US1762452A - Envelope machine - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1930. A. NOVICK 1,762,452

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 3, 1924 I 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 [Q1 Q INVENTOR.

June 10, 1930. A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 3, 1924 9 SheetsSheet 2 iim a INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS:

June 10; 1930. A. N WCK 1,762,452

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 3, 1924 9 Sheets-Shet 3 ;50 -57 INVENTOR MZMA L &

I J ATTORNEYS June 10, 1930. A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MAQHINE Filed July 5, 1924 V 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR BY ,4 MG

ATTORNEYS June 10, 1930. A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 3, 1924 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 llll lLll INVENTOR MZQW4 hkrko ATTORNEYS June 10, 1930. A. NOVICK 1,762,452

ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 3, 1924 '9 Sheets-Shet 6 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS June 10, 1930. A. NQVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 3, 1924 9 Sheets-Sheet Dmm lg w

m @E m ii ATTORNEYS June 10, 1930; A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 5, 1924 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 V INVENTOR 4 l k ave; ATTORNEYS June 10, 1930. A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed July 5, 1924 9 Sheets-Sheet v INVENTOR v &4!

ATTORNEYS Patented June 10, 1930 STATES PATENT GFFIQE ABRAHAM. NOVICK, F FLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 F. L. SMITHE MACHINE (30., INCL, 0F NEW' YOB-K, N. Y., A. CORPGRELTION OF NEW YORK ENVELOPE MACHINE Application filed July 3, 192%. Serial No. 723,907.

This invention relates to machines for manufacturing articles, such as envelopes, from sheet material. It is particularly concerned with mechanism for operating on 6 envelopes which have been partially completed, it being the purpose of the invention to provide mechanism for removing the envelopes from the drier belt and transferring them to mechanism for closing the seal flaps and counting the envelopes after their flaps have thus been closed.

It is well understood by those versed in the art, that the envelopes, after having been deposited on the drier belt, lose their time relationship with reference to the operating mechanism of the machine, this loss of time relationship being due to several reasons, as for example, slippage of the belt and irregular spacing of the envelopes proper. Because of this loss of time relationship they cannot be removed from the drier belt by mechanism which is timed in accordance with other operating mechanism of the machine. The present invention, therefore, proposes to time the operation of the transfer mechanism (for transferring the envelopes from the drying belt to the seal flap folding mechanism) in accordance with the actual spacing of the envelopes as they leave 9 the drier belt and enter the transfer mechanism.

The invention further proposes to utilize the same mechanism which is employed for timing the operations of the transfer mechanism for the purpose of operating a counting. mechanism, the latter mechanism being preferably of a character such as to separate a convenient multiple of envelopes into groups.

The above features of the invention, and many others which will appear hereinafter, will be described in the following specification, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine showing the general arrangement of parts;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatical vertical section taken on the dotted line 2-2 of Figure Figure 3 is a top plan view of a portion of Figure 1, but on a larger scale, and showing the transfer mechanism and the aligning means;

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the flap clos ng means;

Figure 5 1s a top plan view of the envelope counting means, including the envelope displacing means;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional View showing the transfer mechanism, the section being taken on the line 66 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows at said line;

Figure 7 is a detail View of one of the feelers in its normal position;

Figure 8 is an elevation showing the flap closing means illustrated in Figure 4;

Figure 9 is a sectional view showing the constantly running shaft connected with the intermediate conveying means and having a frictional driving connection with the transfer means;

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view showing the feelers, the escapement mechanism and the means connected with the constantly running shaft for actuating the transfer mechanism, all of the parts being in their normal positions;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10 but shows the feeler actuated by anenvelope in transit and the escapement actuated thereby;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing how the envelopes are ejected from flap closing means to the accumulator belt; and

Figure 13 is a vertical section taken on the line iii-13 of Figure 5 showing the counting mechanism including the envelope displacing means.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in each of the seve 'al views.

