an anti-
friction roll, travelling upon a peripheral cam, revolved by the before-mentioned
shaft, which may be termed the platen-shaft, and is driven by the gear-wheel, that
meshes with and drives the gear upon the plunger-shaft, and is intermediate in the
train between said latter gear and the prime-pinion. This cam has a cutaway
portion, into which the roller sinks when the platen is withdrawn from the bottom
of the folding-box, and out of which it rises in the continued revolution of the
cam, when said platen is to be lifted up to again close the bottom of the box.
The cutaway part of the cam is succeeded by a concentric reach, by which the
platen is held stationary when the plunger descends and while the folding wings or
lappers are operating. Finally, adjacent to its return to the cutaway portion, this
reach is, or may be, succeeded by a sharp and short rise, which lifts the platen up
against the folding wings or lappers momently in order to give an additional squeeze
to the envelope and its contents to insure perfect sealing.
To permit the necessary yielding of the platen, its connection with the standard

page_text: is by means of spring-encircled rods, which play through cars on said standards
and at their lower screw-threaded ends receive nuts, whereby the normal height of
the platen can be adjusted.
The platen is transversely grooved to receive ejector-fingers, secured to a rock-
shaft, taking bearing in lugs, at one side of and beneath said platen, and a crank-
arm, from one end of this rock-shaft is connected by a spring, with the frame so
as to hold the ejector-fingers down in their grooves whenever the platen is elevated,
but when it descends this crank-arm strikes a stop, on the frame and the fingers
are thrown up so as to discharge the folded envelope with its contents into a chute,
which leads to a dumping or depositing-box, mounted upon a rock-shaft, that is
vibrated for each folding operation by means of a crank-arm, and a link, slotted
at its end, to take over the platen-shaft and beyond the slot having an anti-friction
roll, which travels upon a cam, mounted on the platen-shaft, whereby the dumping-
box is held up with its free end just beneath the tail of the chute, or returned to
such position after discharging its load, but is allowed to tilt by gravity or by the
force of a spring, coiled about its shaft and bearing at one end against a pin thereon,
and at the other against the frame, whenever the periphery of the cam departs
from the roller. In the tilting movement stationary ejector-fingers, fixed to the
frame, pass through slots in the bottom of the box and clear the envelope therefrom.
Fingers or extensions, of the floor of the box also pass between the pulleys at the
head of the adjacent set of belts so as to make a clean delivery thereto.
A concave shield extends from the tail of the chute downward concentric, or
nearly so, with the axis of the dumping-box, to two sets of vertical parallel endless
aprons, having their contiguous faces set close together and mounted upon drums
or pulleys, at their upper and lower ends, one of the upper drums being driven
from the gear-wheel on the platen-shaft by means of an idle wheel, and a spur-
pinion, while the other may be either driven positively by suitable intermeshing
gear, or by the friction of bodies passing through. At the lower ends these aprons
deliver or discharge the envelopes between the flaring wings, of a packing-box,
and into a narrow space enclosed on one side by a follower, operated intermittently
in one direction by a connection, between its shank, and a sliding rod, which is
reciprocated through the instrumentality of an elbow-lever, receiving a pin, from
said rod, in a yoke, at its lower end, and a roller, riding upon a cam, on the platen-
shaft, the movement in the other direction (or return movement) being accomplished
by a spring, connecting either the lever or one of the sliding parts with the frame.
As the follower may need adjustment its connection with the sliding rod is made
by means of a clamp, that can be tightened down on its spindular shank.
Opposite this follower and affording but a narrow space between the contiguous
surfaces of the two is a yielding presser-slide or "back-stop," adapted to travel the
whole length of the packing-box or any suitable distance therealong and connected
with a cord, chain or strap, which passes beneath a guide-pulley, then up and over
an elevated guide-pulley, and is finally provided with a sufficient weight, to draw
the slide with the proper force against the envelopes received in the box.
The floor of the packing-box immediately in front of the follower is slotted and
receives a rock-shaft, having upstanding pins, which are held normally in a vertical
position by means of weight-arms, attached to said shaft and playing in the slots,
and which may be termed the bottom gate. Another rock-shaft, overhead has a
pendent flange, vertically above the upstanding pins, and forms an overhead gate.
The follower is slotted at its lower edge, that in its withdrawal or retrograde
movement it may pass the upstanding pins which are. rigidly stopped in a vertical
position against movement in that direction but are permitted to yield in the other.
Therefore, whenever the follower moves forward to press an envelope into the pack
accumulating against the back-stop or presser-slide, it causes the upstanding or
bottom gate to fold down flat and the overhead gate to swing up so that the
envelope passes them, but when it withdraws they assume their vertical position
again and prevent the envelope from falling back or being pressed back towards

page_text: the follower. Thus a free space is always maintained for the reception of 'the
succeeding envelope or envelopes from the dumping-box and delivery aprons
between said follower and the gates.
The nipper-carriage has side-bars, which are flush with the top, and embrace and
move past the ends of a rectangular frame, corresponding in outline and size with
the mouth of the folding-box over which it fits and to which it is secured or of
which it may be an integral part and between which and the plunger the envelope-
blank is creased when the plunger descends. The top of this frame is smooth, and
beyond it project from said side-bars two fingers, curved slightly downward and
intended to pass beneath the blank held by the picker, in the forward reciprocation
of said carriage, which is of such extent that the blank is brought to the same
position over the side-bars that it should occupy when they have carried it back to
the creasing frame. Pivoted upon the bridge, connecting the runners of said carriage
are two nipper-jaws, one directly over each of the side-bars of the carriage-that
is, the bars which terminate in the just-mentioned fingers and embrace the end bars
of the rectangular creasing frame. These nipper-jaws are intended to come at each
side of the picker above the blank held thereby, but beneath the projected lugs
from the stripper-plate, and above the jaws, and to their shanks, are fixed fingers,
which may be termed depressing fingers that in the forward reciprocation of the
carriage pass above said lugs and are brought in the downward movement of the
jaws toward and just against the upper surface of said lugs so that in the further
rise of the picker which will at this moment be caused by an outsetting reach on
the plunger-cam, they will retain the stripper-plate until the gumming edges of the
picker have risen thereabove, thus detaching the gummed blank from said edges
and leaving it firmly nipped between the jaws and the carriage, when the latter
will commence its return reciprocation, withdrawing the fingers from engagement
with the stripper, which will be restored to its normal position by the force of its
springs, and carrying the blank to a point above the mouth of the folding-box,
where the jaws will open and then the plunger descend and the blank be forced
through the creasing-frame and down to the bottom of the folding-box, after which
the plunger will rise, leaving the envelope with its flaps turned up vertically along
the walls of the folding-box and its back resting against the platen.
The opening and closing of the nippers is effected by cams, acting against tail-
pieces, on the nippers and mounted upon a rock-shaft, at one end of which is a
pendent lug, normally resting against a stop, from the bridge and standing in the
path of tappets, on a reciprocating rod, which may be termed the trip-rod or trip-
bar.
This latter is slotted at the inner end or circular-receiving end of the machine
to take over a shaft, driven from the platen-shaft by the inclined spindle, and
bevel-gears, and upon which shaft is mounted a cam, in contact with an anti-
friction roll, on said rod. A. coiled spring, acting to draw the rod back, preserves
such contact, but permits the rod to be projected, this at the proper time it will
move forward, striking one of the tappets against the lug, rocking the shaft and
opening the cams away from the tail-pieces of the nippers, which will then be forced
down by springs, and lift the jaws away from the carrier-frame, but when the
carriage has taken its forward travel and reaches its position of temporary rest
beneath the picker, the anti-friction roll upon this trip-rod passes off of the cam anil
it is drawn back by its spring, causing the second tappet to strike the lug and turn
the cam to force the nippers down to grasp the blank.
When the nipper-carriage deposits the envelope-blank over the folding-box it
sometimes happens that the blank is slightly out of position, and to remedy this,
upon the rear or inner side of the creasing-frame, at the points where the re-entrant
angles between the back and side-flaps should come, stationary or fixed stops, are
placed and on the outer or front side of the folding-box is arranged a rock-shaft,
having fingers, thereon. A crank-arm, from the rock-shaft is provided with a pin
or anti-friction roll, taking into a slot, in a. hanger, from the trip-bar, so as to be
actuated thereby. These adjusting or tucking-fingers are moved immediately after
the blank has been deposited. over the folding-box and push or tuck the blank

page_text: against the stationary stops on the other side of the box, thereby bringing it
perfectly into position. With the forward reciprocation of the nipper-carriage to
receive a fresh blank, these adjusting fingers are turned down and held down out of
the way until the return has taken place and another blank has been deposited over
the creasing-frame and folding-box by the nippers.
Arms are secured to the bridge on the nipper-carriage, and projected rearwardly,
overhanging the bed of the machine, and at their extreme ends receive a rock-shaft,
from which depend rake-teeth. A crank, from this rock-shaft is connected, by a
link, with an arm, from the same rock-shaft, which carries the cams for closing the
nipper-fingers, so that whenever this latter rock-shaft is moved by the tappets on
the reciprocating-rod the rake-teeth are either lifted to a horizontal position or
turned down to a vertical position, and are sufficiently held in either position by the
spring pressure of the nipper tail-pieces upon the cams.
In the rearward movement of the carriage while the nippers are closed the rake-
teeth are horizontal, but as the carriage reaches the extent of such, rearward
movement and the nippers open, the rake-teeth are turned down to a vertical
.position, entering spaces between a series of slats, constituting a flooring which
extends from the mouth of the creasing-frame or folding-box to the conveyor
that delivers matter from the circular-folding machine, and in the next forward
traverse of the nipper-carriage they sweep along said slats or flooring until they
reach the folding-box, their function being to carry the circular or other printed
and folded matter forward along said flooring and deposit it through the creasing-
frame and in the box. The sides of said flooring are enclosed by vertical plates,
forming a guide-way or passage, the width of which is adjustable by means of
slots, and set-screws, arranged at sufficient distance from each other to admit the
folded material between them endwise, and bent outward and slightly curving at
their receiving ends, so as to guide the folded matter properly into position on
the flooring. Just before the circulars, or other matter, are deposited in the box,
a cradle or rest composed of two or more reciprocating fingers, is moved into and
across the folding-box, just above the folding wings or lappers, by means of the
vibrating arm, of an elbow-lever, which is slotted to receive a bar, from said
cradle and allow for sufficient play to compensate for the arc-movement of said
arm. The other arm of the lever rests upon and is actuated in one direction by
a cam, upon the platen-shaft, to project the cradle-fingers across the folding-box,
and they are withdrawn by a spring, as the roller on the lever reaches the cutaway
portion of the cam. This cradle serves to prevent the circular from tipping as
it falls to the bottom of the box; that is, the circular might tip if it fell the entire
distance at once, but by falling a short distance and then being intercepted by and
momently received upon the cradle, it has an opportunity to tip and is brought
into a perfectly horizontal position, when the cut-off fingers are immediately with-
drawn, allowing only a sufficient interval for the circular to adjust itself, and then
the latter falls again, and this time into the open envelope waiting to receive it.
Through the rear side of the folding-box, above the back-flap of the envelope-
blank, pass one or more hooked or curved fingers, attached to a rock-shaft. The
rock-shaft has a slotted arm, which receives a pin from one arm of a bent lever,
the other arm having an anti-friction roll, which travels upon the periphery of a
cam, upon the shaft, the same shaft which actuates the trip-rod. The lever is held
against the cam by a spring, and so long as its roller follows the concentric outline
of the cam the fingers are withdrawn from the folding-box, but whenever the roller
falls into the cutaway portion of said cam the fingers are turned down into said
box, being above and clearing the upstanding back-flap of the envelope-blank, and,
striking the inside fold of the circular just deposited, presses this down flat.
Through the center of the opposite wall of the box plays another finger, pivoted to
the supporting arm, from its bell-crank, and having a cam outline whereby it is
guided by the aperture through which it plays, and brought to the desired position
within the box. The bell-crank, like that which operates the other. fingers, has a
slotted arm, that receives a pin from the end of one arm of the rock-shaft, the other

