Abstract: A finisher includes moving devices, which are movably mounted relative to a conveying path for applying additional-workings to a sheet having an image formed surface, such as a folding stopper which adjusts the position for folding the sheet, an aligning device which aligns the edge of sheet being temporarily stacked, and a head unit of a stapler which staples the sheet at a proper position. The finisher retracts or returns the moving devices to their relevant home positions, which are separated by prescribed distances from the conveying path when a jam of a sheet occurs. Accordingly, the finisher forms a space which accepts a user's hand in the neighborhood of the stuck sheet, improves the operational efficiency of removing the sheet, and prevents the user from touching the moving devices and inevitably moving them to abnormal positions.

Abstract: A sealing assembly includes a support roller. The sealing assembly also includes a center roller having a sealing ridge attached thereto which operatively contacts the support roller so as to urge a first enclosure sheet into contact with a second enclosure sheet. The sealing assembly further includes a first edge roller which operatively contacts the support roller so as to urge the first enclosure sheet into contact with the second enclosure sheet. The center roller and the first edge roller are rotatably supported on a common axis. The center roller rotates independently of the first edge roller. A method of sealing an envelope in a document security apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A sealing assembly for sealing an envelope having a first lateral side and a second lateral side includes a support roller. The envelope includes (1) a first enclosure sheet having a first pressure sensitive adhesive thereon, and (2) a second enclosure sheet having a second pressure sensitive adhesive thereon. The sealing assembly also includes a sealing member which is movable between the first lateral side and the second lateral side. The first pressure sensitive adhesive is urged into contact with the second pressure sensitive adhesive by interaction between the sealing member and the support roller when the sealing member is moved between the first lateral side and the second lateral side. A method of sealing an envelope having a first lateral side and a second lateral in a document security apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming a flower pot or a flower pot cover is provided. The method includes the step of providing a sheet of material having an upper surface and a lower surface with at least one of the upper and lower surfaces being a bondably connectable surface. The sheet of material has a label area which has information related to a floral grouping displayed thereon. The method further includes forming the sheet of material into a base having a closed lower end, an open upper end, and an object opening extending through the open upper end and dimensioned to receive a flower pot in which the floral grouping is disposed. The base is formed to have a plurality of overlapping folds that are bondably connected so as to retain the base in a predetermined shape with the information on the label area being viewable when the flower pot is disposed in the object opening.

Abstract: A method for providing confidentiality to a facsimile transmission includes the step of advancing a front enclosure sheet into the print engine. The method also includes the step of printing information associated with a first page of the facsimile transmission onto the front enclosure sheet with the print engine. The method further includes the step of advancing the front enclosure sheet out of the print engine and to an envelope forming station. The method yet further includes the step of advancing a back enclosure sheet to the envelope forming station. Moreover, the method includes the step of securing the back enclosure sheet to the front enclosure sheet so as to form an envelope at the envelope forming station. The method also includes the step of advancing a confidential sheet into the print engine. The method yet further includes the step of printing information associated with a second page of the facsimile transmission onto the confidential sheet with the print engine.

Abstract: Transverse cuts are made in a web using a cutter/anvil combination which is subjected to high frequency vibration, preferable ultrasound. In one arrangement, particularly for cutting tea bag webs, a rotary cutter drum (4) cooperates with an ultrasonically-vibrated anvil 12. The web may be simultaneously sealed and cut by means of a modified drum (202) having sealer/cutter elements (208, 210). In other arrangements, particularly for cutting cork paper on a machine for assembling filter cigarettes, the paper is severed on a drum (106, 122, 192, 350) cooperating with an ultrasonically-vibrated anvil (110, 194, 312) or directly on an ultrasonically-vibrated drum (144, 160, 170, 180).

Abstract: An apparatus for erecting flat blanks into three-dimensional box parts has a machine frame, a bin on the frame holding a stack of the blanks with a lower surface of a lowermost blank largely exposed at a base of the stack, an erecting unit on the frame spaced downstream in a transport direction from the bin, and a conveyor on the frame. The conveyor has at least two spaced endless conveyor elements having upper stretches extending horizontally underneath the bin in the direction, respective suction boxes generally level with the upper stretches, and a drive for advancing the elements in the transport direction. An extractor on the frame underneath the bin includes a vertically displaceable vacuum-operated suction head engageable with the lower surface of the lowermost blank for pulling same out of the bin and setting it on the conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a wax dot comprising a housing enclosing a rotating drum. The drum has at least one hole in its surface for receiving a wax to form the wax dot. The wax dot apparatus further includes a wax channel in the housing to deliver the wax to the hole and a dispenser within the drum to eject the wax dot from the hole. When the hole in the drum is aligned with the wax channel, the dispenser is positioned away from the surface of the drum to allow the wax to fill the hole to form the wax dot. When the hole rotates away from the wax channel the dispenser gradually moves toward the surface of the drum to gradually eject the wax dot from the hole.

Abstract: As a cylindrically formed web of thermoplastic bag-making material is transported longitudinally along a path at a specified speed, a longitudinal sealer with a heater is compressed against and over portions of the material parallel to the path to effect longitudinal sealing. The longitudinal sealer is moved in the meantime along the path at a greater speed in the range of 1.05 to 1.30 times the specified speed of motion of the material such that generation of V-shaped wrinkles known as the chevrons on both sides of the sealed area can be prevented.

