IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Hely of the city of Dublin in the County of
Dublin Ireland, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
ENVELOPES AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Hely at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th September 1883.
EDWARD HELY of the city of Dublin in the County of Dublin Ireland
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR
33
This invention relates chiefly to improvements in the method of and apparatus
for making envelopes described in the Specification of my former invention for
which Letters Patent were granted to me N° 4263 of 1880.
Its object is to provide that the gum for the seal of the envelope shall be applied
at the same operation as that in which the gum is supplied to the other folds, to
provide apparatus for removing the envelopes when made, and for drying the gum
thereon, and also to further simplify and render more effectual my present
apparatus.
In the making of envelopes it is at present customary to apply the gum or other
adhesive material to the blanks for the seal, and dry the saine thereon before
placing them in the folding machine, and this of course necessitates two or more
operations, and it is to obviate this and arrange that the folding machine shall
during its operations also add the gum for the seal, that the first part of this.
invention is designed. Referring to the machine described in the specification of
the above mentioned Letters Patent, I add to the plungers thereof or affix a second
gum finger working in conjunction with said plungers which shall receive and
carry the gum to be placed on the seal of the envelope. There will thus be placed.
a gum finger at each of two sides of the plunger or folder, the one to carry the:
gum for the folded flaps of the envelope, and the other the gum to form the seal.
As the gum for the seal in this way will be left damp and liable-should the flap.
of the envelope receive pressure to adhere to the opposite sides, it is preferable
that the gum should be dried before the envelope leaves the machine, and for this.
purpose I arrange that as soon as the envelope is made and folded it falls out onto
a travelling band or table. This table travels in a zig-zag manner or the envelopes
fall from one to another of a series of such travelling tables, preferably working in

page_text: an enclosed casement through which a current of heated air is caused to pass.
Where steam power is in use a series of steam pipes may be used to keep the air
heated, though gas or other heating medium may be applied, and a constant current
of air may be maintained either by simply allowing a current of cool and dry air
to enter at the bottom and pass to the top, or air may be continually drawn or
forced through by a fan or other mechanical arrangement.
The second part of my invention relates to improvements whereby my existing
machine referred to in the Specification of said Letters Patent N° 4263 of 1880
shall be simplified. Instead of the continuous rotary motion therein described for
the plungers and folders, I now propose to give to said plungers and folders a
reciprocating motion whereby each plunger and folder shall only work in connection
with two folding boxes, instead of alternately working in connection with each on
the table of the machine. A double acting cam on the driving shaft will be
employed to raise and lower the plunger, and the reciprocating motion will be
derived from a cam on a vertical shaft at the side of the machine driven by bevel
gearing from the main driving shaft (the main driving shaft is preferably horizontal
and the second cam shaft vertical though any other arrangement of position may
be adopted if found more suitable). A crank attached and keyed onto the tubular
barrel of the reciprocating motion head will by a suitable connecting rod receive
the motion from the cam, and impart it to the plunger or head carrying the same.
A single plunger head moving round a fixed centre may be used, or a double
plunger head moving to and fro between parallel guides may be adopted. This
latter plan allows of a greater number of piles of blanks of paper to be used, and
consequently allows the attendant more time to renew same between the
operations of the plunger. To the folding box, in which the envelope blanks are
folded, I apply a false bottom moving to and fro in consonance with the plunger
head. This false bottom is so arranged that it presents a surface under the creaser
at each operation, and also under the folding box, and when the bottom on which
the envelope has been folded has passed from under the folding box, the bottom on
which the next will be creased carries forward the previously made envelope and
deposits or allows it to fall onto the already described travelling table or shoot, or
other receptacle provided.
The gum cisterns or reservoirs are placed underneath the table of the machine,
one on each side of each folding box. Each of these reservoirs is provided with a
small gum finger corresponding to those already described as being in connection
with the plungers raised by a spring from which the gum is transferred to the top
gum fingers. The operation of folding the envelope, by means of a finger coming
in connection with the presser, carries these bottom gum fingers under the liquid
gum, allowing each to rise with a regulated quantity. The top gum fingers at the
next operation of the plunger takes up the gum from these bottom fingers, and at
the following operation transfers it to the envelope blank. These bottom gum
fingers may be of brass or other suitable material, and if found desirable may be
covered or padded with india rubber, leather, textile or other material. Of course
it can be seen that the reservoirs might be used without any such apparatus to
regulate the supply of gum, the fingers merely dipping down into the liquid.
