IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR GUMMING AND PRINTING ENVELOPES AND WRAPPERS FOR LETTERS, NEWSPAPERS, AND SMALL PARCELS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR GUMMING AND PRINTING
ENVELOPES AND WRAPPERS FOR LETTERS, NEWSPAPERS, AND SMALL PARCELS."
A communication from abroad by Henry Clay Berlin and George
Henry Jones, of the City of New York, in the United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th June 1866.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR GUMMING AND
PRINTING ENVELOPES AND WRAPPERS FOR LETTERS. NEWSPAPERS, AND SMALL
PARCELS," to be as follows:
This Invention has for its object to gum and print on the flaps of envelopes
or wrappers for letters, newspapers, and small parcels, and consists,
First, in the employment or use of a hinged table applied in combination
with the pickers or gummers, so that such tables or at least that portion
Price 8d.]

page_text: thereof which supports the pile of blanks or pieces of paper can be turned
out from under the pickers and brought into a convenient position to receive
a fresh supply of blanks without stopping the motion of the pickers or
gummers.
:
Second, in the use of an elastic bed composed of india-rubber or other
suitable material to be placed under the pile of blanks on the table, wltereby
the operation of gumming, and particularly that of printing the blanks, will
be greatly facilitated.
Third, in combining with the gumming mechanism a type case or holder
which is secured either to the gumming mechanism or to a different arm.
Suitable ink rollers are also adapted to the type holder so that simultaneously
or nearly so with the descent of the gummers upon the pile of blanks or
pieces of paper the faces of the types may be brought down upon the upper-
most blank in the pile and the operation of printing be effected without loss of
time or extra labour.
Fourth, in the use of a movable separator applied in combination with
the gumming mechanism and with the pile of blanks to be acted upon
by the gummers, so that by the action of such separator against the edges
of the blanks, and by the current of air created by the motion of the separator,
the gummers will be prevented from raising more than one blank at a time
from the pile on the table.
Fifth, in the arrangement of an endless apron to which an intermittent feed
motion is imparted in combination with a reciprocating carrier and with the
gumming mechanism, so that one blank after the other will be first taken up
by the gummer or gummers and then deposited on the carrier, and be brought
thereby on to the travelling apron where the blanks will thus arrange them-
selves in the proper order to allow the gum to dry without sticking to each
other.
Sixth, in the arrangement of one or more rising and falling fingers in com-
bination with the apron which serves to carry off the blanks after they have
been gummed and printed, so that by the action of the finger or fingers and
of the rollers the blanks will be securely held on the apron, and as soon as the
apron begins to move the fingers rise and the blanks will be compelled to move
with the apron, thereby causing them to arrange themselves in such a position
in relation to each other that the gummed surface of each blank will project
beyond the edge of the succeeding blank, leaving the gum free to dry and thus
preventing the blanks from sticking together.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th December 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand cight. hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto I, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 GUMMING AND PRINTING ENVELOPES AND
WRAPPERS FOR LETTERS, NEWSPAPERS, AND SMALL PARCELS" being a commu-
nication to me from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Edward Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE. that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a machine for gumming and printing the blanks for
envelopes, wrappers, and other similar articles.
The Invention consists, first, in gumming the seal flap (simultaneously
with raising the envelope blank) by a picker or gummer adhering to the seal
flap, which picker may also serve to hold the envelope blank stationary while