Abstract: A mailing envelope with a plurality of inserts is made by imaging variable color indicia on both faces of a paper substrate and imaging sense marks, and reply indicia, on at least one face of the substrate. The sense marks are used to properly align and slit the substrate web into a web of pre-determined width (removing the sense marks), and then label portions are flexographically printed on the first face of the web with magnetic ink. Adhesive and a release liner (e.g. using transfer tape) are applied to the second face of the web at the label portions and the labels are die cut from the label portions. The web is cut into sheets of predetermined length, each sheet including at least one set of labels, and the sheet is buckle folded to form a folded sheet with a plurality of panels in the sheet, at least one panel having a set of labels.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of filters in which a filter material in the rm of a continuous web is pre-embossed, perforated with a laser beam, and then pleated. The pleated filter element is fixed in a subsequent operation in an apparatus and the perforated scrap areas and are removed from the filter element.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for filling and sealing flexible poly bags which are provided on a continuous roll. The apparatus has means for heat sealing filled bags. A drive mechanism conveys the bag into position for filling and sealing thereof. A clamp mechanism draws the bags into contact with the heat sealing means during the sealing process. A reverse actuation mechanism is provided for reversing the drive mechanism while the bag remains clamped so as to detach the bag at a perforation thereof. An interrupt means is also provided for disengaging the clamp mechanism when the clamp mechanism is interfered with by a foreign object. The interrupt means consists of an electrical circuit established through the clamp mechanism frame which circuit is broken when the clamp mechanism contacts a foreign object. Also provided is a guide mechanism for guiding the bags into engagement with the drive mechanism.

Abstract: Medical syringe containment in a telescoping leakproof two-piece container for an individual medical syringe, especially as an inner container enclosing a radiopharmaceutical-filled syringe, and being enclosed in turn within a radiation-shielding outer container useful for shipment to a use location, where the respective containers are uncapped and the syringe is removed and used--whereupon the used syringe is re-inserted into the inner container before recapping, and the outer container is recapped about the recapped inner container and contents, for shipment to a disposal or reclamation site.

Abstract: A device for curling polypropylene ribbon comprises means (12) for delivering a supply of curlable ribbon, curling means (17) for the ribbon, and drive means (31-33) for drawing the ribbon across said curling means. The device may include guide means to control the approach angle of ribbon to the curling means, drag means to impose drag on said ribbon, and shredding means to shred said ribbon subsequent to curling.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for forming seamless cylindrical photosensitive elements of uniform thickness on flexible sleeves. The apparatus for forming a seamless cylindrical photosensitive element of uniform thickness on a flexible sleeve, comprises a mandrel, a mandrel support assembly, a calendering assembly, a drive system and at least a heating element. The methods comprise forming seamless cylindrical photosensitive elements of uniform thickness on flexible sleeves from a stream of molten photopolymerizable material, or a solid or molten sheet of photopolymerizable material. The seamless cylindrical photosensitive elements are formed on polyester sleeves for use on a printing cylinder.

Abstract: A container fixant applicator configured to complement target fixing zones of a container. Caulk is introduced into a container, over portions of the container intended to be fixed. The caulk is activated, flowing between the target surfaces. The caulk cures, fixing the container. The wafer substantially retains its configuration during the fixing of the container. The wafer is configured so that it may not pass through the pour spout of a gable top-type container. Methods for producing and applying the container fixant applicator are also provided.

Abstract: A controlled environment sealing system and method of operating the same. The controlled environment sealing system having a transport system for transporting containers between processors, a lid placement processor positioning lids on the containers, a controlled environment processor providing the containers with a controlled environment and pre-sealing the lids to the containers, and a permanent sealing processor permanently sealing the lids to the containers in a contaminating environment.

Abstract: An improved system for embossing a pattern on an absorbent consumer paper product such as a paper towel includes a first pair of embossing rollers that are patterned to impress a relatively fine preparatory base pattern onto the web, and a second pair of embossing rollers that are patterned to impress a final pattern onto the web. The final pattern is of a type that would cause bursting of the absorbent paper web if the absorbent paper web was passed through the second pair of embossing rollers without first being passed through the first set of embossing rollers. As a result, the formation of the preparatory base pattern by the first set of embossing rollers creates stretchability in the absorbent paper web that enables the final pattern to be impressed thereon by the second pair of embossing rollers without bursting the absorbent paper web.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing paper cushioning members in which work paper is inserted between a pair of intermittent-cutting roller members to process multiple rows of thin bands with link portion. Waste-collecting members are provided at a discharge side of the rollers to separate the work paper from the roller members and to feed the processed work paper into a wave-forming guide. The wave-forming guide includes an upper pressing member that rotates about a hinge positioned at an end nearest to the discharge side of the rollers and a counterweight positioned at a distal end of said upper pressing member such that the upper pressing member is biased toward the interior of the wave-forming guide. The wave-forming guide is designed to forcibly compress the processed work paper into finely crumpled thin bands and to discharge the crumpled thin bands in a wavy form.

Abstract: A web roll wrapping apparatus comprises a shaft for holding a core of a photographic film roll, a folding unit for folding a protruding part of a light-shielding sheet wound around the photographic film roll, a heating unit for heat-sealing the folded part of the sheet, and a cooling unit for cooling the heat-sealed part of the sheet. The photographic film roll is rotated around the shaft, and the protruding part of the light-shielding sheet is folded down onto an end face of the photographic film roll by the folding unit. When passing the heating unit, the folded part is heat-sealed by a heating roller, and when passing the cooling unit, the heat-sealed part is cooled by a cooling roller to be prevented from loosening.