IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MAKING ENVELOPES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, of 82, Essex
Street, Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MAKING ENVELOPES."-A com
munication.
Sealed the 23rd November 1855, and dated the 26th May 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux
Bellford at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 26th May 1855.
I, AUGUSTE EDOUARD LORADOUX BELLFORD, of 82, Essex Street, Strand,
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MAKING ENVELOPES" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, first, to envelope folding or making machinery, which
is constructed and works in the following manner:-The attendant puts the
paper sheet by sheet on a suitably arranged feeding table, this paper having
previously been cut out into envelope blanks by the usual means. There is a
pair of rods with an intermittent reciprocating motion working by the side of
or under said table. These feed rollers have each two hooks, projections, or
inclined planes placed at a suitable distance on their upper sides, and the first
or front pair of these hooks pass under the paper fed on the table, and carry it
under a proper embossing apparatus. The second pair of hooks then carry

page_text: said
paper under a piston or plunger, which works vertically into an open box
of rectangular or other suitable shape in which the envelope is folded. The
envelope blank being laid by the hooks on the box, the plunger above said
descends into the folding box, and having the same shape as the box, causes
the usual or any other number of flaps, four, say, to stand up, after which the
plunger rises again. On each of the four sides of the folding box, near the
bottom of the same, there are openings of the proper height for allowing thin
folding pallets or blades to pass, these folding blades being suitably arranged
before each of the four sides of the box. These blades consist of thin sheet
iron or steel plates, and receiving a to and fro motion by means of rocking-
shafts on which they are mounted, they pass through the lateral openings in
the box, and working downwards, they crease or fold the flaps of the envelope
in the order required by the kind of envelope it is desired to produce. Imme-
diately after this a second envelope is put on the folding box by the hooks or
blank carriers above said, and the plunger descends nearly upon the four fold-
ing blades, remaining stationary for a moment to allow the four blades to
recede from the envelope and to leave the box. The plunger then continues
its descent, and presses upon the bottom of the folding box, so as both to com-
press the enveloppe first made, and cause the four flaps of the second enveloppe
to stand up, thus preparing it in the same way as the first. The bottom of the
folding box consists of a plate having a vertical reciprocating motion, and this
plate, after the operation just described, descends, so as to cause the envelope
to fall, which is effected by means of two parallel edges or bars, which form an
inclined plane, and pass through slots in the bottom plate, so as to lift the
envelope off the same. The envelope sliding down this inclined plane falls
into a spout or channel, in which it may be made to turn one quarter round by
means of a projection it meets on its way, and the envelope thus finally
descends upon a piling board. This latter is for piling the envelopes one under
the other in the following manner :-When an envelope has been deposited on
the board it rises up into an open box suited to the size of the envelope. In
this box there are two ledges or projections of suitable width fastened on the
inside of the piling box opposite each other, and the piling board rising into the
box, the edges of the enveloppe give way whilst passing the ledges, the board
being a little less in width than the envelope, so as to allow the borders turn-
ing down; and the table descending again, the envelope edges straighten again,
and the envelope is thus left upon the ledges under the pile that is already in
the box. There is also a counting motion in connexion with the piling board,
which consists in providing said board with a slot or other opening, which
corresponds with the arm of a click acting upon a ratchet wheel. Thus it will

page_text: be seen that the table, when rising and carrying an envelope, and not other-
wise, is made to act upon the ratchet wheel, which, by means of the usual
indicator, wheel, and worm gear, sets a shaft in motion. This shaft carries a
cam, which, when the number of envelopes required has been piled, throws
into gear a hook worked by suitable mechanism, which has a to and fro motion
under an open box, filled with strips of cardboard, supported by ledges at the
bottom of said box. This hook is thus made to draw out the undermost strip
and to pass it on the pile of envelopes, which is thus counted to the full number
in a self-acting and unfailing manner.
This Invention also relates, second, to rotary, circular, or continuous envelope
folding and making machinery, in which the various operations are performed
upon the envelope by various and distinct parts, these parts acting all at the
same time upon envelopes at various stages of progress, and the envelope
being carried round from one part to the other in succession. This continuous
folding machine is constructed and works as follows:-On a circular table
there are six or any other suitable number of rectangular boxes suited to the
size of the envelope, & these boxes being all alike and fastened on a circle
described from the centre of motion of the table corresponding with these six
or any other number of boxes; there is also an equal number of working parts
or pistons, dies, &, which descend vertically into said boxes, and thus perform
upon the envelopes laid in them the successive operations of folding, emboss-
ing, pressing, piling, &c., each box being brought in turn under the action of
the working parts by one-sixth or any other part of a turn which is imparted
to the circular table.
This circular machine being supposed in working order and fed, an envelope
being placed in each of the boxes, it acts as follows:-The envelope blank is
placed by the attendant on a table, which is so arranged that the blank is laid
right by the return stroke of a pair of hooked arms or blank carriers, similar
to those described in the preceding machine. These arms are moved by
eccentrics and connecting rods in such manner, that the return stroke having
laid the paper right, they pass under and deposit it on one of the aforesaid
boxes under the first piston or under the enibossing die. At the beginning of
this movement and by the same motion the enveloppes are also gummed and
made adhesive upon the feed table, by means of gumming rollers set to turn
by means of a click and ratchet wheel which are acted upon by the carrying
or feed motion. The machine thus being started, and supposing the turntable
to have been previously fed, one box will be under each of the working parts,
which are arranged circularly, and the following operations will be performed
by said parts simultaneously upon the six or any other number of boxes :-

