Abstract: An envelope sealing apparatus for sealing an envelope having a main body and a sealable flap foldable about a hinge between the flap and main body, and sealable thereto. The apparatus comprises a feed path along which an envelope can be fed; a driving means associated with the feed path for feeding an envelope along the feed path; a flap securing means cooperative with the driving means to secure an open envelope flap in contact with the driving means; and a flap sealing means cooperative with the driving means to seal the flap to the main body when the driving means drives the envelope in a flap sealing direction along the feed path. A mail piece creation device incorporating such an envelope sealer is further provided, along with corresponding methods.

Abstract: A system for dispensing tabs from a carrier substrate, each of the tabs having an adhesive backing for securing the tabs in spaced-apart relation to the carrier substrate. The system includes an input mechanism operative to supply an input stream of the tab stock and an output mechanism operative to accept and take away an output stream of carrier substrate from the tab stock supplied by the input mechanism. The system further includes a peeler bar having first and second surfaces disposed on the periphery of the peeler bar. The peeler bar, furthermore is interposed between the input and output streams such that the underside surface of the carrier substrate slideably engages the first and second peripheral surfaces. The first peripheral surface has an arcuate shape along an elongate axis of the peeler bar and is oriented relative to the second peripheral surface so as to effect an abrupt directional change with respect to the input and output streams.

Abstract: A method is provided for configuring a mailpiece creation system to minimize system set-up, mitigate errors and reduce the skill level required to perform tabbing operations. The method includes the steps of (i) determining a fold configuration of the sheet material employed in the creation of a mailpiece, (ii) determining the dimension of an adhesive tab for securing a free edge of the sheet material, (iii) determining a target location for the placement of each adhesive tab relative to the free edge of the folded sheet material, (iv) configuring at least one system parameter of the mailpiece creation system in accordance with at the fold configuration, adhesive tab dimension, and/or target location, and (v) executing a mail run job by the mailpiece creation system.

Abstract: A linkage arrangement for handling sheets in a sheet accumulator including an accumulation gate and a locking over center mechanism. The accumulation gate pivotally mounts to a support structure of the accumulator and includes a stop surface for traversing the sheet path. The stop surface is movable between an interference position and a release position wherein the interference position inhibits the travel of sheets along the sheet path, and the release position releases the sheets for continued travel along the sheet path. The locking over center mechanism includes longitudinally aligned actuating and connecting arms. The actuating arm pivotally mounts to the support structure about a rotational axis while the connecting arm pivotally mounts to the accumulation gate at one end and pivotally mounts to the actuating arm at the other end. The locking over center mechanism inhibits motion of the accumulation gate in response to a force applied to the accumulation surface.

Abstract: An envelope sealing apparatus for sealing an envelope having a main body and a sealable flap foldable about a hinge between the flap and main body, and sealable thereto. The apparatus comprises a feed path along which an envelope can be fed; a driving means associated with the feed path for feeding an envelope along the feed path; a flap securing means cooperative with the driving means to secure an open envelope flap in contact with the driving means; and a flap sealing means cooperative with the driving means to seal the flap to the main body when the driving means drives the envelope in a flap sealing direction along the feed path. A mail piece creation device incorporating such an envelope sealer is further provided, along with corresponding methods.

Abstract: There is provided a sheet handling machine comprising: a drive source; a first driven shaft arranged to receive drive from the drive source at least when the drive source drives in a first direction of rotation; a feed roller shaft; a feed roller mounted on the feed roller shaft for feeding sheets when the feed roller shaft is driven; and a rotatably supported drive transmission for selectively engaging drive transmission from the first driven shaft to the feed roller shaft in dependence upon the rotational position of the drive transmission. A mailpiece creation apparatus is also provided, illustrating one application of such a machine, as well as associated methods for sheet handling and mailpiece creation.