page_text: arm of which has a pin entering a slot in the adjacent end of the bent levér, the
opposite end of said lever being provided with an anti-friction roll, travelling upon
a cam, on the before-mentioned shaft that actuates the trip-rod, and held against
said cam by a spring, which serves to operate the lever in one direction. The
action of this latter cam comes after the action of the cam which moves the other
pressing-finger or fingers, so that when its raised portion travels beneath the anti-
friction roll of the lever the pivoted finger, will be carried into the folding-box,
clearing, like the other, the flap of the envelope, and moved down against the
outer fold or flap of the circular-matter, to press it upon the inner fold. The
two sets of fingers thus insure that the circular shall be laid and held flat
before the folding of the envelope takes place. The pivoted finger, or the
second in action, is of such curved outline, as to its body, and extends so far
within the box that it permits the folding wing or lapper which presses down the
seal flap of the envelope to operate before it is withdrawn, thus practically sealing
the circular within the envelope while it is held by the finger, or so confining it
that it cannot unfold.
The folding wings or lappers for the side flaps of the envelope come into
operation after the circular has been deposited therein and flattened down by
the action of the pressing-fingers. Each of these has its face parallel and in
close proximity with the upper surface of the platen when down in a horizontal
position, but when erected into a vertical position, closely abutting against the
vertical edge of the platen to form therewith a box, and each has a shank
formed with a curved slot, described on an arc concentric with the upper adjacent
edge of the platen, which plays over a pin, projecting from the folding-box or
frame-work, and also with the heel-extension, having an anti-friction. roll, which
travels in a curved guide-way, also described on an arc concentric with the upper
adjacent edge of the platen, but on a correspondingly longer. radius than the
curved slot, and each is operated by a rod, slotted at its lower end. to play over
the platen-shaft and provided with an anti-friction roll, which travels on a cam,
fixed to said shaft. At its upper end the rod is transversely slotted to receive
a pin, from the lapper intermediate between the curved slot formed therein and
the roller on the heel-extension thereof. The weight of the actuating rods alone
is sufficient to open the lappers whenever the rolls upon these rods pass upon the
depressed portion of the cams, but they may be assisted by springs if desired.
This construction and arrangement, and also that next described, are such that
the lappers are caused to fold down flat upon the platen from its edges and to rest
evenly upon its face, without leaving an opening, or yielding or slipping, their action
being as if they were fulcrumed upon said edges, which in effect correspond to their
axes of movement.
The cams by which the side lappers are operated are so timed that the lapper, which
folds the ungummed side-flap of the envelope, acts first and is immediately succeeded by
the other, before it rises, so that the two rest for a time concurrently upon the envelope.
The folding wing or lapper, for the back-flap of the envelope, and that for the
seal-flap, are also pivoted outside of the folding-box and away from the platen on
an axis coincident with the rear and front upper edges of the platen by means of
bails, pivoted on an axis coincident with the upper longitudinal edge of the platen,
and bearings, taking over pintles, from the bails, and are operated by rods, slotted
at their lower ends to embrace the platen-shaft and having rollers, which ride
upon cams, on said shaft in order to close said lappers down upon the platen, and
which descend by their own weight or by the force of springs whenever the rollers
pass upon the retreating part of the cam, so as to open the lappers.
When the envelope is to be scaled, the lapper for the back-flap of the envelope
operates first after the descent of the side-lappers, so as to fold said flap down and
paste it upon the side-flaps and the lapper for the seal-flap comes down upon the
platen and completes the envelope. At this moment the platen may rise as herein-
before suggested to squeeze the envelope against all four of the lappers which are
still resting thereon, but it is preferable rather to give the platen a slight drop just

page_text: as each lapper comes down and then lift it quickly against the lapper just as the
latter is over and down, or nearly down and for this purpose a cam, is employed,
in which the raised periphery, is practically uniform as to its distance from the axis,
but which is notched or cut away slightly at two points towards the termination of
such raised periphery, and at points corresponding in time with the initial move-
ment of the lappers, so that the platen support, may momently drop into these
recesses and then rise again, carrying with it the platen. Plates may be used for
the purpose of filling, or partially filling, the notches, to do away with or regulate
the drop according to the thickness of the mail matter, no drop at all being necessary
when operating upon empty blanks.
JC
Sometimes it is desirable to have the envelope folded with the seal-flap ungummed
and tucked inside, and generally so when the enclosures are exclusively printed
matter. For this purpose one of the edges of the picker is removed, as already
stated, and it becomes necessary that the lapper for the scal-flap shall operate
before those for the side and back-flaps, therefore the cam for closing said lapper for
the seal-flap is provided with a detachable section, which, whenever present, actuates
said lapper in advance of the one for the back-flap, but when removed leaves the
main cam of such shape and so timed that it actuates said lapper after the back-flap
has been laid down, and, therefore, brings the scal-flap down upon the back-flap.
It will be observed that the side, back and seal edges of the lappers all stand
vertical at the moment a blank is to be received, the back and scal-flaps perhaps
flaring a little outward and being beveled so as to maintain their close fit with the
box until they are called upon to fold down upon the envelope-flaps and seal
them in conjunction with the end-flaps, but that as soon as the envelope is formed,
with or without enclosures, the entire box opens, or in a sense is knocked down,
so that there is no danger of completed envelopes sticking in.the box, and so that as
soon as the envelope is finished the box for a moment ceases to exist.
Two or more properly spaced slats are provided for the support of the circulars or
printed matter, or whatever is to be folded, along which they are carried by suitable
conveyors, until each in its turn comes over the bed, to which a vertical reciproca-
tion is given along the ways by an anti-friction roller, travelling upon a cam,
hereinafter more particularly described. Above this bed is shown the paddle,
which is reciprocated longitudinally over and corresponds in length and breadth to
about the dimension of the bed. Whenever in its movement it has come above
the circular, deposited upon the slats, it is depressed vertically, the bed at the
moment having risen to, or about to, the under surface of the circular. Then the
two descending simultaneously, the paddle passing between the two innermost slats,
the folder-blades, operate in succession to lay the flaps of the circular or other
matter over the paddle, when the latter is withdrawn horizontally, leaving said
folded matter still upon the bed which now descends until it comes on a level with
the opening between the squeezing-rollers, when pushing-fingers, constituting
a tucker, are brought against said folded matter and deliver it between these
rollers by which it is carried forward and deposited upon a carrier or conveyor
composed of endless belts, stretched over two drums or pulleys, the former
being driven.constantly by any suitable motor timed from the envelope machine.
These carrier or conveyor-belts in the present instance terminate between
the slats of the envelope machine, which are traversed by the rake, as herein-
before described, and they feed the folded matter to said slats and between
the side-wings thereof into position to be caught by the rake and carried
forward to the folding-box. But, in order to straighten this matter before
the rake falls, and also to prevent its being carried too far forward, a cut-off
composed of a rock-shaft, having teeth, and normally held with said teeth in a
horizontal position below the slatted flooring by means of a spring, coiled around
its shaft, but rocked to bring said teeth into a vertical position, projecting through
said flooring, by means of a tappet, on the trip-bar, striking a crank, on its shaft
in the rearward or inward movement of said bar which takes place just before
the rearward movement of the carriage and held in such position upon the recession

page_text: of the carriage itself by a stop, from the carriage-bridge when the trip-bar moves
forward to open the nippers, is arranged at a suitable distance beyond the delivery
end of the carriers, so that each circular may be fed against the teeth and stopped
or cut off from its forerunner and positioned or squared for the rake to come down
behind it at the termination of the rearward traverse of the nipper-carriage.
When, however, the carriage starts forward for a fresh blank, the crank from the
cut-off shaft is released from its stop by the departure of the bridge and the
spring carries the teeth once more beneath the flooring, to permit the circular or
other folded matter to be raked therepast.
It sometimes happens that the circular is delivered from the folding machine a
little beyond the point at which it should properly strike the carriers, aprons or
belts, and to rectify this, a quarter-crossed belt is placed alongside the two
horizontal belts of the conveyor on the side to which the circular tends to be
carried. At the end next the circular-folding devices, this belt runs upon a
horizontal pulley, in axial line with and upon the same shaft as the pulleys of the
other conveyor-belts, but is gradually twisted towards the vertical until its opposite
end is carried over a vertical idle pulley, upon the envelope machine proper and
elevated so that its lower edge lies practically in the same plane with the upper
surface of the horizontal belts. In order to bring the last half of its inner_web
or ply entirely vertical, a second vertical idle pulley or roll, is arranged midway
between the two end pulleys. Thus the twisted belt serves at first to carry and
then to deflect and push the folded matter sidewise and edgewise, until it reaches
the proper position to be delivered upon the slatted flooring of the envelope
machine. The vertical pulley on the envelope machine at the end of this twisted
belt is mounted upon a pintle from an adjustable bracket, secured to the bed of the
machine by a bolt passing through a slot in its foot, whereby it can not only be
adjusted to stretch the belt, but can be moved toward or from the other bells of
the carrier to properly position the folded matter.
For the purpose of driving and timing the folding mechanism concurrently with
the enveloping mechanism, and imparting the proper movements to the folding-bed,
paddle and blades and to the tucker and squeezing rolls, the driving-pulley upon
the shaft, may be replaced by a bevel-gear, intermeshing with a corresponding
gear, keyed to a main driving-shaft, mounted in bearings, along the side of the
machine and carrying fast and loose pulleys, whereby it may be driven from a
line-shaft, or left idle. At one end this driving-shaft may have a fly-wheel, which
may also serve as a hand-wheel to actuate the mechanism controlled by said shaft
without recourse to the power-drive, and at the other end it will have a bevel-gear,
meshing with and driving a corresponding gear, on a short transinission-shaft,
mounted in bearings, one or more of which are in a bracket to one side of the
frame which supports the folding mechanism, and which may be bolted to or
otherwise made rigid with the frame-work supporting the enveloping devices. A
spur-pinion, on this transmission-shaft, drives an idler, which communicates motion
to the gear, keyed to a counter-shaft beneath the immediate folding mechanism,
and carrying cams for operating it, therefore hereinafter termed the folder-shaft.
The folding paddle is secured to the end of a horizontal rod or shank, which
plays through and is guided by two bearings, one in the end of the arm, setting
out from a vertically reciprocating-bar, and the second in an enlargement near the
upper end of said bar, which latter is guided in its movement by the sleeves, at
the upper and lower ends of a bracket, secured to and overhanging from the
supporting-frame of the machine. The foot of this vertical bar is flattened and
slotted to take over the folder-shaft, and is provided with two anti-friction rolls,
one at the upper end of the slot and at the side of the flattened extension, and
the other at the lower end of the slot and at the opposite side of said extension.
On each side of the flattened part are cains, fixed to the folder-shaft, the first cam
engaging with the upper anti-friction roll to raise the bar and the second cam,
succeeding at the proper time the action of the first, engaging with the lower anti-
friction roll to depress the bar positively, thereby, through the alternate action of
B

