Combined Envelope Folding and Embossing Machine.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Combined Envelope Folding and Embossing Machine.
1, JOHN MURRAY TATE, of 150 Duane Street, in the City, County and State
of New York, Manufacturer of Stationery, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to combined envelope forming and embossing machines,
and has for its object to provide a simple, cheap, readily constructed, and perfectly
operating device, which may be initially formed upon or attached to the ordinary
envelope forming machines to diagonally or otherwise emboss the edge of the side
flaps of the envelopes (usually the left-hand) with the name of the maker or other'
matter, at or immediately before the time of their being pressed or folded.
It has been frequently endeavored to construct or devise an envelope forming
machine by means of which the envelope may be embossed without the separate.
use of a hand-press, but by reason of the complication of the mechanism employed
in such devices, the same have never as yet resulted in successful practical use, there
being to my knowledge no even measurably simple device of this character, nor
one which could be applied to the numerous envelope machines now in use.
The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, and
in the mechanism hereinafter fully described, whereby the above-mentioned and
other desirable results are attained.
In the practice of my invention, I secure upon the table of the envelope-blank
pressing or folding machine, an embossing press, secured to said table by means of
bolts extending through flanges thereon. This embossing press is of any suitable
construction, and of such size, and so arranged upon said table, that the jaws
thereof substantially align with the upper surface of the mold of the machine.
The lower die of the embossing press is supported against the diagonally edged
block thereof, whereby it aligns with the upper edge of the envelope flap, and is
secured tightly in place by means of a lever, centrally pivoted to the press upon a
horizontal plane, by means of a pivot or screw, said lever having a head which
bears against the die, and upon its opposite end a bearing internally tapped,
through which extends a flat-pointed screw, bearing against the frame of the
press.
In the top of the press is pivoted a lever, adapted to swing vertically, the inner
end of which is pivotally secured upon the plunger which carries the upper die.
The opposite end of the lever is extended to project beyond the table which end
is provided with a longitudinal slot, and is maintained in the depressed position,
and the jaws of the press normally opened, by means of a spiral spring secured
thereto and to the side of the machine frame.
Upon the end of the counter-shaft which operates the plunger and ejector of
the envelope machine, I secure an oval or elliptical cam. Above this shaft and
appreciably to one side thereof is mounted a lever, pivoted at one end, and having
a friction roller journaled near the opposite or free end thereof, which said roller
rests upon the cam, whereby the revolution of the shaft alternately raises the lever .
and depresses or permits the same to drop.
The free end of the lever is connected to the operating lever of the embossing
press by means of a pitman, having a fork mounted upon its lower end, which
clasps and is pivoted to the end of said lever. The upper end of the pitman.is
pivotally secured upon a block, sliding longitudinally within the slotted end of the
i

page_text: lever, having a laterally projecting shoulder or boss extending through the slot,
and to which said pitman is secured. The extreme end of said lever, beyond the
slot is longitudinally tapped and has journaled therein an externally threaded
spindle or adjusting screw, the inner end of which is revolubly mounted within the
block, and provided with a peripheral groove, with which engages a pin, inserted
transversely through said block. Upon the outer end of the screw or spindle is
mounted a circular head or handle by means of which it is turned.
The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing
description. The shaft being operated the envelopes are fed by any suitable means
to rest upon the upper edge thereof aligning with the dies of the embossing press.
As the plunger of the machine is started upon its downward stroke by the rotation
of the shaft, with which it is connected in the ordinary manner as shown, the cam,
revolving with said shaft, engages the friction roller, thereby forcing the lever
upwardly, and through the agency of the pitman, similarly raising the outer end
of the lever, consequently depressing the upper die, and embossing the flap of the
envelope blank within the same.
By reason of the shape of the cam, this operation is effected by a half revolution
of the counter-sbaft, and therefore the envelope is embossed before the plunger has
descended further than to the top of the mold; and as the rotation of said shaft
further depresses the plunger, the cam ceases to bear against the friction roller,
thereby permitting the lever to drop and the jaws of the press to open, which is
immediately effected by means of the spiral spring. As the envelope is forced
into the mold, the embossed flap thereof at the same time withdraws from the
press, and the envelope is folded in said mold and removed therefrom by the
ejector as ordinarily.
