Improvements in Machines for Making and Printing Envelopes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application. 14th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 1st Apr., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making and Printing Envelopes.
I, JAMES BALL, of No. 181, Walnut Street, in the City of Holyoke, State
of Massachusetts, United States of America, Mechanical 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, for improvements in envelope machines, particularly relates to
envelope machines comprising also printing mechanism, and having with relation
to the folders a movable folding bed, or bottom, which is adapted to successively
present fresh surfaces to receive the folding impact of the folding mechanism
whereby any ink-impression imparted by the recently printed envelope face which
at the time of folding is in contact with the portion of the folding bottom next to
the folders, on the folding of the next envelope is carried away from the folding
position in the machine.
The object of this invention is to so improve the construction of an envelope
machine of the class indicated as to render it simpler, and more practical and
efficient.
To these ends the invention embodies essentially the combination with a movable
ring and means for imparting thereto an intermittent movement, of folders which
cooperate with the ring.
The invention furthermore consists in conjunctive devices having more or less
intimate relations with said ring and folders and all as will be hereinafter fully
described and set forth in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which,-
Figure 1 is substantially a plan view of an envelope making and printing machine,
parts thereof, as the picker-operating-mechanism, the platen for the printing
mechanism, and the creasing box or frame,-being understood as removed, such
portions of the machine constituting no part of this invention,-and hence their
omission renders the illustrations given of increased clearness.
Figure 2 is an elevation and vertical section centrally from front to rear of that
part of the machine which comprises the invention. In said Figure 2 the folder-
wings are indicated as in their swung up positions, and the ring as in its tipped
down position, while in Figure 1 the reverse relations are indicated.
Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 3-3,
Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a perspective and partial sectional view of the parts shown in the
preceding figure, the sectional portion of the view being taken on the line 4-4,
Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a detailed cross-sectional view of a part of the ring, the ring-support
and an inter-engaging device therefor as taken on the line 5-5, Figures 1 or 2.
Figure 6 is a partial side elevation and sectional view on an enlarged scale
especially showing the relations with the movable ring of the actuating pawl there-
for the receptacle for delivering a cleansing liquid onto the ring and one of the
wipers.
Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of one of the wipers.
Figure 8 is a perspective view on a large scale of a portion of the folding-ring
(the same being shown as in its tipped down position) and a portion of the table
adjacent thereto with the air chamber.
In the drawings, A represents the table of the envelope machine the same having
under the creasing frame, a, the curved recess, a, there being mounted at said

page_text: recess and in the usual arrangement relative to each other, the folder wings, the
same being indicated at b, and they, as well as their operating mechanism being as
usual, are not here profusely illustrated and need not be described with further
particularity.
B represents the ring which is mounted so as to have both an intermittent
rotational movement, and a rocking movement, whereby fresh portions of the
face of the ring may be successively brought to cooperative relations with the
folders, and at intermediate periods have the said so-presented portions tipped
down to ensure or facilitate the discharge of the then folded envelopes.
The ring, B, is directly supported by and above the ring-formed support, C,
which is mounted for its rocking movement relative to the table by these
means:-
The table, near opposite edges at its rear portion, has the foot-pieces, c, bolted
thereto which are provided with the outwardly extended, axially aligned studs, d;
the sleeves, e, loosely surround said studs and have formed thereon, or rigidly
affixed thereto, the depending brackets, e², which are of angular form, the
inwardly extended horizontal member of each underlying the ring support, C,
and is bolted thereto.
In Figure 4 it will be noted that each sleeve, e, at its under portion is faced
off to lie in bearing upon or in proximity to the top face of the folding-ring, B.
The rocking movement is periodically imparted to the said ring-support so that
the ring is first held in the plane coincident with the operating faces of the
folders when in their folded down positions or retired downwardly from said
position, through means of the connection therewith of the thrust-rod, f, which
receives its reciprocatory movement from the cam, ³, on the shaft, f, which shaft
receives its rotary motion in any of the usual manners common in machinery.
11 represent stop-lugs, extended angularly from the circular ring-support at a
portion thereof which is beneath the table, which serve to limit the rocking of the
folding-ring and its support in its operative position.
The folding ring, B, has its outer edge grooved, as seen at g, and the ring-
support, C, has angle-lugs, g, bolted thereto which lugs have portions that lie
respectively against the outer edge of the folder-ring, and enter the groove, g, all
so that the folder-ring while having its bodily movement as one with the ring-
support is restrained for its independent rotational movement without liability of
displacement from its relations with the ring-support.