page_text: the cams, raising and lowering the folding-paddle. In order to impart this
movement, a vertical opening is made through the paddle-rod or shank to receive
the upper end or arm of an elbow-lever, journalled or fulcrumed on a shaft,
carried in brackets or hangers, from the frame and either turning on said shaft or
with it. The other arm of this hanger is connected by a link, with a longitudinally
slotted yoke, which embraces the driving-shaft and is provided at each end of its
slot, and on opposite sides thereof, with anti-friction rolls, which alternately engage
cams, fixed to the folder-shaft, to depress and raise the yoke, the first movement
projecting the paddle and the second withdrawing it, the arrangement of the cams
being such that the paddle will be held stationary against horizontal movement
for a definite interval at each end of its reciprocation and particularly at the limit
of the forward projection, that it may have time to descend upon and with the bed
beneath the table.
The reciprocations of the folding-blades over the bed correspond with the
distance from the opening in the table to about the longitudinal center thereof,
and in order to so limit their inward movement they are constructed with
shoulders, upon their under surfaces which impinge against the side edges of the
bed whenever one or the other of the knives is carried thereacross. The shanks
of these blades pass through guide-bearings, secured to and depending from the
under surface of the table, and the outer edges of these shanks are provided
with trunnions, which pass through clongated slots, in the upper ends of arms
of elbow-levers, fulcrumed by means of journals, taking into bearings on the frame
and engaging by means of anti-friction rolls at the ends of their lower converging
or power-arms, with cams, on the drive-shaft, almost reversely set, so that one
knife may move first to lay one flap and the other follow it to lay the second fold
or flap over the first. Springs act upon the elbow-levers in such manner as to
urge the blades inwards towards the bed whenever the anti-friction roll on the end
of the power-arm reaches the cutaway reach of its cam.
The cam which operates the bed revolves and has several reaches, the first of
which is the lowest or described on the shortest radius and is concentric with the
axis of the driving-shaft, so that, while the anti-friction roll at the foot of the
supporting stud of the bed-frame is travelling on this reach, the bed will be at its
lowest position and stationary for a considerable interval of time, sufficient for the
ejection of the previously folded material and for the bringing of fresh material
upon the table above it. The next reach is a rapid outward reach or rise,
terminating upon a radius of sufficient length to carry the top of the bed flush
with the table when it sinks rapidly away to the succeeding reach concentric with
the axis of the driving-shaft, like the first, but on a longer radius, and adapted to
bring the bed beneath the transversely reciprocating folding-blades, but so slightly
below them as to allow them to just clear the paddle when they successively
move inwards over the bed. To this third reach succeeds a fourth, which is a
short outward rise on a radius less than the second reach to carry the bed up
against the overlying folding blades immediately after the paddle has been
withdrawn, so as to squeeze the folded material against these blades and
permanently set the fold. In this last movement the elastic or yielding connection
between the bed and its support serves to compensate for any variation in the
thickness of the material being folded, as, for instance, when several circulars have
been nested together to form a single enclosure for the mail. Rapidly succeeding
the squeezing of the folded matter against the blades the anti-friction roll on the
stud returns to the first reach of its cam by a speedy inward incline, bringing the
bed abreast the squeezing rolls into which the folded material is carried by
the pushing-fingers.
These fingers may be formed as prongs from a shank, and are pivoted to the
upper end of a rod, rising from lugs, projecting from the collars, keyed to the
rock-shaft, from which rises an arm, having upon its end an anti-friction roll, in
contact with the periphery of a cam, upon the folder-shaft, whereby the push-
fingers are opened away from the folding-bed, while a yoke, uniting said collars on

page_text: the side opposed to the lugs and acted upon by a spring, carries said fingers towards
and over the bed whenever the retreating trend of the cam permits. The heel-end
of the shank of the push-fingers is acted upon by a spring, arranged in such
manner and under such normal tension that when the fingers are fully opened away
from the bed their points will be thrown up, but when carried toward the bed the
points are depressed to come in contact with the material carried thereby and move
over the upper surface thereof as they push such material into the grasp of the
squeezing-rolls.
Said rolls are driven from the before-mentioned driven gear of the folder-shaft
by means of the intermeshing pinion, the concentric gear, rigid therewith, the idler
meshing with a pinion, on the end of one of the squeezing-rolls, a second pinion on
said roll engaging with an equal pinion on another roll diagonally thereabove, a
pinion on the latter engaging with an equal pinion on the roll directly beneath, and
a third pinion on the first roll in the above related train driving a pinion on the last
roll of the four, which in its turn carries at its opposite end a pinion, engaging with
and driving a pinion on the shaft carrying the conveyor drums or pulleys, and
thereby imparts motion to the conveyor belts.
In operation, the plunger-frame is just on the point of riding off the raised
portion of its cams, an envelope-blank lying over the folding-box, where it has
been deposited by the last retrogression of the nipper-carriage, and a circular
lying on the slatted flooring between the cut-off' and the rake. The picker and the
plunger will now simultaneously descend, the former to take up a fresh envelope-
blank and the latter to crease the already deposited blank, and carry it home to
the platen at the bottom of the folding-box, and leaving it, as it rises, with its back
resting against said platen and its flaps extending vertically alongside the walls of
said box. The picker and plunger having now risen to their full height, the
former holding a freshly gumined blank, the nipper-carriage moves forward to
grasp said blank and the rake on said carriage takes along with it the circular
previously lying between it and the cut-off and deposits it upon the intersecting
fingers or cradle in the folding-box, while the conveyors feed a fresh circular
against the cut-off between the slats. As the nippers reach the blank, the depressing-
finger above them passes over the lugs from the stripper-plate, then the nippers
fall, clamping the blank against the carriage frame, and bringing said fingers
against the lugs, and at the same moment the picker is given a slight additional
upward movement by the outward reach on the plunger-cams, causing its gumming
edges to rise above the stripper-plate and thereby separating them from the blank.
Then the nipper-carriage starts on its return movement, with the rake open, and
stops with the freshly-taken blank above the mouth of the folding-box and releases
it, when it is positioned by the adjusting-fingers as heretofore explained, ready for
the next descent of the plunger. But meanwhile the cradle-fingers have been
withdrawn, the previously deposited circular allowed to drop into the open envelope,.
the inner flap of the circular has been smoothed down by the descent of the fingers,
and those fingers withdrawn, the outer flap has been pressed down upon the inner
by the descent of the finger, one of the flaps of the envelope, for instance the
ungummed seal-flap, has been folded down, the ungummed side-flap folded thereon,
the gummed side-flap placed over the two, and then the finger rises and the back-
flap is folded down upon the side-flaps, all by the appropriate lappers. During the
retrograde movement of the nipper-carriage, the gum-box has been carried beneath
the picker gumming its edges, and as the nipper-carriage comes to a stop this
box is returned to its initial position, the gumming rollers being rotated in such
return to take up and distribute a fresh supply of gum. The envelope-blank,.
having received its enclosure, and having been folded over and sealed upon it or
otherwise enclosed and confined it for mailing, the lappers open, the platen descends
until it reaches the head of the chute, where its ejector-fingers discharge the
envelope, which slides down said chute into the dumping-box and is immediately
dropped therefrom to the vertical delivery aprons or belts, its discharge being,
insured by the fixed ejector-fingers which pass through the slots in the bottom of

page_text: the box. As the envelope emerges from these delivering belts, it is deposited in
front of the follower in the packing-box, the follower carries it past the gates and
presses it against the back-stop, which yields and gives slightly and then becomes
stationary. The platen now having risen, and again closing the bottom of the
folding-box, the plunger descends, creases a fresh blank, just deposited, and carries
it against the platen and the operations already described are reproduced con-
currently or in sequence in their proper turns.
Dated this 14th day of December 1891.
ענעם VVLI
DE MULTICATIO
Improvements in Machines for Making Envelopes and Placing
Enclosures therein.
A communication by JAMES R. MCDONALD, of Chicago, in the County of Cook,
State of Illinois, United States of America, President of the National Mailing
Machine Company.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High Holborn in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to gum and fold an envelope from a previously
prepared blank upon which a business address or return address, or both, may have
been previously printed, and to enclose within such envelope, while in the process
of forming it, one or more circulars, manifold letters, or other material intended for
the mail and to this end there is combined with a gum-box or reservoir and a
holder for a stack of envelope-blanks, a picker for removing a single blank at a
time from the stack and applying gum thereto, devices for conveying the envelope
to the forming or folding-box and for giving the initial crease thereto, and an
intermittent carrier or feeder whereby circulars or other material are delivered to
the partially formed envelope, stops or cut-offs which regulate the delivery of such
circulars, and folding devices whereby the flaps of the envelopes are pasted down
upon each other and secured after the circulars have been received.
Although the primary feature of this invention consists in combining with any
suitable mechanism for gumming, creasing and folding envelopes, devices whereby
folded material for enclosures is carried to and deposited within the partially formed
envelope at the proper intervals, yet in carrying out this idea to its full fruition
various novel and useful improvements have been introduced into the envelope
mechanism itself which may or may not be used independently of or in connection
with said devices for delivering enclosures, as will appear from the ensuing
description.
In the drawings :
Figure 1 represents a top-plan view of a machine embodying this invention, part
of the circular-feeding and conveying devices or carriers being broken away at the
left hand.
Figure 2 is an elevation of said machine from the left-hand side, the carriers for
circulars and such material being omitted.
Figure 3 is a side elevation from the opposite or right-hand of the machine, also
omitting the before-mentioned carriers.
Figure 4 is also a side elevation of the machine with the nipper-carriage advanced
from the position shown in Figure 2, and much of the mechanism omitted to more
clearly expose the devices for operating said carriage.

page_text: Figure 5 is an outer end elevation of said machine.
Figure 6, a vertical transverse section through the folding-box and plunger,
taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1 and upon an enlarged scale.
Figure 7, a vertical longitudinal section centrally through the machine, taken on
the line 7-7 of the preceding figure and on the same scale, showing the picker in
contact with the top-blank of the stack of envelope-blanks and the plunger at the
bottom of the folding-box, whither it has carried the envelope-blank delivered in
the previous action of the machine, after creasing it in its initial entrance into said
box.
Figure 8 is a similar enlarged section on the same line as the preceding figure,
and from the same side of the machine and with certain of the devices for delivering
the scaled envelopes omitted, and with the parts in position to deposit the previously
gummed blank over the folding-box and beneath the plunger.
Figure 9 is a similar enlarged vertical longitudinal section on the same line as
the preceding and from the same side of the machine, with parts still further
advanced in action, a folded circular deposited upon a cut-off or cradle within the
folding-box ready to be dropped into the previously creased envelope at the bottom
of said box whenever said cradle is withdrawn, and with the blank-nippers advanced
to take a fresh blank from the picker.
Figure 10 is a similar enlarged vertical longitudinal section upon the same line
as the three previous, but from the opposite side of the machine, showing a still
further advance in action, the circular deposited in the bottom of the box and its
flaps being pressed down by fingers to avoid interference with the flaps of the
envelope when the latter is folded down thereupon, and the blank-nippers with-
drawing to carry the envelope-blank previously gummed from the picker to the
mouth of the folding-box.
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the folding-box, detached and enlarged.
Figure 10, a perspective view of the platen, its cam, supporting standard and
one of its guide-ways, showing the devices for operating the ejector-fingers in said
platen.
Figure 10, a modification of the platen cam.
Figure 11 is a detail in perspective showing the folding-box and certain accessory
mechanism, including the tucking-fingers whereby the envelope-blank is held
against the stationary stops.
Figure 12 is a detail in top-plan view to explain the relation of the nipper cam-
shaft, and of the cut-off in the passage-way for the folded material, to their
respective stops on the carriage-bridge.
Figure 13 (Sheet 4), an enlarged detail of the raking device, whereby the
circular is taken from its conveyor and delivered to the folding-box.
Figure 14 (Sheet 13), a detail showing the cam on the platen shaft, and
intermediate mechanism whereby it operates the plunger in the packing-box.
Figure 15 is a side elevation, and
Figure 16, a top-plan view of the holder for the stack of envelope-blanks.
Figure 17, a detail of one of the posts of said holder, showing the sliding-
finger whereby the blanks are separated from each other, and only one at a time
taken by the picker.
Figure 18 represents in side elevation, and
Figure 19, in top-plan view, the packing-devices whereby the folded envelopes
with their enclosures are arranged in order for bundling or for being packed away
in boxes.
Figure 20 is a side elevation of a portion of the machine with a part of the
circular folding and delivery mechanism shown in section, and with the intermediate
feeding and cut-off devices which convey the circular from said folding mechanism
to the envelope-box.
Figure 21 is a top-plan view of the mechanism shown in the preceding figure,
but with the plunger omitted.
Figure 22, a side elevation of so much of the machine as is sufficient to:illustrate