I form the under side of the presser which folds the envelope hollowed out at
one part, so as only to firmly crease the top flap carrying the seal, without bringing
the surface of it and the gum thereon in connection with the other flaps, but leave
the other parts of the surface of said presser so as to come in contact with the
other flaps as it descends and press them together.
I find that applying the gum to the paper in a heated condition facilitates the
operation of drying, and for this purpose I heat the gum before placing it in
the reservoirs or cisterns, and arrange gas jet or other suitable means for keeping
the gum hot while the machine is in operation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Edward Hely in the Patent
Office on the 10th April 1884.
EDWARD HELY of the City of Dublin in the county of Dublin Ireland
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR
"
This invention relates chiefly to improvements in the method of and apparatus
for making envelopes described in the specification of my former invention for
which Letters Patent were granted to me N° 4263 of 1880.
Its object is to provide that the gum for the seal of the envelope shall be applied
at the same operation as that in which the gum is supplied to the other folds, to
provide apparatus for removing the envelopes when made and for drying the gum
thereon, and also to further simplify and render more effectual my present
apparatus.
In the making of envelopes it is at present customary to apply the gum or other
adhesive material to the blanks for the seal and dry the same thereon before
placing them in the folding machine, and this of course necessitates two or more
operations, and it is to obvinte this and arrange that the folding machine shall
during its operations also add the gum for the seal that the first part of this
invention is designed.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation on line xx fig 3. Fig. 2 a sectional elevation on
line ww fig. 3. Fig. 3 a part plan looking at the top. Figs 4 and 5 are
respectively a sectional elevation and part plan on line y y fig 3. Figs 6 and 7
are respectively an enlarged sectional elevation and part plan on line
Figs 8 and 9 are details of the machine.
fig 3.
On suitable framework A I mount a table B in which is cast or otherwise formed
a circular recess b for receiving any required number of segments 61 forming false
bottoms. In the recess bare any required number of rectangular holes 62, in the
drawings I have shown four which is the number I usually employ, these holes b³
are employed for creasing and folding the envelope blanks. Over these holes b²
1 fix suitable boxes b³ in which the blanks forming the envelopes are creased and
folded. Above the table B I mount on a tubular barrel C a reciprocating head D
preferably having six arms d, d¹³, d¹, di, d, du, for carrying the creasing
pressing and gumming tools, which will be hereafter described. An intermittent
reciprocating motion is imparted to the head D from driving pulley E on
horizontal shaft F through mitre gearing G and vertical shaft H to cam I, and
from thence to the crank J (keyed or otherwise attached to the barrel C on which
the head D is mounted) through connecting rod or bar K to which the runners i
are attached to engage with the cam I. In order to raise and lower the creasing
and pressing apparatus I employ a second head L a plan of which is shown at
Fig 8 mounted so as to revolve freely on a vertical shaft M which is made to pass
An up
through the centre of the barrel C and is attached to the guide bracket n.
and down motion is imparted to the shaft M from a double acting cam N through
runners n¹ carried on suitable studs attached to the guide bracket n. In order to
cause the heads D and L to reciprocate simultaneously I connect them together by
means of the bars or rods 1, which are screwed or otherwise attached to the

page_text: head D and made to pass through the bosses 12 of the head L. It will be readily
understood that an intermittent reciprocating motion being given to the head D,
in the manner herein before described, the head L is carried with it by means of
the bars or rods . To the barrel C below the table B is keyed or attached a
boss O having six arms o¹ attached to it as shown, from which project a corre-
sponding number of rods o" fixed to the segments b' forming the false bottom, so
that these segments shall be moved simultaneously with the heads D and L. In
order to steady the tubular barrel C I encase or support it in or by the long
bearings c.
The gumming apparatus is as follows. On four of the hereinbefore mentioned
arms d d d and d of the reciprocating head D I mount vertically on each of
the (four) arms two square or rectangular bars d and d carrying the gum
fingers d. These bars are made to slide freely in bearings fixed to the arms d d'
d' d' and are kept suspended from the table B by means of spiral springs d³ until
acted upon by the head L in its downward stroke, when they are depressed by the
head L coming in contact with the ends of the bars d and d which causes them
to descend, and in descending the pins do carried in the projecting pieces de come
in contact with the rod d' attached to the double ended levers do. These double
ended levers are mounted in the gum reservoirs or cisterns W attached to the
under side of the table shown at Figs 5 and 7, and the ends d' are connected to
a second set of gum fingers d (immersed in the gun) so that on the rods d' being
pressed down by the pins d' causes the fingers do to rise above the level of the
gum into holes d" in the table B until it meets the upper gum fingers d' when the
gum is transferred to the upper fingers d'. Should the head L and bars d³ and d
not have completed their downward stroke when the two sets of fingers come in
contact, the spiral springs (through which the pins d³ pass) permit the pins d³ to
remain stationary during the continued descent of the bars d and d². On the top
of the gum finger do may when preferred be covered or padded with india rubber,
leather, textile or other material. Of course it can be seen that the reservoirs
might be used without any such apparatus to regulate the supply of gun, the
fingers merely dipping down into the liquid.
