Abstract: An apparatus includes a first feed path configured to transport an envelope from an input at an envelope supply to an insertion location, and a second feed path configured to transport the envelope with a mail piece insert therein from the insertion location to an output. The first and second feed paths intersect at an intersection spaced from the insertion location. The paths are angled relative to each other at the intersection.

Abstract: An item transport system includes an input transport for receiving items along a first transport path, an angle transport for conveying the items along a second transport path disposed at an angle with respect to the first transport path, an alignment transport for conveying the items along a third transport path disposed at approximately 90 degrees to the first transport path, and an alignment surface for engaging the items while the items are conveyed in the alignment transport. The alignment transport may include an alignment nip comprising a driven element and an idler element for engaging opposing surfaces of the items, a manifold, a source providing pressurized gas to the manifold, and an orifice in the manifold proximate to the third transport path, wherein the idler element is disposed in the orifice.

Abstract: A system for feeding and processing documents includes a document transport system adapted to transport documents to document processing stations. A fastening device detecting station is connected to the transport system and is adapted to detect a fastening device securing together pages of a document. A fastening device removing station is connected to the transport system. The fastening device removing station is adapted to remove a fastening device securing together pages of a document. A scanning station is connected to the transport system. The scanning station is adapted to scan the pages of a document. A page flipping station is connected to the transport system. The page flipping station is adapted to flip pages of a document having a fastening device securing together pages of a document such that each document pages is positioned to be scanned at the scanning station.

Abstract: A feeding mechanism for feeding a web of paper in a paper handling system includes a feeding nip assembly having a driven roller structured to be rotatably driven about a first axis, and an idler roller structured to rotate about a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis. In addition, the feeding nip assembly is structured to apply a force to the idler roller to push the idler roller toward the driven roller. The force is applied in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis. The idler roller is also structured to pivot about a third axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the second axis, and the direction of the force.

Abstract: An apparatus including a belt support system having a first belt support roller and a system for automatically moving the first belt support roller. The belt support system partially wraps a continuous belt on a belt drive roller. The belt support system includes the first belt support roller at an upstream side of the belt drive roller and a second belt support roller at a downstream side. The system for moving the first belt support roller moves the first roller from a first location relative to the belt drive roller to a second different location, based upon a predetermined load of the belt on the first belt support roller to thereby reduce an amount of wrap of the belt on the belt drive roller and reduce a length of the belt located proximate to the belt drive roller between the first and second belt support rollers.

Abstract: A system for detecting wear in a gripper chain of a chain conveyor is provided. The system includes an optical sensing system having a detection path located vertically beneath a portion of the gripper chain at a predetermined location. The detection path is located such that, when the gripper chain becomes elongated and droops a predetermined amount due to wear of the gripper chain, the sensing system senses the presence of the gripper chain in the detection path.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for cutting and processing sheets from a web of printed material comprising first and second side-by-side portions of sheets along a length of the web. A first transport is arranged to transport the web in a first horizontal direction. A web splitter splits portions of the web as they are transported on the first transport. An extended path transport, in line with the first transport, transports the second portion of the web in an extended path. A direct path transport, in line with the first transport, transports the first portion of the web on a more direct path. As a result of these different paths sheets within the first and second web portions are re-sequenced in a manner suitable for processing by downstream modules, such as a right angle turn module.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling mailpieces produced by a mailpiece insertion system, comprising at least one mailpiece stacking assembly and a combination support/conveyor deck. The mailpiece stacking assembly accepts a plurality of mailpieces, i.e., as they are created by a mailpiece insertion system, and aligns the mailpieces to define a mailpiece stack. The support/conveyor deck is operative to convey mailpiece containers along a mailpiece handling path and includes loading and transport sections. The loading section is, furthermore, adapted to alternately reposition each of the mailpiece containers from an in-plane position to an out-of-plane position relative to the mailpiece handling path. The in-plane position is operative to transport the mailpiece containers along the mailpiece handling path while the out-of-plane position is operative to spatially reposition each of the mailpiece containers for alignment with a side edge of the mailpiece stack.

Abstract: A vacuum deck for a mailpiece insertion module including a plurality of friction drive belts, a support plate slideably supporting the drive belts, a repositionable backstop assembly disposed along the feed path of the envelope for arresting the motion of the envelope when disposed in a first position and permitting the conveyance along the feed path when disposed in a second position, a means for developing a pressure differential across the envelope for urging the envelope into frictional engagement with the friction drive belts, and a breaker plate disposed over and across an upstream portion of the friction drive belts to reduce friction drive forces developed along an upstream end portion of the envelope. In another embodiment of the invention, the pressure differential means is bifurcated such that the pressure differential developed across the breaker plate is lower than the pressure differential developed along the support plate and downstream of the breaker plate.

Abstract: A paper cutting system includes a cutting assembly, a transport moving a web through the cutting assembly, a vacuum plenum utilizing a vacuum source to control the web moving through the cutting assembly, an air source providing purge air to the cutting assembly for removal of debris, and a heat exchanger normalizing a temperature of the purge air with respect to a temperature of ambient air prior to the purge air reaching the cutting assembly. The heat exchanger may be operated using the vacuum source.

Abstract: System and methods of controlling a plurality of motors based on a motor motion attribute, such as rotor position, velocity, or acceleration, which simulate the properties of a mechanical differential, including a pure differential, a limited slip differential, and/or a locking differential. The method may be employed in a number of applications, including, without limitation, a paper handling system, such as an inserter, to control the nips of a pinless cutter of an inserter, and in a vehicle.

