US1289240A - Stamp-affixing machine. - Google Patents

Description

L. ONDERDONK.

STAMP AEFIXING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.28. l9l0- RENEWED MAY 10.1918.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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ATTORNEY.

L. ONDERDONK.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHI APPLICATION FILED SEPT-28.1910. RENEWED MAY I0. I9IB.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES A OR/VEK L. HYDERDONK.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-28,1910. REHEWED my ID. 191x.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

m/mvrom A770 EK WITNESSES- L. ONDERDONK,

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.28, I910. RENEWED MAY 10.1918.

Patented Dec.b1,191 8.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

[WE/V701? 7 I I ATM/WE).

m. JHDMFJHY -1 llllllll H I/ VIT IVE 88E 8 406 Q L. ONDERDONK.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-28. 1910- RENEWED MAY 10. 1918.

1,289,240, Patented Dec.31,1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

A TOIiWEY.

snares Pa rs 'r ai man.

STAMP-AFFIXING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Dec. 31, 19518.

Application filed September 28, 1910, Serial No. 584,195. Renewed May 10, 1918. Serial No. 233,788.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LANSING ONDERDONK, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Stamp-Ailixing M chines, of which the following is a description.

This invention relates to machines adapted for delivering articles of various kinds wound in webs or reels, and has perticular reference to mechanism capable of delivering or vending such articles one-byone successively, and, if required, aflixing 'the same to a given article.

In order that my invention may be more readily comprehended, I have shown the same in connection with a -stamp-aflixing machine; but, I wish it understood that such illustration is not to be taken as a limitation, but simply as an example of its use.

Among the objects of my invention may be noted the following: to providea stampaflixing machine with a feedin mechanism adapted particularly -for fee ing perfo rated articles such as stamps; to provide a feeding mechanism which will be positive in operation, simple in construction and accurate in its manipulation of, the stamp or other article; to provide a feeding mechanism comprising a plurality of yielding points adapted to register with the perforations bet-ween the articles and feed the latter.

by such cooperation; to provide a feeding mechanism which will not tear or mutilate the stamos or other articles, but which will be positive and accurate in its action; to provide means for feeding and counti the articles as they are deliveredyto provide a feeding mechanism in combination-with a counting mechanism of such character that but one stamp at a time can be fed from the machine and. ever stam so fed will be counted, and whic cannot be made to deliver a stamp without a record thereof'produced; to provide a moistening device which will be effective, simple and cheap, and which will not waste the liquid; to provide a measuring device which will deliver a small and predetermined amount of liquid tothe moistening device, and operate to prevent an excess of liquid being imposed upon the article; to provide an automatic means 7 for filling the moistening ehamber,.keeping it properly filled, and preventing it from overflowing; to provide means for properly to manu handling the stamp and presenting it to the moistening means; to provide automatic means for removing the moistening device from cooperative relation with the article when desired; to provide means whereby the machine may be locked to a table or support and removed therefrom at will; to provide means for preventing the machine from being robbedor the articles taken therefrom under any circumstance without detection or a record thereof being made; and to provide certain novel detailsof construction involving the feed-drum and its actuating mechanism, the moistening-device, stripguide and other associated parts which will render the machine positive and accurate in operation simple in construction and cheap facture.

With the above objects in view, and others which will be detailed during the course of this description, my invention consists in the parts, features, elements'and combinations of elements and mechanisms, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I have provided drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of one form of my invention taken substantially centrally of my machine from front to rear Fig. 4 is a section substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the drum-controlling mechanism in a position difi'erent from that of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6' is a front elevation of the feeddrum, a part being broken out to show details of construction;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a portion of the base of the machine showing the cooperative arrangement of the counting mechanism and the feeding mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation showing the parts of Fig. 7 I

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 1-- showing another form of my invention and the reservoir in two positions.

Fig. 10 is a partial elevation and secfeed-drum-controlling mechanism and other details of construction;

tion of the machine of Fig. 9 looking at the opposite side and showing the plunger'in the lower osition;

Fig. 11 1s a perspective view of one form of moistening device and independent stamp or strip-guide;

Fig. 12 is a detail showing the feed-actuating mechanism of the form of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a, horizontal sectional view on the line 13-13 of Fig. 9, parts being broken away to show details;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the machine of Fig. 10, parts being broken away to show details and the reservoir being shown in'two positions;

Fig. 15 1s a sectlon on line 1'5-15 .of Fig. '14;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the ma chine locked to a support or base;

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the support; and

Fig. 18 is a sectional detail showing the means for locking the machine to the suppo Referring to the drawings, in the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 8, the