I find that applying the gum to the paper in a heated condition facilitates the
operation of drying and for this purpose I heat the gum before placing it in the
reservoirs or cisterns and arrange gas jet or other suitable means for keeping the
gum hot while the machine is in operation.
When the head L is raised by the action of cam N the springs d³ bring the
bars d and d back to their normal position ready to be carried round by the
reciprocating head D to the points S on the table where the supply of envelope
blanks is placed. The upper fingers d' are then caused to descend on to the pile of
blanks when one of which by aid of the gum adheres to the fingers d', and as
the finger rises carries with it the blank which is taken to the boxes 63 at the next
movement of the reciprocating head D ready to be acted upon by the creasers; By
this operation sufficient gum is supplied to the envelope blank for holding the
folded portions in position and also for the seal. The creasers are mounted vertically
in bearings so as to slide freely on the herein before mentioned four arms
dddd and are placed between the two bars d and d' as shown and each
one consists of a bottom plate P of the same size as the envelope to be creased and
folded. This plate P is attached to a bar p of T form inverted so that the vertical
part shall pass up between the bearing block on the arm d of the reciprocating
head D to the eye formed in aim of the second head L as shown at Figs 1, 2
and 8. A movable collar p¹ is provided so as to be able to adjust the rise and fall
of the creaser. The creaser is raised to its bighest point by the upper portion of
the arms of the head L coming in contact with the under side adjustable collar p¹
on the bar and when the head L descends the creaser falls by its own weight
onto the envelope blank which has been previously brought over the boxes b³ by

page_text: the gummers, and in its descent carries the envelope blank from the gummers into,
the box 6 where it is creased into the form shown at p³ fig. 7, and upon the
withdrawal of the creaser by the rising of the head L it is ready to be acted upon
by the folding boxes.
i
On the remaining two arms d¹¹ and d¹ of the reciprocating heal D I mount so
as to slide freely a bar Q attached at one end securely by adjustable collars to the
head L and carrying on the other end the folding box q of the form shown at
Figs. 6 and 7. The folding box is hollow on the under side and one of its sides q¹
is bevelled so as to prevent the "flap" containing the seal portion of the
envelope being folded or pressed onto the other portion of the envelope before the
gum is dried. In folding the envelope the different folds of the envelope are
required to be brought down to the following order, that is, the longest end flap or
fold is required to be laid down first, then the opposite end flap must be folded, and
afterwards the side flap or fold which is opposite to the one containing the seal has
to be folded onto the two end flaps, leaving the seal flap to be operated upon the
last; and in order to accomplish this I provide in each side of the boxes b³ a spring
catch q shewn in enlarged section at Fig. 9 and in plan at Fig. 7. This catch is
arranged near the bottom of the side of the box b³ and works in a slot cut therein
and is acted upon at the back by a spiral spring. The four catches in each box are
required to project varying distances, that is, the catch that acts upon the longest
end flap will project the furthest, whilst the one that acts upon the seal flap will be
the shortest, and in order to accomplish this I provide a small projection or pin q³
on each catch which works in a small groove or key way q, and the required
distance of projection is regulated by the length of these grooves q'. It will be
seen that these catches q' are bevelled on their upperside to allow of being easily
pressed into and level with the sides of the box by the creaser or folding box. Aș
soon as the creaser is withdrawn clear from the box b³ the catches q' fly out carrying
the flaps of the envelope blank into angular position ready to be operated upon by
the folding box.
It will be seen on reference to Fig. 3 that the groove b in the table B in which
the segments b' or false bottom, works are divided into six points corresponding to
the position of the arms d dďďďďand at the points immediately
under the arms d¹ d" di dare the boxes b and holes through the table as
shown. At the points marked S, that is under the arms d and d³, the envelope
blanks are placed in piles of about 250 or three inches deep from which the boxes
are fed.
The operation of the machine is as follows.
