Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1894-Accepted, 25th Aug., 1894
I, JAMES BALL, of Wood Street West, Middleton, in the County of Lancaster,
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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in machines for the manufacture of
envelopes.
Heretofore in such machines the gumming of the sealing flap has been performed
very imperfectly and unevenly owing to the gummer-picker remaining rigid during
the operation of gumming. The posts by which the pile of envelope blanks are held
in position during the gumming operation have also been defective as they are not
rendered sufficiently adjustable to accommodate and securely hold in position envelope
blanks of different shapes and sizes.
My invention has for its object to overcome the said defects and in order that the
same may be better understood I have caused to be appended hereunto one sheet of
drawings marked with letters of reference indicating like parts in the various
figures.
Fig. is a front view and Fig. 2 a plan of the gumming device of a machine for
the manufacture of envelopes constructed in accordance with my invention.
Figs. 3, 4, 5, & 6 are side views of Fig. 1, showing the gummers in various positions.
Fig. 7 is a vertical section, Fig. 8 a plan and Fig. 9 a side view of an envelope pile
guide post constructed in accordance with my invention.
In carrying out my improvements and referring to the figures generally,
a is a portion of the frame, the table upon which rests the pile of envelope
blanks, c the sealing flap gummer, and d the lower flap gummers respectively, is the
pile of envelope blanks, their guide posts.
In lieu of attaching the sealing flap gunmer c to the shank g which carries the
lower flap gummer d I fix the same to a lever h which is pivoted or hinged preferably
to the shank g. The free end of the lever is placed under the influence of a spring i
employed upon a spindle between a collar on the same and an arm ¹ on the
shank spindle g¹ and carries a catch piece 1. To the shauk g, which carries the lower
flap gummer d, is pivoted a latch lever m under the influence of a spring m¹ which
latch lever is adapted to engage and release the catch piece 7.
The sealing flap gummer c is so mounted that when it is in its raised position its
under face is just below that of the lower flap gummer d 80 as to come first into contact
with the envelope blank. It is also so set that rhen it comes into contact with the
envelone blank it is just inside the edge of the flap as shown in Fig. 3.

page_text: The shank spindle g³ works in guides or bearings in the frame a and is suitably
connected with some operative mechanism of the machine so as to receive a vertically
reciprocating movement as is usual in that part of envelope machines which carries
and actuates the gummers as for example in the manner described with reference to
I wish it to be under-
Fig. 1 of the specification of Patent No. 20096 of A.D. 1890.
stood however that I herein make no claim to particular means for giving motion to
the shank g¹.
When the gummers c and d descend the former first touches the pile of blanks and
its descent is thereby restrained while the other gummer is still descending through a
very short distance. The lever h is thus caused to turn about its hinge against the
pressure of the spring i, so that the sealing flap gummer which thus describes a short
are of a circle has imparted to it an outward sweeping motion in the direction of the
edge of the blank as will be seen by a comparison of Fig. 4 with Fig. 3.
On the gummers c & d ascending, the spring-m-changing its angular-position,
shown in Fig. 3,-to u-horizontal-one, throws the latch lever m-out of contact with
the entch-piece--and allows the spring ito push the hinged lever-h-baek in its
normal-or-horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 6, in which the gummers c & d are
supplied-with-gum-in-the-usual manner. The latter descend-jointly until they strike
the-pile-of-envelope-blanks e, the sealing fup gummer-c-being positioned a little in
Arrear of the edge-of-the-pile-of-blanks, as shown in Fig. 3. The gummer-c-on
account-of-its-hinge is then caused-to-raise and describing in-centuet-with-the-blanks
e-n-portion-of-a-circle-moves-in-the-meantime towards the edge of the pile of
envelope-blanks, the outer-edge of the gummer-c-remaining clear of the blanks, as
shown in Fig.
When the gummer c has moved to the edge of the sealing flap the spring m¹ draws the
latch lever m inwards causes the same to engage under the catch piece land raise the
gummer c clear of the envelope blanks, as shown in Fig. 5, thus preventing the
gummer c receding and soiling the envelope blanks when the spindle g¹ begins to rise.
This hinged sealing flap gummer device has for its advantage that any flakes which
might form on the flap will be gradually pressed towards the edge of the flap and the
filling
gum spread evenly, whether the surface of the blanks is a smooth or rough one,
When the shank spindle g
up any undulation or intervening parts that may exist.
ascends the spring m¹ gradually leaves the inclined position shown in Fig. 5 in which
it is open and in tension and assumes a horizontal position shown in Fig. 6 in
which it is closed and acting as a strut pushes the latch lever m out of contact with the
cutch piece l. The pressure of the spring i then causes the hinged lever to assume its
normal position in which the gum is applied in the usual manner prior to another
stroke.
In lieu of forming the guide posts f in one piece I form the upper end thereof with
a circularly adjustable socket fl see Figs. 7, 8 & 9, and with a separator pin f2 adapted
to rest loosely on the envelope blanks e, being carried by a block f adapted to slide in
the circularly adjustable post socket f¹.
However in lieu of using a plain separator pin 2 I form the same with a thread so
as to be readily adjustable in its block 3 horizontally.
It will thus be seen that the post socket f which receives the block 13 can be readily
adjusted circularly in the post by means of the screw and that the blanks will be
held in position by the weight of the separator pin f and block only.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is:-
1st. Fixing the sealing flap gum:ner c to a lever which is suitably hinged in such
a manner that on the said gummer receiving a certain amount of pressure it is caused
to describe a portion of a circle on the sealing flap and thereby spread the gum evenly
thereon, substantially as set forth.
2nd. In combination with the sealing flap gummer c, specified in the preceding
claim, a latch device adapted to assist the ascent of and retain the sealing flap

page_text: gunmer c in position until clear of the pile of envelope blanks, substantially as set
forth.
3rd. Forming the upper end of the guide post f which carries the separator pin f2
circularly adjustable, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4th. Forming the separator pin f2 with a screw thread to admit of horizontal
adjustment in the top of the guide post f, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 24th day of July 1894.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicant.