US3630125A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for regulating the seal gum width on envelope and bag machinery
Assignee: FL Smithe Machine Co Inc
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Filing: 1970-05-14
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Granted: 1971-12-28
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Expires: 1990-05-14
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for applying gum or adhesive to the seal flap of an envelope includes a collator vacuum cylinder that feeds the envelope blanks at a predetermined speed relative to the drive shaft of the envelope machine to a collator roll. The collator roll is driven at a speed arranged to move the envelope blanks into overlapped relation as a band onto a gumming belt conveyor. The gumming belt conveyor and the gumming roll drive mechanism are driven at a speed to maintain the envelope blanks in the band in preselected overlapped relation while adhesive is applied to the exposed flap portion of the envelope blanks by the gumming apparatus. The collator roll, gumming belt conveyor and the gumming roll drive mechanisms are driven in timed relation to each other and are drivingly connected to each other. The collator vacuum cylinder is driven at a fixed ratio relative to the main drive shaft. The input shaft of a variable speed drive mechanism is drivingly connected to the collator vacuum cylinder and the variable speed drive mechanism output shaft is drivingly connected to the apparatus for driving the collator rolls, gumming belt conveyor and the gumming roll drive mechanism. With this arrangement the speed of the collator roll, gumming belt and gumming roll drive mechanism may be changed relative to the speed of the collator vacuum cylinder and thus vary the overlapped relationship of the envelope blanks and the width of the strip of seal gum applied to the seal flap portion of the envelope blank.
Inventors
- 👤 Herbert W Helm
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 18:40
CPC Classifications
B; B31; B31B; B31B70/00; B31B70/006; B31B2150/00; B31B2160/00; B31B2160/10; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S493/00; Y10S493/916; Y10S493/917
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
Apparatus in an envelope machine for collating envelope blanks and changing the overlapped relation of the collated envelope blanks while the envelope machine is running comprising, feeding apparatus for supplying envelope blanks in spaced tandem relation to collator apparatus at a fixed predetermined speed relative to the speed of the envelope machine drive shaft, said collating apparatus including means to position said envelope blanks in overlapped relation and form a band of overlapped envelopes and to convey said band of envelope blanks, gumming apparatus for continuously applying adhesive to the exposed seal flap portions of said overlapped envelope blanks in said band as said blanks are conveyed by said collating apparatus, a variable speed drive mechanism having an input shaft and an output shaft, said input shaft drivingly connected to said envelope machine drive shaft so that said input shaft is driven at a fixed ratio relative to said feeding apparatus, said output shaft drivingly connected to said collating apparatus so that said collating apparatus is driven at a fixed ratio to the speed of said output shaft, and said variable speed drive mechanism operable to change the speed of said output shaft while said input shaft speed remains substantially constant to thereby change the overlapped relation of said envelope blanks being conveyed by said collating apparatus and the width of the exposed portion of said seal flap and the width of the strip of adhesive applied to each envelope blank seal flap.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
Apparatus in an envelope machine for collating envelope blanks and changing the overlapped relation of the collated envelope blanks while the envelope machine is running comprising, feeding apparatus for supplying envelope blanks in spaced tandem relation to collator apparatus at a fixed predetermined speed relative to the speed of the envelope machine drive shaft, said collating apparatus including means to position said envelope blanks in overlapped relation and form a band of overlapped envelopes and to convey said band of envelope blanks, gumming apparatus for continuously applying adhesive to the exposed seal flap portions of said overlapped envelope blanks in said band as said blanks are conveyed by said collating apparatus, a variable speed drive mechanism having an input shaft and an output shaft, said input shaft drivingly connected to said envelope machine drive shaft so that said input shaft is driven at a fixed ratio relative to said feeding apparatus, said output shaft drivingly connected to said collating apparatus so that said collating apparatus is driven at a fixed ratio to the speed of said output shaft, and said variable speed drive mechanism operable to change the speed of said output shaft while said input shaft speed remains substantially constant to thereby change the overlapped relation of said envelope blanks being conveyed by said collating apparatus and the width of the exposed portion of said seal flap and the width of the strip of adhesive applied to each envelope blank seal flap.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus in an envelope machine for collating envelope blanks as set forth in claim 1 which includes, drive means for at least one roller of said gumming apparatus, and driving connections between said variable speed drive mechanism output shaft and said gumming apparatus drive means so that said gumming apparatus is driven at a fixed ratio to the speed of said output shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus in an envelope machine for collating envelope blanks as set forth in claim 1 in which said feeding apparatus includes, a delivery cylinder having a plurality of longitudinally spaced vacuum ports along the periphery thereof, said delivery cylinder arranged to secure blanks by vacuum on the periphery thereof and transfer said blanks to said collating apparatus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus in an envelope machine for collating envelope blanks as set forth in claim 3 in which, said collating apparatus includes a collating cylinder positioned adjacent to said delivery cylinder and a counterroller positioned in abutting relation to said collating cylinder, said collating cylinder arranged to receive said envelope blanks from said delivery cylinder and position said envelope blanks in overlapped relation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus in an envelope machine for collating envelope blanks as set forth in claim 1 in which, said collating apparatus includes endless belt conveyors for conveying said band of overlapped envelope blanks into abutting relation with said gumming apparatus, and idler rollers positioned in overlying relation with said endless belts to maintain said band of overlapped envelope blanks in frictional engagement with said endless belt conveyors.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
98 words
Apparatus in an envelope machine for collating envelope blanks as set forth in claim 1 in which said gumming apparatus includes, a receiver for a liquid adhesive, a gumming roll partially immersed in said adhesive, a transfer roll in abutting relation with the periphery of said gumming roll, an applicator roll in overlaying relation with a conveyor device of said collating apparatus, said applicator roll positioned in abutting relation with the periphery of said transfer roll, and a backup roll in abutting relation with the periphery of said applicator roll on the opposite side of said conveyor device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
97 words
Apparatus in an envelope machine for collating envelope blanks as set forth in claim 1 in which, said collating apparatus includes first sprocket means connected to said means to convey said band of envelope blanks, said gumming apparatus includes second sprocket means connected to a gumming roll, said variable speed drive mechanism having third sprocket means connected to said output shaft, and an endless chain reeved about said first, said second, and said third sprocket means so that said variable speed drive mechanism output shaft drives said collating apparatus and said gumming apparatus in timed relation thereto.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
78 words
Apparatus in an envelope machine for collating envelope blanks as set forth in claim 7 in which, said feeding apparatus includes a cylinder with a fourth sprocket means connected thereto, said variable speed drive mechanism having a fifth sprocket means connected to said input shaft, and a second endless chain reeved about said fourth and fifth sprocket means so that said input shaft of said variable speed drive mechanism is driven by said cylinder of said feeding apparatus.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-27 | 1975-06-28 | 1975-12-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-27 | 1979-06-28 | 1979-12-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-27 | 1983-06-28 | 1983-12-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |