Improvements in Addressing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1899-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Addressing Machines.
I, FREDERIC HARRISON KOEHLER, residing at 579, Orchard Street, Chicago, in
the County of Cook, State of Illinois, United States of America, Railroad
Employee, 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:-
My invention relates to that class of addressing machines adapted to employ
an indefinite number of independent removable addressing stamps; and my
object is to so construct and organize the same for addressing wrappers, envelopes
and cards, that the work may be accomplished in an artistic manner and with
maximum speed and accuracy. Further, it is my purpose to render said machine
adjustable so that it may be readily adapted to varying sizes of envelopes or
wrappers, and to so construct it that a return card may be printed thereby in
the desired position upon the sheet or envelope, simultaneously with the print-
ing of the address. To these ends my invention consists in the combination of
elements hereinafter more particularly described and definitely pointed out in the
claims, including a novel form of stamp so constructed as to insure accuracy,
durability and speed of manipulation as well as artistic work-
In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a machine embodying the features
of my invention, various parts of said machine being removed in order to show
specific features.
Fig. 2, is a side view thereof,
Figure 3, is a plan view the top being removed.
Figure 4, is a vertical sectional view taken upon line 4-4, Figure 3, viewed in
the direction of the arrow there shown,
Figure 5, is an enlarged detail view in plan of the delivery magazine, a portion
of the guide-way and one of the addressing stamps,
Figure 6, is a transverse sectional view of two addressing stamps, showing the
manner in which one rests upon the other in the racks,
Figure 7, is a sectional view in detail taken upon line 7-7, Figure 8,
Figure 8, is a sectional view in detail taken upon the line 8-8, Figure 7,
Figure 9, is a detail view in plan of the frame of the return stamp mechanism,
showing means for locking the same in a given position when adjusted in the
frame of the machine,
Figure 10, is a vertical sectional view taken upon the line 10-10, Figure 9,
and
Figure 11, is a sectional view in detail taken upon the line 11-11, Figure 1,
viewed in the direction of the arrows there shown.
Referring to the drawings, 1, indicates the frame of my improved machine,
which is preferably made from cast metal, to which is secured a flat top 2 of wood
or other suitable material. A horizontal driving shaft 3, is mounted in suitable
bearings in the frame and is driven by means of a pulley 4, Figures 1 and 3,
which is mounted loosely upon said shaft. A clutch member 5 is splined to the
shaft and is provided with teeth as shown adapted to engage a counterpart clutch

page_text: upon the hub of pulley 4. The clutch is actuated by means of a lever 6 the
lower end of which is pivotally attached to an arm 7, Figure 1, which is secured
to the frame. A fly-wheel 8, is also loosely mounted upon the shaft 3, but rigidly
connected with the pulley.
Attached to the top of the machine at the left hand are four vertical angle-
iron guides 9, Figures 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8, which serve as a delivery magazine and
are adapted to contain an indefinite number of independent removable addressing
stamps 10, which are supported, one upon the other, in a vertical column. Each
of said stamps consists of an elongated rectangular sheet metal frame 11, flanged
or bent, preferably in tubular form, upon itself as clearly shown at 12, Figures 5,
6, and 8, which flanged portions serve to grasp and hold in place a sheet 13, of
india-rubber or other suitable material, having the desired address moulded in
suitable characters 14, thereon, as clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6. This not
only forms a cheap and durable construction, but inasmuch as the surface of the
flanges 12 is higher than that of the raised characters, it is obvious that the
plates may be caused to rest one upon the other in the frame 9 or elsewhere,
without interfering with the raised characters or causing injury thereto;--the
entire contact being between the back of one plate and the flanges 12 of the next.
This construction renders it practicable to deliver the stamps from the magazine
by sliding them one-by-one from beneath, without injury to any of the parts, so
that they may be fed in successive order to the printing mechanism.
