Envelop-moistener.

Application filed December

To dll whom it may concern:.

Be it known that I, Samuel Birnbaum. a citizen of the United States,^; residing at New York, in the county of New York and 5 State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Moisteners. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to envelop and label moistening devices and has for its primary 10 object, the provision of a device of this character which is designed to permit of its being conveniently worn on the finger of the user and which will be elastic to adapt itself to conditions and not cause its use upon the 15 finger to interfere with such work as the folding of letter sheets and the placing of same in their envelops.

The device further consists of a stall-like member, preferably of rubber, the inner por20 tion of which is divided by a partition to form a finger compartment and a non-communicating sponge compartment, the latter opening onto the tip of the member for an effective exposing of the sponge when the de25 vice is brought into engagement with the surface to be moistened.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will be divided by a partition into a sponge com30 partment and a finger receiving compartment, disposing the partition with relation to the longitudinal axis of the member to permit of its being subjected to the full pressure of the finger of the user during the 35 moistening operation and thereby establish firm contact of the sponge with the surface to be moistened.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the nature of the in40 vention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangements of parts which will hereinafter be fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustratedj a single and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitations are necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibit50 ed, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired. '

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the mode of operation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section therethrough.

6,1918. Serial No, 265,588.

Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5—5-of Fig., 3. The device consists of a stall-like member.

which is preferably constructed of rub- 60 her. Its walls are comparatively thin so as to permit of a combined flexing or bending of the finger when the device is positioned thereon. It is divided by a transverse partition 11 to form a finger receiving compart- 65 ment 12 and a sponge receiving and confining compartment 13. Beyond the partition 11, the side walls of the member are curved inwardly in the direction of the center of the structure so that the sponge compart- 70 ment 13 is restricted in the direction of its open end 14. I prefer this construction so that a maximum embracing action of the neck 15 can be had against the sponge or absorbent body 16. This arrangement, in 75 addition to the inherent elasticity of the structure serves to hold the sponge against casual derangement.

The finger receiving compartment 12 is open at its end 17 so as to freely permit of 80 the application of the member 2 or the removing of the same from the finger. The partition 11 is positioned iwith respect to the adjacent compartments 12 and 13 so that the tip of the finger may be pressed thereagainst. 85 This causes the partition to be yieldingly advanced against the sponge with that measure of pressure which will cause better displacement of water on to the surface to be moistened. 90

While I have mentioned the use of a sponge 16,1 of course do not wish to be limited thereto and will state that such substitutes as felt, absorbent cotton or the like, may be employed in lieu of the sponge. The 95 construction of the device obviously suggests or illustrates the many advantages which are derived from the use thereof. Its design is such that the fingers of the hand may be always naturally positioned with respect to 100 each other when the device is worn. Its elasticity and inherent flexibility permit of the free bending of the finger so as to not interfere with the folding of letter sheets or manipulation of the envelop prior to the seal- 105 ing of the flap.