Abstract: A tabbing apparatus to dispense tabs from a carrier substrate and facilitate the loading of tab stock internally of the tabbing apparatus. The tabbing apparatus includes an input mechanism operative to supply and convey a stream of tab stock and an output mechanism operative to accept and take away the stream of tab stock supplied by the input mechanism. The tabbing apparatus further includes a peeler bar operative to dispense adhesive tabs from a carrier substrate, and a displacement mechanism for repositioning the peeler bar from a loading position to a dispensing position. The displacement mechanism, is furthermore, operative to disengage the peeler bar from the stream of tab stock while in the loading position and engage the peeler bar with the stream of tab stock while in the dispensing position.

Abstract: A system for dispensing tabs from a carrier substrate, each of the tabs having an adhesive backing for securing the tabs in spaced-apart relation to the carrier substrate. The system includes an input mechanism operative to supply an input stream of the tab stock and an output mechanism operative to accept and take away an output stream of carrier substrate from the tab stock supplied by the input mechanism. The system further includes a peeler bar having first and second surfaces disposed on the periphery of the peeler bar. The peeler bar, furthermore is interposed between the input and output streams such that the underside surface of the carrier substrate slideably engages the first and second peripheral surfaces. The first peripheral surface has an arcuate shape along an elongate axis of the peeler bar and is oriented relative to the second peripheral surface so as to effect an abrupt directional change with respect to the input and output streams.

Abstract: A method is provided for configuring a mailpiece creation system to minimize system set-up, mitigate errors and reduce the skill level required to perform tabbing operations. The method includes the steps of (i) determining a fold configuration of the sheet material employed in the creation of a mailpiece, (ii) determining the dimension of an adhesive tab for securing a free edge of the sheet material, (iii) determining a target location for the placement of each adhesive tab relative to the free edge of the folded sheet material, (iv) configuring at least one system parameter of the mailpiece creation system in accordance with at the fold configuration, adhesive tab dimension, and/or target location, and (v) executing a mail run job by the mailpiece creation system.

Abstract: A feedback sensing system for positioning and dispensing adhesive tabs to secure the free edges of a folded sheet material. The feedback sensing system comprises: (i) a drive mechanism for adaptively driving tab stock around a peeler bar of a tabbing head, (ii) a sensing device for detecting the position of each adhesive tab relative to an edge of the peeler bar, and (iii) a controller for adaptively controlling the drive mechanism based upon a position signal to optimally pre-position each adhesive tab relative to the edge of the peeler bar for dispensing each adhesive tab.

Abstract: There is disclosed a sheet re-circulating accumulator (10) comprising: an inlet feed path (20) to an accumulation location (30); an outlet feed path (40); a sheet circulation path (60) defined by stationary sheet guide means (62, 64, 66, 68); and sheet driving means (32, 70, 72, 74, 76) associated with the sheet circulation path (60) for selectively advancing a partial accumulation (P) of one or more sheets (S) at the accumulation location (30) around the sheet circulation path (60), so that the partial accumulation (P) is guided by the stationary sheet guide means (62, 64, 66, 68) at the leading edge of the partial accumulation (P) while being driven, and back to the accumulation location (30) to accumulate the next sheet (S) fed from the inlet feed path (20) with the partial accumulation (P), and delivering an accumulation (A) of sheets (S) along said outlet feed path (40).

Abstract: A sheet feeder for feeding sheets one-at-a-time along a path having: a feeder/separator for engaging the sheets and feeding them one-at-a-time along the path whilst remaining sheets not being fed along the path are halted by the separator; and a clearance mechanism for engaging the remaining sheets and removing them from the separator region in a sheet clearance process.