page_text: an arrangement of gearing for driving and timing the envelope-forming and
circular-folding devices concurrently.
Figure 22, an enlarged detail view of the train for driving the squeezing-
rollers and conveyor-belts.
Figure 23, a vertical transverse section through the circular folding apparatus,
seen from the direction of the enveloping devices.
Figures 24 and 24ª represent details of the picker.
Figure 25, on said sheet, is an adjustable cam whereby the operation of the
folders is controlled or varied in such manner that the fly or seal-flap of the
envelope shall either be sealed to the outer side or be turned in under the other flaps
when it is left ungummed.
Figures 26 and 26 to 33 and 33ª, a diagrammatic series representing the
successive positions of and operations upon the envelope and its enclosures from
the time the latter are deposited upon the cradle until the envelope is finally sealed
and ready for mailing.
A represents a strong frame, advisedly of iron or steel, and for lightness made of
skeleton outline, with sills and girts for the support of the various bearings of the
machine; and A' is the main driving-shaft, having fast and loose pulleys, A³, A³,
and turning in a bearing, a, in said frame. Upon this shaft is keyed a driving
pinion, a', that directly meshes with an idle gear, a², mounted on a stub axle, a³,
and in its turn driving a gear A', which revolves a through-shaft, at, extending
from side to side of the machine and bearing cams, as presently explained.
The gear A' engages with and drives another gear, A', also fixed to a through-
shaft, a, and bearing at one or both ends, preferably at both, cams, A', hereinafter
termed the plunger-cam or cams, of practically the outline shown, whereby the
frame carrying the picker and plunger is raised vertically at the proper times and
at the proper relative speed, and permitted to descend by gravity at times
according with the actions of other parts of the mechanism. Said through-shaft
has also at one end another cam, A', having a slotted or grooved track, in which
travels an anti-friction roll, a7, borne upon the end of one arm of an elbow-lever, A³,
keyed to a through-shaft, a³, carrying at the opposite side of the machine a lever-
arm, a, corresponding in length and parallel with the lever-arm, a³, of said elbow-
lever, and the upper ends of these two lever-arms are connected by links, a¹, with
pins, b, from a carriage, B, reciprocating in ways, ', upon the upper plane surface
of the frame, and having a bridge, B', carrying the nippers for the blank and a
rake for the circulars and certain other accessories, all as will be hereinafter
explained; and for the purpose of reference this carriage may be called the nipper-
carriage, and the cam by which it is actuated and given its to-and-fro moveinents
may be called the nipper-carriage-cam.
The plunger-frame consists of two vertical rods, C, sliding in ways, c, at each
side of the frame, and at their lower ends having anti-friction rolls, c', which rest
upon the periphery of the plunger-cams, so that the revolutions of the latter may
lift the rods to allow them to sink, depending upon whether they are travelling
upon a spiral or concentric portion of said cam or sinking into the cutaway portion.
At their upper ends these rods are united by a strong cross-head, C', which has an
ascending bracket, C2, overhung towards the outer end of the machine, and in the
end of this bracket, and also vertically beneath, are formed sleeves or guides, c³,
for the spindle, c³, of the picker, C³, whereby the blanks are gummed and lifted.
This spindle is adjustable by nuts, c, resting upon the upper end of the lower
sleeve, and is urged down by a coiled spring, co, seated at one end against the nuts
and at the other end against the upper bearing or guide. The picker itself is of
the usual outline, with downwardly projecting flanges, c, the edges of which
receive the gum for the back-flap and seal-flap of the envelope, and a foot, C4, to
gum one of the side-flaps, but the flange for the seal-flap is made detachable, so
that said flap may be left ungummed when desired; that is to say, said flange is
secured to the picker by screws, c', as shown in Figures 9 and 19, so that it may
at any time be removed. Inside of these gumming-flanges is located a stripper-

page_text: plate, C, substantially conforming to their outline, but normally held above the
plane of the gumming edges by means of pins, cs, and coiled springs, c³, the stress
of which may be adjusted by nuts, ex, upon said pins. At the sides, where the
picker is open to avoid gumming the side-flaps of the envelope, the stripper-plate
is bent up and then horizontally to form cars, co, projecting beyond the picker,
which cars afford a purchase for depressing fingers, presently to be described,
whereby at the proper moment the stripper and picker depart relatively from each
other to press the blank away from the picker and detach it therefrom to be grasped
by the jaws of the nippers.
The cross-head is also opposite the sleeves for the picker-spindle; that is to say,
towards the inner end of the machine, provided with a boss, d, in which is secured
the shank, d, of the creasing plunger, D, so that whenever the plunger-frame
descends said plunger may be carried positively downward, while on the other hand
the picker will descend positively only until it meets an obstruction, when the
spring coiled about its spindle will permit it to yield. The creasing plunger does
not differ essentially or need not differ essentially from those heretofore in use, and
needs no further detailed description, except such as may hereafter relate to its
co-operation with the folding box and other mechanism.
Besides the cams already described, the plunger-shaft carries still two others, the
first of which, alongside the nipper-carriage-cam, and indicated by the letter E, has
a cam-groove, e, in which runs an anti-friction roll, e', on a short arm of an elbow-
lever, E', keyed to a through-shaft, E, which bears at the other end a lever-arm, ex,
corresponding with the longer arm, e, of said elbow-lever, and the upper ends of
these two arms are connected by links, e³, with pins depending from a second
sliding carriage, E³, which moves, or may move, in continuations of the same
ways, b, on the upper plane surface of the frame that the other does, and which
carries the gum-box, E, and gum-rolls, and is reciprocated back and forth under-
The
neath the picker, in order to apply gum to the gumming edges of the latter
gum-box has two or more gumming rolls, e, e, in frictional contact, the upper
one of which has at one end a spur-pinion, e, that meshes with a rack, e', fixed to
the frame parallel with the ways in which the carriage reciprocates, and is provided
with a backing ratchet or one-way clutch, e8, to drive said upper roll in one
direction only, whereby the rolls are revolved with the reciprocations of the
carriage away from the picker and the gum properly distributed and delivered to
the upper roll, but remain stationary as the carriage moves toward and passes
beneath the picker, except so far as they may be turned by frictional contact with
its edges. For convenience of designation hefeafter this second carriage will be
termed the gum-carriage, and the cam by which it is driven the gum-cam.
Finally, the plunger-shaft carries at the opposite side of the frame from the gum-
cam a pear-shaped peripheral cam, F, which engages with an anti-friction roll, f,
on the end of a pitman, F, slotted as at f, to take over the plunger-shaft. This
pitman connects with one arm of a bell-crank lever, F, the other arm being
connected by a link, f, with a frame, F³, reciprocating in vertical ways, f³, and
carrying the blank-table, F, located directly beneath the picker, and the operation
of the plunger-cams and of what may be termed the table-cam is such that when
the picker descends upon the pile of blanks carried by the table and commences to
reascend the table, which has already partly met it in its downward journey,,
follows it up, but at a gradually slower speed, so that the separation of the two may
be by degrees and thus insure more certainly the picking of but a single blank from
the pile, after which the table is withdrawn, to be again carried up against and
along with the picker. The blank-table is constructed with two stationary hollow
posts, F, vertically slotted, as at /, and receiving within them weight-spindles, /,
having at their upper ends inclined or bevelled spurs, f, projecting through the
slots, the purpose of which is to still further insure the separation of but a single
blank from the pile whenever the picker rises, by dividing such blank from the one
beneath. These hollow posts form stops for and are in contact with the edge of
the back-flap of the blanks, while at the opposite side of the blanks, and located at

page_text: the re-entrant angles between the seal-flap and side-flap, are posts, F, having bevel-
faces, and secured to the plate by suitable clamping-bolts, f, whereby they may be
adjusted. The edges of the seal-flaps are pressed upon, so as to carry the whole
stack against the stationary hollow posts, by spring-gates F', composed of a series
of flat fingers, 8, which may be slotted out from a single sheet, and are turned
downward at their adjacent ends to prevent the blanks from catching in the slots.
These gates swing upon pivot-pins, F, and have heel projections, ", which are
connected by a removable hook-link, 0, so that they may be opened for the
insertion of the fresh stack of blanks and then swung in against said stack and
secured in position by replacing the link. The gates however may be omitted
and a second pair of slotted hollow posts with weight-spindles and dividing spurs
substituted therefor.
Heretofore it has been customary to place posts carrying dividing spurs at the
re-entering angles between the seal or back-flaps and the side-flaps, so that the
spurs would act at these angles upon the ends of the gummed edge of the back-flap,
the adjacent edges of the side-flaps being ungummed, and, therefore, it followed that
with the reinforcement of the weight of these ungummed side-flaps the spurs would
tend to strip or peel the gummed edges of such seal or back-flaps from the picker.
But, by placing the posts and spurs in contact with the gummied edges of said flaps
at points along their length, and on both sides of and equidistant from their centers,
this tendency is now counteracted.
G represents the folding-box located beneath the plunger and in outline
resembling those heretofore in use. Its bottom is normally closed by a platen, G¹,
which is connected with a standard, G2, sliding in vertical ways, g, and having at
its lower end an anti-friction roll, g', travelling upon a peripheral cam, G³, revolved
by the before-mentioned shaft, a', which may be termed the platen-shaft, and is
driven by the gear-wheel, A', that meshes with and drives the gear upon the
plunger-shaft, and is intermediate in the train between said latter gear and the
prime-pinion. This cam has a cutaway portion, g², into which the roller sinks
when the platen is withdrawn from the bottom of the folding-box, and out of which
it rises in the continued revolution of the cam, when said platen is to be lifted up
to again close the bottom of the box. The cutaway part of the cam is succeeded
by a concentric reach, g, by which the platen is held stationary when the plunger
descends and while the folding wings or lappers are operating. Finally, adjacent
to its return to the cutaway portion, this reach is, or may be, succeeded by a
sharp and short rise, g', which lifts the platen up against the folding wings or
lappers momently in order to give an additional squeeze to the envelope and its
contents to insure perfect sealing.
To permit the necessary yielding of the platen, its connection with the standard
is by means of spring-encircled rods, G, which play through ears on said standards
and at their lower screw-threaded ends receive nuts g³, whereby the normal height
of the platen can be adjusted.
The platen is transversely grooved as at 98, to receive ejector-fingers, 9', secured
to a rock-shaft, Go, taking bearing in lugs, 98, at one side of and beneath said
platen, and a crank-arm, gx, from one end of this rock-shaft is connected by a
spring, g, with the frame so as to hold the ejector-fingers down in their grooves
whenever the platen is elevated, but when it descends this crank-arın strikes a
stop, g, on the frame and the fingers are thrown up (see Figures 2 to 8) so as to
discharge the folded envelope with its contents into a chute, G', which leads to a
dumping or depositing-box, H, mounted upon a rock-shaft, h, that is vibrated for
each folding operation by means of a crank-arm, ', and a link, H', slotted at its
end, as at h³, to take over the platen-shaft and beyond the slot having an anti-
friction roll,, which travels upon a cam, H2, mounted on the platen-shaft, whereby
the dumping-box is held up with its free end just beneath the tail of the chute, or
returned to such position after discharging its load, but is allowed to tilt by gravity
or by the force of a spring, h*, coiled about its shaft and bearing at one end
against a pin thereon, and at the other against the frame, whenever the periphery