The bottom of what I shall term hereinafter the "delivery magazine," formed
by the vertical parts 9, is provided with a bottom consisting of a sliding metal
plate 15, shown in Figures 3, 7 and 8 and indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1;
said plate being provided with lateral tongues 16, Figure 8 adapted to slide in
grooves formed in the table 2. Said slide is somewhat more than twice the
length of the stamps 10;-that part constituting the rear half being made
slightly thicker than the forward part so as to form a shoulder 17, indicated in
dotted lines in Figures 7 and 8, of a sufficient height to form a follower when
the slide is reciprocated, to engage the bottom stamp and push it from beneath
the pile without interfering with the others. In the meantime, during the opera-
tion of pushing a given stamp forward, the others are supported upon the ledge
or rear portion of the follower slide 15, so that the bottom stamp will fall into
position in front of the shoulder 17 when the slide is pushed back. Upon the
bottom of the follower slide is formed a lug 18 to which is pivotally attached a
pitman 19, shown in Figure 8, and indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1, the
other end of which pitman is pivotally secured to the upper end of a lever 20,
Figure 1, which is, in turn, pivotally attached at its lower end to a stud formed
upon a bracket 21 which depends from the frame.
nects the lever 20, with a crank pin upon a disk 23, mounted upon a shaft 24,
A secondary pitman 22, con-
Figures 1, 2 and 3, which is connected with the driving-shaft by means of miter
gears 25, 25. The mechanism described causes the follower slide to be reci-
procated forward and back with each revolution of the driving-shaft.
Extending from side to side of the machine is a slot 26, Figures 1 and 5,
formed in the table, which slot is faced upon opposite sides by means of metal
guide-plates 27, Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 11, the upper face of which is flush
with the top of the table. Each of said guide-plates is provided with a groove 28,
better shown in Figure 11, which is adapted to receive the edges 12, of the metal
casing of the stamps, and to form a guide or race-way therefor, so that the stamps
may abut one against the other and be pushed forward step by step, through the
race-way, across the machine to a receiving magazine 29, Figures 1, 2, and 3,
constructed in the same manner as the delivery magazine 9, but extending down-
wardly from the level of the race-way described in the manner more clearly shown
in Figure 1. A movable shelf 30, Figure 1, is arranged to move up and down
within and to form a bottom for the receiving magazine, said shelf being pro-
vided with guides as shown connected with the magazine frame and attached to a
sprocket-chain 31, which is trained over sprocket-wheels 32, 33, mounted upon

page_text: bearings at the top and bottom respectively, the latter being upon a shaft 34,
provided with a ratchet-wheel 35 upon its opposite end which is engaged by
means of a pawl 36, upon the end of a lever not shown, which is pivoted to the
shaft 34. The ratchet lever is connected by means of a rod 37, Figures 1 and 2,
to the end of a lever 38, pivoted at 39 to a bracket 40, depending from the
frame as more clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3. The other end of the lever
is connected with an eccentric upon the shaft 3 as indicated in dotted lines in
Figure 2. A spiral spring 41 is interposed between an adjustable collar upon
the rod 37 and a stationary stop 42 attached rigidly to the frame, so that with
each downward movement of the lever 38, the spring is compressed and its recoil
aids to actuate the ratchet-wheel. With each movement of the latter the chain 31
is actuated and the shelf 30 is lowered a distance corresponding to the thickness
of one stamp. I prefer to provide a friction bearing upon the shaft of the
sprocket-wheel 32, in order to prevent the weight of the shelf from moving the
chain independently of the action of the ratchet mechanism. Inasmuch as the
follower-slide is pushed forward the length of one stamp with each movement, and
as the shelf 30 is lowered step-by-step in harmony with said movement, it follows
that a continuous procession of stamps will be delivered to the receiving magazine
substantially in the manner indicated in Figure 1,-the latter being filled in exact
order as the delivery magazine is emptied.
Having described the manner of storing, transferring and collecting the address-
ing stamps, I will now describe my improved means for inking the same prior to
the making of the impression thereby. Adjacent to the delivery magazine and
rigidly attached to the guide-bars 27 by means of screws 43, Figure 8, are ver-
tical standards 44, Figures I, 2, 3, 7 and 8, each having a vertical slot therein
adapted to receive the journals of ink-rolls
45, which are located
across and immediately over the stamp guide-way. Rigidly attached to
the shafts of each of said ink-rollers, are intermeshing gear-wheels 46, 47,
enlarged views of which are shown in Figures 7 and 8, the latter of which is in
engagement with a rack 48, which is attached to the side of the follower-slide 15.
The reciprocating movement of the follower-slide serves to actuate the gears and
through them, the ink-rolls. Thus when the follower-slide is pushed forward in
the direction indicated by the arrow shown in Figure 7, the lower ink-roller is
rotated in the direction of the arrow indicated thereon, during which time the
addressing-stamp is passed beneath in contact therewith and is inked thereby.