It is of course essential that the embossing of the flap be completed, and the jaws
of the press commence to open before the plunger bears upon the envelope blank
to force the same into the mold, and particularly is this the case where the machine
is being rapidly operated. The adjusting screw is therefore turned in either
direction from time to time as desired, through the agency of the head, to regulate
the position of the block within the slotted end of the lever, and consequently, by
adjusting the pivotal connection of the pitman therewith, to regulate the throw of
the lever and the rapidity of operation of the press. By this means the whole
device is caused to operate evenly and smoothly, with both accuracy and
precision.
It is also to be noted that by adjusting the screw the head of the lever may be
caused to bear with greater force against the lower die to tighten the same up on
the block, thereby ensuring the immobility of said die under the comparatively
heavy strain caused by the continued and rapid operation of the press.
The advantages resultant from the use of the invention will be manifest to all
who are conversant with the general class of devices to which the same appertains.
Dated this 25th day of February
i
f
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
I, JOHN MURRAY TATE, of 150 Duane Street, in the City of New York,
County and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer of
Stationery 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 combined envelope forming and embossing machines;

page_text: and has for its object to provide a simple, cheap, readily constructed, and perfectly
operating device, which may be initially formed upon or attached to the ordinary
envelope forming machines to diagonally or otherwise emboss the edge of the side
flaps of the envelopes (usually the left-hand) with the name of the marker or other
matter, at or immediately before the time of their being pressed or folded.
It has been frequently endeavored to construct or devise an envelope forming
machine by means of which the envelope may be embossed without the separate
use of a hand-press, but by reason of the complication of the mechanism employed
in such devices, the same have never as yet resulted in successful practical use,
there being to my knowledge no even measurably simply device of this character,
nor one which could be applied to the numerous envelope machines now in use.
The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, and
in the mechanism hereinafter fully described, whereby the above-mentioned and
other desirable results are attained.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a front elevation of an envelope folding machine having our improved
device attached thereto.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the lower portion of the embossing press, taken
upon the line -x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the rear end of the actuating lever which is
pivoted in the top of said embossing press.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of this countershaft and portion of the levers for
reciprocating the said actuating lever of the press.
In the practice of my invention, I secure upon the table A of the envelope-blank
pressing or folding machine, an embossing press B, secured to said table by
means of bolts a extending through flanges & thereon. This embossing press is of
any suitable construction, and of such size, and so arranged upon said table, that
the jaws thereof substantially align with the upper surface of the mold C of the
machine. The lower die D of the embossing press is supported against the
diagonally edged block c thereof, as shown in Figure 2, whereby it aligns with
the upper edge of the envelope flap, and is secured tightly in place by means of a
lever d, centrally pivoted to the press upon a horizontal plane, by means of a pivot
or screw d', said lever having a head d which bears against the die D, and upon
its opposite end a bearing d³, internally tapped, through which extends a flat-pointed
screw e, bearing against the frame of the press B.
In the top of the press is pivoted a lever E, adapted to swing vertically, the
inner end of which is pivotally secured upon the plunger D2 which carried the
upper die D'.
The opposite end of the lever E is extended to project beyond
the table A, which end is provided with a longitudinal slot f, and is maintained in
the depressed position, and the jaws of the press normally opened, by means of a
spiral spring F, secured thereto and to the side of the machine frame A'.
Upon the end of the counter-shaft G which operates the plunger H and
cjector H of the envelope machine, we secure an oval or elliptical cam I. Above
this shaft G and appreciably to one side thereof is mounted a lever J, pivoted at
one end, and having a friction roller g journaled near the opposite or free end
thereof, which said roller rests upon the cam I, whereby the revolution of the
shaft G alternately raises the lever J and depresses or permits the same to drop.
