Abstract: A mailer type business form, an intermediate for the form, and a method of making the form are provided. The mailer type business form is constructed from a single ply sheet of paper and a small panel (less than one-quarter the size of the sheet) which cooperates with a quadrant of the sheet to provide a return envelope. The sheet is folded along orthogonal fold lines to provide four plies, a fifth ply being provided by the panel which cooperates with one of the plies to form the return envelope. The mailer is constructed by positively guiding the panel (preferably utilizing a tractor hole strip along one edge) into contact with predetermined adhesive strips on the single ply sheet, and then subsequently folding the sheet along the orthogonal fold lines.

Abstract: The skew angle of a sheet (e.g., business form or other document) is detected by providing two sensors spaced from each other a known distance along a straight line perpendicular to the direction of conveyance of the sheet. If there is a skew, the distance travelled by the sheet leading edge between sensings by the sensors is determined, and the skew angle calculated from its tangent. First and second independent drive rollers under the sheet are driven in opposite directions of rotation to compensate for the skew angle. The rollers preferably act in conjunction with a controller (computer) to not only reorient the sheet to compensate for the skew, but also to rotate the document through a significant angle (e.g., 90.degree.) to give the sheet a second orientation different from its initial orientation (e.g., from portrait to landscape).

Abstract: A business form which allows indicia on a paper sheet to be protected, and provides a removable security covering too, is constructed from an intemediate. The intermediate includes a first paper sheet having a quadrate configuration including two longitudinal edges, and a face and back, and a fold line at a central portion, dividing the sheet into first and second portions. A pattern of repositional adhesive is disposed on the sheet face first portion, and indicia is disposed on the sheet face second portion. A transparent plastic film having a face and back and dimensions about the same as those of the first sheet first portion is disposed over the sheet face first portion and is removably attached to it by the repositional adhesive. Permanent adhesive is disposed on the plastic film back. A second sheet having a release material face and dimensions about the same as the first sheet first portion is disposed in removable contact with the permanent adhesive.

Abstract: An identification card intermediate is constructed so that it has a multi-part construction overlying the base stock of the intermediate. The basic web, comprising a transparent plastic substrate with a base stock covering the first side and a release liner covering the second side, is mated with one or more paper webs and carbon sheet webs so that paper and carbon sheets overlie the base stock of the basic web. A glue pattern adjacent one edge of the base stock holds the paper and carbon sheets in place, and a perforation line through the webs allows detachment of the overlying paper and carbon sheets from the base stock.

Abstract: A system and method for pressure sealing business forms provide for maximum utilization of floor space and ease of control by an operator. First and second pressure sealing devices, each having upper and lower sets of rollers forming nips for sealing business forms only along strips of pressure sensitive adhesive, are mounted one above the other. A common drive is provided for the drive rollers of each set, for each sealing device. Tape conveyors assist in conveying the forms through the first sealer, around a horizontal axis large diameter drum, and from the large diameter drum through a second sealer, the forms moving in the opposite direction to the one they moved in through the first sealer when going through the second sealer. A rotator is provided between the drum and the second sealer for changing the orientation of the forms about 90.degree.. The forms are fed to the first sealer by an infeed conveyor/deshingler, and are removed from the second sealer by an outfeed conveyor/stacker.

Abstract: A multi page mailer type business form is constructed by applying a first adhesive pattern to the top sheet bottom face perimeter areas, a second adhesive pattern to the bottom sheet top face perimeter areas, and applying third and fourth adhesive patterns to the middle sheet top and bottom face perimeter areas respectively. Variable information is printed on the top, bottom and middle sheets including machine readable identification information (bar code) which is common to the sheets that are to be assembled into a final multi page mailer. The set is accumulated, and verified by scanning the identification information, and then the perimeter adhesive patterns are sealed. The adhesive is preferably pressure sensitive adhesive, and the final mailer produced has a book-like construction. The adhesive patterns are such that the top and bottom sheets can be provided in a stack without the perimeter adhesive patterns aligning, and the middle sheets can be provided in a separate stack.

Abstract: A method is provided for constructing a mailer type business form in a continuous manner so that an easy opening tear strip is provided in both the outgoing and return envelopes. This allows not only the addressee of the outgoing envelope to readily remove its contents, but allows the addressor of the outgoing envelope--when the return envelope is received thereby--to readily retrieve the contents of the return envelope. This substantially enhances the utility of the ultimate mailer product. Desirably, the tear strips are formed by a slit and perforation in the bottom sheet of each of the outgoing and return envelopes, and within the mailer the tear strips are parallel to each other. An insert is also typically provided between the top sheet of the outgoing envelope and the top sheet of the return envelope, and is pasted to outgoing envelope at the left and right.