page_text: The first working part is for producing the seal part, and this may be done
by any of the usual embossing implements. The embossing may also be done
on the passage of the blank from the feed table to the circular table, as in the
machine first described above.
The second working part consists of a piston which descends into the box so
as to cause the four or any other number of flaps to stand up.
The third working part consists of a piston which descends into the box
underneath it, and folds the first two flaps of the envelope.
The fourth working part performs the same operation upon the second pair
of flaps.
The fifth working part is a piston which descends for compressing the
envelope that has been folded by the previous operations.
The sixth working part is a piston, plate, or piling board which rises from
underneath the circular table through an opening in each box which is less
than the envelope, and rising above said table deposits the envelope in a piling
box, in a way similar to that in which the envelopes are piled in the machine
first described.
There is also a counting apparatus connected with this piling arrangement, this
apparatus being attached to the pile box, and in all respects similar to the one
above described. The piling board is set in motion by a compound cam, which
causes it to descend below the table, so as to allow said table to perform its
angular turn after each set of operations, as described, and thus to bring each
box in turn under each of the working parts. The turning table is secured to
a vertical shaft placed in the centre. This shaft carries a ratchet wheel with
as many teeth or notches as there are working parts or boxes on the table,
this ratchet wheel receiving its intermittent rotation by a suitable crank
motion. The turntable is held firm and steady at the end of each angular
motion thus performed by a click or catch dropping into it, and thus prevent-
ing the table stirring whilst the working parts act. In order to avoid a shock
at each stoppage of the table, there are friction breaks applied to the table
near its circumference, so as to diminish the momentum acquired by the table
when in motion. Motion is given by a horizontal shaft with a fast and loose
pulley and suitable bevel gear. All the working parts above described, or most
of them, are fixed to a common vertical and central rod, which causes them to
descend all at once and to rise again immediately after they have acted upon
the envelope. This reciprocating motion is obtained by a cam, which causes
the whole to be kept stationary and elevated above the boxes during one half
revolution of the cam shaft, and also to descend and rise again during the other
half revolution. The second and fifth working parts consist of square pistons

page_text: or plungers which fill the boxes; the third and fourth working parts consist
each of two cheeks, edges, or pliers, that are hinged, and can be brought nearer
by having a spring or other elastic joint between them, so that when the pliers
descend they slide on the bevelled top edges of the box, and pass between
the flaps of the envelope and the sides of the box, all boxes being bevelled
alike.
The continuous envelope-folding machine may also have an endless chain
arrangement instead of a circular one. In this
In this arrangement, the boxes are
fixed on an endless chain, which receives an intermittent motion by means of
two horizontal drums, on which it is carried, the working parts being placed
on and about said chain in a manner similar to the circular arrangement
before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 24th November 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUGUSTE
EDOUARD LORADOUX BELLFORD, of 32, Essex Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, Her special licence that I, the
said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MAKING
ENVELOPES," a communication, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.-

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Deltora,
do hereby declare the nature of the said 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, first, to an automatic sizing of the envelope previous
to its being put on the rotatory plate, described hereafter.
Second, to a mechanical taking of the paper in order to bring it on the said
rotatory plate.
Third, to a particular arrangement by which the successive continuous
mechanical folding of the envelope is effected, by the use of a rotatory plate
or table having as many boxes as there are required motions for the envelope
being folded.
Fourth, to another arrangement, by which the envelope when made up,
that is, after a whole revolution of the plate is effected, is taken off and placed
in a frame or box in which all envelopes are piled up.
The above stated operations are effected through the machinery I am going
to describe, and which is illustrated in the annexed Sheets of Drawings
(Figs. 1 & 2).
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the whole machine (save the pistons and the
boxes, one of which only is shown; Fig. 2 is a top view of the upper part of
the machine; Fig. 3 is a front view of one of the pistons that press down the
brims of the envelope; Fig. 4 is a section of the same, working in one of the
boxes, and pressing down the two brims 3 & 4; Fig. 5 is a front view of one
of the pistons pressing down the envelope when the work commences, in order
to take up the corners, and when it finishes to press down the folds made by
two intermediary pistons constructed like Figs. 3 & 4; Fig. 6 is a side view,
and Fig. 6b, a down view of the same; Fig. 7 is a front view of the whole
motive apparatus; Fig. 8 is a side view of the guides for the alternate motion
of the pistons; Fig. 9, a view of the rotatory motion of the plate; Fig. 10 is
a top view of the sizers, showing the way the rollers are fed. The same letters
of reference stand for like parts in all the Figures. A is the frame; B, the
motion shaft; C, the shaft of the holder C' of the pistons; D, the shaft of the
rotatory plate or table E, bearing five boxes F, F, all alike, and bored at their
bottom; G, excentric, which together with the lever H sets into a to and fro
horizontal motion the bar J; this is bent at J' and bifurcated, moving in the
grooves K, K, of the plate L that bears the sizers.
The two branches of the bar J are connected by a cross piece J", which,
when the bar goes back, raises the lever M, and consequently two small rods
N; these act upon a projection contrived on each of the pieces 0 of the sizing

