US3756127A

US3756127A - Manufacture of envelopes

Info

Publication number: US3756127A
Application number: US00147467A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Simpson; A Mayo
Original assignee: John Dickinson and Co Ltd
Current assignee: John Dickinson and Co Ltd
Priority date: 1971-05-27
Filing date: 1971-05-27
Publication date: 1973-09-04
Anticipated expiration: 1990-09-04

Abstract

The invention provides a novel method of manufacturing longitudinally-grained envelopes from a web of paper moving in the direction of its longitudinal grain axis which comprises severing the web to form envelope blanks, changing the direction of travel of the blanks by approximately 90*, notching the web or the blanks and finally folding and sealing the shaped blanks to form the completed envelopes.

Description

United States Patent [:91

Simpson et al.

I45] Sept. 4, 1973 MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES [75] Inventors: John William Simpson, Garston;

Arthur John Mayo, St. Albans, both of England [73] Assignee: John Dickinson & Co. Limited,

Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, England [22] Filed: May 27, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 147,467

[52] U.S. Cl 93/63 M, 93/63 R [51] Int. Cl B3lb 23/60 [58] Field of Search 93/63 M, 63 R, 61 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Winkler et al. 93/63 M 9/1969 Volks et a] 93/63 R 7/1942 Krueger 93/63 M X Primary Examiner-Andrew R. Juhasz Assistant Examiner-James F. Coan Att0rney.l. Wesley Everett [57] ABSTRACT The invention provides a novel method of manufacturing longitudinally-grained envelopes from a web of paper moving in the direction of its longitudinal grain axis which comprises severing the web to form envelope blanks, changing the direction of travel of the blanks by approximately 90, notching the web or the blanks and finally folding and sealing the shaped blanks to form the completed envelopes.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 4 I975 3.756.127

JOHN WILLIAM SIMPSON ARTHUR JOHN MAYO INVENTORS 1 MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES This invention relates to a method of manufacturing envelopes, and more particularly to envelopes of the so called Pocket or Open ended" style. The aforesaid terms are used in reference to envelopes of rectangular shape in which the closure flap is disposed along one of the shorter edges thereof. I It is known to produce such envelopes, hereinafter designated envelopes of the kind referred to, from a continuous web of paper by shaping the closure and bottom flaps by means of notching cutters acting upon opposed lateral edges of the web, the same said notching cutters also shaping two opposed edges of each side flap, and thereafter effecting separation from the web of individual blanks by transverse cuts separating adjacent side flaps of two successive blanks. The side flaps are thereafter folded over one upon the other and secured together at their overlapped marginal edges by an adhesive stripe, the bottom flap then being folded over and secured to the body of the envelope on the rear face thereof. The closure flap may be folded over or left open as desired.

By another known method of producing envelopes of the kind referred to, the side flaps are formed longitudinally of the web by cutting notches inwardly of the lateral edges of the web, the side flaps so formed being folded over and secured together along their overlapped marginal edges. Separation of individual envelope blanks is thereafter effected, following which the closure and bottom flaps of each envelope are formed by suitable cutting devices and folded over upon the body of the envelope as required.

By the previously known methods of manufacture two main disadvantages exist. These are:

a. According to the first mentioned known method, the envelopes so produced have the grain of the paper extending transversely or crosswise of their length.

b. According to the second known method the envelopes so produced have the grain of the paper extending lengthwise thereof, but are subject to severe limitations in respect of both size and style.

In the manufacture of envelopes from a web of paper drawn from a reel, the grain of the paper extends longitudinally of the web, and it is particularly advantageous in the production of envelopes of the kind referred to, that the grain of the paper be maintained lengthwise of the envelope, i.e., perpendicular to the open end thereof. Among the advantages to be gained are (1) closure flap curl after gumming is reduced to an absolute minimum (2) a generally stronger envelope results (3) an envelope of superior appearance is produced.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of producing envelopes of the kind referred to which overcomes the aforesaid disadvantages, and which permits the manufacture of such envelopes having greatly improved qualities.

According to the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing longitudinally grained envelopes from a web of paper moving in the direction of its longitudinal axis which method comprises severing the web to form envelope blanks, changing the direction of travel of the blanks by approximately 90, notching the web or the blanks before and after the change of direction and finally folding and sealing the shaped blanks to form the completed envelopes.

One edge of the web is notched before the severing operation and the severed blanks are again notched after the change of direction. After severing, it is generally desirable to increase the speed of travel of the blanks relative to that of the web :so that they are suitably spaced apart for subsequent machine operations.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following particular description which is accompanied by the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a sequence of operations for producing envelopes of the kind referred to by the method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an envelope adapted for sealing with self-sealing adhesive.