Abstract: An edge sealer includes a heater anvil having a heater band disposed in a convex configuration and lying opposite a drive belt. Multi-ply business forms are conveyed along the edge sealer, with the edge of the form extending between the belt and the heater band. Application of heat by the heater band to the edge activates the heat-sensitive adhesive to adhesively seal the edges of the plies one to the other without applying heat to the body of the form. A conveyor system transfers forms from one conveyor to another without change of spatial orientation of the forms to pass the unsealed edges of the forms through an additional edge sealing unit downstream of the first edge sealing unit.

Abstract: In publishing listings of real estate properties, photographed (or videotaped) images are converted to digital graphics at the "front end" of the publishing process. This image conversion ("capture") process includes cropping, contrast adjustment using statistical techniques, and generation of control information needed later in the process. A library of digital graphics and associated information is maintained. Graphics selected from this library and a conventional "multiple listing service" text database are then merged during a text composition process to provide a stream of digital data including text and embedded graphics to be printed in the listing book. Because all image operations (e.g., sizing, cropping, and digital image quality enhancement) are performed when the images are captured, no time consuming post processing steps are requird.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide for the personalization of magazines and like "book" publications. A book, having a cover which provides address information, is formed from a number of signatures. This is accomplished by automatically printing at least one personalized signature with variable personalized printing (such as by ion deposition), assembling the personalized signature with at least one other signature, detecting the personalized printing on the personalized signature (as by optically scanning OCR characters), and in response to such detecting, printing address information on the cover. The personalized printing can be the addressee's name, photograph, or identification number. The personalized signature may be assembled with other business documents, such as a business reply envelope, and may be perfed to provide a return form.

Abstract: A distinct conveyor assembly allows a business form sealer--such as a pressure sealer--to operate with forms that have been detached from a continuous supply. Individual forms are detached from the continuous supply while being conveyed in a first direction, to form shingled forms having irregularly positioned side edges. The forms are deshingled by conveying them from the detacher at high speed (e.g. an increase in speed of about ten times or more), and they are registered while being conveyed in the first direction at high speed. Registration may take place by moving the forms against one side edge, or moving them between funnelled side edges to ultimately engage straight guides on both side edges. After registration, the forms may be fed directly to the sealer, or into the top of a hopper, and then withdrawn from the bottom of the hopper and passed through a folder before being fed to the sealer.

Abstract: A pressure sealer for sealing pressure sensitive adhesive strips on business forms has only a single set of sealing rollers forming a nip. One roller is gear driven by a D.C. motor, and a spring applies a biasing force to press the rollers into contact with each other. A forward sensor and a reverse sensor are positioned just before the nip of the rollers, in a support surface for business forms, and cooperate with a computer chip to control the motor to drive a business form in a first direction between the rollers, until it has almost completely passed through the nip. Then the motor is reversed to drive the business form through the nip again in a second direction opposite the first direction. The business form is manually fed to, and removed from, the nip.

Abstract: The ion deposition web-fed engine includes a first fixed frame, a second frame pivotally mounted to the first frame, a third frame carried by the second frame for pivotal movement therewith and for movement in a transverse direction relative to the first and second frames. The third frame carries a print unit including an image cylinder for cooperation with an impression cylinder carried by the first frame. For servicing purposes, the second frame is pivoted relative to the first frame to provide access to the paper web, impression cylinder and image cylinder. Upon closing the second frame onto the first frame, the image cylinder defines an open nip with the impression cylinder. The print unit is movable linearly toward the impression cylinder to close the nip into a print condition.

Abstract: A business form having a removable label associated with it is made from a paper ply and a piece of transfer tape. The adhesive face of the transfer tape is attached to the paper ply rear face with the side edges of the transfer tape between tractor openings in the paper ply. At least one die cut is formed in the paper ply front face to define, with adhesive from the transfer tape, at least one label, and preferably a plurality of labels. A perforation may be provided in the paper ply at the interiormost edge of the transfer tape, and at the tractor openings most remote from the transfer tape. The paper ply may be the top ply of a multi ply form. During manufacture of the form, the die cut area surrounding the lables is removed to expose the release portion of the transfer tape, and that part of the form remote from the transfer tape, as well as the labels, can be simultaneously printed as the form is fed through a printer utilizing the tractor openings.

Abstract: A guest check business form will properly align with and be read by conventional guest check processing machines. The top part of a first, heaviest ply of the guest check has machine readable indicia (e.g. bar code) printed on it. Below the bar code second and third plies are attached to the first ply adjacent their top edges, with the bottom edges of all of the plies substantially in alignment. The adhesive attaching these plies is staggered so that at no point along the form is there adhesive more than one layer thick. The adhesive may be repositionable adhesive, or permanent adhesive. With permanent adhesive it is desirable to provide fine perforations in the second and third plies just below the adhesive attachment of them to the first ply. The first ply is preferably carbonless CF paper, the second ply carbonless CFB, and the third ply carbonless CB.

Abstract: An intermediate for a business form can be constructed into a mailer type business form that allows variable return address and addressee information to be printed at the same time that the inside of the mailer is printed. First and second die cut windows are formed in a sheet of paper, with a first flap having a longitudinal edge integral with the paper and adapted to pivot to fill the first die cut window. A second flap is attached to the first, and overlaps it to such an extent that it can be pivoted with the first flap to overlie the second window. The flaps are pivoted inwardly and then printed at the same time that the inside of the mailer is printed, with variable return address information printed on the first flap, and addressee information printed on the second flap portion adapted to overlie the second window. A transparent patch may cover the second window, and the second flap may be adhesively secured in place in contact with the transparent patch.

Abstract: A continuous mailer type business form includes a top ply, a single or multiple part insert ply, and a return envelope. The return envelope comprises first and second plies secured along three edges, with a fourth edge open, and one of the first and second plies is adapted to be folded over the open edge to close it. The second ply comprises marginal areas of adhesive adjacent at least one edge with tear off perforations disposed within the marginal areas of adhesive. The marginal areas of adhesive connect the first and second plies on one side of the perforations, and the second and top plies on the opposite side of the perforations. The insert and first plies are unconnected to the top ply by the marginal areas of adhesive. The marginal areas of adhesive may comprise longitudinally spaced diagonal strips, with the width of the marginal areas of adhesive approximately the same on the opposite sides of the perforations.

Abstract: A return mailer construction includes a first outer part, at least one intermediate part and a second outer part, wherein the first and second outer parts are used as both outgoing and return envelopes, the first outer part having a CB coating on at least a portion of an interior surface thereof, and at least one intermediate form part having a CF coating on at least a portion of a front face thereof. The first outer form part has an address window formed therein, a major portion of the window being separable from the first outer part upon opening of the mailer. The second outer part having a return envelope flap portion formed therein and foldable over at least a remaining portion of the address window in the first outer part. An alignment aperture is provided on the outer form part for alignment with a mark on the intermediate part, thereby insuring proper alignment of the form parts prior to impact printing variable information on the intermediate form part, through the outer form part.

Abstract: A mailer type of business form having a carbonizing bond sheet with a carbon spot on one face, and an insert, is constructed so that the carbonizing bond sheet will remain within the outgoing envelope when the insert is removed. This is accomplished even though the carbon spot goes all the way to the end of the carbonizing sheet by providing thumb notches in the outgoing envelope plies and the carbonizing bond, but not in the insert. The carbonizing bond is stream pasted to the interior top ply of the outgoing envelope to maintain it within the outgoing envelope when the insert is removed. The mailer is constructed in a continuous manner from four vertically aligned webs of paper, with the interior webs having a width less than the top and bottom webs by an amount corresponding to the width of strips of adhesive along the sides of the business forms holding the top and bottom plies together.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide enhanced longevity of the ion cartridge in an MIDAX (silent electric discharge) electrostatic imaging processing system. The conventional ion cartridge comprises a solid dielectric with driver and control electrodes on opposite sides, the second electrode defining a discharge region at the junction of the edge surface of the solid dielectric member. Alternating current is supplied to the electrodes to induce charged particle production electrical discharges. Gas is supplied to the discharge region to replace the vast majority of the air during charge particle generation. The gas is a mixture consisting essentially of nitrogen with an amount of argon, neon, xeon, or krypton effective to provide a catalyst for nitrogen ionization while preventing arcing. Typically, the gas is a mixture of nitrogen and argon in a ratio of about 5 to 1 to about 20 to 1 (e.g. about 10 to 1), with the total gas flow rate to the discharge region about 4.75-6.25 cubic feet per hour.