In Figure l the drier belt on which the envelopes have pre iously been deposited is designated by he reference character 16. As shown in the drawing, each envelope is'in a partially complete state, the side flaps 17 and the bottom flap 18 having been folded over and sealed, and the seal flap 18 having been provided with a Zine of gum, which line of gum has been dried by the time the envelope arrives at the position of the belt indicated in Figure 1.

The only operation necessary to complete the envelopes is the folding over of the seal flap. To accomplish this the envelopes are withdrawn from the drier belt by the intermediate conveying mechanism 19, this withdrawal being accomplished in such a mannerthat the envelopes are separated out from their overlapping relationship and conveyed as individual, spaced-apart units into aligning mechanism 22. In this mecha-' nism they are frictionally held in aligned position until acted upon by deflecting mechanism 20, the purpose of which is to push the envelopes transversely into a seal flap folding mechanism 21. he operation of the deflecting mechanism is timed for each individual envelope by 'means of feelers 23 positioned a short distance in advance of the aligning stops 22.

From the seal flap folding mechanism 21 the envelopes. are deposited on a receiving table on which they are separated into groups of a convenient number by means of a counting mechanism 25 (Figure 5), the operation of which is effected by the mechanism 2O employed for transferring the envelopes into the seal flap folding device.

A general description of the mechanism of the present invention having thus been given, a more detailed description of the various devices constituting the said mechanism will now be proceeded with and the novel features thereof will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The envelopes are disposed on the drier belt 16 in overlapping relationship, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. They are held on the belt by guiding means comprising a cord or chain 27 running over pulleys 28, only one of which is shown in the drawings. Just beyond the pulley 28 the belt is turned abruptly downward so that the leading edges of the envelopes continue straight onward into the bight 29 of the conveying means 19, by which means they are removed from the drier belt as will now be described.

The conveying means 19 comprises two belts 30 and 31 which runover correspond ing pulleys 32 and 33 at one end of the conveyor, and corresponding pulleys 34 and 35 at the other end, the pulley 35 being located considerably beyond the pulley 34 for reasons hereinafter explained. The conveyor belts also run over idlers 36, 37 and 38, 39 by adjustment of which said belts may be put under the proper tension to remove all slack from the inner reaches 40 and 41 which lie against each other and thus frictionally engage the envelopes. The belts may be driven in any convenient manner and they run in the direction of the arrows at a rate of speed which is high as compared to the slow speed of the drier belt 16.

Because of this high rate of speed of the belts 30 and 31, each envelope which enters between them is quickly withdrawn from the drier belt and conveyed away before the next succeeding envelope of the drier belt enters between the conveying belts. In this manner the envelopes are separated out from their overlapping relationship and carried away as separate units.

To enable the individual envelopes to be removed from the drier belt without disturbing the envelopes which partially overlap the envelope which is being removed, there is provided a weighted roller 42 suitably supported to bear down on the envelopes while they pass beneath it. This roller is placed at such a position that it securely holds the overlapping envelopes in position on the drier belt, but does not retard the removal of the envelope which is being withdrawn.

Belts 30 and 31 convey the individual envelopes into aligning mechanism which, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 8, consists of a pair of stop pins 44 adjustably secured to a rod 45 supported in a fixed bracket 46. The stop pins 44 extend downwardly from the rod 45 and into the path of the envelopes. Each envelope is thus arrested by engagement with said stop pins and aligned against them. In this position the envelope is held by means of a ball 47 which rests on the envelope and frictionally retains it on belt 31. The ball 47 is held in place by a container 48 secured to the bracket 46. A shoe 48 is provided to guide the envelopes underneath the ball 47.

The stop pins 44 are adjustable toward and away from each other on the rod 45 to accommodate envelopes of different widths. Similarly, bracket 46 which carries the stop pins 44 is adjustable back and forth on a fixed bearing 49 to accommodate envelopes of different lengths, it being necessary that the envelopes be arrested in such position that the line of fold of the seal flap is in direct line with the folding blade 99 of the seal flap folding mechanism which will be described hereinafter.