Abstract: There is provided an envelope sealing apparatus for sealing an envelope (E) having a main body (m) and a sealable flap (f) at one end of the main body foldable about a hinge (h) between the flap and main body, the flap being sealable to said main body under applied pressure when folded about said hinge into contact with the main body, the apparatus comprising: a feed path along which an envelope can be fed; driving means associated with said feed path for, at least in part, feeding an envelope along said feed path; flap securing means cooperative with said driving means to secure an open envelope flap in contact with the driving means; and flap sealing means cooperative with said driving means to seal the flap to the main body when the driving means drives the envelope in a flap sealing direction along the feed path, wherein said driving means is movable from a flap securing position to a flap sealing position, the driving means being operable, in use of the sealing apparatus: (i) to secure an open envelope f

Abstract: There is provided a sheet handling machine (1) comprising: a drive source (300); a first driven shaft (336, 384) arranged to receive drive from said drive source at least when said drive source drives in a first direction of rotation; a feed roller shaft (339, 390); a feed roller (102, 202) mounted on said feed roller shaft for feeding sheets (S) when said feed roller shaft is driven; and rotatably supported drive transmission means (500, 526, 600, 612) for selectively engaging drive transmission from said first driven shaft to said feed roller shaft in dependence upon the rotational position of said drive transmission means. A mailpiece creation apparatus is also provided, illustrating one application of such a machine, as well as associated methods for sheet handling and mailpiece creation.

Abstract: There is disclosed a sheet re-circulating accumulator (10) comprising: an inlet feed path (20) to an accumulation location (30); an outlet feed path (40); a sheet circulation path (60) defined by stationary sheet guide means (62, 64, 66, 68); and sheet driving means (32, 70, 72, 74, 76) associated with the sheet circulation path (60) for selectively advancing a partial accumulation (P) of one or more sheets (S) at the accumulation location (30) around the sheet circulation path (60), so that the partial accumulation (P) is guided by the stationary sheet guide means (62, 64, 66, 68) at the leading edge of the partial accumulation (P) while being driven, and back to the accumulation location (30) to accumulate the next sheet (S) fed from the inlet feed path (20) with the partial accumulation (P), and delivering an accumulation (A) of sheets (S) along said outlet feed path (40).

Abstract: A sheet handling apparatus for feeding a sequential plurality of sheets having a sheet feed path for guiding sheets in a sheet feeding direction through the apparatus, the apparatus comprising rollers for driving sheets along the sheet feed path, and a trailing edge deflector deflecting means located on the sheet feed path, the trailing edge deflector being arranged to deflect the trailing edge of a leading sheet to ensure overlap by a following sheet on a predetermined side of the leading sheet.

Abstract: An accumulator apparatus for paper collations having an accumulation chamber for receiving sheet material, the chamber defined by a fixed guide on one side, a movable guide on the other side and a movable stop member at one end. Rollers are included for driving the sheet material against the stop member, and gates are provided for moving the movable guide between a first position in which it is spaced from the fixed guide by a gap sufficiently small to prevent buckling of the sheet material as it is driven by the rollers against the stop member, and a second position in which the movable guide is spaced away from the fixed guide for discharge of the sheet material from the chamber.

Abstract: A handle for attachment to a rotational shaft, the handle comprising a lever handle, for attachment to the rotational shaft for aiding application of torque to the shaft, and an alignment boss, separate from the lever handle, for attaching the lever handle to the shaft and for aligning the lever handle at a predetermined orientation with respect to an alignment feature of the shaft.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for feeding sheets one-at-a-time along a path is disclosed having: means for storing a plurality of sheets; a feeder/separator comprising feeding means for engaging the sheets and feeding them from the means for storing and a separator for engaging sheets fed by the feeding means to thereby feed single ones of the sheets one-at-a-time along the path whilst remaining sheets not being fed along the path are halted by the separator; and a clearance mechanism for engaging said remaining sheets and removing them from the separator region in a sheet clearance process.

Abstract: A handle for attachment to a rotational shaft, the handle comprising a lever handle, for attachment to the rotational shaft for aiding application of torque to the shaft, and an alignment boss, separate from the lever handle, for attaching the lever handle to the shaft and for aligning the lever handle at a predetermined orientation with respect to an alignment feature of the shaft.