' frame-portion of the machine is composed of like parts 1 and 2, secured together by screws or rivets, and also by a cylindrical handle-portion 3, with which cooperates a sliding-sleeve 4, the said parts 3 and 4 producing a chamber 5, within which a spring 6 is housed and which surrounds, a plunger 7, the upper end of which is provided with a reduced extension 8, screw-threaded into the head 9 of said sleeve, the said spring engaging a disk 10 at the upper end of the plunger and the circular portion 11 is formed by the two frame- parts 1 and 2 at the bottom. A collar 12 is threaded upon the shouldered lower end 13 of the sleeve 4 and between these two parts packing 14 is applied for the purpose of making anair tight joint. The head 9 is provided with a plurality of passages 15, extending from the outside thereof into the chamber 5, in which a circular valve '16 is located and supported by the disk 10, providing a slight clearance between the latter and the bottom of the head for the passage of air. The frame is also provided with a cover 17 hinged thereto by pin 18, and forming part of a receptacle, the other portion 19 of which is formed in the two-part frame. The cover is normally closed by means of a latch-portion 20, carried at the lower end thereof and engaging with a catch-portion 21, on the upper end of a reservoir 22, which latter is journaled at 23, so as to swing downwardly from the frame, said reservoir extending clear to the bottom of the machine-frame. The journal of the reservoir is provided with a valve 24, communicating with the tube 25 at itslower end, and the upper end of which communicates with the air-passage aeaaac nicating with the valve 28 in the lower for ward end of the reservoir 22, which valve communicates with the reservoir and with the spraying-nozzle 29, The reservoir has in its rear wall a transparent portion 30 and is also provided with a removable bottomportion 31 and an inlet 32 controlled by a removable screw-plug 33. The receptacle formed in the frame and by the cover has a reel-holder 34, journaled therein at 35, and a reel 36 is supported upon said holder, the web. of said reel being threaded through the. machine, as shownin Fig. 1. The face-plate 37 is provided in advance of the feeding mechanism and the reservoir, said face-platehaving an inclined transverse slot the lower wall 38 of which is beveled to provide a ledger-blade which cooperates with a. cutter-blade 40, carried in the cutter-holder 41, secured rigidly to the lower end of the plunger 7. The face-plate 37 is also provided with a passage 42, into which the nozzle 29 projects and through which the stamp is sprayed preparatory to aifixing it to the article. A locking-device 44 is carried by the forward end of the reservoir, which cooperates with the frame of the machine in a manner to lock the reservoir in closed position. The head of the plunger is provided with a short, laterally-extending pin 45, traveling in a groove 46 in the frame-portion 1, and at its opposite end is provided with a longer pin 47, extending through a slot 48 in the frame-portion 2, and engaging a lever 49, by means of which the valve or meter 28 is actuated. Some of the parts so far de- 105 scribed are substantially the same as in my application, Serial No. 570,234, filed July 5, IQIOfitfidIl'iaofv: illustrated the same to show how the various features of construction are adapted to interact and cooperate 110 for the purposes set forth, and alsoto accentuate the breadth of my present invention, as well as that of my aforesaid application.

The feeding mechanism of this form of 115 my invention comprises the feed-drum composed of a cylinder or barrel 50, having a plurality of radial apertures or sockets 51, in each of which is set a coiled-spring 52, surrounding a stem 53, and hearing at its 2 outer end against a head 54 of said stem, which head has projecting from it a roundpointed feeding-pin 55, several of which project through each of the plates 56, arranged longitudinally of said drum and set 12 with its surface flush with the surface of said drum. Thus the pins normally project from the periphery of the drum in parallel rows. At one end the drum is provided with a plurality of circumferentially- 130 extending cams 57 ,four in number,or a plate secured to the said drum, the periphery of which is formed into said cams, said cams being produced by tangential surfaces extending from one notch 58 to another around the periphery of said disk or drum. The notches 58 are arranged between the high part of one cam and the low part of the next adjacent cam and just in advance, in the direction of travel of the drum, of a row of feeding-pins 55. The opposite end of the drum is provided with a plurality of studs 59, extending therefrom parallel with the axis thereof, there being four in number corresponding to the four notches and cam surface. The studs are arranged, considering the direction of feed of the drum, just behind the rows of feeding-pins 55. The circumference of the feeddrum, as herein shown, for example, is the exact length or width, as the case maybe, of four postage stamps, it .being understood that the stamps, or other articles, may be joined by perforations along their lengths or along their widths; and the circumference of the drum may be varied to any extent to accommodate any character of article desired to be vended or delivered or aflixed. The cutter-holder 41, which is fixed to the plunger 7, has on its upper surface a lug 60, affording a journal for an actuating-pawl,

the long arm 61 of which extends into the path of movement of the pins 59, and the short arm 62 of which is arranged so as to engage a cam 63, provided on the side of the frame-part 1 directly in the path of move ment of said arm. Preferably, the arms of the pawl are arranged substantially at a right-angle to each other and the normal position of said pawl is substantially that shown in Fig. 1. The lug 60 is provided with a laterally-extending lug 64, against which the short arm 62 of the pawl engages, said lug operating as a stop to prevent the long arm thereof from being pushed farther down than substantially parallel with the cutter-holder of the plunger. This stop 64, on the one hand, and the cam 63, on the other, constitute means whereby the pawl is positively actuated and is positive in its action in driving the feed-drum and by which the use of springs to return the pawl to operative position is obviated. For every reciprocation of the plunger, the feed-pawl gives a single feed movement to the feeddrum, this feed movement occurring on the upstroke of the plunger. A detent-device comprising the bell-crank lever 65 is journaled in the frame-portion 2 of the machine, just above the feed-drum, as at 66, and having one arm 67 extending substantially horizontally over the periphery of the cams of the feed-drum and the other arm 68 descending substantially vertically into position to coiiperate with said cams 57 and the notches lever just forward of its fulcrum.

machine and maintained under tension by means of a pin 74, projecting from said frame-portion, with which engages the short arm of the spring with a normal tendency to force the long arm 75 of the latter yieldingly into engagement with the bell-crl'ank 40 ward of its fulcrum, the bell-crank lever also carries a spring-controlled pawl, one arm 76 of which is held in engagement with an abutment 77, carried by the bell-crank lever by means of the spring 7 8, fixed to the depending-arm 68 of said lever. other arm 79 of the'pawl is thus held in the path of movement of a pin 80, projecting from the plunger 7, said pin 80, in this instance, being carried by a collar 81, clamped upon said plunger and adjustable thereon by means of the clamping-screw 82. Adjustment of the pin 69 regulates the extent to which the bell-crank lever may be moved so as to force its toe 70 from the notches of the feed-drum. A downward movement of the plunger causes its pin 80 to strike the arm 79 of the pawl on its top and thus drive it downwardly against the tension of its spring 78, this movement aiding the spring 75 to keep the toe 70 in cooperative connection with one of the notches 58. The upward movement of the pin The striking the arm 79 of the pawl on its I pin 69 to engage the periphery of one of,

the cams 57. See Fig. 5. The swinging of the lever 65, upon its fulcrum, moves the pawl away from the pin 80, thus allowing the latter to pass on its upward movement and the spring 75 to again assume control of lever 65 and return its .toe 70 into engagementwith the cam-periphery of the feed-drum ready for coiiperation with a notch 58. This -mechanism operates as a positive lock to prevent overthrow of the feed-drum in either direction, and also has the important function of preventing said drum from being turned more than. the length of a stamp or other article by any means other than the plunger. toe 70 is out of engagement with a notch When the 58, the screw 69 will be in positive engage- ,ment with a cam 57, provided the feeddrum should be advanced suficiently to pass the notch 58, from which the toe had been lifted, beyond said toe and when the high portion of a cam 57 is engaged with the screw 69, the feed-drum is compelled to stop and cannot be given a further feeding movement until said cam and screw are disengaged. Hence, the feed movement of the feed-drum is positive and intermittent and can only be imparted by the plunger operating the bell-crank lever 65 in the manner described. This is an important feature of my invention because it prevents the removal of stamps or other articles from the machine except as intended and according to the rule of action of the machine.

In order that every feed movement of the feed drum shall be registered and every stamp delivered accounted for, a countingdevice 83 of any common construction, such as the Veeder, is secured to the frame-portion 1 on the outside thereof adjacent the feed-drum, said counting-device having connected to its shaft 84 an angular arm 85, extending through a slot 86 in said frameportion and having its outer end 87 normally held by the spring 88 in the path of movement of the pins 59 in the end of the feed-drum. One of the pins striking the arm-end 87 will move the shaft of the counter sufiiciently to cause a registration of the feed-movement and, as the pin passes, the spring will return the arm to its normal position.

From the foregoing description, the mode of operation of this form of my invention will be fully understood from the following:

By shifting the latch 44, the reservoir will be unlocked andenabled to swing downwardly away from the feed-drum, this movement releasing the latch 21 from the catch 20 of the cover, enabling the latter to be lifted to open the receptacle for the admission of the reel of stamps or other articles. The reel and holder being inserted in the machine, the end of the web will be passed between the frame-portion 19 and the top of the reservoir, either as shown by full lines, or by dotted lines, in Fig. 1, and thence carried around the feed-drum 50, above the strip-guide 90, and under the stripper-plate 89 and through the slot in the face-plate 37. Thecover will then be lowered and the reservoir swung into closed position, by which movement the cover is looked, as will be.

iaeaaao guide 90, secured to the upper end of the reservoir. If it so happens that the stampperforations are not in position to be entered by all of the feed-pins 55, those that do not enter will be depressed into the feedroll against the tension of their springs. In this connection, it should be noted that it is not necessary that all of the pins in a row shall enter the perforations between articles at the same time; but, it is intended that said pins shall be so spaced that any two or more may register with the perforations, while the others may be depressed by contact with the web or solid portions of the articles, it being understood that perfect andpositive feeding is accomplished by the coiiperation of one or more of said pins with a like number of perforations. Hence, the importance of this portion of my invention resides in the fact that the feed-pins are so arranged that some of them will always register with the perforations even though the latter should not be equally spaced, or not be in a straight line, thus avoiding the liability of failure to feed the articles, which might result from an attempt to space the pins correspondingly with the perforations; that is to say, it is well known that the perforations between stamps, for example, are

not always evenly spaced, nor always in a straight line, so, by making the pins yielding, the stamps are not in ured' and compensation is had for irregularity in spacing or line-up of perforatlons. However, the

both circumferentially and laterally, the

feed-drum is so constructed that a positive and accurate feed-movement is produced for every successive movement of rotation thereof. The springs 52 are not sufiiciently strong to cause the pins to either penetrate or injuriously engage, or bear upon the stamps, should they not happen to register with the perforations. Nevertheless, by reason of the strip-guide 90 and the slots therein, as the feed-drum is rotated, one or more of the pins will find one or more of the perforations between the articles and thus perform the function of positively feeding the same forward for deli-very. The plunger will now be depressed, by pressure upon the head 9, which will compress the air within the chamber 5 of the handle, thus causing the valve 16 to close the air-passage in said head. Air will thus be forced through the passage 26, the tube 25, the valve 24, and the tube 27 in the reservoir so as to drive water through the meter or valve 28 and spray the game aside the pawl-arm 79 and help to hold the toe 70 in a notch .58, thus holding the feeddrum from movement. Also, the feed-pawl will yield in passing one of the feed-drumactuating pins 59 {and continuation of the downward movement of the plunger causes the cutter to cut a stamp or other article from the vweb, which .will be moistened prior to the cutting operation, and aflixed at the end of the down-stroke of the plunger. The feed movement takes place on the return movement 'or-upstroke of the plunger by the long arm 61 of the feed-pawl engaging one of the pins 59; but, prior to this move- -ment to feed the. drum, the pin 80 engages the pawl-arin"79"on' the bell-crank lever 65, thus moving the toe 70 of said lever from the notch 58 in the periphery of the 'feeddrum in which it'has been set, after which the pawl arm 61, in its upward movement, will drive the feed-drum to impart thereto the feeding movement. As the plunger con- .tinues to rise and its pin 80 passes the pawlarm 79, the bell-crank lever is forced toward the feed-drum and its toe 70 engages an adjacent cam-surface, said toe being thus ready to drop into a notch as the drum revolves to impart the proper feeding movement. Positive engagement of the toe 70, with a notch.58, is caused by the high portion of the cam 57 engaging said toe so that the latter cannot override the notch into which it should descend, and the spring 75 bearing upon the bell-crank lever 65 forces said toe into said notch. thus stopping the feed movement of the drum at the proper point. This action of the lever 65 causes the pin 69, on arm- 67, to be lifted above the path of the high point of the cam 57, as shown in Fig. 3; but, should the drum be turned while the toe of arm 68 is free of a notch 58, the drum would be prevented from having a feed movement,-'or being manipulated in any way so as to obtain an. article without operation of the plunger 7 or registering its action,by the engagement of the pin 69 with the high wall of an adjacent notch 58, or by entering said 7 notch, thus locking the drum from movement in either direction. This is an important part of my invention, since the arm 68 and its toe 7 0 cofiperate with the arm 67 and its pin 69 to control the action of the feed-drum and insure its proper action at the proper time. The arm 61 of the feedpawl, as the plunger 7 moves down, will be lifted by engagement with a feed-pin 59,

65 and subsequently, near the end of the downstroke of said plunger, will be depressed or reset, by engagement of arm 62 with cam 63 on the side of the frame-part 2,-see Fig. 1.

-No overthrow or back-lash of the feeding and controlling devices is thus possible, the feeding movement is positive and the stops between feeding movement are positive, so that only one stamp at a time can be fed from the machine for each complete reciprocation of the plunger, the delivery of the article taking place on the up-stroke of the plunger and only according to the proper action of the machine.

For every feed-movement of the drum, one of the studs 59 engages the lever 85 of the counting-device 83, giving to said lever a complete movementin one direction, thus registering the feed-movement or stamp-de- 'li"ery, the spring 88 returningsaid arm to its normal position for cotiperationwith the succeeding studs on the feed-drum.

Thus it will be-seen that for every complete reciprocation of the plunger a complete feed-movementis accomplished. which delivers a stamp from the web in position to be sprayed, cut and aflixed, and that said stamp is cut from the web, sprayed, and pressed by the bottom of the cutter-holder upon the article to which it is to be applied. It will also be seen that every feedmovement is counted or registered; that every feed-movement is positive; that, after each feed-movement, the feed-drum is'locked against any further feed-movement until the plunger again descends to actuate the feeddrum; and since some of the feed-pins are in coiiperation with some of the holes in the strip of articles none of the articles can be drawn through the machine by hand. Hence, every stamp delivered from the machine is accounted for and the filching of stamps from the machine is prevented. And amon the important features of my invention is the means by which the registering mechanism and the feeding mechanism cooperate to efiect the counting of each and every article delivered, since the feed-drum is guarded against manipulation other than in a regular way; also. the means which prevents operation of the register, except when the drum has been moved far enough to properly feed an article, is important. And by placing the arm 87 and spring 88 out of reach and covering them, they cannot be manipulated from the outside.

In that form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 9 to 15, the general frame-structure, the ree lholder, the cutting mechanism, and the feed-drum are all substantially the same as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, and these several features and mechanisms have not been shown with the same detail as in Figs. 1 to 8. Figs. 9 to 15 are intended to illustrate an alternative form of feed-drum actuating mechanism, an alternative form I vided, on its inside, with a latch-spring 91,

secured to said cover by means of a screw 92, and having at its outer end a stud 93, which enters an aperture in the ,frame-portion 19 of said receptacle. The spring is bowed so as to clear a key-hole slot 94, in the cover-portion 17, in which slot may be inserted a key, the tongue of which, when turned, may engage and lift said spring 91, and thereby remove its stud 93'from sald aperture, thus releasing the cover-portion 17 and enabling it to be swung outwardly on its pivot 18, for the insertion of the reel.

