Spacing or 'Fanning” Out Envelope Blanks and Sheets of Paper for Gumming or Bordering.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 7th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 16th Dec., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
66
Spacing or 'Fanning” Out Envelope Blanks and Sheets of Paper
for Gumming or Bordering.
I, WILLIAM COWPER PELLATT of 76 Endwell Road, Brockley S.E. Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of Envelopes, Post Wrappers Note paper &c., it is necessary
for the purpose of gumming the flaps of the former, and bordering the edges of the
latter, that the edges of the blanks or sheets should be overlapped, or spaced at any
required distance apart technically termed "fanning out;" and this has hitherto been
accomplished either by hand manipulation alone or aided by a system of plates and
boards, with pins at the required distances apart.
By means of my said Invention I accomplish this by automatic mechanism.
For this purpose I employ a roller of suitable diameter and length, around the cir-
cumference of which, are three or more rows of studs or projections of metal or other
suitable material, so smooth as to pass over the surface of paper without clinging to,
or injuring same. This roller revolves with its top projecting above a table; and fixed
to the top of the latter are adjustable guides, for maintaining the pile of blanks or
sheets in perfect register. A pile of blanks are placed above and upon the studded
roller, which being slightly above the table thereby receives the greater part of the
weight of same.
The aforesaid roller, being now made to revolve in the direction of the front of the
table, and the studs acting gradually upon the under face of the pile; the bottom
sheets are
"fanned out," and passing over the front edge of table are gripped by a
pair of pressing rollers, which keep them in position, and deliver them successively
into the travelling tapes for the purpose of drying. In order to prevent the pile of

page_text: blanks from being carried forward bodily I employ a vertical check bar, the bottom
edge of which is rounded, and at a sufficient height above the table to allow the sheets
to pass, as they are "fanned out."
23
I moreover regulate the distance apart, by means of a leather or other "brake
inserted under the back edge of the pile; and made adjustable for that purpose. By
this plan the pile is renewed at the top without stopping the action of the machine.
The gumming or bordering may be done by hand, or automatically, but for the
purpose of my Invention, I do not claim this part of my said machine, nor the
carrying tapes both being well known devices.
What I do claim is the novelty of the "fanning out" roller acting upon the paper
in conjunction with the check bar and brake already described.
Dated this 4th day of February 1887.

page_text: 6
Spacing or Fanning Out" Envelope Blanks and Sheets of Paper
for Gumming or Bordering.
I WILLIAM COWPER PELLATT of 76 Endwell Road, Brockley Kent Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of this invention is to mechanically fan out or space envelope blanks
postal wrappers, note paper and the like, to prepare them ready to be gummed or
bordered, said gumming or bordering being effected by appliances in connection with
such fanning out or spacing mechanism or otherwise, as desired.
The annexed sheet of drawings represent my invention Figure 1 being a right
elevation and Figure 2 an end view partly in section.
A is the roller carried by a shaft B mounted in bearings C and capable of rotation
by hand or power. D, D, are studs on bands or rings forming part of or attached to
the roller A with their outer edges at some distance above the table E. The pile of
blanks F is placed with the front edge of the bottom blank of the pile upon the table E
and the back end upon a raised brake G, this being adjustable, to suit the required
angle of the blanks by a screw and fly nut H.
The pile of blanks F by the angle at which it is placed causes the front edges of
the blanks to bear against a vertical strip of metal I termed a check bar, this being
fixed to a pivotted Beam J, one end of which is adjustable by means of a threaded
rod K and a fly nut L the pressure of which acts upon a spring M encircling the lower
part of the rod K for the adjustment of the check bar I to suit different thicknesses of
paper which have to pass under its bottom rounded edge.
out
N is a rubber or leather strip held against the back of the check bar I by a screw P,
said screw being passed through a back guide Q which prevents the "fanned
sheets from buckling and also to guide the fanned out sheets into and between endless
tapes R, S, working round feed rollers T, U, these being driven at the required speed
so that the fanned out blanks are carried by the tapes R. S round the roller U and
over a curved plate V from which they are delivered by the endless tapes R, S, on to
a travelling belt W ready to be gummed or bordered, either mechanically or by
hand.
If the gumming is effected mechanically 1 arrange a gum reservoir X under the
table as indicated and adjust a flannel covered roller Y against the outlet of the
reservoir so that the gumming may be effected by said roller as the fanned out sheets
move along with the travelling endless tapes R. S.
The lower end of the rubber or leather strip is loose and yields to the paper passing
under it and as each sheet is removed from the pile by the stud D they are all acted
upon in a corresponding manner consequently the fanning out or spacing of all the
sheets is the same.

page_text: By arranging the endless tapes R, S, in the manner shown at Figure 2 and
supposing envelope blanks to be under operation the side that is to form the inside of
the envelope is placed downwards and as the blanks are delivered on to the travelling
belt W, the inside surface is turned uppermost ready for gumming what is termed
the sealing flap, the fixing flap being gummed when the envelope is folded in the
ordinary gumming and folding machine.
If postal wrappers or the like are to be fanned out and gummed, the pile is placed
in the same manner as the envelope blanks and when the overlap or spaced out portion
is gummed, if done mechanically by the roller Y, they simply pass along for the
to be dried and they are ready for collection and packing.
gum
Note paper to be black bordered can be fanned out or spaced by this apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The arrangement of appliances shown on the annexed drawings for fanning or
spacing out envelope blanks, Postal Wrappers, Note Paper, and the like to prepare
said blanks for the gumming or bordering operation which may be effected
mechanically or by hand as set forth.
"
2. The employment of studded periphery rollers as a support to a pile of blanks
and as a separater of the bottom blanks of the pile in succession for "fanning out
or "spacing" sheets of paper, envelope blanks and the like as and for the purpose
described.