Device for moistening the closure flaps of envelopes

Claim 1

A device for moistening closure flaps of envelopes as the envelopes are displaced longitudinally along a substantially horizontal path with the flaps projecting vertically downwardly, the device comprising: a moistening member disposed beneath said path, said moistening member being constituted by a moistening roller rotatably mounted on a substantially vertical shaft for rotation about a vertical axis, said moistening roller comprising a plurality of axially spaced, radially projecting rings of absorbent foam; a deflector disposed adjacent to said moistening roller to press envelope flaps against the periphery of said moistening roller and forming an envelope flap-moistening zone, said deflector including a series of spaced ribs projecting partially between respective absorbent foam rings of said moistening roller, but spaced therefrom in said envelope flap-moistening zone to limit contact with said moistening roller in said flap-moistening zone to said closure flaps of said envelopes; a tank of moistening liquid for said moistening roller, said tank being located at a distance from said moistening roller; liquid feed means for feeding liquid to said moistening roller at the vertical upper end of said moistening roller to facilitate liquid distribution over all of the rings of absorbent foam from said tank at a liquid feed zone which is located downstream with respect to the direction of rotation of said moistening roller from said envelope flap-moistening zone, drive means coupled to said shaft for causing the periphery of said moistening roller to be driven at a peripheral speed substantially equal to a speed at which the envelopes are displaced, to prevent distortion of the envelopes during flap moistening; and moisture spreading means pressed against the periphery of said moistening roller between said liquid feed zone and said envelope flap-moistening zone to spread the liquid properly over the entire length of the moistening roller absorbent foam rings.

Claim 2

A device for moistening closure flaps of envelopes as the envelopes are displaced longitudinally along a substantially horizontal path with the flaps projecting vertically downwardly, the device comprising: a moistening member disposed beneath said path, said moistening member being constituted by a moistening roller rotatably mounted on a substantially vertical shaft for rotation about a vertical axis, said moistening roller comprising a plurality of axially spaced, radially projecting rings of absorbent foam; a deflector disposed adjacent to said moistening roller to press envelope flaps against the periphery of said moistening roller and forming an envelope flap-moistening zone, said deflector including a series of spaced ribs projecting partially between respective absorbent foam rings of said moistening roller, but spaced therefrom in said envelope flap-moistening zone to limit contact with said moistening roller in said flap-moistening zone to said closure flaps of said envelopes; a tank of moistening liquid for said moistening roller, said tank being located at a distance from said moistening roller; liquid feed means for feeding liquid to said moistening roller at the vertical upper end of said moistening roller to facilitate liquid distribution over all of the rings of absorbent foam from said tank at a liquid feed zone which is located downstream with respect to the direction of rotation of said moistening roller from said envelope flap-moistening zone, drive means coupled to said shaft for causing the periphery of said moistening roller to be driven at a peripheral speed substantially equal to a speed at which the envelopes are displaced, to prevent distortion of the envelopes during flap moistening; and moisture spreading means pressed against the periphery of said moistening roller between said liquid feed zone and said envelope flap-moistening zone to spread the liquid properly over the entire length of the moistening roller absorbent foam rings.