After the envelope has thus been aligned, it is transferred to the seal flap folding mechanism 21 by means of a transfer means 20, which will now be described.

As previously stated, the transfer means 20 is normally at rest and is set into action by the individual envelopes through the medium of the feelers 23. These feelers are secured to a rock shaft 50, supported in arms 52 of a bracket 53 fixed to the machine frame. Normally the feelers extend downwardly through the path of the envelopes, as shown in Figure 10, and are supported in this position by a stop 55 engaging with a stop 54 mounted on a collar 54 secured to the rock shaft 50. A spring 56, one end of which is connected to a pin 57 on the collar 54: and the other end of which is connected to a stationary arm 58, is provided to aid gravity in biasing the feelers into the position shown in the drawing. As the envelope is advanced it lifts the feelers and thus turns the shaft 50 to the position shown in Figure 11, in which position it remains until the envelope has passed from under the feelers, whereupon it is returned to the position of Figure 10.

The shaft 50 thus has imparted to it a rocking motion, timed in accordance with the spacing of the individual envelopes. This motion of the shaft is utilized to operate an escapement mechanism which in turn governs the device for transferring the envelopes to mechanism for folding the seal flap.

The escapement mechanism comprises a rocking element 59 mounted on and secured to the shaft 50, and a cooperating element or arm 60 secured to an eccentric 61 frictionah ly connected to a constantly running shaft the same to swing against a second tooth 64, as shown in Figure 11. As soon as the envelope has passed the feelers, the rock shaft 50 is returned to normal position by the spring 56. This movement is effective to move the tooth G l out of the path of the arm 60, thus setting the latter free and consequently allowing the eccentric to be revolved through substantially one revolution. This rotation of th eccentric causes the transfer means to move the envelope into the flap closing device 21.

It may here be noted that the tooth 63 of the escapement device is concentric with the shaft so that the pressure of arm thereon has no tendency to rotate it when the parts are in the posit-ion shown in Figure 10. The tooth 64:, however, is so arranged that when it is engaged by the arm 60, said arm gives the toothed element 59 a quick start towardsnormal position. To reduce friction to a minimum, the arm 60 is provided with an anti-friction roller 60 to engage the teeth 63 and 64.

Before proceeding with the description of the connection between the eccentric and the transfer means, a detailed description of the transfer means will be given.

The transfer or deflecting means 20 (Figures 3 and 6) is in the nature of a pushing device comprising two slides 65, each slide comprising a reciprocable bar 66 having a finger 67 thereon to engage the envelope. Each reciprocable bar 66 is slidingly supported in a bracket 68 adjustably secured by a screw 69 to a square bar 70 mounted on the frame of the machine. Each slide bar 66 has clamped thereon an arm 71 by means of a screw 72. Said arm extends downwardly into an elongated slot 73 in the bracket 68 to keep the finger 67 in its proper upright position. The arms 71 are bifurcated to form slots 7 at their upper ends to receive a hair 75 secured to an actuating arm 76 which forms part of the driving mechanism connected through the eccentric 61 to the constantly running shaft 62. liy means of the actuating arm T6 the transfer in ms 20 may he movcd rightwardly in Figure (3 to push the envelope 17 from the conveyor belt 31 into the flap closing means 21.

The driving connection between the shaft 62 and the transfer means 20 comprises in detail (as shown in Figure 9) the eccentric (if provided with a flange '75 which is pressed by a spring 77 against a collar 176 secured to the shaft 62. Between the flange '75 and the collar 176 of the shaft (52, there is provided a washer composed of suitable material such as fabric, for affording a frictional driving connection between the collar and the eccentric. The eccentric forms with a plate 83 secured thereto, a groove 83 in which contained a connect ing clement 8-1; having a ring portion 85 within which the eccentric may rotate to move the connecting element Ell up and down. The ring 85 of the connecting elcment is provided with an extension 86 having a bushing 87 therein into which extends the free end of an arm 88 secured to a rock shaft 89 supported in arms 90 of the bracket 15%.

With this arrangement, the eccentric 61 rotates with the shaft, due to its frictional connection therewith, upon the release of the arm 60 from the tooth 64, which release is effected by the spring 56, as noted hereinbefore, the instant the rear edge of the envelope passes beyond the feelers 23. The rotation of the eccentric 61 with the shaft 62 moves the connecting element 84 upwardly to rock the shaft 89 in a counter clockwise direction (as viewed in Figure 6) by means of the arm 88, the free end of which may slide back and forth in the bushing 87. The lower end of the arm 76, on said shaft 89, is thus caused to push the slides 65 of the transfer means 20 toward the right. The fingers 67, of said slides, are thereby caused to engage the envelope 17 and push it rightwardly in Figure (5, or leftwardly in Figure 8, into the flap closing means 21 where it is operated upon as hereinafter described.

The transfer means 20 is timed with respect to the conveying means 19 so that each envelope reaches the stops -llimmediately prior to the engagement of the envelope by the fingers 67 of the transfer means. To

attain this end the constantly running shaft 62, from which the transfer means derives its motion, is driven by the pulley 34 of the belt 30, which belt, as hereinbefore noted, is part of the conveying means 19. The devices 19 and 20 are thus accurately timed with reference to each other.

Although the tension of the spring 56 for the feelers 23 is comparatively light so that said feelers may be actuated with very little force by the envelopes, additional means is provided to prevent the slipping of the envelopes with reference to the conveyor belt, when the envelopes engage the feelersto actuate them. This means comprises a pair of pressure rollers 91 and 91 between which are passed the stretches 40 and 41 of the conveyor belts, the rollers be ing supported in any suitable manner and being spring pressed towards each other.

To prevent the envelopes from bending down at their side edges, as they pass under the feelers 23, there are provided guide bars 92. These guide bars are located one at each side of the conveyor belts and are supported on a rod 93, which may be secured to the machine frame.

Adjustments may be made in the machine to accommodate envelopes of difierent sizes. For envelopes of dii ierent widths the aligning pins 44may be adjusted to various positions along the bar and for envelopes of different lengths the slides of the transfer means may be adjusted on the supporting bar 70, the actuating bar being of sufficient length to enable a reasonable range of adjustment of the slides 65.

' The flap closing means 21 which is best shown in Figures 1, 4 and 8, comprises two tonveyor belts, a narrow upper belt 94, and a wide lower belt 95. These belts run face to face anl form at one end a bight 96 to receive the envelope by the side edge as it is pushed laterally from the intermediate conveying means 19 by the pushers of the transfer means. The envelope is carried along by the conveyor belts to cause its flap 18 to ride over a portion 97 of the flap folding bar '43, while the body portion of the envelope is fed under a relatively fixed guide bar or plate 99. As the flap 18 ad vances along said bar 43, it is turned up and then back over'the body portion of the envelope, by a diagonally disposed portion 100 of said bar 43 (Figure 4). As the envelope leaves the flap closing bar, its flap 18 is creased by a roller 101 supported on a lever 102 pivoted at 103 on a bracket 104-, said roller being pressed down against the lower conveyor belt 95 by a spring 105 connected to the rear end of the lever 102 which carries the roller.

To adjust the flap folding or closing bar 4-3 properly with relation to the guide bar 99, it is provided with a stem 98*, which passes through a hole in a post 98 and is held in place thereon by a set screw 98. The post 98 is held in place by a set screw 98 in the machine frame, which screw engages a reduced end part of the post, this end being received in a lug 98 on a portion 98 of the machine frame. I

The guide plate 99 is supported from above so that the envelopes may pass freely beneath it. To so support said guide plate, it is provided with an upwardly extending post 106 fastened to a horizontally disposed arm 107, by a set screw 108. By means of the set screw 108, the guide plate may be adjusted to the proper level, with reference to the belt 95. The arm 107 is located high enough to clear the belt 94 and is secured to a portion 109 of the machine frame.