Abstract: A sheet material feeder includes a sheet material web, a vacuum box applying a tension force to a portion of the sheet material web extending into the vacuum box by applying a first vacuum force on the sheet material web, a first drive feeding the sheet material web into the vacuum box, a second drive pulling the sheet material web out of the vacuum box, and a system for applying a braking force to the sheet material web proximate to the vacuum box only during a decelerating movement of the sheet material web at the second drive.

Abstract: An apparatus for inverting the spatial orientation of sheet material from a desired input to a desired output orientation. The apparatus includes a cage assembly, a torque drive mechanism operative to rotate the cage assembly about a rotational axis and a sheet conveyance mechanism mounting to the cage assembly for conveying sheet material along the rotational axis of the cage assembly. The torque drive mechanism is adapted to assume input and output positions about the rotational axis wherein each position corresponds to the desired input and output orientations of the sheet material. The sheet conveyance mechanism is, further, adapted to: (i) receive sheet material when the cage assembly is in the input position, (ii) eject sheet material when the cage assembly is in the output position and (iii) retard the movement of the sheet material in response to rotation of the cage assembly by the torque drive mechanism.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are for decelerating a sheet of paper in a paper-cutting system. The sheet of paper is cut using a cutter, and the sheet is then accepted into a take-away nip. The take-away nip is operated at an initial rate in order to move the sheet of paper away from the cutter at an initial speed. The take-away nip is then operated at a rate decreasing to a final rate, in order to decelerate the sheet of paper to a final speed by the time the sheet of paper exits the take-away nip. The take-away nip is subsequently operated at the initial rate again, prior to accepting another sheet of paper at the initial speed.

Abstract: A method and system for assessing when to change or sharpen a cutting blade of a paper cutter is presented. The cutting blade is operated using an electric motor that causes motion of the cutting blade, and the motion of the cutting blade causes the paper to be cut. Data is recorded about usage of the electric motor at least while cutting the paper. Based upon the data, a determination is made as to whether the cutting blade should be changed or sharpened.

Abstract: An apparatus for inverting the spatial orientation of sheet material from a desired input to a desired output orientation. The apparatus includes a cage assembly, a torque drive mechanism operative to rotate the cage assembly about a rotational axis and a sheet conveyance mechanism mounting to the cage assembly for conveying sheet material along the rotational axis of the cage assembly. The torque drive mechanism is adapted to assume input and output positions about the rotational axis wherein each position corresponds to the desired input and output orientations of the sheet material. The sheet conveyance mechanism is, further, adapted to: (i) receive sheet material when the cage assembly is in the input position, (ii) eject sheet material when the cage assembly is in the output position and (iii) retard the movement of the sheet material in response to rotation of the cage assembly by the torque drive mechanism.

Abstract: A method for creating mailpieces from a single web of printed material. The web of printed material includes printed matter to be used on envelopes, and other printed matter to be used on mail content to be included in the envelopes. The content pages are rectangular in shape and may be oriented relative to the envelope sheets in a number of different configurations. In some configurations, two sets of content pages and/or envelope sheets can be printed across the width of the web. The method starts with cutting consecutive sections of the web into separated sheets. Some of the separated sheets are envelope sheets including envelope printed matter, and some of the sheets are mail content sheets including mail content printed matter. The method includes cutting variable sized sheets depending on whether a sheet is a mail content sheet, or an envelope sheet. The method further includes cutting variable sized envelope sheets depending on the size of the mailpieces.

Abstract: A method for creating mailpieces from a single web of printed material. The web of printed material includes printed matter to be used on envelopes, and other printed matter to be used on mail content to be included in the envelopes. The content pages are rectangular in shape and may be oriented relative to the envelope sheets in a number of different configurations. In some configurations, two sets of content pages and/or envelope sheets can be printed across the width of the web. The method starts with cutting consecutive sections of the web into separated sheets. Some of the separated sheets are envelope sheets including envelope printed matter, and some of the sheets are mail content sheets including mail content printed matter. The method includes cutting variable sized sheets depending on whether a sheet is a mail content sheet, or an envelope sheet. The method further includes cutting variable sized envelope sheets depending on the size of the mailpieces.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for cutting and processing sheets from a web of printed material comprising first and second side-by-side portions of sheets along a length of the web. A first transport is arranged to transport the web in a first horizontal direction. A web splitter splits portions of the web as they are transported on the first transport. An extended path transport, in line with the first transport, transports the second portion of the web in an extended path. A direct path transport, in line with the first transport, transports the first portion of the web on a more direct path. As a result of these different paths sheets within the first and second web portions are re-sequenced in a manner suitable for processing by downstream modules, such as a right angle turn module.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling mailpieces produced by a mailpiece insertion system, comprising at least one mailpiece stacking assembly and a combination support/conveyor deck. The mailpiece stacking assembly accepts a plurality of mailpieces, i.e., as they are created by a mailpiece insertion system, and aligns the mailpieces to define a mailpiece stack. The support/conveyor deck is operative to convey mailpiece containers along a mailpiece handling path and includes loading and transport sections. The loading section is, furthermore, adapted to alternately reposition each of the mailpiece containers from an in-plane position to an out-of-plane position relative to the mailpiece handling path. The in-plane position is operative to transport the mailpiece containers along the mailpiece handling path while the out-of-plane position is operative to spatially reposition each of the mailpiece containers for alignment with a side edge of the mailpiece stack.