Abstract: Apparatus for removing fasteners (13; 63; 113; 163) from documents (12; 62; 112; 162) with a perforator (5; 55; 105; 155; 205) for perforating documents (12; 62; 112; 162) in the area of the fastener to be removed, wherein the means for separating from the set of documents (12; 62; 112; 162) the fastener to be removed (13; 63; 113; 163) are constructed as a perforator for perforating the set of documents closely along the fastener to be removed. Also disclosed is a method for removing fasteners (13; 63; 113; 163), wherein the fastener (13; 63; 113; 163) is separated from the documents (12; 62; 112; 162) simply and fast in a single operation by perforating the set of documents (12; 62; 112; 162) closely along the fastener to be removed (13; 63; 113; 163).

Abstract: Sheet feeder comprising a holder with a guide for guiding a stack of sheets and with an abutment structure which defines an abutment plane for keeping a stack of sheets in a position with an outer sheet positioned against the abutment plane. The abutment structure is provided with a slit for allowing a sheet or a set of sheets to pass therethrough, which slit is movable relative to the guide along the abutment plane, with a directional component transverse to the slit for peeling outer sheets abutting against the abutment structure off a stack of sheets in the holder. Further, a method for separating sheets from a stack is described. Because sheets are peeled off a stack without sliding relative to each other, they can be separated without hindrance due to friction between them.

Abstract: In preparing a document, digital document data are generated which contain an information content (IC) and finishing instructions (FI), other than the information content (IC), for finishing the document. The document data is fed to an apparatus for preparing and finishing documents, where the preparation and finishing of the document are carried out in accordance with the document data and whereby the information content (IC) is provided on an information carrier. The document is composed of at least two sections (S1-S5), each divided into an information content (IC) and at least one finishing code (FC) which represents at least one finishing setting. Determining the finishing instructions (FI) for preparing the document proceeds in accordance with the finishing codes (FC) associated with the sections (S1-S5).

Abstract: A printer (2; 52) prints documents which, after arriving in a finishing system (1; 51), are detected and finished in an order corresponding with the order in which the documents have been printed by the printer (2; 52). The printer (2; 52) generates verification markings following one of the documents and prior to a next one of the documents. The number of documents that arrive in an interval limited by at least one of the verification markings are counted and compared with a reference number. An error message is generated if the counted number of arrived documents does not agree with the reference number. This makes it possible to monitor whether, after the documents have been printed, any faults have occurred. Further, a system for finishing documents is described.

Abstract: From received postal items patterns are recorded and recorded information representing the recorded patterns is generated. Each received postal item is processed directly after the information is recorded from the postal item. The information representing the recorded patterns is stored in a log of received mail. Since the recordal of the pattern is carried out before the step of processing, any log or archive prepared on the basis of the initial recording step will include any documents which are lost or damaged during the subsequent processing.

Abstract: A belt assembly which, in operation, can be tensioned along a path, comprising a belt having a toothed surface and a back surface and one unit or a plurality of units fastened to the belt on the side of the back surface. In the area of the or each unit, parts of the belt are bent out of the path of the belt assembly in the direction of the unit. The unit comprises a retention element which is in engagement with the toothed surface of the bent belt parts. Further disclosed are units for use in the belt assembly according to the invention.

Abstract: In an inserting apparatus an envelope holder comprises a first envelope support connecting to a document feed path, for holding an envelope in a filling position in or against a first surface, and a second envelope support connecting to an envelope discharge path, for carrying another envelope in or against a second surface and in an overlapping relation with an envelope simultaneously held in the filling position. Also described is a method in which an envelope to be filled is brought into the filling position before the preceding, filled envelope has left a feed-through path and this envelope brought into the filling position temporarily overlaps the filled envelope. The proposed apparatus and method enable an increased processing capacity.

Abstract: For temporarily storing sheets, envelopes and the like, the objects are received one by one in a buffer apparatus and delivered one by one from that apparatus. For each object, a code associated with that object is determined, which code is stored in accordance with the order of receipt of the objects. Each object that is discharged is scanned and the scanning result is compared with a code that on the basis of order information is supposed to be associated with that object. If a particular minimum extent of agreement between the compared data is found, a normal operating status is adhered to. If less than the particular extent of agreement between the compared data is found, an error message status is selected. There is also described a buffer apparatus for temporarily storing the objects. Different objects can indiscriminately be processed in an irregular order and checked for separation.

Abstract: An envelope (23) to be opened is moved along a tangent line to a rotating circular cutting edge (2), with the cutting edge (2) making an incision in a wall of the envelope (23). The envelope (23) is moved at a predetermined speed of transport which is different from the speed of revolution of the cutting edge (2). The cutting edge (2) moves in longitudinal direction along the material to be incised, so that a better cutting action is obtained. Each part of the material to be incised comes into contact with a large part of the cutting edge (2). As a result, the cutting action and the depth of incision are little affected by unroundness and eccentricity of the cutting edge (2). The cutting edge (2) wears uniformly because parts of the cutting edge (2) wear faster according as they project further from the axis of rotation (3). Also disclosed is an apparatus for practising this method.

Abstract: A system comprising a mail processing apparatus includes a number of processing stations such as for instance a printer and an inserter. In addition, the system comprises a control system which controls at least one processing station for assembling sheets to form at least one document to be mailed or for processing received documents. The system further comprises at least one external diagnostic device separate from the mail processing apparatus and a communication channel between the control system and the diagnostic device. The control system is arranged for performing diagnostic tests for detecting, for instance, malfunctions, deviations in performance and/or required preventive maintenance in a processing station. The diagnostic device initializes via the communication channel the performance of said tests and/or receives the results of the tests for further processing.

Abstract: Apparatus, method and modules for sorting flat objects. The apparatus comprises a number of sorting holders, a conveying system with a switch and branches connecting thereto, a reading unit, and an object separator for feeding, one by one, stacked objects to the conveying system for recirculation. Because in operation, during the feed from the sorting holders, the objects are separated and individually recirculated from the sorting holders to the switch, this can be controlled in a simple manner and carried out with simple, compact conveying means. The apparatus can be modularly constructed from a basic module with a sorting holder and one or more sorting modules also with a sorting holder and a recirculation path.

Abstract: Enveloping apparatus with an envelope filling position (4) and, extending therefrom, an envelope transfer track (46) extending along a closing nip (49) beside the envelope transfer track (46). Beyond the closing nip (49) the envelope transfer track (46) comprises opposite surfaces and a brake, blocking or drive mechanism (60) for at least delaying movement in direction of transport of those surfaces. The control structure (43, 61, 72) is adapted to activate an upsetting feature (55, 56, 71) in response to a displacement of that envelope (5) from the envelope filling position (4) through a fixed, specific distance. With the opposite surfaces with a nip thereinbetween, movement in direction of transport of envelopes with the leading edge in different positions can be delayed, stopped or reversed, without requiring adjusting a stop or the like. There is also described a method for filling and closing envelopes.

Abstract: In processing received postal items, of opened envelopes an image of an envelope (4) is recorded by means of a registration assembly (67, 71, 74). The registration assembly (67, 71, 74) is so configured relative to an inverting structure for inverting a front wall or a rear wall (42) of an envelope (4), that the recording of an image of one of the walls of an envelope (4) is carried out each time after the inversion of that wall (42). As a result, images of the front wall and the rear wall of the envelope can be recorded from the same side, independently of the orientation in which the envelope has been supplied. Moreover, images of the front wall and the rear wall can always be recorded from the same side.

Abstract: Method for processing sheets in a processing apparatus comprising a plurality of processing stations and a control system controlling at least one processing station for printing sheets and/or assembling sheets to form at least one document to be mailed. By means of a text unit not belonging to the processing apparatus, at least one digital document in digital form is generated, in which at least one digital code also generated with the text unit is included. This code comprises information about the manner in which the control system is to control the processing stations. The digital document is supplied to the control system in digital form, whereafter the control system records the digital document in digital form, recognizes the code and controls the processing station depending on the code.

Abstract: An inserting apparatus comprises an envelope holder for holding an envelope in a filling position, a document feed path and a flap holder for holding a flap of an envelope in an open position. On the side of the document supply path where the flap holder is also located, the most downstream roller is formed by a return pulley of a conveyor belt. Owing to a conveyor belt being trained over the most downstream roller on that side of the document feed path where the flap holder is also located, a small roller can be used without this leading to run-in problems. The documents are moreover forcefully advanced at the end of the document feed path into a nip between two rollers.

Abstract: Documents are printed in accordance with sets of printing instructions. To a processing station, processing instructions are supplied, each associated with one of the sets of printing instructions. The order in which the processing instructions are executed corresponds with the order in which the sets of printing instructions are executed. Printed documents are supplied to the station, which processes the documents in accordance with the processing instructions whose turn is next. In order to check the processing of the documents, starting from one of the printing instructions, associated verification data are determined. The printing on the printed documents is scanned, whereby a scanning result is obtained. A scanning result is compared with verification data of which the associated sequence information corresponds with the sequence information assigned to that scanning result. If too large a difference is found, a difference report signal is generated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for checking whether documents have been separated from an opened envelope includes conveying an envelope past an input transducer which measures a characteristic, based on light shown through the envelope, of each individual envelope along a measuring path parallel to the direction of movement of the envelope. From the measured characteristic, a value profile is determined, from which a reference value for each envelope is determined. The value profile is used then to calculate an extreme limit value for each envelope. An envelope-suspect signal is generated if the value profile lies beyond the limit value over a specified minimum substantially continuous measuring distance. The system calculates the values for each envelope, and accordingly, envelopes of greatly diverse characteristics may be reliably checked in random order.

Abstract: For determining a displacement of an object (41) from sheetlike material along an observing position (11, 12), each time the object (41) has been displaced over a particular distance, a pulse is generated. The passing object (41) is scanned, whereby a plurality of samples are generated between two pulses, independently of the displacement of the object (41), and to these samples moreover sequence information (37) is coupled. The number of samples between two pulses (39) and the number of generated pulses (38) are counted. The sequence information (37, 38) coupled to identified samples and the counted number of samples between two pulses (39) are used to determine the displacement of the object with greater accuracy than would be possible with the displacement-dependent pulses alone, without requiring that to this end interpolation pulses be generated and processed which are to be processed separately.

Abstract: For temporarily storing sheets, envelopes and the like, the objects are received one by one in a buffer apparatus and delivered one by one from that apparatus. For each object, a code associated with that object is determined, which code is stored in accordance with the order of receipt of the objects. Each object that is discharged is scanned and the scanning result is compared with a code that on the basis of order information is supposed to be associated with that object. If a particular minimum extent of agreement between the compared data is found, a normal operating status is adhered to. If less than the particular extent of agreement between the compared data is found, an error message status is selected. There is also described a buffer apparatus for temporarily storing the objects. Different objects can indiscriminately be processed in an irregular order and checked for separation.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing sets of documents comprises a document conveyor, a shunting station, a folding station, and a controller. A scanner determines the length of the conveyed documents in a set or the space between successive documents sets. The control acts responsive to the determined length or space, and adjusts the cycle speed of the apparatus so that the documents sets are conveyed with a minimum of intervening space without colliding. The invention also includes a method for controlling the apparatus of the invention.