Improvements in Gum Feeding Apparatus for Use in Envelope and analogous Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1895-Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gum Feeding Apparatus for Use in Envelope and
analogous Machines.
We, HENRY BUCKLEY COOLEY, 10 Walnut Street, JOHN MADISON NOBLE
144 Albany Avenue and JAMES EDWARD TREVOR, 37 Chestnut Street, Machinists
all of Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America, 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 :-
Our invention relates to gum feeding devices for envelope and analogous machines,
and the objects are first, to provide a device of this character which will be
automatic in its action; second, to provide a construction in which the supply of
the gum box may be kept constant; third, to so construct the box as to avoid the
danger of overflowing, and to prevent the gum from being deposited on the working
parts of the machine, or envelope blanks, or other blanks, upon which it is desired
to place a sealing strip of gum; fourth, to provide an automatic feeding device
which can be readily adjusted according to the amount of gum needed to supply
the gumming rolls, or gum applying devices, of the machine; and lastly to avoid
the necessity of stopping the machine in order to renew the supply of the gum
in the box.
With these objects in view, our invention consists of the novel construction of
the apparatus and of the details thereof as hereinafter described and claimed and
in order that the invention may be clearly understood we will describe it with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the apparatus partly in section.
Figure 2 is a top plan view.
Figure 3 is a vertical section, on the line 3-3 Figure 1, and
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are details to be hereinafter described.
Referring now to the drawings, A indicates a portion of the side frames of the
machine to which our gum feeding apparatus is applied; B is the gum box which
is preferably of the form shown, consisting of the bottom and side walls at one end
of which are suitable bearings for the feed rolls X Y. The roll X is mounted upon
the shaft T which extends longitudinally of the box and is provided at one end
with a grooved wheel or pulley E, having notches e, in its flanges for a purpose
hereinafter to be described. Upon the other end of the shaft T is a pinion V
which is adapted to mesh with a gear upon the envelope or analogous machine, for
driving the said shaft, of course any suitable means of transmitting motion from
the machine to the feed roll shaft may be employed, the pinion being shown merely
for the purpose of illustrating a convenient means for this purpose. Upon the
outer end of the shatt T, is loosely mounted a hand wheel R, the hub of which is
provided with clutch teeth, adapted to engage with similar clutch teeth on the hub
of the pinion V. This hand wheel is for the purpose of starting the feeder in case
gum becomes hardened after discontinued use. At one end of the gum box is
an aperture L surrounded by upwardly extending sides F within the box B and
forming a dam for the purpose of keeping the gum in the box at a constant level.
Extending downwardly from the bottom of the box and aligning with the
aperture L is a pipe D forming a tubular well having its upper end journalled in a
tubular bearing O carried by a suitable bracket C secured to the frame A of the
machine. The lower end of the pipe D is submerged in a suitable reservoir K of
any desired form, preferably disconnected from the well, in which reservoir the
supply of gun is maintained. By this construction, the gum box B is pivotally
the

page_text: supported upon the bracket C so that it and the parts connected thereto may be
readily swung away from the machine when desired.
Journalled in the lower end of the pipe or well D is a wheel or pulley E
flanged, if desired, like the pulley E. on the end of the shaft T, and passing around
these pulleys E E' is a belt U preferably in the form of a cord of some flexible
material which is adapted to convey gum from the reservoir K through the pipe or
well D up and around the wheel E.
Extending longitudinally of the gum box is a partition p at one end of which is
a vertical post or lug G. This partition p it will be observed forms a division
between the fresh gum brought up by the conveyor belt U and that which is
scraped off the feeding rolls. The excess of gum scraped off the feeding rolls by
the scraper Q becomes foamy and the air bubbles thus formed should be removed!
before the gum comes in contact again with the feeding roll. By so dividing the
box with this partition, this foamy gum is caused to flow from the scraper down the
channel made by the partition p and the side of the box to the well, thus giving
time for the air to leave the gum before it again reaches the rolls. Mounted upon
the partition in line with the wheel E, is a scraper S, preferably made of sheet
metal and constructed as shown in Figures 2 and 5, where it will be seen that it
consists of a flat leaf y extending from the body portion f from the latter of which,
strips are bent downwardly so as to fit over the partition wall p; and a hori-
zontally projecting portion h, between these two strips, is provided with a slot or
recess through which the set screw W passes and engages with a screw threaded
socket at the top of the post G.
