US 4,595,351 AGranted

Apparatus for applying a decorative seal to envelopes and the like

AssigneeOmni Direct Mail Services, Ltd.

InventorsRichard A. Dickson, Allen H. Forrester

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming a decorative seal on envelopes and the like is disclosed. The envelopes to be embossed are intermittently transported along a conveyor past various processing stations. At a first station, a quantity of heated molten seal material is deposited at a desired location on an envelope. The envelope is next transported to a first cooling station where a stream of cooled air is directed against the deposited molten material for partial cooling. At a subsequent stamping position, a cooled embossed die is applied to the seal material to form an embossed decorative pattern therein. The envelope is then transported to a refrigerated chamber which accelerates solidification of the stamped seal material to form an embossment. The timing of the intermittent movement of the conveyor is controlled in accordance with the quantity, temperature, and type of seal material used to form the embossment.

Claims8

Dependent claims

Apparatus for applying a decorative seal to envelopes and the like, comprising

(a) a frame;
(b) conveyor means mounted on said frame for successively transporting a plurality of envelopes along said frame in a generally horizontal linear direction;
(c) drive means connected with said conveyor means for intermittently driving said conveyor means;
(d) heated seal material supply means connected with said frame for storing heated seal material in a molten state;
(e) dispenser means connected with said supply means for depositing a given quantity of molten material at a given location onto an envelope;
(f) stamping means pivotally connected with said frame downstream from said dispenser means, said stamping means including an embossed die operable to stamp a decorative pattern into the molten material deposited on the envelope;
(g) cooling means connected with said embossed die, whereby during stamping of the molten seal material, the stamped material is cooled to a temperature slightly below the solidification temperature thereof leaving a bead of molten material around the edge thereof;
and
(h) control means connected with said drive means, said dispenser means, and said stamping means for controlling the intermittent drive of said conveyor means, the given quantity of molten material deposited on the envelope, and the actuation and release of said stamping means to emboss the deposited material, whereby the time interval between deposit of the molten material and stamping of the deposited material and the time interval of the stamping operation are controlled in accordance with the quantity, temperature, and type of seal material applied to the envelope.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.