FIG. 3 illustrates a modified sequence of operations.

In FIG. 1 there is shown diagrammatically a sequence of operations for producing envelopes of the kind re ferred to having their side flaps formed so as to produce side seam pockets."

According to this arrangement a web of paper or like material 1 is drawn form a reel 2 and passed along a horizontal path in the direction indicated by the arrow, at a uniform speed. At a suitable position in the travel of the web, a cutting station indicated generally at 3 is arranged to cut notches 4 form a lateral ege 5 of the web, each pair of said notches forming between them the configuration of one of the side flaps 6 of the envelope, i.e., the narrow side flap. The cutter forming the side flap 6 will also remove the edges of the closure and

bottom flaps

12, 13.

Following the formation of the side flap 6, the web passes to a severing station where by a transverse cut 7, sections are separated therefrom forming partially formed blanks 8. After severance from the web 1, the partially formed blanks 8 are speeded up to space them apart sufficiently to conform to the speed of subsequent machine operations. The spacing of the blanks indicated by the gaps 9 is determined by the requirements of the subsequent operation which involves a change in direction of travel of the partially formed blank 8. Accordingly the partially formed blank 8 is moved through an angle of relative to its initial path of travel and then conveyed to a further flap shaping station indicated generally at 10, where the wider side flap 11 and the remainder of the closure and bottom flaps respectively 12, 13 are shaped by means of suitable cutting devices.

Crease lines or other lines of weakening 14 are applied at a suitable stage or stages in. the manufacture of the envelope, these lines of weakening facilitating the subsequent folding of the various flaps. At suitable positions in the travel of the blank 8 adhesive is applied to the longitudinal marginal edge of one of the

side seam flaps

6 or 11 and to the bottom flap 13 of the envelope, for securing the flaps together after folding. The adhesive for the closuring of the envelope may be applied to the web at spaced apart intervals and then dried prior to subsequent operations or alternatively applied and dried at any suitable stage after the formation of the blank 8. The method may include the provision of envelopes of the kind referred to, having their closure flaps adapted for sealing by heat and pressure or self-sealing adhesives. If the self-sealing adhesive be latex, then as shown in FIG. 2 two co-operating stripes of

adhesive

15, 16 may be applied to the envelope. More than one stripe of such adhesive may be applied to each co-operating surface of the envelope if so desired.

The method according to the present invention may also embody such subsidiary features as printing, window cutting and patching etc., these operations being carried out at suitable positions in the travel of the web and/or severed blank.

It will of course be appreciated that the cutting stations 3 and employed in the shaping of the

side flaps

6, 11, could quite well be arranged on sides of the web and blank opposite to those shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3 the notching of the short side flap 6 is carried out at the cutting station indicated generally at 3a and following the severance of the web to form the blanks 8 and the change of direction of their travel as previously described, the blanks are conveyed to the second side flap cutting station indicated generally at 100. The bottom flap which in the modified arrangement may occupy the position shown by 13, is then folded o er adhesively secured to the body of the envelope. The closure flap 12 may subsequently be folded over upon the body of the envelope or if desired it may remain in the unfolded condition.

It will be appreciated that the methods particularly described above produce envelopes whose grain lies lengthwise of the envelope, i.e., perpendicular to the open end thereof. This means that closure flap curl after gumming is reduced to an absolute minimum, a generally stronger envelope is produced and the appearance of the envelope is enhanced.

We claim:

1. A method of manufacturing longitudinally grained side-seam envelopes each having a large and a small back wall flap, which method comprises the following steps in the given sequence:

a. advancing a web of paper in the direction of its longitudinal grain axis,

b. shaping the small back wall flaps by notching one edge of the moving paper web,

c. severing'the moving web along lines which pass through the said notches so as to form envelope blanks,

d. increasing the speed of travel of the blanks relative to the web to separate them from each other,

e. changing the direction of travel of the blanks by approximately f. shaping the large back wall flaps by notching the moving severed blanks, and

g. folding and sealing the shaped blanks to form the completed envelopes.

* l I. II

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing longitudinally grained side-seam envelopes each having a large and a small back wall flap, which method comprises the following steps in the given sequence: a. advancing a web of paper in the direction of its longitudinal grain axis, b. shaping the small back wall flaps by notching one edge of the moving paper web, c. severing the moving web along lines which pass through the said notches so as to form envelope blanks, d. increasing the speed of travel of the blanks relative to the web to separate them from each other, e. changing the direction of travel of the blanks by approximately 90*, f. shaping the large back wall flaps by notching the moving severed blanks, and g. folding and sealing the shaped blanks to form the completed envelopes.