page_text: of the cam departs from the roller. In the tilting movement stationary ejector-
fingers,, fixed to the frame, pass through slots in the bottom of the box and clear
the envelope therefrom. Fingers or extensions, 4, of the floor of the box also
pass between the pulleys at the head of the adjacent set of belts so as to make a
clean delivery thereto.
A. concave shield, H, extends from the tail of the chute downward concentric,
or nearly so, with the axis of the dumping-box, to two sets of vertical parallel
endless aprons, H³, having their contiguous faces set close together and mounted
upon drums or pulleys, 4, at their upper and lower ends, one of the upper drums
being driven from the gear-wheel on the platen-shaft by means of an idle wheel, A',
and a spur-pinion, h, while the other may be either driven positively by suitable
intermeshing gear, 4, or by the friction of bodies passing through. At the lower
ends these aprons deliver or discharge the envelopes between the flaring wings, i, of
a packing-box, I, and into a narrow space enclosed on one side by a follower, I',
operated intermittently in one direction by a connection, , between its shank, ²,
and a sliding rod, 12, which is reciprocated through the instrumentality of an elbow-
lever, I, receiving a pin, ³, from said rod, in a yoke,, at its lower end, and a
roller, riding upon a cam, I', on the platen-shaft, the movement in the other
direction (or return movement) being accomplished by a spring, 1³, connecting
either the lever or one of the sliding parts with the frame. As the follower may
need adjustinent its connection with the sliding rod is made by means of a clamp, i,
that can be tightened down on its spindular shank.
Opposite this follower and affording but a narrow space between the contiguous
surfaces of the two is a yielding presser-slide or "back-stop," K, adapted to travel
the whole length of the packing-box or any suitable distance therealong and
connected with a cord, chain or strap, K', which passes beneath a guide-pulley, k,
then up and over an elevated guide-pulley, and is finally provided with a
sufficient weight, ², to draw the slide with the proper force against the envelopes
received in the box.
The floor of the packing-box immediately in front of the follower is slotted and
receives a rock-shaft, K2, having upstanding pins, ³, which are held normally in a
vertical position by means of weight-arms, k, attached to said shaft and playing in
the slots, and which may be termed the bottom gate. Another rock-shaft, k, over-
head has a pendent flange, &, vertically above the upstanding pins, and forms an
overhead gate. The follower is slotted at its lower edge as at 7 (Figure 5), that
in its withdrawal or retrograde movement it may pass the upstanding pins which
are rigidly stopped in a vertical position against movement in that direction
but are permitted to yield in the other. Therefore, whenever the follower moves
forward to press an envelope into the pack accumulating against the back-stop or
presser-slide, it causes the upstanding or bottom gate to fold down flat and the over-
head gate to swing up so that the envelope passes them, but when it withdraws they
assume their vertical position again and prevent the envelope from falling back
or being pressed back towards the follower. Thus a free space is always
maintained for the reception of the succeeding envelope or envelopes from the
dumping-box and delivery aprons between said follower and the gates.
The nipper-carriage has side-bars, L, which are flush with the top, and embrace
and move past the ends of a rectangular frame, L', corresponding in outline and
size with the mouth of the folding-box over which it fits and to which it is secured
or of which it may be an integral part and between which and the plunger the
envelope-blank is creased when the plunger descends. The top of this frame is
smooth, and beyond it project from said side-bars two fingers, 7, curved slightly
downward and intended to pass beneath the blank held by the picker, in the
forward reciprocation of said carriage, which is of such extent that the blank is
brought to the same position over the side-bars that it should occupy when they
have carried it back to the creasing frame. Pivoted upon the bridge, Bi,
connecting the runners of said carriage are two nipper-jaws, l', one directly over
each of the side-bars of the carriage-that is, the bars which terminate in the just-
6

page_text: mentioned fingers and embrace the end bars of the rectangular creasing frame.
These nipper-jaws are intended to come at each side of the picker above the blank
held thereby, but beneath the projected lugs from the stripper-plate, and above
'the jaws, and to their shanks, are fixed fingers, 12, which may be termed depressing
fingers that in the forward reciprocation of the carriage pass above said lugs and
are brought in the downward movement of the jaws toward and just against the
upper surface of said lugs so that in the further rise of the picker which will at
this moment be caused by an outsetting reach, 13, on the plunger-cam, they will
retain the stripper-plate until the gumming edges of the picker have risen there-
above, thus detaching the gummed blank from said edges and leaving it firmly
nipped between the jaws and the carriage, when the latter will commence its
return reciprocation, withdrawing the fingers from engagement with the stripper,
which will be restored to its normal position by the force of its springs, and carrying
the blank to a point above the mouth of the folding-box, where the jaws will
open and then the plunger descend and the blank be forced through the creasing-
frame and down to the bottom of the folding-box, after which the plunger will rise,
leaving the envelope with its flaps turned up vertically along the walls of the
folding-box and its back resting against the platen.
The opening and closing of the nippers is effected by cams, L³, acting against
tail-pieces,, on the nippers and mounted upon a rock-shaft, L, at one end of
which is a pendent lug, 1, norimally resting against a stop, 1x, from the bridge and
standing in the path of tappets, and, on a reciprocating rod, LA, which may be
termed the trip-rod or trip-bar. This latter is slotted at the inner end or circular-
receiving end of the machine to take over a shaft, L, driven from the platen-shaft
by the inclined spindle, L, and bevel-gears, L, and upon which shaft is mounted. a
cam, L, in contact with an anti-friction roll, 18, on said rod. A. coiled spring, 1,
acting to draw the rod back, preserves such contact, but permits the rod to be
projected, thus at the proper time it will move forward, striking one of the tappets
against the lug, 1, rocking the shaft and opening the cams away from the tail-
pieces of the nippers, which will then be forced down by springs, 10, and lift the
jaws away from the carrier-frame, as in Figure 8, but when the carriage has taken
its förward travel and reaches its position of temporary rest beneath the picker,
'the anti-friction roll upon this trip-rod passes off of the cam and it is drawn back
by its spring, causing the second tappet to strike the lug and turn the cam to force
the nippers down to grasp the blank.
When the nipper-carriage deposits the envelope-blank over the folding-box it
'sometimes happens that the blank is slightly out of position, and to remedy this
upon the rear or inner side of the creasing-frame, at the points where the re-entrant
angles between the back and side-flaps should come, stationary or fixed stops, m,
are placed and on the outer or front side of the folding-box a rock-shaft, M,
having fingers, m¹, thereon is arranged. A crank-arm, m², from the rock-shaft is
provided with a pin or anti-friction roll, m³, taking into a slot, m', in a hanger, m³,
from the trip-bar, so as to be actuated thereby. These 'adjusting or 'tucking-
fingers are moved immediately after the blank has been deposited over the
folding-box and push 'or tuck the blank against the stationary stops on the other
side of the box, thereby bringing it perfectly into position. With the forward
reciprocation of the nipper-carriage to receive a fresh blank, these adjusting
fingers are turned down and held down out of the way until the return has taken
place and another blank has been deposited over the creasing-frame and folding-
box by the nippers.
Arms, N, are secured to the bridge on the nipper-carriage, and projected
rearwardly, overhanging the bed of the machine, and at their extreme ends receive
a rock-shaft, N', from which depend rake-teeth, n. A crank, n', from this
rock-shaft is connected by a link, N2, with an arm, n², from the same rock-shaft,
which carries the cams for closing the nipper-fingers, so that whenever this latter
rock-shaft is moved by the tappets on the reciprocating-rod the rake-teeth are
either lifted to a horizontal position or turned down. to a vertical 'position, as
ن

page_text: indicated in Figures 7 and 8, and are sufficiently held in either position by the
spring pressure of the nipper tail-pieces upon the cams.
In the rearward movement of the carriage while the nippers are closed the
rake-teeth are horizontal, but as the carriage reaches the extent of such rearward
movement and the nippers open, the rake-teeth are turned down to a vertical
position, entering spaces between a series of slats, N³, constituting a flooring which
extends from the mouth of the creasing-frame or folding-box to the conveyor that
delivers matter from the circular-folding machine, and in the next forward
traverse of the nipper-carriage they sweep along said slats or flooring until they
reach the folding-box, their function being to carry the circular or other printed
and folded matter forward along said flooring and deposit it through the creasing-
frame and in the box. The sides of said flooring are enclosed by vertical plates, N,
forming a guide-way or passage, the width of which is adjustable by means of
slots, n, and set-screws, n (see Figure 12), arranged at sufficient distance from
each other to admit the folded material between them endwise, and bent outward
and slightly curving at their receiving ends, no, so as to guide the folded matter
properly into position on the flooring. Just before the circulars or other matter, are
deposited in the box, a cradle or rest composed of two or more reciprocating
fingers, No, is moved into and across the folding-box, just above the folding wings
or lappers, by means of the vibrating arm, n, of an elbow-lever, No, which is
slotted to receive a bar, n', from said cradle and allow for sufficient play to.
compensate for the arc-movement of said arm. The other arm of the lever rests
upon and is actuated in one direction by a cam, N, upon the platen-shaft, to project
the cradle fingers across the folding-box, and they are withdrawn by a spring, n³,
as the roller n³, on the lever reaches the cutaway portion of the cam. This
cradle serves to prevent the circular from tipping as it falls to the bottom of the
box; that is, the circular might tip if it fell the entire distance at once, but by
falling a short distance and then being intercepted by and momently received upon
the cradle, it has an opportunity to tip and is brought into a perfectly horizontal
position, when the cut-off fingers are immediately withdrawn, allowing only a
sufficient interval for the circular to adjust itself, and then the latter falls again,
and this time into the open envelope waiting to receive it.
Through the rear side of the folding-box, above the back-flap of the envelope-
blank, pass one or more hooked or curved fingers, O, attached to a rock-shaft, o,
as shown. The rock-shaft has a slotted arm, o', which receives a pin from one
arm of a bent lever, O¹, the other arm having an anti-friction roll, o, which travels
upon the periphery of a cam, O2, upon the shaft, L, the same shaft which actuates
the trip-rod. The lever is held against the cam by a spring, o³, and so long as
its roller follows the concentric outline of the cam the fingers are withdrawn from
the folding-box, but whenever the roller falls into the cutaway portion of said
cam the fingers are turned down into said box, being above and clearing the
upstanding back-flap of the envelope-blank, and striking the inside fold of the
circular just deposited, as shown in Figures 10, 23 and 23, presses this down flat.
Through the center of the opposite wall of the box plays another finger, "O³,
pivoted to the supporting arm, o, from its bell-crank, o, and having a cam outline
whereby it is guided by the aperture through which it plays, and brought to the
desired position within the box. The bell-crank, o, like that which operates
the other fingers, has a slotted arm, o, that receives a pin from the end of one arm
of the rock-shaft, O, the other arm of which has a pin entering a slot in the
adjacent end of the bent lever, C, the opposite end of said lever being
provided with an anti-friction roll, o', travelling upon a cam, on the
before-mentioned shaft that actuates the trip-rod, and held against said
cam by a spring, os, which serves to operate the lever in one direction. The
action of this latter cam comes after the action of the cam which. moves
the other pressing-finger or fingers, O, so that when its raised portion travels
beneath the anti-friction roll of the lever the pivoted finger, Os, will be carried
into the folding-box, clearing, like the other, the flap of the envelope, and moved
JULI