page_text: Onvelope DIUNK
which is gummed.
Second, in the use of an elastic bed composed of india-rubber or other
suitable material to be placed under the pile of blanks on the table, whereby
the operation of gumming, and particularly that of printing the blanks is greatly
facilitated.
Third, in combining with gumming mechanism a type case secured to the
same or to a different arm with the gummers and suitable ink rollers, so that
simultaneously or nearly so with the descent of the gummers upon the pile of
blanks the faces of the types are brought down upon the uppermost blank in
the pile and the operation of printing is effected without loss of time or extra
labor.
Fourth, in the arrangement of an endless apron to which an intermittent
feed motion is imparted in combination with a reciprocating carrier and
with the gumming mechanism, so that one blank after the other is first
taken up by the gummer or gummers and then deposited on the carrier,
and by the carrier it is brought on the apron, where the blanks arrange
themselves in the proper order to allow the gum to dry without sticking to
cach other.
Fifth, in the arrangement of one or more rising and falling fingers in
combination with suitable pulleys, and with the apron which serves to carry off
the blanks after they have been gummed and printed, so that by the action of
the finger or fingers and of the rollers the blanks are securely held on the
apron, and as soon as the apron begins to move the fingers rise and the blanks
are compelled to move with the apron, thereby causing them to arrange them-
selves in such a position in relation to each other that the gummed surface of
each blank projects beyond the edge of the succeeding blank, leaving the gum
free to dry and preventing the blanks from sticking together.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. I represents a plan or top view of this
Invention: Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same taken in the
plane indicated by the line r, r, in Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the
arrow opposite to that line; Fig. 3 is a similar section taken in the same plane,
but looking in the direction opposite to the arrow marked near the line r, r.
in Fig. 1; Figures 4, 5, and 6 are detached views of various modifications of
the moveable friction separator.
A represents a frame made of iron or any other suitable material of sufficient
strength to support the various working parts of the machine. The blanks to
he gummed and printed are placed on a table B. which rests on two arms or
3

page_text: whereas their other ends are
This yoke carries the pickers
desired the type case may bo
legs a that are hinged to the frame A, so that the table can be raised up to a
horizontal position as shewn in Figures 2 and 3, or it can be turned back to
an inclined position. This table is operated by a lever b, which is pivotted to
the frame A, and the inner end of which is connected by a link c with the
table. If the lever and link are in line as shewn in Fig. 2 they form a
brace which retains a table in its horizontal position, but by turning the
lever up in the direction of the arrow marked opposite to it in Fig. 3 the table
is made to swing back. Above the table B rises the yoke C, to which a rising
and falling motion is imparted by the action of cams d on the driving shaft e.
These cams are so arranged that they act on roller studs j, secured to levers g,
which are pivotted at one end to the frame A,
connected with the guide rods h of the yoke C.
or gummer 1, and also the type case E; or if
connected to a separate yoke. The face of the gummer is supplied with gum
by means of a roller i, the axle of which has its bearings in the ends of the
gum box i, and this box is secured to an arm k, which is keyed to a vertical
arbor, to which an oscillating motion is imparted by means of a cam m acting
in a tappet n, as shewn in Fig. 3. By the oscillating notion of the arbor I
the roller i is made to sweep across the face of the gummer whenever the latter
reaches its highest position; and in order to enable the roller to transfer the
requisite supply of gum to the gummer a revolving motion is imparted to
it by extending its axle beyond the arm k, so as to obtain room for a small
pulley o. A belt p, stretched over this pulley and over a pulley q on the driving
shaft transmits the desired motion from this last-named shaft to the gum
roller i. and this belt may be made of india-rubber or other elastic material,
which will act as a spring to carry the arm and gum box j back to their
original position as soon as the cam m ceases to act on the tappet n; or if
desired a suitable tightening roller may be applied to the belt p, so that the
same will be enabled to accommodate itself to the varying position of the pulley
o on the axle of the gum roller i. The arm is provided with two lugs or
projections r. which form the bearings for the ink rollers s, which is intended
to transfer the requisite quantity of printing ink to the types on the type
case E.
This roller receives its supply of ink from a suitable ink well not
shewn in the Drawing. In order to facilitate the operation of transferring
the gum from the gummer to the blanks, and particularly to facilitate the
operation of printing, an elastic bed made of thick india-rubber cloth or other
suitable material. is placed on the table B under the pile of blanks, and this
bed may be cut out to correspond to the shape of the blanks, or it may be