In Figure 7 the plates are shown as they would appear at the beginning of the
forward stroke of the follower-slide. Upon the return stroke the ink-rolls would
be rotated in opposite directions; but the stamp which has been inked by its
forward movement, has been by said movement, deposited in the stationary guide-
way and advanced far enough to remove the characters thereon from contact with
the lower roll, the latter is not, when reversed, brought into contact with the
stamp beneath it or the characters thereon. Set-screws 50, in the top of the
standards 44, enable the journals of the ink-rolls to be adjusted.
The means employed for successively inking the stamps and the manner of its
accomplishment having been described, it will be in order to describe the paper
feeding mechanism and the novel features connected therewith, after which I will
explain the means for making the impressions of the addressing and return-
stamps respectively.
Attached to the top of the table at the rear of the machine, are two slotted
upright supports 51, the slots 52, in which serve to receive the projecting ends
of the spindle 53, Figures 2, 3 and 4, of a paper-roll 54. Arranged in suitable
bearings beneath the paper-roll 54, and having their axes in the same vertical
plane, is a feed-roll 55, the upper surface of which is flush with the top of the
table and upon which peripheral surface the bottom of the paper-roll rests as more
clearly shown in Figure 4. The paper web 56, is unwound from the bottom of
the web 54, at the point of peripheral contact with the feed-roll 55, and is
extended forward across the table between feed-rolls 57 and 58, to a horizontal

page_text: transverse shearing-plate 59, the front edge of which serves as a cutting edge
for a shear-blade 60, bolted to vertically movable heads 61, which have cylin-
drical portions fitted in bores at or near the respective ends of the shearing-plate.
The construction and operation of the shearing mechanism will be hereinafter
more fully described.
..
The feed-rolls 56 and 57 are of the same diameter and upon their respective
shafts are mounted pulleys 62 and 63, shown in Figures and 3, and indicated
in dotted lines in Figure 4, which are connected by means of a belt 64. The
pulleys are of like diameter; and hence the peripheral speed of the feed-rolls 55
and 57 would, of necessity be equal. The shaft 65, upon which the rolls 58 are
placed, is mounted in sliding bearings 66, Figure 4, adapted to move up and
down in vertical ways, said bearings being provided with adjusting screws 67,
whereby the rolls 65 may be adjusted with the requisite pressure upon the paper
web, so that when the rolls 57 are actuated, the paper may be fed forward.
The feed mechanism is actuated as follows: A disk 68, Figures 1, 2 and 3, is
rigidly attached to the shaft 3, in the face of which disk is forined a dove-tailed
groove 69. A sliding block 70, having a crank-pin 71, is fitted in said groove
and is provided with means for adjustment so as to vary the throw of said crank-
pin. A pitman 72, serves to connect the crank-pin with a lever-arm 73, which, is
pivotally mounted upon a stud 74, Figures 2 and 4, which is rigidly attached to
a bracket 75, attached in turn to the main frame by means of bolts 76. A
pawl 77, Figure 2, is pivoted to the end of the lever arm 73 and arranged to
engage with the teeth of a ratchet-wheel 78, mounted loosely upon the stud 74,
which wheel is made integral with or is attached to a gear-wheel 79, the teeth
of which mesh into those of a pinion 80, mounted upon the shaft 81, upon
which the feed-rolls are mounted.
With each revolution of the shaft 3, the arm 73 and the pawl thereon are
drawn back and thrust forward. During the backward stroke the feed-rolls and
paper-web stand still; while the forward stroke causes the rolls to be actuated
and the paper web to be fed forward a sufficient distance to represent the length
of a wrapper. The length of movement of the feed-rolls is governed by the posi-
tion of the adjustable block 70.
In order to prevent the paper web from sagging between the feed-rolls 57 and
the cutter-bar 59, I extend two square bars 82, one above the other, between arms
83, 83, which support the cutting-bar. Transverse U-shaped bars 84, 84, are
attached to each of the bars 82, by frictional contact so that the same may be
extended longitudinally to conform to the position of the cutting-bar which is
adjustably attached to the arms 83, so as to accommodate its position to the
varying lengths of the wrappers to be printed. A bar 84", arranged back of and
parallel with the knife, serves to press the paper down evenly upon the cutting-
bar just back of the knife so as to insure a more perfect cutting action.
