Abstract: By providing an apparatus having a plurality of sheet feeders, each having a tray elongate in top plan view for supporting a stack of elongate sheets, wherein a tray can be displaced in an outward direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the sheet feeders, it is made possible for a tray displaced in an outward direction to be tilted over a relatively large angle at a given vertical clearance from the other sheet feeders.

Abstract: A holder of an apparatus for individually separating flat items from stacks comprises a first separating structure for individually separating outer flat items from one of the stacks at one end of the holder and a second separating structure for individually separating outer flat items from another stack at the opposite end of the holder. At least one urging member is at least partially positioned between the two separating structures for urging at least one of the stacks in the holder towards one end of the holder. A method for separating flat items from two stacks in a holder is also described.

Abstract: In an inserting apparatus an envelope holder comprises a first envelope support connecting to a document feed path, for holding an envelope in a filling position in or against a first surface, and a second envelope support connecting to an envelope discharge path, for carrying another envelope in or against a second surface and in an overlapping relation with an envelope simultaneously held in the filling position. Also described is a method in which an envelope to be filled is brought into the filling position before the preceding, filled envelope has left a feed-through path and this envelope brought into the filling position temporarily overlaps the filled envelope. The proposed apparatus and method enable an increased processing capacity.

Abstract: An inserting apparatus comprises an envelope holder for holding an envelope in a filling position, a document feed path and a flap holder for holding a flap of an envelope in an open position. On the side of the document supply path where the flap holder is also located, the most downstream roller is formed by a return pulley of a conveyor belt. Owing to a conveyor belt being trained over the most downstream roller on that side of the document feed path where the flap holder is also located, a small roller can be used without this leading to run-in problems. The documents are moreover forcefully advanced at the end of the document feed path into a nip between two rollers.