The moistening-device, in this form of my invention, consists of the receptacle 22,:

constructed, in general form, the same as that of Fig. 1, but having its forward end 95 narrowed, as shown in Fig. 11, in which narrowed end a chamber 96 is formed, which communicates by a valve-chamber 97 with the reservoir in which the liquid is contained. The valve-chamber 97 is provided with a cylinder 98, journaled therein at opposite ends, for free rotation, and in its body is provided with a longitudinal V- shaped slot or groove 99, normally faced toward the reservoir, this slot receiving the liquid from said reservoir and, when r0- tated, conveying the same to the chamber 96, in' the narrowed end of the reservoir-frame. In'the chamber 96 is journaled a shaft 100, upon Which is fixed a series of absorbent disks 101, of any suitable material, which 7 have a small portion of their periphery projecting through apertures in the upper surface near the forward end of said reduced portion 95 of the reservoir, said disks extending into the chamber 96, which is fed with the liquid by the rotary valve. The shaftof the moistening-device and the shaft of the valve are extended on one side through the frame of the reservoir and each is provided with a pinion, which pinions mesh with each other and are located in the space provided bythe reduced forward end of the reservoir. The shaft 100, of the moistening-device, is extended through the end 95 of the reservoir and provided with a pinion 102, which meshes with a pinion 103, on the extended journal 104, of the meter or valve 98, see Fig. 11. The extreme end of the moistener-shaft 100, beyond thepinion 102, is provided with another pinion- 105,-larger than the one 102,which meshes with a large gear 106, secured to the end of the feed-drum, opposite the end car rying the actuating-pins 59. Hence, rotation of the feed-drum, causing rotation of naeaaae the gear 106, will rotate the moistener- shaft pinions 105 and 1%, and the latter, in turn, will rotate the gear 103, and rotary valve or meter 98. These movements of the moistener and the valve"arei1itermittently progressive and, for each movement, the moistening-disks present a new wet surface to the article to be moistened, and for every such movement of the moistening-disks the measuring-valve is given a complete rotation, which causes itto carry liquid from the reservoir into the disk-chamber, thus keeping said chamber well supplied with liquid. I Hence, the proportion of the pinions 102, 103 and 105 and gear 106 is such as tocause a complete rotation of the meter 98 and of the moistener 101 to a quarter rotation of the feed-drum. This proportion of gear and pinions may be varied, since it is clear that the important feature of this portion of rg inwwmzign is in automatically\ measuring and fee mg the liquid to the moistening chamber to the extent necessary to keep the latter properly supplied. Moreover, should the liquid in the chamber 96 be suflicient to prevent the valve 98 efiecting a discharge into said chamber, said valve will necessarily retain the liquid until it can be discharged, since said liquid is under no pressure that will cause it to discharge against the gravity of the liquid in said chamber. Hence, the measuring-valve automatically keeps the liquid in the moistening chamber 96 at a certain height irrespective of the quantity of liquid in the reser' voir; and the position of the part, controlled by the valve, is high enough to admit liquid enough to moisten the disks, and no more. This construction and controlling means is also important because it permits carrying any desired quantity of liquid, and enables the moistening means to be brought down close to the base-line of the machine and the stamp close to the article to which it is to be aflixed. Thi correspondingly reduces the amount of plunger action, which is also a desirable feature. liquid in the disk-chamber "'96 substantially fill the same and more be added thereto by the measuring-device, the amount thus added would be, on the completion of the rotation of the measuring-device, removed from the project. Hence, also the. rotary-valve per- However, should the forms the double function of feeding liquid to the chamber and preventing the chamber from overflowing, or objectionably filling. As in the other form of my invention, the reservoir is pivoted to the frame at 23, through the medium of a pair of separated lugs 107, between which, upon the ournalpin, is mounted a lever having its forward end formed into a rectangular head 108, and its rear end formed into an elongated, curved arm 109, provided on its bottom with a triangular lug 110. Cooperating with this lug is the rounded end of a piston-head 111, the rod 112 of which slides through an adjustable screw-plug 113, turned into the lower end of a cylindrical, tubular bearing 114, extending rearwardly from the reservoir-frame, the piston-head sliding in the upper end of said bearing and being normally pressed outwardly or upwardly means of a coiled-spring 115, encircling the piston-head and hearing at one end against said piston-head, and at the other end against said screw-plug. The curvature of the outer surface of the rearwardly-extending arm 109 is such as to conform accurately with the curvature of the cover 17 and bodyportion 19 of the reel-receptacle and said extension is sufliciently long to overlap and cooperate with a. portion of the cover 17. In the normal position of the parts, as shown in Fig. 9, the piston-head bears against the lug 110 of the lever-arm 109, thus pressing the latter upwardly against the cover 17, and, since the said cover and receptacle body are unyielding, reverse pressure of the spring tends to swing the reservoir 22 about its journal 23, thus holding its forward end with the moistening-disks in the proper operative relation to the cooperating parts of the machine. This action of the parts normally depresses the rectangular head 108 of the lever, and the strip-guide, the latter, in this instance, consisting of the shank 116, which rests upon the rectangular head and has several screws 117 passing through it into the said head. The bodyportion 118 of the strip-guide is curved longitudinally and has longitudinal slots 119 in its curved portion, and at its lower end is enlarged as at 120 and provided at the extreme forward ends with vertically-extending lugs 121, between which. a stamp or other article is heldand guided during the moistening operation and preparatory to being fed forward and cut off for delivery, or being aflixed to a given article. The enlarged forward end 120 of the strip-guide is provided with a series of rectangular apertures 122, spaced correspondingly to the moistening-disks 101, and through which the latter project into engagement with the article to be moistened, as clearly shown in Figs, 13 and 15. Onopposite sides of the center aperture 122, in the enlarged end of strip-guide.

the strip-guide, longitudinal ribs 123 are. located which provide spaced supportsupon which the stamp or other article may rest, and at these points, or along the lines of these ribs, he articles will not be moistened, as will be readily understood. Normally.