The bottom of the folder-ring, towards its inner edge, has a continuous series of
ratchet teeth, h; and i indicates a pawl which has its point or tooth in engagement
with the ratcheted ring, and is so mounted that while its operative engagements
with the ring will be maintained whether the ring is in its horizontal or tipped
down position, it in no way interferes with the movements of the ring from the one
to the other of the said positions.
It will therefore be noted that said pawl is comprised as a portion of a compara-
tively long arm which is pivotally supported at the upper end of one arm of the
angular lever, j, the other arm, *, of said lever being in operative proximity to the
cam,, on the rotary shaft, j. The spring,, maintains the angular lever always
in working proximity to the cam.
The pawl-ended arm, i, has the weighted extension, ³, beyond its pivotal
connection with the lever, j, whereby the pawl is held to its work, it being, of
course, understood that the pawl has yielding movements to accord with the
rocking of the ring.
Two pairs of wipers, k, are shown for the folding-ring, they being mounted to
have bodily rocking movements in consonance with the ring and to have also
movements independent of the ring always remaining in rubbing or wiping contact
therewith.
'
Each of the said wipers comprises a spindle, , having at its lower extremity a
stirrup-like frame, *, around the lower member of which the strip. of pad
material, **, may be wound, the terminals of said strip being disposed as seen in

page_text: Figure 7, between the upper and lower members of the stirrup-frame and confined
by the wedge, k³.
Other specific forms of wipers may be substituted.
Each pair of the said wipers is carried at the extremities of an intermediately
pivoted bar or lever, m, which is journaled for a swinging movement on the
upwardly extended boss, e, of the aforementioned bracket-supporting sleeve, e, and
one of said two-armed levers has the arm, m³, radially extended from adjacent its
pivot, receiving the connection therewith by means of a suitable joint as seen at m^,
of a pitman rod, ms, which has its other end engaged with the crank or eccentric
pin, m³, carried by the rotary shaft, n.
A rotation of the shaft is imparted by the mesh with the gear wheel thereon, of
the gear, o, which is carried at the upper end of the shaft, o², and has at its lower
end a beveled gear wheel, o³, which meshes into the gear wheel, o, on the shaft, *.
The two double-armed levers, m, are united by the tie-rod, m, so that the motion
positively imparted to one of the levers will insure a corresponding movement of
the other.
The swinging or vibratory movement of the wipers is transversely of the
direction of travel of the folding-ring and is in addition to the said traveling
movements of the ring so that by reason of the movements of the wipers and of the
ring any portion of the face of the latter will be subject to the rubbing action of
the former.
2 indicates a can for containing naphtha, or other suitable cleansing liquid, the
said can being mounted on a bracket in proximity to and over the folding-ring, and
has a discharge cock, p, and also a vent at p, all whereby the proper conditions
may be established for the continuous issue of the liquid, drop by drop, upon the
face of the folding-ring.
The liquid thus issuing from the can upon the ring is, as plain, carried as the
latter moves, subject to the rubbing action of the wipers.
The air-chamber is represented at D, located under the table next to the
aforesaid curved recess, a, and has the air conduit, q, leading thereinto from the
air pump, D', shown as mounted for an oscillatory movement near the bottom of
the machine, and having its piston operating rod connected to one arm of the
angular lever, r,--with the other arni of which the cam, ³, has the working
engagement.
The air-chamber has, through its forward wall, one or more air jets, t, t, so
directed as to be thrown into the angle between the envelope back and the sealing
flap as the latter comes below and in advance of said jets on the tipping down of
the folding-ring, and all as is most clearly indicated in the drawings, Figures 2
and 8.
The envelopes are thus caused to descend from their position on the folder-ring
down into the drier chain.
While I prefer to expel the envelopes from the ring by air jets, substantially as
described, the invention is in no wise to be understood as thus limited, so far as
the novelties in and otherwise relating to the folder-ring are concerned because I
may effect the discharge of the envelopes by reason of mechanical devices
entirely.
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 an envelope machine, a movable ring, and means for imparting thereto an
intermittent movement in combination with folders which cooperate with the ring,
for the purposes set forth.