The machine having been set in motion and the gummers d' having received a
supply of guin from the lower gummers do in the manner described, the recipro-
cating bead D is thereby caused to travel round to the supply station S, when by
the descent of the second head L compresses the springs d³ and causes the
gummers d to descend onto the envelope blanks and the gum causes them to
adhere to the fingers d'. As soon as the head L commences to rise the spiral
springs d begin to expand carrying with them the gummers and envelope blanks
ready for the reciprocating bead D to be moved round until arms d and d¹¹ are
brought over the boxes, marked in plan Fig. 3 t, t, when the arms d¹ and d
which were respectively over boxes ts and t³ are brought round to the supply
stations S baving previously received a supply of gum from the cisterns, when by
the action of the driving shaft mitre gearing and cams they are again reciprocated
back over the boxes t' and t and the arms d and d are again brought round for
a fresh supply. On reference to the drawings it will be realily seen that there are
two supply stations placed opposite to each other and that the four arms carrying
the gummers and creasers, as well as the two arms to which the folding boxes are
attached, are all placed opposite to each other so as to facilitate the operation of
5 feeding creasing and folding. Also that boxes t and are fed from the same

page_text: supply point S, whilst boxes t¹ and t³ are also fed from the same station that is
placed opposite to S, and that the creasing and folding boxes attached respectively
to arms d and 11 and those on arms du and d operate alternatively in boxes
ta and t¹ and in tand t, that is to say when the arms d and d are over the
supply station S, as shewn-in the drawings, then the creasers are operating in the
boxes under the arms d and d and the folding boxes are at work in boxes t
and and when the arms d and dare moved round over boxes t and t¹ at the
same time the folding boxes are carried from boxes t and t' to boxes t' and t³
whilst the creasers that were operating in boxes t' and t³ are carried to the stations S
to receive a fresh supply and are then returned to the position shown in drawings,
when the operation is continued as herein described. Simultaneously with the
movements of the creasing and folding boxes the segments or false bottoms 6' are
moved backward and forwards with the arms of the reciprocating head D, so that
whenever the creasing and folding boxes are at work there shall be a false or loose
bottom in position and after each folding operation these segments 61 are moved
away to allow the envelope to fall through the hole formed in the plate B onto a
travelling band or table not shewn in drawings. This table travels in a zig-zag
manner or the envelopes fall from one to another of a series of such travelling
tab'es preferably working in an enclosed casement through which a current of
heated air is caused to pass. Where steam power is in use a series of steam pipes
may be used to keep the air heated, though gas or other heating medium may be
applied and a constant current of air may be maintained either by simply allowing
a current of cool and dry air to enter at the bottom and pass to the top, or air may
be continually drawn or forced through by a fan or other mechanical arrangement.
In some cases in order to assist in causing the envelope to leave the box and
drop on to the travelling table or band a spring or other suitable finger attached to
the segments may be employed.
I wish it to be understood that whilst I have described and illustrated my
invention as applied to a machine with a radial reciprocating head, it can easily be
arranged with a double plunger head moving to and fro between parallel guides, in
which case there would be a supply station at each end of the machine and the
creasers and folding boxes would reciprocate horizontally between two boxes placed
between the two supply stations as hereinbefore described, also the creasing and
folding apparatus would be operated upon by a similar arrangement of driving
shafting mitre gearing and cams as that bereinbefore described, the chief difference
or feature of this machine being that instead of having a radial reciprocating
motion imparted to the plunger heads I impart thereto a horizontal reciprocating
motion, which plan allows of a greater number of piles of blanks of paper to be
used, and consequently allows the attendant more time to renew same between the
operations of the plunger.
Having now described my invention and the best mode known to me of carrying
it into effect I wish it to be understood that what I believe to be new and claim
under the letters patent is :-
1st. In the manufacture of envelopes, the process of gumming the seal by the
same operation as that by which the gum is applied to the folds, substantially as
and in the manner described.
2nd. The process of drying the gum by applying the same in a heated condition
and exposing it to a current of heated air, substantially as described.
3rd. The manufacture and use of combined apparatus for manufacturing envelopes
from blanks substantially as described and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings. Also the following parts taken separately each substantially as and for
the purposes described,
a. The upper and also the lower gumming apparatus with their respective
reservoirs or cisterns and lever mechanism.
b. The two heads D and L for carrying the gummers, creasers and folding boxes,

page_text: together with the driving shafting, mitre gearing and cam arrangement for actuating
the same.
c. The travelling table or band for receiving the envelopes after being folded for
drying the gum forming the seal,
In witness whereof I the said Edward Hely have hereunto set my hand and
seal this eighth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and eighty four.
EDWARD HELY (LS.)