The studs 61 are extended downwardly through bores in the cutting-bar and
are provided with springs 85, mounted thereon which serve to draw the knife
downwardly and thus shear the paper. The lifting of the knife is accomplished
as follows: A rod 86, Figures 2, 3, and 4, is pivotally attached to one arm of an
elbow-lever 87, which is pivoted at 88 to a depending bracket 89, secured to the
bottom of the cover. A roller 89 upon the other arm of said lever is in engage-
ment with a surface cam 90 upon the shaft 3. The other end of said rod is
adjustably connected with an arm 91, which is in turn rigidly attached to said
rock-shaft 92, which is supported in bearings in depending brackets 93 attached
to the cutting-bar. Arms 94, rigidly attached to said rock-shaft, are in engage-
ment with the lower ends of the studs 61. The rotation of the cam 90 serves to
actuate the rock-shaft and, through the arms 94, to lift the knife 60, and permit
the paper to be fed forward. When the roller 89 rolls off from the shoulder of
the cam the knife is suddenly released and forced downwardly through the action
of the springs thereby severing the paper web.
The mechanism for making the impression of the addressing stamp will now be

page_text: described. Rigidly attached to the frame of the table in any well known manner
is a bent arm 95, Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, which is extended laterally as shown
in Figure 4, and is provided with a head 96, in which is mounted a vertically
movable platin 97, having upwardly extended guide-arms 98, which are fitted
to slide in vertical grooves in the head, thus enabling the face of the platen
to be maintained parallel with the stamp 10. The head is located as shown in
Figure 1, so that the platin will register with, say, the third stamp of the series
as they are pushed out from the delivery magazine.
Pivoted to a stud upon the back of the arm 95, is a lever 99, indicated in
dotted lines in Figure 1 and shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the forward end of
which is connected by means of a link 100, Figures 1 and 4, with the platen.
The opposite end of the lever is connected by means of a pitman 101, with an
eccentric 102, mounted upon the shaft 24. The cam is actuated in unison with
the main shaft, and is so timed that the platen is caused to be brought into con-
tact with the paper 56, while the follower-slide 15 is drawn back, and the stamp,
which lies in the guide way beneath the paper, is stationary.
a
The return-stamp mechanism is intended to act synchronously with that of the
addressing stamp. Mounted upon the shaft 3 is a cam 103, Figures 1, 3 and 11,
the groove 104 of which is in engagement with a roller upon a stud 105, attached
to a lever 106, the upper end of which is pivoted at 107, Figure 11, to
stationary bearing at the top of the frame beneath the table. The lower end of
said lever is connected by means of a link 108, to an arm 109, upon a rock-
shaft 110, also shown in Figure 3. An arm 111, is also attached to said rock-
shaft, preferably by means of a set-screw, the end of which is pivotally attached
to a vertical plunger 112, having a cross-bar 113, shown in Figure 10 and indi-
cated in dotted lines in Figure 11, which is bent forwardly at the ends to form
parallel arms 114, see also Figure 9, which are pivotally attached at 115, to
plates 116, of a self-inking reversing-stamp 117, the face 118 of which is adapted
to rest normally upon an ink-pad 119 formed in a frame 120, having longitudinal
bars 121 at the sides which are fitted in suitable grooves in the table as shown in
Figure 11. The position of the stamp in its relation to the table is indicated
in dotted lines in Figure 3.
The end-plates 116 are each provided with a central heartshaped tooth 122,
Figure 10, and adjacent teeth 123, 124, which are adapted to engage with
pins 125, 126, as the stamp is reciprocated by the action of the plunger 112,
which causes the stamp to rotate upon the axial pins 115, which are guided in
slots 127, of the frame 120, so that the stamp is caused to face alternately down
and up, being first brought into contact with the inking-pad and then with the
under side of the paper which is passed beneath a metal plate 128, Figure 11,
attached to the top of the table and which serves as a platen for the paper.
In order that the return-stamp may appear upon the upper left-hand corner
of the wrapper when in use, it is necessary to provide means for shifting said
stamp laterally in order to adjust it to wrappers of different widths. This is
accomplished in the following manner; The frame 120, Figures 9 and 11, is
secured from longitudinal movement in the guide-grooves in which it is supported
by means of cross-studs 129, 129, the outer ends of which abut against the ends
of the frame 121, while the meeting ends, provided respectively with right and
left-hand screw-threads, are connected by means of a turn-buckle 130, which is
threaded in like manner. The tightening of the turn-buckle serves to spread the
0 parts 121, which clamps them in their bearings, while the opposite movement
releases them.
The arm 111, is adjustably attached to the rock-shaft 110, by means of a set-
screw as shown in Figures 3 and 11, so that when the latter is loosened, the
frame 120, plunger 112, and arm 111, may be moved laterally to any desired
5 position; and upon securing the respective parts in the manner described, the
work may be proceeded with.

