Improvements in Delivery Apparatus for Postmarking Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1892-Accepted; 2nd Apr., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE INTERNATIONAL POSTAL SUPPLY
COMPANY, of New York, United States of America.]
Improvements in Delivery Apparatus for Postmarking Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 a delivery mechanism designed more particularly to be
employed as an attachment to machines for post-marking letters, cards, packages
and the like, and cancelling the stamps thereon, though it is equally well adapted
for use with other machines.
The letters and packages passing through the cancelling and post-marking
machine are received by the stacker and packed in an efficient and orderly manner
upon an adjacent tray.
The invention embraces a guide passage or chute, into which the letters are
projected, a deflector for guiding them from the said passage or chute, a flier-conveyer
for receiving the letters from the deflector and placing them one against the other
on the tray, and a series of automatic push-bars which press the letters as they are
delivered from the flier-conveyer against a follower, sliding along the receiving
table or tray.
The invention consists in the several novel details of construction and com-
binations of parts as hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a plan view of the said improved device with the outer portion of the
tray broken away and with the shield removed from around the working parts.
Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line x, x of Figure 1, and showing the tray
and follower in elevation.
Figure 3 is a detailed view showing the construction of the push plate and bar
with its operating-cam, and
Figure 4 is a plan view of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.
A represents a small portion of the table of the letter-marking machine, which
machine may be of any desired construction. The letters pass in a longitudinal
upright position through the feed-rollers and then through the marking and
impression rollers of the machine, and are fed therefrom in the direction of the
arrow.
The guide passage or chute B comprises two parallel plates secured in a vertical
position at a proper distance apart, see Figure 2. It is open at the bottom and at
the end adjacent to the marking machine and closed at the opposite end. From
the ends of the guide-chute depend arms & b¹ to which are secured a rod C, which
passes through a bracket C secured at the rear of the plate D.
To the edge of the table A is secured a rest c, and to the side frame of the
stacker a rest c' Figure 1, in which rests are supported the ends of the rod C when
the guide-chute is in position for work. When so desired, the chute may be slid
away from the table until the depending arm b' comes in contact with the bracket C¹
and the chute may be swung backward and downward, the bracket and rod C
forming a hinge-joint. The chute may thus be moved out of the way to give
access to the parts beneath. The outer end of the chute is supported on' the side

page_text: frame of the stacker, and when in working position the open end rests on a lug on
the edge of the machine table.
On the frame of the stacker is mounted the deflector D, extending vertically
downward from one side of the open bottom of the guide-chute B, Figure 2, and
having an offset d extending under the chute and inclined toward the receiving-
tray G. From this offset the deflector is again vertical to a step d¹ and thence
again vertical to the base of the tray. On the step d' are mounted a series of
triangular guide blocks L, the outer faces of which are inclined toward the tray.
In the rear of the central vertical part of the deflector D there is journalled in
the frame-work the shaft E of the flier-conveyer F. The shaft bears at one end a
pulley E' to which rotating motion may be applied from any convenient part of the
main machine. On the shaft E are mounted a number of hubbed discs f to each of
which is secured a series of curved fingers which in the rotation of the shaft extend
through slots d cut for them in the deflector-plate D.
In bearings slightly inclined in the guide-blocks L are mounted pressure bars K,
to the rear ends of which are secured upright contact-plates M, having slightly-
curved bearing-surfaces m, Figure 3, and provided with side wings or flanges m¹
which embrace cams N, carried by the shaft E and keep said contact-plates in a
vertical position. On the bars K, between the deflector D and the plates M, are
placed spiral springs, which, keeping said plates in contact with the cams, serve to
retract said bars within their bearings.
The table or tray G may be of any desired construction and supported in any
suitable manner, with its inner edge adjacent to the deflector D. It is here shown
as having downwardly inclined side flanges 7 to facilitate the movement of the
stacked letters over it.
Above the sides of the tray are supported guide rods I I. On one of these,
as I, is mounted a sliding bracket H, the vertical arms of which embrace said rod.
To the said bracket is secured one end of the follower G¹, the other end of which
bears an open sleeve, resting on the guide rod I. The body of the bracket carries
a spring h, which bears on the rod I. The pressure of the spring is adjusted by a
set screw /'.
In order to secure the horizontal position of the letters, as they are fed out from
the marking-machine into the guide passage or chute B, so that they may drop
squarely from the chute when free of the machine, one of the walls of the chute is
provided on its lower edge with a flange tapering longitudinally, see Figure 1,
and having its face bevelled or curved as shown in Figure 2.
In the operation of the mechanism the letters, cards, packages or the like issuing
from the marking-machine are projected into the guide passage or chute B, their
front ends being supported by the flange 6" until they are entirely free, when they
drop upon the deflector D, the inclined set-off d whereof directs each letter sidewise
from beneath the open bottom of the chute and out of the way of a succeeding
letter. Thence they fall before the flier-conveyer F, the fingers of which press
them successively forward into the receiving tray stacking them against the
follower G¹. At each rotation of the shaft E the cams N, acting upon the plates M,
force outward the presser bars K by which the stack of letters accumulated before
the follower G is with the follower, driven outward on the tray, leaving an open
space at the entrance thereto for succeeding letters. When the follower nears the
lower end of the tray, or whenever desired, the follower may be swung upon the
rod I free of the stack, its bracket H pushed upward on the rod and the follower
again lowered to the tray adjacent to the flier conveyer to support another stack,
while that below the follower may be removed, without disturbing the operation of
the mechanism. A removable shield covers and protects the flier-conveyer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that I do not claim herein the general construction

page_text: of the guide passage or chute, the deflector, the flier-conveyer and the tray and
follower, and the combinations thereof with the stamping or marking machine and
with each other, but what I do claim is :-
First. The combination, with the table of a post-marking machine, and a letter-
stacking apparatus, substantially as described, of a guide-chute, pivotally mounted
above the latter.
Second. The combination, with the table of a post-marking machine, and a letter
stacking apparatus, of a guide chute connecting the two and mounted above the
latter, substantially as described, so that it may be slid longitudinally and thrown
over, as on a pivot, as set forth.
Third. The guide passage or chute having arms carrying a rod C combined with
the bracket C centrally supporting said rod, and the rests c, c', whereby said chute
is supported in working position and made movable longitudinally and laterally as
on a hinge, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. In a letter-stacker, the combination of the rotating flier-conveyer, and
the reciprocating pressure-bars, substantially as described.
Fifth. In a letter-stacker, the combination of the rotating flier-conveyer, the
reciprocating presser-bars, the receiving tray, and the yielding follower, substantially
as described.
Sixth. In a letter-stacker, the combination, with the deflector having the step d'
and guide-blocks L, of the presser-bars K and their actuating-cams, substantially
as described.
Seventh. In a letter-stacker, the combination of the shaft E, carrying the flier-
conveyer fingers and the cams N, the presser-bars K and their springs and bearing-
plates, substantially as described.
Eighth. The combination of the shaft carrying the flier-conveyer fingers and
cams, the deflector slotted for said fingers and having guide-blocks, the presser-
bars mounted therein, and the springs and bearing plates on said bars, substantially
as described.
Ninth. The combination of a block L. and a presser-bar K bearing an upright
flanged plate M, with a cam N working between the flanges, and a spring keeping
the plate in contact with the cam, substantially as described.
Tenth. The combination of the guide chute, the slotted deflector having a step
and guide-blocks, the rotating flier-conveyer, the reciprocating presser-bars, and
the receiving tray, substantially as described.
CL1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.