Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus for folding sheets comprising a curved conveyance path along which the sheets are moved successively in first and second opposite directions, the curved conveyance path being such that the sheets cannot naturally register to reach a folding position by simple effect of gravity, wherein to register the sheets before to fold them transport rollers having loaded the sheets in the first direction moves back in the second opposite direction for compressing the sheets against an adjustable low stop member to generate an elastic deformation of the sheets sufficient to compensate friction in the curved conveyance path and automatically register the sheets.

Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus for folding sheets comprising a curved conveyance path along which the sheets are moved successively in first and second opposite directions, the curved conveyance path being such that the sheets cannot naturally register to reach a folding position by simple effect of gravity, wherein to register the sheets before to fold them transport rollers having loaded the sheets in the first direction moves back in the second opposite direction for compressing the sheets against an adjustable low stop member to generate an elastic deformation of the sheets sufficient to compensate friction in the curved conveyance path and automatically register the sheets.

Abstract: A mailpiece feed device designed to be mounted upstream from a franking machine, and comprising at least a mailpiece feed zone for receiving a stack of mailpieces of various formats supported by a first plurality of drive rollers and a separation zone for individually selecting the mailpieces and having a second plurality of drive rollers, at least first clutch means E3 being provided for actuating said first plurality of drive rollers, said mailpiece feed device further comprising at least one sensor CN for detecting passage of said mailpieces as they enter said separation zone, and control means for subjecting said first clutch means to forced deactivation followed by an activation/deactivation series so long as the sensor CN is not activated, so as to cause a rapid succession of horizontal movements generating jerky motion on said stack, conducive to facilitating mutual separation of said mailpieces.

Abstract: A method of measuring the maximum thickness of a mailpiece while it is moving through a mail-handling machine. The method includes: acquiring a thickness measurement; recording the measured value in a register; determining a maximum value and a minimum value of the register; determining a difference between said maximum value and minimum value, and comparing the difference with a predetermined threshold value; and if the difference is less than the threshold value, and if the maximum value is greater than a current maximum thickness value, taking the maximum value as the new current maximum thickness value for the mailpiece.

Abstract: In a mailpiece feed device designed to be mounted upstream from a franking machine, and comprising at least a mailpiece feed zone for receiving a stack of mailpieces supported by a plurality of drive rollers and a separation zone for individually selecting the mailpieces, there are provided control means for varying the speed of rotation of said plurality of drive rollers when, at the outlet of said separation zone, a measurement of a gap between successive mailpieces differs from a predefined gap by a predetermined correction threshold.

Abstract: A mailpiece feed device designed to be mounted upstream from a franking machine, and comprising at least a mailpiece feed zone for receiving a stack of mailpieces of various formats supported by a first plurality of drive rollers and a separation zone for individually selecting the mailpieces and having a second plurality of drive rollers, at least first clutch means E3 being provided for actuating said first plurality of drive rollers, said mailpiece feed device further comprising at least one sensor CN for detecting passage of said mailpieces as they enter said separation zone, and control means for subjecting said first clutch means to forced deactivation followed by an activation/deactivation series so long as the sensor CN is not activated, so as to cause a rapid succession of horizontal movements generating jerky motion on said stack, conducive to facilitating mutual separation of said mailpieces.

Abstract: A method of measuring the maximum thickness of a mailpiece while it is moving through a mail-handling machine, the method consisting in the following successive steps: acquiring a thickness measurement; recording the measured value in a register; determining a maximum value and a minimum value of said register; determining a difference between said maximum value and said minimum value, and comparing said difference with a predetermined threshold value; and if said difference is less than said threshold value, and if said maximum value is greater than a current maximum thickness value, taking said maximum value as the new current maximum thickness value for the mailpiece.

Abstract: Automated process for producing booklets from digital documents associated with these booklets and having to be printed beforehand, wherein firstly the number of pages in the booklet to be bound is determined on the basis of the recognition of first control signals extracted from the associated digital document, then, if this number is greater than the predetermined maximum number of elementary booklets which is then appropriate to create in order to form the booklet to be bound, on the one hand, and the number of pages in each,of these elementary booklets, on the other hand, are determined and, finally, each of the elementary booklets thus determined is printed and then bound, separately and successively. The number of pages in each of the elementary booklets is determined on the basis of the recognition of second control signals extracted from the digital document.

Abstract: A system for preparing mail items, the system comprising a general-purpose computer for preparing a document to be sent, a secure metering device connected to the general-purpose computer via a secure link so as to send it postage metering or “franking” information, a printer connected to the general-purpose computer so as to print both the document to be sent, and at least a destination address for the document and a postage imprint on an envelope that is to receive the document, and a folder/inserter connected both to the printer and to the general-purpose computer so as to receive and fold the printed document and so as to insert it into the corresponding franked envelope.

Abstract: The inverter makes it possible to use a very simple conveyor for coupling the outlet of a printer in a word processor system to the inlet of a folder-inserter, even though the printer outputs printed pages in an order that is unsuitable for direct insertion into envelopes. The inverter includes a read/write memory in which the sequence of binary words representing the text of a letter is stored as it is output by the word processor system, with the address of the beginning of each page of text being identified. These binary words are played back, page by page, with the pages being played back in inverted order of text pages, but with the characters making up the pages being played back within each page in their initial order. The invention is applicable to folder-inserters for preparing mail.

Abstract: A system for preparing mail items, the system comprising a general-purpose computer for preparing a document to be sent, a secure metering device connected to the general-purpose computer via a secure link so as to send it postage metering or “franking” information, a printer connected to the general-purpose computer so as to print both the document to be sent, and at least a destination address for the document and a postage imprint on an envelope that is to receive the document, and a folder/inserter connected both to the printer and to the general-purpose computer so as to receive and fold the printed document and so as to insert it into the corresponding franked envelope.

Abstract: A folder and/or inserter machine of the type comprising a first path coupled to a document inlet and feeding a folder module, a second path coupled to an empty-envelope inlet and feeding an inserter module itself coupled to the folder module, a third path coupled to an outlet for stuffed and closed envelope and to the inserter module, and a fourth path coupled to an advertising leaflet and/or reply envelope inlet and feeding the inserter module via the folder module, an envelope and document main inlet further being coupled via a switching module firstly to the first document path and secondly to an alternative empty-envelope path.

Abstract: A folder and inserter machine comprises a tray for receiving documents to be folded and a folding mechanism having a folding abutment whose position is adjustable under the control of a processor. A pointer member is moved along the document to be folded present in the tray to pick up the distance between the bottom of the document and an address block on the document. The processor connected to the pointer member is organized to compute data representative of fold dimensions for the document on the basis of the distance provided thereto by the pointer member so as to adjust the position of the abutment automatically.

Abstract: An office machine for processing mail items includes mechanical elements for folding mail items and inserting them in envelopes and a data processing unit operating under the control of a configuration program to place the mechanical elements of the machine in a particular operating mode in accordance with configuration data. An interface receives a portable external element including a memory and inserted into an opening in the machine at the location of the interface means. The processing unit reads configuration data previously stored in the memory of the portable element when the machine is switched on with the portable element present in the interface means in order to place the mechanical elements of the machine in the operating mode corresponding to the configuration data.