Abstract: A device for handling documents comprising a housing containing at least three document receiving stations for shredding a document, folding a document, punching holes in a document, fastening a document, and opening an envelope. The stations corresponding to the shredding means, the folding means, and the envelope means may be adjacent, such that they may be driven by a common drive motor. The common motor enables the device to be compact, such that it may be placed on desk for easy access.

Abstract: A mailing machine including a scanner for detecting data marks printed on documents to be mailed for conveying control information to the machine, for example in the manner known as the “Optical Mark Recognition” system. The machine includes a memory buffer for storing data concerning the marks if the user inputs data indicating that the reference or “gate” mark is at the end of the group of marks. The data may then be read from the buffer in the reverse order. Thus, the data marks may be printed in the same position on all documents regardless of the fold configuration, and thus feed orientation, which is required.