Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for aligning the leading and trailing edges in abutting relationship of two adjacent webs preparatory to splicing the abutting edges together with adhesive tape, and for perforating the tape subsequent to being applied to the adjacent web wedges along the seam formed by the web edges. The apparatus comprises a fixture adapted to lie on a flat surface for holding the trailing and leading edge portions of a pair of preceding and succeeding tapes securely in place with the end edges thereof abutting so that a piece of adhesive tape can be applied thereto. The apparatus also comprises a device which cooperates with a guide on the fixture for perforating the tape along the seam formed by the aforementioned edges so that the web sheets can be separated by feeding the web into a bursting machine or otherwise.

Abstract: Apparatus for singulating paper sheets. The apparatus includes: a deck for supporting a plurality of paper sheets; a device for feeding the plurality of paper sheets along the deck; a retarding roller situated above the deck for retarding the plurality of paper sheets; and a feeding roller situated below the retarding roller for feeding the lowermost of the paper sheets past the retarding roller, which has a metal sleeve with a grit coating having a hardness on the Rockwell "C" scale of at least 60 and a grit size according to the U.S. Standard System between 10 and 320.

Abstract: In an envelope stuffing apparatus which has an enclosure inserting station and includes a deck at the inserting station, side guides coupled to the deck, structure for delivering an enclosure along the deck, structure for feeding an envelope to the inserting station, structure for opening the envelope, and structure for inserting an enclosure into the envelope and for removing the envelope from the inserting station, and wherein said opening structure includes structure for supporting the flap of the envelope above the deck, there is an improvement in the inserting structure for handling different style envelopes. The improvement comprises an adjustable section of the deck comprising a center deck plate adjustably mounted for being positioned adjacent to a specific throat opening of the envelope. The center deck plate is on a horizontal plane slightly higher than a plane of horizontal members of a pair of throat openers.