2. In an envelope machine, the combination with folding mechanism of a ring, a
support on which the ring is mounted for a rotatable movement, which support has
a tilting movement angularly to the plane of said rotation, means for imparting a

page_text: periodical tilting movement to the ring support, and a means for imparting the
rotational movement to the ring, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. In an envelope machine, the combination with folders and a movable ring and
means for imparting thereto an intermittent movement, of a receptacle for liquid,
having suitable discharge appliances, above the course of movement of the ring,
and a wiper and means for automatically moving it, over the folding impact surface
of the ring, substantially as described.
4. In an envelope machine, the combination with a pair of stationary, horizontal,
axially aligned bearings, of depending brackets engaging said bearings and having
an annular support mounted thereon whereby said brackets and support have
rocking movements, and a ring mounted for rotational movements on said annular
support, means for imparting intermittently the rocking and rotational movements
to the ring, and folders for cooperation with the ring, substantially as described.
5. In an envelope machine, the combination with a rotatable ring, of a folder for
coaction therewith, a lever arm pivotally mounted adjacent to the ring, a wiper
carried by said arm and means for imparting swinging movements to the arm,
substantially as described.
6. In an envelope machine, the combination with folders and a movable ring, of
a pair of two-armed levers each intermediately pivotally mounted and each carry-
ing at its end a wiper adapted to bear upon the folding surface of the ring, a tie-rod
uniting arms of each of said levers and means for imparting swinging movements
to one of said levers, substantially as described.
7. The combination with folders, and a ring mounted for intermittent rotational
movements, and also a rocking movement, and means for imparting said movements
thereto, of an air-chamber located adjacent the position of the tipped-down portion
of the ring and having an opening, and an apparatus for forcing air into said chamber,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
8. In an envelope machine, the combination with folders and a movable ring,
substantially as described, for presenting different surfaces thereof relative to the
folders, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent the ring having a wiper, and provided
with an angular extension, a shaft, and means for rotating it and said shaft having
a crank member, and a connection between the latter and the said angular extension,
substantially as described.
9. In an envelope machine, the combination with folders and a ring having ratchet-
teeth and its edge grooved, of a support mounted for a tilting motion, and on which
said ring is mounted for rotational movement, and angular members upon the said
ring-support which engage the ring-groove, and a pawl and means for imparting
reciprocatory movements thereto and a means for effecting the rocking of said
support, substantially as described.
10. In an envelope machine, the combination with folders, of a ratchet-provided
ring and a support on which it is mounted for a rotational movement, a pawl adapted
to engage the ratchet-teeth of said ring and a lever on which the pawl is pivotally
mounted and a cam for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said lever, sub-
stantially as described.
11. In an envelope machine, the combination with folders, of a ring and a support
on which the ring is mounted for a rotational movement and which support is
mounted for a rocking movement, for the purposes set forth, and a cam-operated
thrust-rod connected to said support, substantially as described.
12. In an envelope machine, the combination with folders, of a ring mounted for
a rotational movement and a rocking movement, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth, and an air-chamber located adjacent the position of the tipped-
down portion of the ring under the folders, and having an opening directed towards
said position, and a cam operated air pump and a conduit, extending therefrom to
said air-chamber, substantially as described.
13. In an envelope machine, the combination with folders of the ratcheted
rotatably mounted ring, a cam and lever operated by the cam and a pawl pivotally

page_text: mounted on said lever and having a weighted extension, and a retracting spring for
the lever, as shown for the purpose set forth.
14. In an envelope machine, the combination with a table having folders
mounted thereon and foot-pieces secured to the table at opposite sides thereof and
having the axially aligned studs and a sleeve surrounding each stud provided with
a depending angular bracket having the ring-support secured thereto, the ring
mounted and constrained for rotational movement on said ring-support and means
for imparting rocking movement to the support and rotational movements to the
ring, substantially as described.
15. In an envelope machine, the combination with the table having the arc-formed
recess, a, and a folding ring and support on which the same is mounted, which
support is journaled for a rocking movement upon the table and all so arranged that
a portion of the ring may be received or accommodated by said recess, and folders
coacting with the ring, substantially as described.
16. In an envelope machine, the combination with folders of the folding-ring
and a rocking support on which it is mounted for a rotational movement, a wiper,
and arm on which it is carried that is mounted to have a bodily movement in con-
sonance with the rocking movement of the ring and to have a vibratory movement
relative to the ring, and means for respectively imparting the rocking of the ring-
support, the rotation of the ring, and the vibratory movement of the wiper carrying
arm, substantially as described.
ננית
C T
1000
JAMES BALL.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.