The free end of the leaf g is cut out to conform to the contour of the belt
cord U and the flanged wheel E so that the scraper may be adjusted in more or
less close contact with these parts. The wheel E is provided with the notches e
for the purpose of allowing the gum to flow out under the cord U and also to
prevent the cord from slipping on the wheel.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, it will be seen that the feeding roll X is mounted
upon the shaft T so as to revolve with its lower portion submerged in the gum while
it transfers the gum thus taken up to the feed roll Y, which is journalled upon a
shaft suspended by links M pivotally connected to the upper ends of the brackets
or arms N, that are sleeved upon the shaft T and secured by bolts or other suitable
fastening to the walls of the gum box. These arms N project upwardly at an angle
to the vertical so as to permit the roller Y to extend over the side of the box
in order that it may rotate in contact with the rolls carrying the gumming strips
of the machine.
Pivotally supported upon the side of the box B is the plate or scraper. Q the
said plate having an ear with which a set screw Z engages for the purpose of
adjusting the said plate with reference to the roll X against the hubs of which roll
the inner free end of the plate is adapted to bear so as to prevent gum from
spreading onto, the bearings of the device.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that as the shaft T rotates the gum
will be carried by the belt or cord U up through the pipe or weil D and as it comes
in contact with the scraper S, it will be scraped off the belt and caused to How
downwardly on the underside of the leaf g into the gum box. The amount of gum
removed by the scraper S and delivered into the gum box will depend upon the
distance which the scraping edge of the scraper, is from the belt and wheel, which
distance is regulated by the set screw W. The gum carried up by the conveying
belt or cord will flow into the reservoir, as described, and will fill the same up to
the top of the dam F and the feed rollers X Y will transfer the gum from the
reservoir to the proper gumming device upon the machine.
When the gum is
being fed into the gum box from the reservoir faster than it is used by the
machine, the surplus will flow over the dam F down through the well D into the
reservoir, and, in order to regulate the amount of gum brought from the reservoir
to correspond with the amount utilized by the machine, it is only necessary to adjust
the scraper, S, in the manner heretofore described.

page_text: While we have shown the well D as tubular in form, it is to be understood that
any suitable form may be used for this purpose but whatever form may be adopted,
it is preferable to provide a tubular portion at the top as a bearing upon which the
gum box may be swung out of the way of the machine. The well may also extend
at any angle to the bottom of the gum box, according to the position of the
reservoir with respect to the said box, since it is obvious that the direction in
which this well extends is immaterial so long as it leads to an external source of
gum supply. It is also to be understood that various changes may be made
in the detail of the construction of the belt conveyer, the scraper, and of the
form of the gum box without departing from our invention, the construction shown,
simply being that which is now considered to be the preferable form for carrying
out our invention.