page_text: mnade in any other desirable form or shape. By the action of the guminer
one blank after the other is lifted off from the pile and delivered to the
reciprocating carrier F. The separation of each blank from the pile
is facilitated by weak springs u, which bear down on the ends of the blanks,
thereby causing them to bend as the pickers raise them up, and a perfect
separation of the blanks one from the other is insured by a moveable
separator G. This separator consists of a brush or ratchet wheel mounted on
a shaft v, to which a rapid revolving motion is imparted by the belt p, which
also serves to impart motion to the gum roller i. Or instead of a brush or
ratchet wheel an endless apron or belt may be employed, which would be
stretched over suitable pullies, and which might be armed with suitable teeth
or wings. This separator moves in close proximity to the edges of the blank,
so that by its action, and by the action of the current of air created by its
motion, the blanks are effectually separated one from the other, and only one
blank at a time is lifted from the pile and delivered to the carrier. The
carrier F consists of a platform a, which is supported by two arms b' extending
from upright levers c¹, to which an oscillating motion is imparted by the
combined action of cams and a spring e¹. The arms b' are supported and
guided by grooved rollers f, and their motion is so timed that the carrier F
is made to pass under the gummer as soon as the latter has been raised
enough to admit the same. At that point the gummer stops and retains the
blank raised by it, so that the carrier can pass between the same and the
pile of blanks on the table B; and after the carrier has reached its extreme
position it stops for a short time while the gummer reassumes its ascent,
thereby bringing the blank in contact with the guard g', and causing it to
disengage itself and to drop down on the carrier. This carrier is provided
with two hooks, which catch over the edge of the blank and prevent it from
slipping off the carrier. Immediately after the blank has been deposited
in it the carrier moves back from under the gummer and deposits the
blank on the endless apron II. This apron is stretched over two rollers i,
which have their bearings in suitable boxes or standards secured to the
frame A, and on one of these rollers is mounted a ratchet wheel and a
pawl, which engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel and imparts to it
and to the endless apron an intermittent motion. The pawl " is pivotted to
one of the levers g, which are connected to the guide rods of the yoke C, and
to which an oscillating motion is imparted by the action of the cam d (see
Fig. 2), or the requisite motion may be imparted to it in any other suitable
As the carrier arrives at the back end of its stroke over the inner
manner.

page_text: end of the endless apron, the edge of the blank by resting on the same is
caught between two pairs of pressing rollers ', situate above and below the
apron in such a position that the same are compelled to revolve by the action of
the apron, and they compel the blank to move along with the apron. After the
motion of the apron has been completed a finger l' descends and presses upon
the blank just delivered, so as to prevent it from being disturbed in its position
by the next succeeding stroke of the carrier. A rising and falling motion is
imparted to the finger by the combined action
which act on a double armed lever p', to one end of which the finger is
connected as shewn in Fig. 3. The motion of the apron H is so regulated
that it travels a distance equal to the width of the gummed space in the blanks
after the delivery of each blank, and by these means the gummed surface of
one blank will not be covered by or be permitted to come in contact with
the succeeding blank, thus preventing the blanks from sticking together, ample
time is also given to the gummed surface to dry.
of a spring m and cam d³,
By this machine the seal flaps of the blanks for envelopes can be gummed
in a simple, quick, and effective manner, and simultaneously with the
operation of applying the gum any desired words or characters may be printed
on the blanks. The same machine may also be used with advantage for
gumming and printing the blanks of newspapers, or any other similar
article.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent as aforesaid, and having explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect, what I claim as new and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is,-
First, gumming the seal flap simultaneously with raising the envelope
blank by means of a picker or gummer adhering to the seal flap, which
picker may also serve to hold the envelope blank stationary, while the remainder
of the pile of blanks is being removed from under the envelope blank, which
is gummed as described.
Second, the elastic bed t, on the table B and under the pile of blanks, as
and for the purpose set forth.
Third, the use of the type case E, in combination with the gummer D and
table B, constructed and operating as and for the purpose described.
Fourth, the use of the endless apron H in combination with a suitable
mechanism imparting to it an intermittent motion, and with the reciprocating
carrier F and gummer D, constructed and operating as and for the purpose
described.

page_text: Fifth, the finger l'and roller k¹, in combination with the apron H and
carrier F, constructed and operating as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Third day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)