the article will be at rest upon these ribs with the portions over the apertures in' engagement with the moistening-disks, and this relation will continue while the machine is in operation; but, when the machine is not in use, or is to be laid aside for any length of time, the reservoir will be depressed, as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 9 and 14, so that the moistening-disks will recede from contact with the article, whereupon the ribs will support said article with its moistened parts out of contact with any surrounding portion of the machine, thus preventing said article from sticking to the The reservoir may be depressed and so held against the action of the spring 115 by means of a depressinglever 124, fulcrumed t0 the side of the frameportion 2, near the bottom and rear of the machine. The lever is provided with a finger-piece 125, for manipulating the same, and with a cam-surface 126 which cooperates with a pin 127, projecting laterally from the reservoir through an open-end slot 128 in the frame. Hence, when the lever is depressed so that its cam-surface will engage the pin, the reservoir will be swung about its journal 23, thus depressing the forward end of the reservoir and the moistening-device carried therein. To provide for a sufficient depression of the reservoir, the bottom of the latter, at its forward end, is formed with an upward incline 129, which provides sufficient clearance, between the bottom of the machine and the table 'or support on which the latter may stand, for the forward end to be depressed sufficiently to remove the moistening-disks a proper distance away from the article delivered by the machine. This movement of the reservoir separates the latter from the stripguide movement of which latter is prevented by the cotiperation of the extension 109 with the cover 17. Hence, the stri is not displaced, but is maintained in its proper rela tion to the feed-pins of the feed-drum, as well moisture, as would be the case were the moistening-disks allowed to remain in contact with the article for any length of time. As before stated. the feed-drum, as regards the feed-pins, the actuating-pins and the notched cam-disk, as well as its location in the machine, is substantially the same as in that form of my invention portrayed in Fig.1.

The drum-actuating means, however, have been slightlymodified in certain details in that form of my invention shown in Figs. 9 to 1 5. Thatis to'say, fixed to the top of the cutter-head 41, between the same and the plunger-7, is a late 130,,the forward end of which is provi ed with a depending bearing 131,- lying against, and parallel with, the cutter-headat one side thereof, said plate being also provided with a vertically-extending lug'l32, near its forward end. To the bearing isjournaled a feed-pawl, the longarm=133 of whichjextends rearwardly in the path'of the laterally-extending pins 59, carried by the feed-drum 50, this arm lying normally substantially horizontal. The short arm 134 of the pawl extends substantially at a right angle to the "lon arm and normally substantially parallel ifltlthe plunger and is .prov-idedwith a horivlon-.,

tally-extending lug 135, which 'coiiperates with the lug 132 on'the plate; -The long arm of the pawl works in a vertical'slot 136,.

in the face-plate '37, i the walls of which guide the same and, prevent any lateralv or springing movement "under any. circumstance. 'Journaled in the-frame, abovethe feed-drum, is a controlling-lever 137, given the form substantially of a bell-crank with a portion of one side out out so as to provide arms 138,'the extreme ends. of which are inturned for l-coiiperation with the notches 58,.

in the periphery of the feed-drum or a plate securedthereto. This lever constitutes part of a drum coiitrollingor detent mechanism and has an extension 139 back of its pivotal point 140, with which cotiperates a spring 141, the normal tendency of which is to force the lower inturned end or toe 142 into engagement with one of the notches 58, or into engagement with one of the peripheral cams 57. Just in rear of its pivot, the controlling lever has fulcrumed to it an actuating-dog or tappet .in the form of a bellcrank lever, one arm 143 of which extends toward the plunger and the other arm 144 of which extends downwardly and cooperlever from engagement with the feed-drum so that the latter may be given a feed movement. A cam-projection or collar 147 is fixed to the plunger 7, in proper coiiperative relation to the dog, and is provided on its actuating-face with an inclined surface or cam 148. As the plunger moves downwardly, the cam engages the arm of the dog, presses it downwardly againstthe power of its spring, thus tending to force the inturned end or toe 142 of the controlling-lever into a notch 58 of the feed-drum, thus preventing the same from having any movement during the downward movement of the plunger. This is essential, since on the downward movement of the plunger the actuating-pawl engages a pin 59, with a tendency to rotate the feed-drum, such rotation being prevented by the controllinglever, the toe of which, as just stated, cooperates with one of said notches and is held firmly therein by the combined action of th spring and dog. As the plunger reaches substantially its lower limit of movement, the arm 133 of the feed-pawl passes the pin with which it engages on its downward stroke and substantially at the same time the cam 63 tilts it back into its substantially horizontal position, shown by the dotted .lines in Fig. 12. Substantially at the same -ll time, the controlling-dog is released by the cam-collar 147 and ,allowed to assume the ,positiOnshown in Fig. 10, with its depending-arm in engagement with the lug 145 of the controlling-lever. In this condition, the feed-drum is locked against a feed movement, the feed-pawl is ready to impart a feed movement to the feed-drum and the controlling dog is ready to lift the toe of the controlling-lever from engagement with the notch 58. The upward movement of the plunger causes the cam-collar to engage the horizontal arm of the dog, which, through its depending-arm, operates the controllinglever and moves its detent-toe 142 from the notch 58, thus freeing the feed-drum preparatory to a feeding operation. Subse quently, on the continued upward movement of the plunger, the long arm of the feedpawl engages. the pin immediately above it and as said pawl is now rigidly set with its short arm against the lug 132, the feed-drum is given a movement of rotation corresponding in extent with the movement of the feedpawl until the latter has passed by the 00- operating-pin, the latter, during the rotation of the drum, moving in the arc of a circle away from and off the end of said feed-pawl. The parts are so proportioned and the extent of their movements is such that an'article of a given length, such as a stamp, for example, is fed forward along the strip-guide, by the feed-pins of the feeddrum, under the stripper-plate and through the throat-plate into position to be severed by the cutter 40, on the succeeding downward movement of the plunger. The sequence of operation of this form of my invention is substantially the same as that of the form shown in Figs. 1 to 8, since the feed movement of the drum takes place on the upstroke of the plunger and the severing action occurs on the downstroke of the plunger, during which downstroke an article is moistened. There is this difference, however, between the operations of the machine of the two forms of my invention, viz., that on the downstroke of the plunger, in the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 8, that article which is to be immediately severed is sprayed just previous to being severed; but, in the form of my invention shown. in Figs. 9 to 15, that articlewhich is severed on the downstroke of the plunger has been moistened by the moistening-device on a previous downstroke of the plunger, in consequence of which the article, when fed forward on the upstroke of the plung r, is moistened and ready for the severing and affixing operations. In other words, in the form of Fig. 1, the moistening takes place after the feed-stroke and substantially simultaneously with the severing operation, while in the form of Fig. 9 the moistening occurs during the feeding action and before the severing movement of the plunger begins. In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 9 to 15, the roll of articles is inserted in the machine by unlocking the cover 17 and swinging it up, thus enabling the strip-guide and reservoir to be swung downwardly out of the way and out of cooperation with the feed-roll. The reel is then inserted and the end threaded down to the feed-drum, as in Fig. 1, the pins on the feeddrum being entered into the perforations of the stamps. The strip-guide and the reservoir are then swung back and the cover 17 closed, whereupon the spring-catch 91 looks the parts in place. By this it will be seen that the stamp-receptacle and strip-guide are locked one by the other and independently of all other parts of the machine.