From the foregoing description, it is plain that the advantages derived from our
construction are important and among those may be mentioned the fact that, by
providing means for keeping the supply in the gum box constant, we avoid any
excess of gum on the feed rolls, and also the possibility of these rolls running dry;
and by providing means for returning any excess gum immediately to the reservoir,
we avoid the possibility of the gum box overflowing and depositing gum on the
working parts of the machine or blanks that are to be gummed. Furthermore our
device is entirely automatic in action after it has been adjusted for the amount of
gum required, and it is not necessary to stop the machine in order to renew the supply
of gum in the box, while the mechanical parts are exceedingly simple and easy of
construction, making the device as a whole durable and easy to repair whenever
such repair should be needed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a gum feeding device for envelope or analogous machines the combination
with the gum box, of a disconnected external reservoir, a well projecting down-
wardly from an aperture in the bottom of gum box and having its end
submerged in the gum contained in the said reservoir, and means for conveying
gum from the reservoir to the box, through the said well, the latter also serving
to return the excess gum from the box to the reservoir substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. In a gum feeding device, the combination with the gum box, of a shaft
mounted on the box, a couveyer operated by the shaft and extending downwardly
through an aperture in the bottom of the said box, a disconnected external reservoir
into which the lower end of the said conveyer is submerged, the excess gum from
the box being returned to the said reservoir through the aperture, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
3. In a gum feeding device, a gum box having side walls and bottom for forming
a receptacle for gum, an aperture in the bottom of the said box and a dam extending
around the said aperture below the top of the gum box, in combination with an
external reservoir, and means for carrying gum to the said box from the reservoir,
whereby a constant level may be maintained in the said box below the top thereof
and excess gum returned from the said box to the reservoir through the same
aperture by which it passes to the box, substantially as described.
4. In a gum feeding device, the combination with the gum box provided with an
aperture in its bottom, of a well extending downwardly from the said aperture, a
disconnected external reservoir in which the lower end of the said well is submerged
above the bottom thereof, a belt conveyer operating in the said well to carry gum
through the said aperture to the gum box, and a scraper at the upper end of the
said conveyer, adapted to divert the gum from the said conveyer into the gum box,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
5. In a gum feeding device, the combination with the gum box, of an external
reservoir, means for carrying gum from the said reservoir to the box, the feed rolls.

page_text: journalled in the said box, the scraper for removing excess of gum from the said
feed roll, a partition dividing the box into two channels, so that excess of gum may
be caused to pass around the said partition before it is taken up by the feed rolls,
substantially as herein before described.
6. In a gum feeding device, the combination with the gum box, of the conveyer
for carrying gum from an external reservoir to the said box, a scraper plate mounted
in front of the conveyer above the bottom of the said box with its scraping edge in
the line of travel of the said conveyer, and means for adjusting the said plate at
different fixed distances from the said conveyer, whereby the amount of gun
diverted from the said conveyer by the scraper may be regulated, substantially as
herein before described.
7. In a gum feeding device, the combination with the gum box, of a conveyer
passing through the bottom of the said box and having its lower end submerged in
an external reservoir, the scraper supported by the box and adapted to remove the
gum from the said conveyer, the said scraper consisting of a body portion and a
leaf projecting therefrom in the line of travel of the conveyer, and a horizontally
projecting portion; and means for engaging the said horizontal portion for adjusting
the position of the scraper, substantially as hereinbefore described.
8. In a gum feeding device, the combination with the gum box having a vertical
partition therein, and the conveyer, of the scraper plate mounted upon the said
partition in front of the conveyer, and having its scraping edge so situated with
respect to the said conveyer as to divert the gum therefrom to the box, and the
feed rolls with the plate mounted in front of the rolls to remove excess gum and
cause it to pass between the partition and the side of the box, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
9. The combination with the gum box having the vertical partition therein, and
the cord conveyer, of the scraper consisting of the body portion from which the
scraper leaf g projects, the horizontal extension, the side strips i, bent downwardly
to overlap the partition in the box, whereby the said scraper is adjustable vertically
upon the said partition, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
10. The combination with the frame of an envelope or analogous machine, and
the gum box, feed roll shaft and feed rolls journalled thereon, of the well having a
journal at its upper end and extending from the bottom of said box to an external
reservoir, the bracket fixed to the frame of the machine and having a journal
bearing at its outer end through which the said well extends, whereby the whole
gum feeding device may be swung out of the way of the machine, substantially as
herein before described."
Dated this 25th of T... 1905
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.