The free end of the lever J is connected to the operating lever E of the
embossing press B by means of a pitman K, having a fork h mounted upon its
lower end, which clasps and is pivoted to the end of said lever J. The upper end
of the pitman K is pivotally secured upon a block i, sliding longitudinally within
the slotted end of the lever E, having a laterally projecting shoulder or boss i¹
extending through the slot, and to which said pitman is secured. The extreme
end of said lever E, beyond the slot f, is longitudinally tapped and has journaled
therein an externally threaded spindle or adjusting screw L, the inner end of
which is revolubly mounted within the block i, and provided with a peripheral

page_text: groove i̟, with which engages a pin k, inserted transversely through said block.
Upon the outer end of the screw or spindle L is mounted a circular head or
handle by means of which it is turned.
The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. The shaft G
being operated, the envelopes are fed by any suitable means to rest upon the
upper surface of the mold C, with the left hand flap thereof entering between,
and the upper edge thereof aligning with the dies D, D', of the embossing
press B. As the plunger H of the machine is started upon its downward stroke
by the rotation of the shaft G, with which it is connected in the ordinary
manner as shown, the cam I, revolving with said shaft, engages the friction-
roller g, thereby forcing the lever J upwardly, and through the agency of the
pitman K, similarly raising the outer end of the lever E, consequently
depressing the upper die D₁, and embossing the flap of the envelope blank
within the same.
By reason of the shape of the cam 1, this operation is effected by a half
revolution of the counter-shaft G, and therefore the envelope is embossed
before the plunger has descended further than to the top of the mold C; and
as the rotation of said shaft further depresses the plunger, the cam I ceases
to bear against the friction-roller g, thereby permitting the lever J to drop
and the jaws of the press B to open, which is immediately effected by means
of the spiral spring F. As the envelope is forced into the mold C, the
embossed flap thereof at the same time withdraws from the press B, and the
envelope is folded in said mold and removed therefrom by the ejector H' as
ordinarily.
It is of course essential that the embossing of the flap be completed, and the
jaws of the press commence to open, before the plunger H bears upon the
envelope blank to force the same into the mold, and particularly is this the case
where the machine is being rapidly operated. The adjusting screw L is therefore
turned in either direction from time to time as desired, through the agency of the
head, to regulate the position of the block i within the slotted end of the lever E,
and consequently, by adjusting the pivotal connection of the pitman K therewith,
to regulate the throw of the lever E and the rapidity of operation of the press.
By this means the whole device is caused to operate evenly and smoothly, with
both accuracy and precision.
It is also to be noted that by adjusting the screw e, the head d² of the lever d
may be caused to bear with greater force against the lower die D to tighten the
same upon the block c, thereby ensuring the immobility of said die under the
comparatively heavy strain caused by the continued and rapid operation of
the press.
The advantages resultant from the use of the invention will be manifest, to all
who are conversant with the general class of devices to which the same appertains.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a combined envelope folding and embossing device, the combination, with
an envelope folding machine, of an embossing press mounted upon said machine
adjacent to the mold thereof, and adapted to receive the envelope flap therein,
and means, substantially as shown and described, for actuating said press to emboss
the flap and release the same before the plunger of the machine forces the envelope
blank into the mold.
2. In a combined envelope folding and embossing device, the combination, with
an envelope folding machine which comprises a mold and plunger, and a shaft
actuating the same, of an embossing press mounted upon said machine adjacent to
the mold and adapted to receive the flap of the envelope therein, and connections

page_text: from the shaft to said press, substantially as shown and described, whereby the
same is operated, and the embossed flap released, before the plunger enters
the mold.
3. In a combined envelope folding and embossing device, the combination, with
an envelope folding machine which comprises a mold and plunger, and a shaft
actuating the same, of an embossing press mounted upon said machine adjacent to
the mold, whereby the envelope flap enters the jaws thereof as the blank is fed
upon the inold, a lever pivoted in said press and adapted to depress the upper die
thereof, connections from the shaft to said lever to operate the same by a half
revolution of said shaft, and means for adjusting the throw of said lever.
4. In a combined envelope folding and embossing device, the combination, with
an envelope folding machine which comprises a mold and plunger, and a shaft.
actuating the same, of an embossing press mounted upon said machine adjacent to
the mold, whereby the flap of the envelope will enter the same as the blank is fed
upon the mold, means for operating said press by a half revolution of the shaft, :
means for adjusting the operation thereof, and means for normally opening said
press to immediately release the flap therefrom when embossed.
5. In a combined envelope folding and embossing device, the combination, with
an envelope folding machine which comprises a mold and plunger, and a shaft
actuating the same, of an embossing press mounted upon said machine adjacent to
the mold, whereby the envelope flap enters the same as the blank is fed upon the
mold, a lever pivoted in the top of said press and carrying the upper die, means,
substantially as shown and described, for tightening and adjusting the lower die,
a cam mounted upon the shaft, a lever pivoted in engagement therewith and
adapted to be raised thereby, a pitman pivoted to said lever and to the end of the
operating lever of the press, means for adjusting the pivotal connection of the
pitman with said operating lever, and the throw thereof, and means whereby said
lever is normally depressed and the jaws of the press opened.
6. In a combined envelope folding and embossing device, the combination, with
an envelope folding machine which comprises a mold and plunger, and a shaft
actuating the same, of an embossing press mounted upon said machine adjacent to
the mold, whereby the envelope flap will enter the same as the blank is fed upon
said mold, a lever pivoted in said press to actuate the same, a substantially
elliptical cam upon the end of the shaft, a lever pivoted above said shaft, having
a friction roller upon its free end which engages said cam, and a pitman pivoted
upon its lower end to the end of said lever, and having the upper end thereof
pivotally secured to the operating lever of the press, substantially as shown and
described.
7. In a combined envelope folding and embossing device, the combination, with
an envelope folding machine which comprises a mold and plunger, and a shaft
actuating the same, of an embossing press mounted upon said machine, having its
jaws in substantial alignment with the top of the mold, whereby the envelope flap
enters the same as the blank is fed upon said mold, a lever pivoted in the top of
said press and carrying the upper die of the same, a substantially elliptical cam
mounted upon the end of the shaft, a lever pivoted above said shaft, having a
friction-roller thereon near its free end, which bears upon said cam, a pitman
pivoted to the end of said lever and to the end of the operating lever of the press,
whereby they rise and fall in conjunction, a screw adapted to adjust the said
pitman longitudinally upon said lever, and a spring secured to said lever and to the
frame of the machine, to normally depress the same and open the jaws of the press,
substantially as shown and described."
8. In a combined envelope folding and embossing device, the combination, with
an envelope folding machine which comprises a mold and plunger, and a shaft
actuating the same, of an embossing press mounted upon said machine adjacent to
the mold, and having its jaws in substantial alignment therewith, whereby the
envelope flap enters the same as the blank is fed upon the mold, a lever pivoted in
the top of said press and carrying the upper die, and longitudinally slotted upon

page_text: the opposite end thereof, the lower die of said press being adjustably secured
therein by means of a lever pivoted upon said press, having a head thereon which
bears against the same, and a screw in the opposite end thereof, bearing against
the press and adapted when turned to tighten and secure said die, a substantially
elliptical cam mounted upon the end of the shaft, a lever pivoted to the frame of
the machine above said shaft, having a friction-roller near the opposite end thereof
which rests upon the cam, whereby said lever is alternately raised and permitted
to fall by the rotation of said cam, a pitman pivoted to the end of said lever and
having its upper end pivotally secured to the slotted end of the operating lever of
the press, a block sliding within said slotted end, projecting therethrough, and
having the pitman mounted thereon, a screw journaled in the end of said lever,
revolubly engaging said block, and a head or handle thereon to actuate the same
to adjust said block and regulate the throw of the lever, and a spring secured to
said lever and to the frame of the machine to maintain the same normally depressed
and the jaws of the press open, substantially as shown and described..
Dated this 17th day of September 1895.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.