page_text: hoppers O'. The alternate motion up and down of the ring C' of the pistons
is effected by the excentric Q actuating the rollers R, R, secured at the lower
end of the shaft C'; the motion of the latter is directed by the guides S, S,
placed at the bottom of the frame. The rotatory motion of the plate E is
effected as follows:-A pinion T secured on the shaft B gears into T', the
axle U of which bears a plate U; on this plate a rod V is articulated, the
other end of which joins the ring D upon the axis of the hook X, that gears
into each tooth of the wheel Y on the ring. At every revolution of the motive
shaft B, the rotatory plate E effects one-fifth of a revolution, and thus changes
the position of the boxes or moulds. The raising and piling up of the
envelopes is effected by the excentric Z acting upon the lever Z'; this is
articulated by its end to the vertical rod a, which bears a small plate b at its
upper end, and is held down by the coiled spring c. The boxes or moulds F,
bored at their bottom, as they are brought on the plate c, cause the latter to
rise, take the envelope contained in the mould, and carry it into the frame d,
where it remains, its brims being folded, and then passes through the opening
of the same, which is not so wide as the envelope. When the rotatory plate
effects its fifth of revolution, it must, for the regularity of the motion, stop
precisely at the desired place; for that, stops e are contrived before each mould,
and by advancing towards the raising plate b, each one drives that part f of
the S-shaped piece g, the extreme end of which moves into a groove under the
piece h. This turns upon its axis, and advances so as to present its end to
the stop e; thus the plate is stopped. A spring brake i serves to check the
speed of the rotatory table. In order to allow the latter to start again and
commence another operation, that is, when a new paper has taken the place
of the made-up envelope, one of the branches J that bring the paper is pro-
vided with an angle-block j, that beats the end of the piece g, and thus brings
the piece to its first position.
The feeding of the rollers is effected as follows:-At the end of the roller
there is a ratchet wheel k, operated by the click / fixed on the arm m; when
the rod n raises the hopper, the weight of the arm and click causes the latter
to be lowered, and the click carries with it the wheel and the roller, which
latter has been fed out of the hopper. In this manner, when the hopper is
lowered again, the rollers size the edges of one of the corners of the paper
laid in the projecting angle n. The sized edges are shown by a red cross,
Fig. 2.
Whenever a mould containing a made-up envelope draws towards the piling
frame, that is, five times for each revolution of the rotatory plate E, a cut out
sheet is laid in the angle N; the plate E is stopped by the arrangement above

page_text: described, and the plate 6 rises and places the envelope it bears in the frame;
it then lowers to the level of the mould; during that time the branches J
have drawn back, sliding under the paper and causing its edges to be sized;
when they draw forth again, they carry off the paper and lay it on the mould
by unclicking the stop-piece h; the plate 6 lowers down in order to allow the
rotatory plate to turn. By effecting its fifth of revolution it brings the mould
that carries the paper under the first piston, which causes the said paper to
sink, its four corners being turned up. At the rising of the pistons the plate
turns for the second piston, pressing down the two folds 1,2; the pistons rise
up again, and the plate brings the envelope under the third piston, which
presses down the folds 3, 4. Finally, the fourth piston presses down the folds,
and the piece p (Fig. 6 bis) it bears at its lower end causes the brims to be
placed in their right place. The fifth part of revolution leads the mould
carrying the envelope thus made up over the raising plate, there to be dis-
charged. In this manner, at every fifth part of revolution, there are in the
same mould one envelope that is commenced and another that is finished, the
four other moulds being occupied by envelopes in progress.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the mauner in
which the same is carried into effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood
that what I claim as novel, and being secured to me by the herein-before in
parts recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the mode of sizing the edges of the envelope, as above described.
Second, the arrangement by which the paper is taken.
Third, the rotatory plate or table, and the alternate pistons, by the combined
motions of which all necessary motions are effected.
Fourth, the mode of piling up the envelopes ready made in a fit frame by
the alternate motion of the plate b.
Fifth, the general arrangements which ensure the regular working of the
machine.
In witness whereof, I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 24 day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
A. E. LORADOUX BELLFORD. (L.S.)