1 ressure rollers 110 and 111 are provided to press the conveyor belts 94 and 95 against each other to keep the envelopes from slipping between the belts while they are being passed under the folding bar 43. Each of the rollers 110 is mounted on a spring pressed lever 112. The rollers 111, however, are relatively fixed in the machine frame.

The conveyor belt 95 runs over two pulleys 113 and 114 supported on portions 98 and 109 of the machine frame. The belt 94 runs over pulleys 115 and 116, the latter running on a spindle 117. The pulley 116 is adjus able to vary the bight 96 according to the width of various envelopes. To bring about such adjustment, the spindle 117 may be moved back and forth in a slot 118 of a fixed bracket 119, said spindle being secured in position by lock nuts 120 and 121 (Figure 4). To let out the belt 94 or take up slack therein according to the adjustment of the pulley 116, said belt is conducted under two idlers 122 and 123, and over an idler 124-, the latter being supported on a spindle 125 adjustable up and down in a slot 126 in the portion 109 of the machine frame.

The envelopes are ejected from the flap closing means after the flaps have been creased by the roller 101. For this purpose there is provided means including a pair of constantly rotating brushes 127 secured to a revoluble shaft .128, which may be driven by means including a gear 128*, Figure 4. The said brushes are effective to sweep the envelopes from the conveyor belt 95 and throw them on an accumulator or receiving belt 129. The accumulator belt is driven at a comparatively slow speed so that the envelopes may be collected thereon in overlapping relationship, as shown in Figure 5.

As previously stated, the envelopes are divided or' separated into sets or groups as they are accumulated on the receiving belt 129, so that they may readily be removed, manually, in groups of equal number without the necessity of being connected by the attendant. To this end there is provided the which is mechanical counting device 25 which is normally-at rest and is set into action by each envelope through the medium of the feelers 23. A description of this mechanism will now be proceeded with.

The coimting mechanism 25, Fgures 5 and 13, is conn cted to the rock shaft 89 hereinbefore referredto, by means of a' downwardly extending arm 130 secured to the shaft. This arm is effective during its initial stroke to move a connecting link 131 leftwardly in Figure 5, so as to swing a lever 132 counter clockwise about a shaft 133. A pawl 134 mounted on lever 132 by a stud 135 is caused by a spring 136 to cooperate with a ratchet wheel 137 and to advance this wheel by one tooth for each reciprocation of the lever 132 and its ad justing mechanism. In this way the passage of each envelope under the feelers 23 is recorded by the step-by-step advancement of the ratchet wheel.

Once during each revolution of the ratchet wheel the pawl 134 drops into a notch 138 deeper than the rest. YVhile the pawl is in this notch, apin 139 thereon is in position to engage against an arm 140 and push the same together with its pivoted shaft 133 through a clockwise angle corresponding to the space of a single tooth.

The pivotal shaft 133 is supported in a bracket 141 secured to the. machine frame and has secured thereto an arm 142, which arm carries an adjustable extension 143 with an envelope displacing finger144 thereon. This finger extends at right angles to the extension 143 and normally lies near the belt 95 at the point where the belt passes over the pulley 114. In this position the finger is held by a return spring 145 connected at one end to an arm 146 secured to the shaft 133, the other end of the spring being connected to a pin 147 on the bracket 141. The arm 146 is provided with a set screw 148 which bears againstthe bracket 141 to arrest the envelope displacing finger 144 in its normal position, and enable an adjustment thereof.

The envelope in transit is ejected from the flap closing means just prior to the return of the pawl 134 so that the envelope while falling to the accumulator belt 129 may be engaged near one end to turn the envelope slightly and displace it with respect to the envelopes on the accumulatorbelt. In the present invention the ratchet wheel 137 is provided with twenty-five teeth 137 all of which have shallow notches between them except two teeth which have the deep notch 138 between them. It will be understood that the ratchet wheel is given a one space movement for each complete actuation of the rock shaft- 89 which, as hereinbefore noted, is set into action by each envelope as it passes the feelers 23. Accordingly the finger 144 is operated each twenty-fifth space (herein each complete revolution) of the ratchet wheel to throw each twenty-fifth envelope out of alignment so that the attendant may take the envelopes from the accumulator belt in groups of this number.

To prevent overthrow of the ratchet wheel 137 when operated, and to hold said ratchet wheel against accidental displacement when at rest, there is provided a brake shoe 150 which bears against a flange 151 on said ratchet wheel. The brake shoe 150 is pressed against said flange 151 by a spring 152 contained within a hole 153 in the bracket 141, which bracket is secured to the machine frame. A screw 155 is threaded in the hole 153 to adjust the tension of the spring 152.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of mechanism embodying the invention, itwill be understood that many changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it being my intention to claim the same broadly in whatever form its principles may be employed.

hat I claim is:

1. The machine herein described which comprises means for conveying a series of articles, means for arresting and aligning each of the articles at a predetermined point, a normally idle transfer mechanism to engage the article after it has been arrested and aligned and to transfer it, means for causing the transfer mechanism to im mediately transfer the article when tripped, and means for causing each individual article to trip the transfer mechanism to initiate the operation of the transfer mechanism upon itself.

2. The machine herein described which comprises means for conveying articles past a given point, a normally idle transfer mechanism, means for causing each article as it passes said point to prepare the transfer mechanism for operation, means for arresting each article at a predetermined transfer point, and for aligning the article, and means for causing the transferring mechanism to transfer the article from this position as soon as it has been arrested and aligned.

3. The machine herein described which comprises means for conveying flat articles in overlapped relationship, means for separating them from each other to permit an operation to be performed on each individual article, normally idle means for instantaneously effecting such operation, and means for causing each article to control the said operation on itself.

4. The combination of envelope conveying means, flap closing means, intermittent transfer means to transfer envelopes indithe envelopes individually and align them with respect to the flap closing means, means to frictionally hold each envelope in its arrested position, transfer means to transfer the envelope from its arrested position to the flap closing means, driving means, and means actuable by each envelope to throw the transfer-means under the control of said driving means.

6. In combination, envelope conveying means, flap closing means, means to arrest the envelopes individually and, align them with respect to the flap closing means, transfer means to move the envelope from the conveying mean's'to the flap closing means, and means controlled by the envelopes to render the transfer means effective.

7 The combination of means to feed an envelope, normally idle means to deflect the envelope from its path, means to operate the deflecting means instantaneously when tripped and means engaged by the envelope to trip the deflecting means.

8; The combination of means to feed an article, means normally at rest to deflect said article from its path, an escapement to control the operation of the deflecting means, means to operate the deflecting means instantaneously when the escapement is actuated, and means engaged by the envelope to actuate said escapement' tov effect an actuation of the deflecting means.

9, The combination of means to feed an article, means to deflect the article from its path, driving means for the feeding means and the deflecting means, a frictional connection between said driving means and said deflecting means to enable the deflecting means to remain at rest while the driving means is running, and controlling means for the deflecting means engageable by the article to release the deflecting means so that it may be actuated by said driving means.

10. The combination of means to feed an envelope, means to transfer the envelope from its path, driving means forthe feeding means and the transfer means, a frictional connection between said driving means and said deflecting means to enable the transfer means to remain at rest while the driving means is running, and controlling means for the transfer means engageable by the article to release the transfer means so that it may be actuated by said driving means to transfer the envelope to flap closing means, the timing between the feeding means and the transfer means being such that the envelope reaches a position in alignment with the flap 11. The herein described method of conveying articles and separating them into sets which consists in conveying the articles in accumulated 'concition, but in no necessary space relationship, removing each article individually, feeding the removed article past a definite point to operate recording mechanism, accumulating said articles at a subsequent point, and then as a resultof recordin said articles, causing certain of them at definite intervals with respect to their number to be differently placed with respect to the other articles to thus separate the articles into. sets of equal number as they are being accumulated.

