LABOUR-SAVING DEVICE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1149, 9 June 1911, Page 6

LABOUR-SAVING DEVICE.

A 'TELEGRAPH FORM FOLDER. An invention which is likely to 1)6 '.of economical service in many directions has been submitted to the chief officials of the General Post Office in the form of a machine for folding telegrams. At present this work has to tie douo by hand by the telegraph boys, at the rate of about four telegrams per minute. Tho machine now on trial, which is the invention of Mr. L. James, local manager for J.-.1. Niven and Co., of Napier, is capable, under ordinary circnnistanc.cs, of folding fifteen telegrams per minute, and at a. pinch, with one boy deftly fct'ding and. another turning Ihe handle, could" turn out, 'twenty-live or twenty-six per minute. The machino is a simple' device, consisting of a feeding board, a vertical folder, which doubles it in half and. draws it out of sight below the board. A lateral folder of steel, which makes the second fold, a knife-like vertical action, which folds the address part back, and two brass (laps, which, by closing in en Iho folded form (now held by two steel haud«) draws tho gummed edges past water pads on both sides, and makes the final fold. All that the attendant has lo do is lo press !ho gummed edgts together,' and the form is folded, ready for delivery. In the ease of the form now in iirf, it is necessary, after folding iho form, to interlock the edges, ami affix a seal The new style is much neater, and the gummed edges of the form is a more effective means of closure than the seal. As (here is a chronic shortage of boy labour, the. new machine should prove' a real aid lo more expeditious and economical work. The officials regard the invention favourably. Mr. .Tallies states that the machine will probably facilitate the issue of circulars, accounts, renewal receipts for insurance companies, ralo demands for municipalities, and prove useful in other direct ions, n.s it will dispens? with envelopes, whilst maintaining perfect secrecy. Ho also illustra led how ail enclosure can be folded with a form. The invention has already been patented in New Zealand and Australia. The Associated Auctioneers will hold % stork salo al the Solwny Shipyards, Masterton, on Wednesday, Juno U.