. From the foregoin description, it will be seen that the moistening mechanisms are interchangeable, as are also the feed-drumactuating mechanisms, it requiring, in either instance, but a slight change in one or the other of the frames and parts of the machine of Figs. 1 to 9 to adapt any of the mechanisms thereto. In other words, with only afew slight changes in the frameparts of Figs. 1 and 9, the moistening-device.

in either of these figures can be interchanged, likewise the feed-drum-actuating means.

I desire to stress again that important feature of the feed-actuating mechanism which involves the idea of means of preventing any feed movement of the feeddrum taking place until after the plunger has been moved to its lowermost limit, and then caused or allowed to ascend to approximately the point indicated by the parallel lines m, in Fig. 12, at which time the feeddrum is released by the controlling-lever preparatory to a feed action, the said feeddrum being up to such times positively locked against a feed movement. In consequence, a'person may fool or tamper with the machine indefinitely by reciprocating the plunger between extremes, but until the extreme of downward movement has been reached no feed movement can be imparted to deliver articles from the machine. Hence, the machine is safe against any attempt to extract a stamp or article without being accounted for and every article that is delivered is registered on the countingdevice, which, obviously, can be applied to the form of my invention shown in Figs. 9 to 15 in the same manner as shown in the form of my invention of Figs. 1 to 8.

In the foregoing description, I have described my machine more particularly with reference to its portable character, since it is obvious that, by reason of its compact structure and simple form, it can be easily handled and carried about the office, or from place to place, without restriction and readily used for affixing stamps or labels to bulky packages; but, there are times when, and conditions under which, it may be desirable or necessary to fiX the machine in position upon a table or desk so that it may not be carried away and that it may always be readily found or located for use. With this object in view, I have provided a support or fixture to which my machine may be detachably secured and firmly locked in place against removal and at the same time prevent tampering with the machine, or removing the stamps or articles in any manner. This part of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 16 to 18, wherein the support is shown to consist of the front platform or receiver 150, a rear portion or support 151, in the center of which is a dove-tail groove 152, in

which the machine is set. The support may be secured to a table, desk, or other piece of furniture, by means of screws 153 passing through the bottom of the groove and into said furniture. elevated from the surface of the platform a short distance, as indicated at 154, this being for the purpose of separating the forward I or delivery,end of the machine from the said platform and so as to enable thin, flat articles, such as letters, to be slid under the delivery end of the machine for the purpose of having a stamp aflixed thereto in the event the machine is used for that purpose. For the urpose of cooperating with the overhanglng portions 155 of the groove, the machine is provided along its bottom, on opposite sides, with longitudinal ribs or flanges 156, of a size suflicient to fit snugly but slide freely in the said groove. Hence, the machine can have in said groove only longitudinal movements parallel with the The bottom of the groove is' surface of the support. In order to securely 7 look the machine in the support, a springcontrolled latch, in the form of a lever 157, is pivoted at 158 within one of the portions 151 of the support, the same being made hollow for the purpose. As shown in the drawings, the right-hand portion is so constructed, and the lever 157 is pivoted therein and is provided at its forward end with the locking-tongue 159, given any form desired and cooperating with a recess 160, in the adjacent flange 156 of the'machine-frame. To limit the forward or locking position of the lever, the latter is provided with the extension 161, cooperating with the stop 162, fixed at 163, by means of a screw. The locking-lever is normally held in looking position by means of a spring 16A, normally engaging the lever and pressing it toward the recess 160 and the flange 156, the spring being fixed in place by means of the screw 16 5. In order to release the machine from its support, the locking-lever may be manipulated by means of a key entered through the hole 166 in the support, so that its tongue may engage the lever and thus move it against its spring control and thus remove the locking-tongue 159, from the recess 160, in theflange 156. Hence, the machine is firmly locked in its support and yet capable of being quickly removed by one in possession of the key.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine having, in combination, means for delivering articles therefrom including a reciprocatory plunger; means for moistening the articles; means for ailixing the articles as delivered; a rotary feeddrum; a lever mechanism between said drum and said plunger; said lever mechanism including means movable with respect to the plunger and means cooperating with the drum for preventing movement being im parted to the drum except as the result of a predetermined movement of said plunger.