12. The combination of means to feed envelopes past a certain point, one at a time, counting means for said envelopes, constantly running driving means, a frictional connection between said counting means and said driving means, an escapement device to normally hold said counting means, and feelers in the path of said envelopes to be engaged thereby to actuate the escapement mechanism to release the counting means to enable the latter to be operatedby the driving means through the medium of the frictional connection.

13. The combination of means to feed articles individually along a certain path, means to deflect each article from its path, means to count the articles, and means actuable by each article to enable the actuation of deflecting means and the counting means.

14. The combination of means to feed articles individually along a certain path, means to deflect each article from its path, means to count the articles, means to actuate said deflecting means and the counting means, controlling means for the counting means and the deflecting means, and-means actuable by each article toactuate said controlling means to enable said deflecting means and said counting means to be operated by said actuating means.

15. The combination of means to feed envelopes along a certain path, means to de flect the envelopes from said path, means to count the envelopes, constantly running driving means, said'driving means having a frictional connection with the deflecting means and the counting means, an escapement device to control the operation of the deflecting means and the counting means, and feelers to be actuated by the envelopes individually to actuate the escapement device to enable the deflecting means and the counting means to be actuated by said driving means through the medium of the frici tional connection.

16. The combination of means to feed articles along a certain path and means to on said arm,

, ing finger thereon,

incense deflect the articles from said path, said de fleeting means comprising a pushing device, an actuable rock-shaft, and an arm on said rock-shaft connected to said pushing device.

17. The combination of means to feed envelopes along a certain path and means to transfer the envelopes from said path, said transfer means comprising a pushing device, the pushing device comprising two fingers adjustable towards and away from each other and towards and away from said path of the envelopes.

18. The combination of means to feed envelopes along a certain path and means to deflect the envelopes from said path, said deflecting means comprising a pushing vice, the pushing device comprising two slides, each slide having an envelope engaging finger thereon, an actuable rock-shaft, an arm on said rock-shaft, and a cross-bar said cross-bar engaging said slides to cause them to operate simultaneously.

19. The combination of means to feed en velopes along a certain path and means to deflect the envelopes from said path, said deflecting means comprising a pushing device, the pushing device comprising two slides, each slide having an envelope engagan actuable rock-shaft, an arm on said rock-shaft, and a cross-bar on said arm, said cross-bar engaging said slides to cause them to operate imultaneously, guide-ways for said slides and a bar on which said guide-ways are adjustably supported so that they may be set towards or away from each other according to the size of the envelope.

20. In an envelope machine the combination of means to feed envelopes, counting means, an escapement to control the operation of said counting means, said escapement mechanism comprising a toothed wheel and dog to engage said toothed wheel, said dog being connected to the counting mechanism, and feelers connected to said wheel, said feelers being engaged by the envelope.

21. In an envelope machine the combination of means to feed envelopes, counting means, an escapement to control the operation of saidcounting means, said counting mechanism comprising a shaft, feelers to be engaged by envelopes, said escapement mechanism comprising a two-toothed wheel, and an arm on said shaft to co-operate with said wheel, said arm normally resting on one tooth, the feelers when actuated being effective to releasethe arm from said tooth and allow it to engage the other tooth, the arm being released from the second tooth upon the return of the feelers to allow the shaft to complete its revolution, the arm returning to its initial position in engagement with the first tooth at tion of said shaft.

22. In an envelope machine the combination of means to feed envelopes, transfer means, an escapement to control the operation of said transfer means, said escapemcnt comprising a toothed wheel and a dog to engage said toothed wheel, said dog being connected to the transfer mechanism, and feelers connected to said wheel, said feelers being engaged by the envelopes.