page_text: down against the outer fold or flap of the circular-matter, as in Figure 10, to press
it upon the inner fold. The two sets of fingers thus insure that the circular shall
be laid and held flat before the folding of the envelope takes place. The pivoted
finger, or the second in action, is of such curved outline, as to its body, and extends
so far within the box that it permits the folding wing or lapper which presses
down the seal flap of the envelope to operate before it is withdrawn, thus practically
sealing the circular within the envelope while it is held by the finger, or so confining
it that it cannot unfold.
P and P1 represent the folding wings or lappers for the side flaps of the envelope,
which come into operation after the circular has been deposited therein and
flattened down by the action of the pressing-fingers. Each of these has its face
parallel and in close proximity with the upper surface of the platen when down
in a horizontal position, as in the sixth figure of the drawings, but when erected
into a vertical position, closely abutting against the vertical edge of the platen to
form therewith a box, and each has a shank formed with a curved slot, p, described
on an arc concentric with the upper adjacent edge of the platen, which plays over
a pin, p', projecting from the folding-box or frame-work, and also with the heel-
extension, p², having an anti-friction roll, p³, which travels in a curved guide-way, P²,
also described on an are concentric with the upper adjacent edge of the platen,
but on a correspondingly longer radius than the curved slot, and each is operated
by a rod, P³, slotted at its lower end to play over the platen-shaft and provided
with an anti-friction roll, 1, which travels on a cam, P fixed to said shaft.
its upper end the rod is transversely slotted as at p, to receive a piu, p, from the
lapper intermediate between the curved slot formed therein and the roller on the
heel-extension thereof. The weight of the actuating rods alone is sufficient to
open the lappers whenever the rolls upon these rods pass upon the depressed
portion of the cams, but they may be assisted by springs if desired.
At
This construction and arrangement, and also that next described, is such that
the lappers are caused to fold down flat upon the platen from its edges and to rest
evenly upon its face, without leaving an opening, or yielding or slipping, their
action being as if they were fulcrumed upon said edges, which in effect correspond
to their axes of movement.
The cams by which the side lappers are operated are so timed that the lappers, P,
which fold the ungummed side-flap of the envelope, acts first and is immediately
succeeded by the other, before it rises, so that the two rest for a time concurrently
upon the envelope.
1
The folding wing or lapper, Q, for the back-flap of the envelope, and that for
the seal-flap, Q', are also pivoted outside of the folding-box and away from the
platen on an axis coincident with the rear and front upper edges of the platen by
means of bails, .q, pivoted on an axis coincident with the upper longitudinal edge
of the platen, and bearings, q', taking over pintles, 72, from the bails, and are
operated by rods, Q, slotted at their lower ends to embrace the platen-shaft and
having rollers, 73, which ride upon cams, Q³, on said shaft in order to close said
lappers down upon the platen, and which descend by their own weight or by the
force of springs whenever the rollers pass upon the retreating part of the cam, so
as to open the lappers.
When the envelope is to be sealed the lapper, Q, for the back-flap of the
envelope operates first after the descent of the side-lappers, so as to fold said flap
down and paste it upon the side-flaps and the lapper for the seal-flap comes down
upon the platen and completes the envelope. At this moment the platen may
rise as hereinbefore suggested to squeeze the envelope against all four of the
lappers which are still resting thereon, but it is preferable rather to give the platen
a slight drop just as each lapper comes down and then lift it quickly against the
lapper just as the latter is over and down, or nearly down, and for this purpose
the cam, Q, shown in Figure 10°, is employed in which the raised periphery, q
is practically uniform as to its distance from the axis, but which is notched or cut
away slightly at points 1 and 2, towards the termination of such raised periphery

page_text: and at points corresponding in time with the mitial movement or the mappers, so
that the platen support may momently drop into these recesses and then rise
again, carrying with it the platen. Plates, q, may be used for the purpose of
filling, or partially filling, the notches, to do away with or regulate the drop
according to the thickness of the mail matter, no drop at all being necessary when
operating upon empty blanks.
Sometimes it is desirable to have the envelope folded with the seal-flap
ungummed and tucked inside, and generally so when the enclosures are exclusively
printed matter. For this purpose one of the edges of the picker is removed, as
already stated, and it becomes necessary that the lapper for the seal-flap shall
operate before those for the side and back-flaps, therefore the cam for closing said
lapper for the seal-flap is provided with a detachable section 4, as in Figure 20,
which, whenever present, actuates said lapper in advance of the one for the back-
flap, but when removed leaves the main cam of such shape and so timed that it
actuates said lapper after the back-flap has been laid down, and, therefore, brings
the seal-flap down upon the back-flap.
It will be observed by reference to Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings that the side,
back and seal edges of the lappers all stand vertical at the moment a blank is to be
received, the back and seal-flaps perhaps flaring a little outward and being beveled
so as to maintain their close fit with the box until they are called upon to fold down
upon the envelope-flaps and seal them in conjunction with the end-flaps, but that as
soon as the envelope is formed, with or without enclosures, the entire box opens, or
in a sense is knocked down, so that there is no danger of completed envelopes
sticking in the box, and so that as soon as the envelope is finished the box for a
moment ceases to exist.
For the proper understanding of the mode in which circulars are folded and
delivered to the apparatus thus far described, reference may be had particularly to
Figures 11 and 12 of the drawings, wherein is shown so much of the folding
apparatus as is necessary to the purpose of the present explanation. R represents
two or more properly spaced slats for the support of the circulars or printed matter,
or whatever is to be folded, and along which they are carried by suitable conveyors,
until each in its turn comes over the bed, R¹, to which a vertical reciprocation is
given along the ways, r, by an anti-friction roller, r, travelling upon a cam, R*,
hereinafter more particularly described. Above this bed is shown the paddle, R²,
which is reciprocated longitudinally over and corresponds in length and breadth to
about the dimension of the bed. Whenever in its movement it has come above the
circular, x, deposited upon the slats, it is depressed vertically, the bed at the
moment having risen to, or about to, the under surface of the circular. Then
the two descending simultaneously, the paddle passing between the two innermost
slats, the folder-blades, ², operate in succession to lay the flaps of the circular or
other matter over the paddle, when the latter is withdrawn horizontally, leaving said
folded matter still upon the bed which now descends until it comes on a level with
the opening between the squeezing-rollers, 3, when pushing-fingers, R³, constituting
a tucker, are brought against said folded matter and deliver it between these
rollers by which it is carried forward and deposited upon a carrier or conveyor
composed of endless belts, R, stretched over drums or pulleys, and, the former
being driven constantly by any suitable motor timed from the envelope machine.
These carrier or conveyor-belts are shown in the present instance as terminating
between the slats, N3, of the envelope machine, which are traversed by the rake, as
herein before described, and they feed the folded matter to said slats and between
the side-wings thereof into position to be caught by the rake and carried forward
to the folding-box. But, in order to straighten this matter before the rake falls,
and also to prevent its being carried too far forward, a cut-off composed of a rock-
shaft, R, having teeth, 7, and normally held with said teeth in a horizontal position
below the slatted flooring by means of a spring, », coiled around its shaft, but
rocked to bring said teeth into a vertical position, projecting through said flooring,
by means of a tappet, ³, on the trip-bar, striking a crank,, on its shaft in the

page_text: :
rearward or inward movement of said bar which takes place just before the rear-
ward movement of the carriage and held in such position upon the recession of the
carriage itself by a stop, from the carriage-bridge when the trip-bar moves
forward to open the nippers, is arranged at a suitable distance beyond the delivery
end of the carriers, so that each circular may be fed against the teeth and stopped
or cut off from its forerunner and positioned or squared for the rake to come down
behind it at the termination of the rearward traverse of the nipper-carriage. When,
however, the carriage starts forward for a fresh blank the crank from the cut-off
shaft is released from its stop by the departure of the bridge and the spring carries
the teeth once more beneath the flooring, to permit the circular or other folded
matter to be raked therepast.
It sometimes happens that the circular is delivered from the folding machine a
little beyond the point at which it should properly strike the carriers, aprons or
belts, and to rectify this a quarter-crossed belt, S, is placed alongside the two
horizontal belts of the conveyor on the side to which the circular tends to be
carried. At the end next the circular-folding devices, this belt runs upon a
horizontal pulley, s, in axial line with and upon the same shaft as the pulleys of
the other conveyor-belts, but is gradually twisted towards the vertical until its
opposite end is carried over a vertical idle pulley, s¹, upon the envelope machine
proper and elevated so that its lower edge lies practically in the same plane with
the upper surface of the horizontal belts. In order to bring the last half of its
inner web or ply entirely vertical, a second vertical idle pulley or roll, s2, is arranged
midway between the two end pulleys as shown. Thus the twisted belt serves at
first to carry and then to deflect and push the folded matter sidewise and edgewise,
until it reaches the proper position to be delivered upon the slatted flooring of the
envelope machine. The vertical pulley on the envelope machine at the end of this
twisted belt is mounted, as shown in Figure 12, upon a pintle from an adjustable
bracket, S, secured to the bed of the machine by a bolt, s³, passing. through a
slot, s, in its foot, whereby it can not only be adjusted to stretch the belt, but can
be moved toward or from the other belts of the carrier to properly position the
folded matter.
For the purpose of driving and timing the folding mechanism concurrently with
the enveloping mechanism, and imparting the proper movements to the folding-bed,
paddle and blades and to the tucker and squeezing rolls, the driving-pulley upon
the shaft, A', may be replaced by a bevel-gear, t, intermeshing with a corresponding
gear, t, keyed to a main driving-shaft, T, mounted in bearings, t, along the side of
the machine and carrying fast and loose pulleys, T1, T2, whereby it may be driven
from a line-shaft, or left idle. At one end this driving-shaft may have a fly-
wheel, T, which may also serve as a hand-wheel to actuate the mechanism
controlled by said shaft without recourse to the power-drive, and at the other end
it will have a bevel-gear, t³, meshing with and driving a corresponding gear, t, on a
short transmission-shaft, T, mounted in bearings, to, one or more of which are in a
bracket, T, to one side of the frame, T, which supports the folding mechanism, and
which may be bolted to or otherwise made rigid with the frame-work supporting the
enveloping devices. A spur-pinion, to, on this transmission-shaft drives an idler, t',
which communicates motion to the gear, T', keyed to a counter-shaft, Ts, beneath
the immediate folding mechanism, and carrying cams for operating it, therefore
hereinafter termed the folder-shaft.
The folding paddle is secured to the end of a horizontal rod or shank, ta, which
plays through and is guided by bearings t*, and to, one in the end of the arm, T,
setting out from a vertically reciprocating-bar, U, and the second in an enlargement
near the upper end of said bar, which latter is guided in its movement by the
sleeves, u, at the upper and lower ends of a bracket, U', secured to and overhanging
from the supporting-frame of the machine. The foot of this vertical bar is.flattened
and slotted as at a to take over the folder-shaft, and is provided with two anti-
friction rolls, u, u, one at the upper end of the slot and at the side of the flattened
extension, and the other at the lower end of the slot and at the opposite side of said

