Abstract: The closure flap folding device includes a first conveying means arranged to convey envelopes having open closure flaps into a rotating receiver. The receiver includes a pair of spaced discs mounted on a shaft and the discs have a plurality of radially extending spaced slots therein forming radially extending fingers therebetween. The fingers have a generally square peripheral edge portion and resilient members secured thereto that extend into adjacent slots. An adjustable guide member is positioned between the spaced discs and positions the envelopes within the slot so that the closure flap score line is aligned with the square peripheral edge of the adjacent finger. An arcuate flap folding member is positioned around a portion of the discs and has a portion that converges toward the outer peripheral edge of the discs. As the receiver rotates the closure flaps of the envelopes in the slots contacts the inner surface of the arcuate folding member and the closure flap is partially folded along the score line.

Abstract: A shaft for a cutter mechanism having a cutter blade secured to the periphery thereof is rotatably mounted in a frame mechanism. A driven pulley is nonrotatably secured to the end of the cutter shaft and is connected to a pair of drive pulleys by a flexible timing belt that transmits rotation to the cutter shaft and the cutter blade. Rotation of the cutter blade cuts notches in the side edges of a moving web. A plate member is pivotally connected to the frame mechanism and includes an aperture through which the cutter shaft extends. An adjusting cam is eccentrically mounted to the frame mechanism and is secured to the plate member. A pair of idler shafts are secured to the plate member and extend outwardly therefrom. A pair of idler pulleys are rotatably positioned on the idler shafts respectively and engage the timing belt to maintain a preselected tension thereon.

Abstract: The envelope making and insert machine includes the forming of envelope blanks from an endless web or precut blanks and conveying the envelope blank upwardly along a vertical path to a folding station. The insert material is conveyed along a path that intersects the vertical path in timed relation with the envelope blank. The paths of the envelope blank and the insert material intersect at an angle adjacent the folding station. The envelope blank is engaged at the folding station by a vacuum cylinder, tucker, lifter or the like and is folded along the score line between the envelope blank body portion and bottom flap portion by the vacuum cylinder and a folding cylinder. The path of the envelope blank is changed from a vertical path to the path of the inserts during the folding operation. During the folding of the bottom flap into overlying relation with the blank body portion the insert material is inserted therebetween.

Abstract: A stack of items having an irregular thickness such as folded sheets, booklets, filled envelopes and the like are positioned in a stack receiver with the stack leading edge resting against the pair of support rails. The stack lowermost item is supported adjacent its rear edge by rotatable supports mounted adjacent to a feed cylinder. A depending wiper device is mounted adjacent the leading edge of the stack and has a flexible bottom edge portion that is positioned either abutting or closely adjacent the cylinder surface. The feed cylinder positioned below the stack has a longitudinal protuberance that extends beyond the cylinder surface and is arranged upon rotation of the cylinder to contact the lowermost item of the stack and move this item between the wiper bottom edge and the cylinder to a position where the leading portion of the lowermost item is moved beyond the wiper device.

Abstract: Window panels are cut in sheet material by means of a rotatable panel cutter and the sheet material is thereafter conveyed to a location adjacent a panel or chip receiving means. A negative pressure is applied to the underside of the sheet, the cut panel or chip is conveyed away from the sheet by the negative pressure. Turnaround rollers are provided for the sheet material. Where the panel is not completely severed from the sheet, a portion of the panel will be deflected by the turnaround roller and a blade is positioned adjacent the turnaround roller to engage the panel and remove the panel from the sheet. Air blast means are provided in overlying relation with the web above the panel receiving means to dislodge the panel from the sheet so that the air blast means will also dislodge the severed panel in the sheet passing between the panel receiving means and the air blast means.

Abstract: The rotary panel cutter includes a cutter die that has a continuous upstanding knife blade. The cutter die has a body portion that is secured to a rotatable cutter shaft having a longitudinal axis. The cutter die knife blade has side edge portions that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cutter shaft and leading and trailing edge portions that are not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cutter shaft. For cutting rectangular openings in a web the continuous upstanding knife blade has the configuration of a regular parallelogram wherein the length of side edges is the same and the length of the leading and trailing edges is also the same. The rotatable cutter shaft is mounted in a machine frame with its longitudinal axis at an angle other than 90.degree. with the center line of the web. The angle that the rotatable cutter shaft deviates from 90.degree. is preferably the same angle as the angle of deviation of the knife leading and trailing edges from the longitudinal axis of the cutter shaft.

Abstract: Apparatus for collating sheet like elements that includes initially feeding the sheet elements by a first conveyor in a spaced tandom relation at a high linear velocity into a spiral carrier. The spiral carrier includes a plurality of arcuate fingers having spiral slots formed therebetween. The sheets traveling at the relatively high rate of speed are projected individually into the slots of the spiral carrier also traveling at a relatively high linear speed. As each of the sheets follows the inwardly spiraling path of the slots, their linear velocity is substantially reduced so that when the sheet edges contact a stop plate, they are decelerated from the initial high linear speed. The stop plate directs the sheets radially outwardly from the slots of the spiral carrier into frictional engagement between the endless belts of a second conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided to feed selected inserts from a plurality of secondary feed stations onto a conveyor device in accordance with the requirements indicated on a primary insert. The primary insert is removed from a stack at a primary insert feed station by a suitable knife type card feeder and is transferred from the stack to a reading station. A reading device such as photoelectric cells or fluidic sensors read the indicia on the primary insert to determine what other inserts are to be included from secondary insert feed stations with the primary insert as the primary insert is inserted into an envelope or the like. Signals are simultaneously transmitted from the reading device through suitable circuitry to control devices for suckers or suction devices associated with each secondary insert feed station. The primary insert is then conveyed by a collating belt or chain that passes beneath the secondary insert feed stations to a discharge station.

Abstract: Patches for envelope windows are cut, one per envelope, from a patch web supplied at a surface speed proportional to but lower than the speed of a travelling envelope web. The cut patches are transferred from the cut-off apparatus to the envelope web by a rotary vacuum system, at a surface speed which equals the speed of the latter web, or is accelerated to this latter speed. Steps and means are provided for insuring proper positions and motions of the cut-off patch, at points where the speed thereof changes.

Abstract: A pair of rotatable cutter mechanisms are positioned on opposite sides of a moving web and are arranged upon rotation of the cutter shafts to cut notches in the side edges of the moving web. The cutter shafts are rotatably driven by a drive mechanism that includes a pair of endless timing belts connected to the cutter shafts. One of the timing belts is reeved about a drive pulley that is non-rotatably connected to a helical gear. The main drive shaft has a helical gear that meshes with the helical gear connected to the pulley. The pair of timing belts are drivingly connected to each other by means of a pair of meshing helical gears connected to separate pulleys associated with the respective timing belts. Phase adjustment of both of the cutter mechanisms is accomplished by axially moving the helical gears connected to the pulley and main drive shaft while the helical gears remain in meshing relation with each other.