11 an envelope machine the combination of means to feed envelopes, mtlefiecting means, an escapement to control the operation of said deflecting means, the deflecting mechanism comprising a shaft, feelers to be engaged by envelopes, said escapement mechanism comprising a twotoothed wheel, and an arm on said shaft to co-operate with said wheel, said arm normally resting on one teeth, the feelers when actuated be ing effective to release the arm from said tooth and allow it to engage the other tooth, the arm being released from the second tooth upon'thc return of the feelers to allow the shaft to make a complete revolution, the arm re-engaging the first mentioned tooth upon its return to initial position.

24. The combination of means comprising a drier belt by which envelopes may be fed at a comparatively slow speed and in overlapping relationship with the edge of each envelope extending beyond the edge of its succeeding one, means to separate the envelopes, means to count the envelopes after they are separated, means to again arrange the envelopes in lapped relation, and means operated by the counting mechanism to displace an envelope after a predetermined number has been counted.

25. In a machine of the kind the combination with an envelope of means the end of the revoludescribed, conveyor, for counting the envelopes, es-

capemcnt mechanism settable to condition the counting means for operation when engaged by an envelope and to set the count ing means into operation when disengaged by the envelope, and mechanism operated by the counting means for dividing the envelopes into groups of predetermined number.

26. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with an envelope conveyor, of means for counting and grouping the envelopes, comprising means for opposing two successively acting obstructions to the operation of the counting mechanism, and means operated by engagement with an envelope to remove one of the obstructions and by disengagement with the envelope to remove the second obstruction.

27. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a high speed conveyor on which envelopes are'carried in spaced relation, of a slow speed conveyor onto which the envelopes are delivered by the high speed conveyor in lapped relation, the second conveyor being located in a lower plane than thefirst,'an envelope displacing device located normally behind the position in which the envelopes fall onto the slow speed conveyor, and means for operating said device each time that a predetermined number of envelopes has been fed.

28. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with" a high speed conveyor on which envelopes carried in spaced relation, of a slow speed conveyor onto which the envelopes are delivered by the high speed conveyor in lapped'relation, the second conveyor being located in a lower plane than the first an envelope displacing device located normally behind the position in which the envelopes fall onto the slow speed conveyor, and counting means for automatically operating the envelope displacing device each time a predetermined number of envelopes has been fed.

29. In a machine of the kind described,

means for conveying articles in accumulated condition but in no necessary space relationship, means for removing" each article individually from the conveying means, a recording mechanism, means for feeding the removed article past the recording mechanism, means for accumulating the articles at a subsequent point, and means operated by the recording mechanism for causing certain of the articles at definite intervals with respect to their'number to be displaced with respect to the other articles to thus separate the articles into sets of equal number as they are being accumulated. i I

30. In a machine of the kind described, a conveyor for blanks, an operating mechanism for acting on each blank at a predetermined point, means for driving said operating mechanism comprising a constantly driven slip clutch member, a co-acting slip clutch member constantly engaged withthe first, means normally holding the second mentioned slip clutch member idle, and blank actuated means for tripping the holding means.

31. In combination, an operating mechanism, a blank controlled means controlling said mechanism and a conveyor for blanks of sheet material, said blank controlled means comprising a pair of stops requiring successive release to permit the mechanism to operate, and a control finger extending obliquely through the plane of blank feeding and through the plane of the conveyor in position to be engaged and pushed clear of said planes by the leading edge of an oncoming blank, said finger being caused by the movement so imparted by the blank to release the first of the stops and by its return movement to release the second of the stops.

32. In combination, a blank controlled mechanism, a conveyor for feeding blanks of sheet material singly in spaced relation, said mechanism comprising a control finger extending obliquely through the plane oi blank feeding and through the conveyor plane in position to be engaged by the leading edge of an oncoming blank and to be pushed clear of the blank, said finger being caused by the movement so imparted by the blank to perform its controlling function, and feeding means cooperative with the conveyor for clamping the blanks to the conveyor to feed the blanks positively in finger engaging position.

In testimony whereof I have atfixed my signature to this specification.

ABRAHAM NOVICK.

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