page_text: extension. On each side of the flattened part are cams, U³, U³, fixed to the folder-
shaft, the first cam engaging with the upper anti-friction roll to raise the bar and
the second cam, succeeding at the proper time the action of the first, engaging with
the lower anti-friction roll to depress the bar positively, thereby, through the
alternate action of the cams, raising and lowering the folding-paddle. In order to
impart this movement, a vertical opening is made through the paddle-rod or shank
at u* to receive the upper end or arm of an elbow-lever, U, journalled or fulcrumed
on a shaft, u, carried in brackets or hangers, U³, from the frame and either turning
on said shaft or with it. The other arm of this hanger is connected by a link, u,
with a longitudinally slotted yoke, U, which embraces the driving-shaft and is
provided at each end of its slot, and on opposite sides thereof, with anti-friction
rolls, 7, 8, which alternately engage cams, U, U%, fixed to the folder-shaft, to
depress and raise the yoke, the first movement projecting the paddle and the
second withdrawing it, the arrangement of the cams being such that the paddle
will be held stationary against horizontal movement for a definite interval at each
end of its reciprocation and particularly at the limit of the forward projection,
that it may have time to descend upon and with the bed beneath the table.
The reciprocations of the folding-blades over the bed correspond with the
distance from the opening in the table to about the longitudinal center thereof,
and in order to so limit their inward movement they are constructed with
shoulders, w, upon their under surfaces which impinge against the side edges of the
bed whenever one or the other of the knives is carried thereacross. The shanks, W,
of these blades pass through guide-bearings, W₁, secured to and depending from
the under surface of the table, and the outer edges of these shanks are provided
with trunnions, w', which pass through elongated slots, w², in the upper ends of arms
of elbow-levers, W, fulcrumed by means of journals, to, taking into bearings on
the frame and engaging by means of anti-friction rolls at the ends of their
lower converging or power-arms, with cams, W³, on the drive-shaft, almost
reversely set so that one knife may move first to lay one flap and the other
follow it to lay the second fold or flap over the first. Springs, w, act upon the
elbow-levers in such manner as to urge the blades inwards towards the bed
whenever the anti-friction roll on the end of the power-arm reaches the cutaway
reach of its cam.
The cam which operates the bed revolves in the direction indicated by arrows
in the twentieth figure and has several reaches, the first of which, numbered 1, is
the lowest or described on the shortest radius and is concentric with the axis of
the driving-shaft, so that while the anti-friction roll at the foot of the supporting
stud of the bed-frame is travelling on this reach the bed will be at its lowest
position and stationary for a considerable interval of time, sufficient for the
ejection of the previously folded material and for the bringing of fresh material
upon the table above it. The next reach, numbered 2, is a rapid outward reach
or rise, terminating upon a radius of sufficient length to carry the top of the bed
flush with the table when it sinks rapidly away to the succeeding reach,
numbered 3, concentric with the axis of the driving-shaft, like the first, but on
a longer radius and adapted to bring the bed beneath the transversely reciprocating
folding-blades, but so slightly below them as to allow them to just clear the paddle
when they successively move inwards over the bed. To this third reach succeeds
the one numbered 4, which is a short outward rise on a radius less than the
second reach to carry the bed up against the overlying folding blades immediately
after the paddle has been withdrawn, so as to squeeze the folded material against
these blades and permanently set the fold. In this last movement the elastic or
yielding connection between the bed and its support serves to compensate for any
variation in the thickness of the material being folded, as, for instance, when
several circulars have been nested together to form a single enclosure for the mail.
Rapidly succeeding the squeezing of the folded matter against the blades the
anti-friction roll on the stud returns to the first reach of its cam by a speedy

page_text: inward incline, bringing the bed abreast the squeezing rolls into which the folded
material is carried by the pushing-fingers.
These fingers may be formed as prongs from a shank, Y (see Figures 20 and 21),
and are pivoted as at y to the upper end of a rod, Y, rising from lugs, y', pro-
jecting from the collars, Y2, keyed to the rock-shaft, Y³, from which rises an
arm, y, having upon its end an anti-friction roll, y³, in contact with the periphery
of a cam, Y, upon the folder-shaft, whereby the push-fingers are opened away
from the folding-bed, while a yoke, y, uniting said collars on the side opposed to
the lugs and acted upon by a spring, y, carries said fingers towards and over the
bed whenever the retreating trend of the cam permits. The heel-end of the
shank of the push-fingers acted upon by a spring, y, arranged in such manner
and under such normal tension that when the fingers are fully opened away from
the bed their points will be thrown up as represented in Figure 22, but when
carried toward the bed the points are depressed as in Figure 20 to come in con-
tact with the material carried thereby and move over the upper surface thereof as
they push such material into the grasp of the squeezing-rolls.
=
:
Said rolls are driven from the before-mentioned driven gear of the folder-shaft
by means of the intermeshing pinion, Z, the concentric gear, 7, rigid therewith,
the idler, meshing with a pinion, a', on the end of one of the squeezing-rolls, a
second pinion, 2, on said roll engaging with an equal pinion, ³ on another roll
diagonally thereabove, a pinion, , on the latter engaging with an equal pinion, 0,
on the roll directly beneath, and a third pinion,, on the first roll in the above
related train driving a pinion, a', on the last roll of the four, which in its turn
carries at its opposite end a pinion, 28, engaging with and driving a pinion, 20, on
the shaft carrying the conveyor drums or pulleys, ^, and thereby imparts motion
to the conveyor-belts.
In operation the machine will be supposed to be at the stage of action repre-
sented in Figures 2 and 3, with the plunger-frame just on the point of riding off
the raised portion of its cams, an envelope-blank to be lying over the folding-box,
where it has been deposited by the last retrogression of the nipper-carriage, and
a circular lying on the slatted flooring between the cut-off and the rake. The
picker and the plunger will now simultaneously descend, the former to take up a
fresh envelope-blank and the latter to crease the already deposited blank, and
carry it home to the platen at the bottom of the folding-box, and leaving it, as it
rises, with its back resting against said platen and its flaps extending vertically
alongside the walls of said box. The picker and plunger having now risen to their
full height, the former holding a freshly gummed blank, the nipper-carriage moves
forward to grasp said blank and the rake on said carriage takes along with it the
circular previously lying between it and the cut-off and deposits it upon the
intersecting fingers or cradle in the folding-box, as in Figures 26, 264, while
the conveyors feed a fresh circular against the cut-off between the slats. As the
nippers reach the blank, the depressing-finger above them passes over the lugs from
the stripper-plate, then the nippers fall, clamping the blank against the carriage
frame, and bringing said fingers against the lugs, and at the same moment the
picker is given a slight additional upward movement by the outward reach on the
plunger-cams, causing its gumming edges to rise above the stripper-plate and
thereby separating them from the blank. Then the nipper-carriage starts on its
return movement, with the rake open, and stops with the freshly-taken blank
above the mouth of the folding-box and releases it, when it is positioned by the
adjusting-fingers as heretofore explained, ready for the next descent of the
plunger. But meanwhile the cradle-fingers have been withdrawn, the previously
deposited circular allowed to drop into the open envelope, as in Figure 27, 27,
the inner flap of the circular has been smoothed down by the descent of the
fingers, O, as in Figure 28, 28, and those fingers withdrawn, the outer flap has
been pressed down upon the inner by the descent of the finger 03, as in
Figure 29, 29, one of the flaps of the envelope, for instance the ungummed seal-

page_text: flap, has been folded down as in Figures 30, 30ª, the ungummed side-flap folded
thereon as in Figures 31, 314, the gummed side-flap placed over the two as in
Figures 32, 324, and then the finger O' rises and the back-flap is folded down upon
the side-flaps, as in Figures 33, 334, all by the appropriate lappers. During the
retrograde movement of the nipper-carriage the gum-box has been carried beneath
the picker gumming its edges, as in Figure 10, and as the nipper-carriage comes
to a stop this box is returned to its initial position, the gumming rollers being
rotated in such return to take up and distribute a fresh supply of gum. The
envelope-blank, having received its enclosure, and having been folded over and
scaled upon it or otherwise enclosed and confined it for mailing, the lappers open,
the platen descends until it reaches the head of the chute, where its ejector-fingers
discharge the envelope, which slides down said chute into the dumping-box and
is immediately dropped therefrom to the vertical delivery aprons or belts, its
discharge being insured by the fixed ejector-fingers which pass through the slots
in the bottom of the box. As the envelope emerges from these delivering belts,
it is deposited in front of the follower in the packing-box, the follower carries it
past the gates and presses it against the back-stop, which yields and gives slightly
and then becomes stationary. The platen now having risen, and again closing the
bottom of the folding-box, the plunger descends, creases a fresh blank, just
deposited, and carries it against the platen and the operations already described
are reproduced concurrently or in sequence in their proper turns.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, it is to be understood that so far as it relates to
the folding and enclosing of circulars and other printed matter within envelope-
blanks or partially formed envelopes and the closing or sealing of such blanks
upon the contents, it is not limited to the specific devices, either for folding the
circulars or for forming the envelopes thereover, herein described, but it is pro-
posed to use any suitable folding mechanism for circulars or enclosures and any
suitable envelope mechanism to which such circulars may be fed and properly
delivered from the folding devices, so long as the principle of the invention is
persisted in. Nor is it to be limited in regard to the various novel features of the
subordinate groups of mechanism to their use in connection with a circular-folding
machine or with mechanism for supplying circulars to the envelope machine,
considering that they may be used generally in envelope machines irrespective of
the enclosing of circulars within envelopes; but I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the creasing and
folding apparatus in an envelope machine, of feed devices for delivering folded
mail matter to the folding-box after the creased envelope is deposited therein and
mechanism for closing the flaps of said blank down upon said matter.
2. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the envelope
folding box and its plunger, of a table for supporting a stack of envelope-blanks,
a picker having gumming edges, devices for conveying said blanks one at a time to
the folding-box, and a carrier adapted to feed folded mail matter to said box and
deposit it upon the blank.
3. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with apparatus for
creasing and folding envelope-blanks, of an intermittent rake or carrier acting
immediately after the creasing mechanism, to deliver folded mail matter into the
partially formed envelope.
4. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with apparatus for
gumming, creasing and folding envelope-blanks, of an intermittent rake or carrier
acting immediately after the creasing mechanism, to deliver mail matter into the
partially formed envelope, and endless belts or aprons for delivering such mail
matter into the range of action of said rake.
5. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with apparatus for
gumining, creasing and folding envelope-blauks, of apparatus for folding circulars
n