2. A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, a receptacle for the .stamps, means for delivering stamps from the machine, a moistening device, and'cooperating means for locking the receptacle and moistening device for operation in the machine, said means being arranged so as to prevent the moistening device being released till the receptacle is opened.

3. A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, means for delivering stamps, a movable moistening-device cooperating with the delivery means, and means for yieldingly holding the moistening-device in cooperative relation to the delivery means.

4. A stamp-afiixin machine having, in combination, means r delivering stamps, a strip-guide cooperating with the delivery means, a pivotally supported moistening de-,

,means for moistening stamps, a strip-guide for the stamps, said guide being provided with supports above the moistening means to hold the stamps from engagement with the moistening-means at certain points.

7 A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, means for delivering stamps, a moistening device movable on the machine, a strip-guide movable relatively to the machine and moistening-device, and means whereby the moistening-device may be moved from cooperative relation with the delivering device and guide and for holding the guide in cooperative relation with the delivery means.

8. A stamp-affixing machine having, in combination, a stamp delivering means and stamp moistening means, the latter comprising a rotary moistenin and liquid measuring device, and means or actuating the several elements with a ratio of a complete rotation of the measuring device and moistening means to a quarter turn of the delivery means.

9. A stamp-affixing machine having, in combination, a stamp delivering means and stamp moistening means, the latter comprising a rotary moistening and liquid measuring device, and means for actuating the several elements with a ratio of a complete rotation of the measuring device and moistening means to a fractional turn of the delivery means.

10. A stamp-afiixing machine having,'in

combination, means for delivering stamps,

means for moistening stamps, means whereby the moistening means may be moved from operative position, and meansfor holding the stamps out of contact with the delivery means and the moistening means when the latter is moved to an inoperative position.

11. A stamp-aiiixing machine having, in combination, means for delivering stamps, means for moistening stamps, a cutting mechanism, and means for supporting the stamps at predetermined points out of engagement with the moistening means until after said stamps have been delivered beyond the cutting mechanism.

12. A stamp-affixing machine having, in combination, means for delivering stamps, means for moistening stamps, cutting mechanism for cooperating with the stamps, and means for supporting the stamps between the moistening means and the cutting mechanism to prevent the moistened parts of the stamps contacting with any part of the machine before being applied to an article.

13. A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, means for delivering a stamp therefrom, and means for moistening a stamp before delivery, said last named means being adjustably mounted on the machine so as to be movable relatively to the machine into and out of operative position with respect to the stamp.

14. A stamp-aflixing machine having, in combination, means for delivering a stamp therefrom, and a reservoir and means carried thereby to engage the stamp and moisten the same before delivery, said reservoir and moistening means being adjustably mounted to be movable into and out of operative position.

15. A stamp-aflixing machine having, in combination, delivery means for the stamps, a moistening device for the stamps, and a support for the stamps arranged adjacent the delivery means and the moistening device to normally hold the stamp away from the moistening device at separated points.

16. A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, stamp delivery means, stamp moistening means, and a support arranged between the delivery means and the moistening means, said support being provided with apertures through which the moistening means projects to engage the stamps.

17. A stamp-aflixing machine having, in combination, stamp delivering means, means for moistening the stamp, a measuring device for supplying liquid to the moistening means, and connections for causing the measuring device to be actuated in accord- -tact therewith; a measuring ance with the operation of the stamp delivering means.

18. A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, stamp delivering means, means for moistening the stamp, a rotatable measuring device for supplying liquid to the moistening means, and means for e fiuating the measuring device in accordance with the operation of the stamp delivering means.

19. A stamp-affixing machine having, in combination, means for delivering stamps, means for moistening stamps, means whereby the moistening means in bemoved from operative position, and means for holdlng the stamps out of contact with the delivery means and the moistening means when the latter is moved to an inoperative position.

20. A stamp-afiixin machine having, in combination, stamp delivering means; means for applying moisture to the stamp by condevice for supplying liquid, to the molsture applying means; and connections for causing the measuring device to be actuated in accordance with the operation of the stamp delivering means.

21. A stamp afiiXing machine having, in combination, stamp delivering means; means for applying 'moisture to the stamp by contact therewith; a'rotatable measuring device for supplying liquid to the moisture-applying means; and means for actuatlng the measuring device in accordance with the operation of the stam delivering means.

22. A stamp-afiixing machine having, in combination, stamp delivering means, means for moistening the stamp, a rotatable measuring device for supplymg llquld to the moistening means, and means for actuat ng the measuring device in accordance wlth the operation of the stam delivering means.

In testimony whereo I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LANSING ONDERDONK. vWitnesses:

CHAS. M00. CHAPMAN, M. HERSKOVITZ.

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