page_text: In addressing envelops, postal-cards or any matter not in the form of a con-
tinuous web, the feeding and shearing mechanism may be removed by discon
necting the lever 87, and the bolts 76, Figures 3 and 4, and the pitman 72 and
belt 64, Figures 2 and 3.
When the parts referred to are disconnected, the machine may be driven by
means of the usual treadle 131, Figures 1 and 2 by connecting the same through
the arm 132 and pitman 133, with the crank-pin 71.
It is obvious that by reason of the peculiar construction of my improved
addressing-stamps having the raised bearing surfaces to separate and protect the
printing surface of each stamp from contact with other stamps, that they may not
only be supported in the magazines and automatically shifted from one to the
other without injury to said printing surfaces, but that they may be easily and
perfectly inked, and that the impression therefrom may be clear, distinct and
artistic; the latter result being insured by providing means for causing the face
of the platen to move in a plane at right angles to that of the printing surface.
A further important advantage of my improved machine, aside from those
herein before mentioned, lies in the fact that by connecting the shafts of the
paper-rolls 55 and 57 by means of a belt so that the two rolls may move in
unison, and allowing the weight of the paper roll 54 to rest directly upon the
roll 55, the web is entirely relieved from the jerking strain which would other-
wise occur in feeding the paper forward and which would result in tearing the
web. My improved construction overcomes this difficulty which I have found in
practice to be serious, and also serves as a positive stop to the movement of the
paper roll by overcoming its momentum, thereby serving to maintain the paper
web under uniform tension and to keep it smooth and flat upon the table and in
proper condition to receive the desired imprint.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a delivery maga-
zine having an addressing-stamp guide-way leading from the bottom thereof, of
an inking-roll arranged in the path of movement of the addressing-stamps as
they are moved from the magazine into and through said guide-way, a recipro-
cating follower for moving the addressing stamps step-by-step through said
guideway, a gear-wheel mounted upon said inking-roll, and a rack attached to
said follower and in engagement with said gear-wheel; whereby the inking-roll
may be caused to rotate in the same direction and at the same rate of speed with
the addressing stamps respectively as they are advanced past it in the guideway,
substantially as described.
2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a delivery magazine
having an addressing stamp guide-way leading therefrom, an inking-roll arranged
in the path of movement of the addressing stamps as they are moved from the
magazine into and through said guide-way, a reciprocating follower for moving
the addressing stamps step-by-step through said guide-way, a
mounted upon said inking-roll, a rack attached to said follower and in engagement
gear-wheel
with said gear-wheel, and mechanism arranged to act in harmony with the move-
ment of said follower for taking an impression from said stamps respectively
upon a printing surface in the order of their presentation, substantially as
described.
3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a delivery maga-
zine having an addressing stamp guide-way leading from the bottom thereof, of
inking-rolls interposed in the path of movement of said addressing stamps as
they are moved from the magazine into and through said guide-way, gears 46, 47,
follower 15, rack 48, and means for reciprocating said follower, substantially as
described.

page_text: 4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a delivery maga-
zine having an addressing stamp guide-way leading from the bottom thereof, of
inking rolls interposed in the path of movement of said addressing stamps as
they are moved from the magazine into and through said guide-way, gears 46, 47,
follower 15, rack 48, means for reciprocating said follower, and mechanism
arranged to act in harmony' with the movements of said follower for taking an
impression from said stamps while the follower is making its backward stroke,
substantially as described.
5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a delivery magazine,
a series of independent addressing stamps adapted to rest one upon the other in
said magazine, a guide-way leading from said magazine, means for delivering said
stamps one-by-one to said guide-way, means for inking the same during their
passage therein, a reciprocating platen for pressing the paper to be printed
against said stamps in the order of delivery, and an independent return-stamp
arranged to act in harmony with said reciprocating platen, substantially as
described.
6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a delivery magazine,
a series of independent addressing stamps adapted to rest one upon the other in
said magazine, a guide-way leading from said magazine, means for delivering
said stamps one-by-one to said guide-way, means for inking said stamps, a reci-
procating platen for pressing the paper to be printed against said stamps in the
order of their delivery, an independent return-stamp arranged to act in harmony
with said reciprocating platen, and means for adjusting said return-stamp
laterally, whereby the address and return imprint may be made simultaneously
and accommodated to varying widths of paper, substantially as described.
at 11h
TI
1000
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
31, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.