page_text: and other mail matter, and feed devices to which said apparatus delivers, arranged
to carry the folded matter to the envelope folding-box, and deposit it in the blank
previously delivered thereto, prior to the action of the folding wings or lappers.
6. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of mechanism for
folding circulars and similar mail matter, a creasing and folding-box for envelope-
blanks, a carrier for delivering the folded mail matter thereto, and squeezing-rolls
acting upon such mail matter in its passage from the circular-folding apparatus
to the envelope folding-box.
7. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the squeezing-
rolls and the conveyor leading therefrom, and with the envelope-creasing and
folding-box, of the circular-folding bed, accessory folding devices, and the tucker
arranged to sweep folded matter from said bed and into the grasp of the squeezing-
rolls.
8. The combination substantially as hereinbefore, set forth, with apparatus for
gumming, creasing and folding envelope-blanks, of apparatus for folding circulars
or other mail matter, a carrier to which it delivers and an immediate rake receiving
from said carrier and delivering to the folding-box after the creased envelope is
deposited therein.
9. The combination substantially as herein before set forth, with apparatus for
gumming, creasing and folding envelope-blanks, of apparatus for folding circulars
or other mail matter, an intermediate carrier, and a cut-off arranged and actuated
to temporarily stop and straighten said folded matter.
10. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with apparatus for
gumming, creasing and folding envelope-blanks, of apparatus for folding circulars
and other mail-matter, endless conveyor-belts to which said latter apparatus
delivers, a cut-off against which the belts carry the folded material, and a reciprocating
rake taking said material from the cut-off and delivering to the envelope folding-box.
11. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the envelope
folding-box and the rake or conveyor for delivering mail matter thereto, of the
cradle arranged and actuated to temporarily receive such matter about midway
between the top and bottom of the box.
"
12. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the envelope
folding-box, of the slatted flooring leading thereto, the conveyor-belts delivering to
said slatted flooring, the cut-off and straightener playing through the interslatal
spaces of said flooring, the folding apparatus for mail matter delivering to the
conveyor-belts and the reciprocating rake sweeping said flooring from the conveyor
to the folding-box.
13. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the envelope
folding-box and the apparatus for folding circulars, the conveyor-belts leading from
said apparatus, and the flooring leading from said belts to the folding-box, of the
sides to said flooring curved outwardly at their receiving ends, to form with said
flooring a guide-way, or passage for the folded material.
14. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the envelope
folding-box and the flooring which leads thereto, of the adjustable sides for said;
flooring.
15. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the apparatus
for folding circulars and other mail matter, of the horizontal conveyor-belt or belts
leading therefrom, and the guide-way or passage to which they deliver, the twisted
belt lying alongside of said horizontal belts and mounted upon a horizontal roll at
the receiving end, and a vertical roll at the delivery end.
16. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the circular-
folding apparatus and the envelope folding-box, of the flooring leading to the
latter, the adjustable sides or walls to said Hooring, the conveyor-belts, receiving
from the circular-folding apparatus and delivering to said flooring and the twisted
guide-belt and its adjustable vertical pulley at the entrance to said flooring.
17. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the twisted
belt and the horizontal conveyor-belts, the circular-folding apparatus and the

page_text: envelope-folding apparatus, of the adjustable vertical pulley at the discharge end
of said twisted belt.
18. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the envelope
folding-box, the apparatus for folding circulars and other mail matter, the horizontal
conveyor-belts leading therefrom, and the walled flooring or guide-way leading
from said belts to the envelope folding-box, of the twisted belt to one side of said
horizontal belts, its horizontal and vertical end pulleys and the intermediate vertical
idle pulley.
19. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the picker, of
the reciprocating gum-carriage, the distributing and gumming-rolls carried thereby,
the rack upon the frame, the pinion meshing with said rack, and the backing ratchet
or one-way clutch connecting said pinion to the gumming rolls whereby the latter
is revolved in the movement of the carriage away from the picker, and is detached
from its driving connection when moving towards and beneath the picker.
20. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the picker and
with the nipper-carriage and nippers thereon, of the stripper-plate and means
whereby the stripper-plate is brought beneath the gumming edges to detach the
blank therefrom after it has been lifted from the stack and seized by the nippers.
21. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the picker, of
the stripper-plate, having outsetting lugs, the pins from said plate, the springs coiled
around said pins and normally holding the plate above the plane of the gumming
edges, the reciprocating carriage and the depressing fingers upon said carriage to
act upon said lugs.
22. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the picker and
the stripper-plate having projecting lugs, of the nippers, the depressing fingers or
stops engaging with the lugs of the stripper-plate, and mechanism acting to give
the picker an additional upward movement after the blank has been caught by the
nippers and the depressing fingers have engaged the said lugs, whereby the
gumming edges of the picker are caused to rise above the stripper-plate that
the gumined blank may be detached by the latter.
23. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the picker and
with the rising and falling table supporting the stack of blanks, of actuating
mechanism for the two operating to elevate both concurrently but at a differential
speed whereby the picker separates the top blank from the stack gradually.
24. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the picker and
the folding-box, and plunger, of the reciprocating nipper-carriage having side-bars
moving past each end of said box, and nipper jaws above said side-bars.
25. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the picker and
folding-box and plunger, and with the creasing-frame or mouth at the top of said
folding-box, of the reciprocating nipper-carriage having side-bars embracing the
ends of said creasing-frame and flush with the top thereof, and the nipper over each
of said side-bars.
26. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the picker and
its stripper-plate and with the folding-box and plunger, and creasing-frame at the
top of the folding-box, of the reciprocating nipper-carriage having side-bars
embracing the ends of said creasing-frame and flush with the top thereof, the
nippers over each of said side-bars and the depressing-fingers or stops above the
nipper-jaws arranged to engage with the stripper-plate when the nippers are
depressed.
27. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the picker, of a
detachable gumming edge for the seal-flap of the envelope-blank, the folding-box
and its lappers, and means whereby the seal-flap lapper may be caused to act in
advance of, or later than, the back-flap'lapper.
28. The combination substantially as herein before set forth, with the picker, of a
detachable gumming edge for the seal-flap of the envelope-blank, the folding-box,
and its lappers, and a cam for the seal-flap lapper, having a detachable section

page_text: •
whereby said lapper may be caused to act in advance of, or later than, the back-flap
lapper.
29. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the reciprocating
nipper-carriage, the nippers mounted thereon, the springs normally holding the
nippers open, the cam-shaft and cams whereby they are closed, the crank-arm from
said cam-shaft and the reciprocating trip-rod and its tappets whereby the cam-
shaft is actuated at the terminal of each reciprocation to carry the nippers down
upon the blank when the carriage reaches the picker and to open them when the
carriage has conveyed the blank to the creasing-box or mouth of the folding-box.
30. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the picker, the
folding-box and plunger and with the reciprocating nipper-carriage, of the
stationary stops at the rear of the folding-box, and the vibrating tucker or placer
fingers at the front thereof to properly position the blank for the action of the
plunger.
31. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the picker, the
folding-box and plunger, and the lappers for folding the envelopes, of the recipro-
cating nipper-carriage, the nippers carried thereby, the slatted flooring at the rear
of the folding-box and the rake mounted upon the nipper-carriage and sweeping
said flooring in its forward movement to convey mail matter to the folding-box.
32. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the picker, the
folding-box and plunger, of the reciprocating nipper-carriage, the nippers mounted
thereon, the cam-shaft and cams whereby they are closed, and the springs whereby
they are held open, the reciprocating trip-rod acting upon an arm from the nipper
cam-shaft, the vibrating rake mounted in bearings supported by the nipper-
carriage, the crank-arm from the rake-shaft and the link connecting said arm with
an arm from the nipper cam-shaft whereby both the rake and the nippers are
operated by the trip-rod.
33. The combination substantially as hereinbefore. set forth, with the vibrating
rake upon the reciprocating nipper-carriage, and with the slatted flooring which it
traverses or sweeps, of the vibrating cut-off beneath said flooring with its fingers
arranged to be projected through the interslatal spaces, and the trip-rod having
tappets to open and close the rake and a lug to lift the cut-off.
34. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the nipper
cam-shaft, the rake and the cut-off, of the stops upon the bridge of the nipper-
carriage.
35. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the folding-
box and its stationary stops, of the tucker-shaft and its crank-arm, and the trip-rod
and its lug whereby the tucker is opened and closed at proper intervals.
36. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the folding-box
and its reciprocating platen, of the chute, and the ejector-fingers pivoted to said
platen and means whereby said fingers are raised from the platen as it reaches the
head of the chute to discharge the envelope.
37. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the folding-box
and the platen, of the chute, the vibrating dumping-box, its curved shield and the
vertical belts to which the dumping-box delivers.
38. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the folding
platen and plunger, of lappers folding over the edge of said platen as a fulcrum,
and forming the lower part of the folding-box.
39. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the tilting
envelope dumping-box, of the ejector-fingers fixed to the frame and passing
through slots in the dumping-box when the latter is tilted to discharge its
contents.
40. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the envelope-
chute and the vertical belts delivering to the packing-box, of the intermediate
dumping-box having fingers at its discharge edge which enter between the pulleys
at the head of the adjacent set of belts.

page_text: 41. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the envelope
folding-box and conveyor or carrier, and devices for delivering folded circulars or
similar mail matter thereto, of the presser-fingers moving in succession through
opposite sides of the box to lay the flaps of the folded material smoothly therein.
42. The combination substantially as herein before set forth, with the folding-box,
of the pressing-finger for the top flap of the folded mail matter therein, and a
vibrating arm upon which it is pivoted, said finger having a cam outline as and for
the purpose set forth.
43. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the folding-box,
the conveyor devices for supplying envelope-blanks thereto, and devices for feeding
folded enclosures to said blanks as they lie within the box, of the presser-fingers
entering through the sides of the box to lay the flaps of said enclosures alternately
and the folding wings or lappers for the blanks, succeeding in action the movement
of the presser-fingers.
44. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the folding-box,
and its lappers, of a cam for operating the lapper for the seal-flap, provided with a
detachable section whereby the time of movement of said lapper may be varied.
45. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the folding-box
and platen, of folding wings or lappers arranged to vibrate on axes practically
concentric with the upper edges of said platen when elevated.
:
46. The combination substantially as herein before set forth, with the folding-box,
of lappers for the end flaps having curved slots described on an arc practically
concentric with the upper adjacent edge of the platen when elevated, the pins
taking into said curved slots, curved guide-ways into which the heel extensions of
said lappers take and the reciprocating rods pivoted to said lappers between the
guide-ways and the slots.
47. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the folding-box
and its lappers and with the platen, of an operating cam for said platen, having
successive notches as described whereby the platen is caused to fall slightly as the
lappers come down and then raised against them.
48. The combination substantially as herein before set forth, with the folding-box
and its platen and lappers, of a cam for actuating said platen having successive
notches as described, and detachable plates whereby the depth of said notches may
be varied.
49. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the envelope
folding-box and devices for delivering folded circulars or enclosures thereto, of the
cradle-fingers reciprocating through said box about midway of its height, a cam
for projecting them and a spring for suddenly withdrawing them, as and for the
purpose described.
50. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the folding-box
and its platen and the reciprocating standard upon which said platen is mounted, of
the independently reciprocating plunger and the yielding connection between said
platen and standard whereby the platen may yield before the descending plunger
and accommodate itself to the varying thickness of material.
51. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the folding-box
and its platen and with the plunger, of the standard for the platen, the rods or
spindles connecting said platen to the standard and playing through the latter, the
coiled springs interposed between the platen and standard, and the adjusting nuts
on the rods whereby the normal height of the platen may be positively varied.
52. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the plate which
supports the stack of envelope-blanks, of posts and dividing spurs arranged to come
in contact with the gummed edges of the back-flap about midway of their length,
said spurs being upwardly bevelled.
.
53. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the plate which
supports the stack of envelope-blanks, of the posts vertically slotted on the sides
adjacent to the stack, the spindles playing in said posts, and the upwardly and
outwardly bevelled spurs playing through the slots therein."

page_text: 54. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the plate which
supports the stack of envelope-blanks, of stops for the rear edges of the blanks,
arranged to come on each side of the center thereof, pivoted spring gates, and
means for locking said gates against movement on their pivots when closed.
55. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the plate which
supports the stack of envelope-blanks, of the pivoted spring gates having heel
extensions, and a removable hooked link connecting said heel extensions.
56. The spring gate F'. composed of a series of flat fingers, f³, turned downward
at their outer ends to prevent the blanks from catching between them.
57. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the envelope
folding-box and its lappers and with the plunger, of devices for supplying envelope-
blanks to said box, devices for supplying folded enclosures thereto, and alternately
acting pressers for the flys or flaps of said enclosures whereby they are laid flat
before the action of the lappers upon the envelope-blank.
Dated this 13th day of September 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.