Abstract: An extractor for removing contents from pre-opened envelopes which have two panels connected along three side edges and contents disposed in juxtaposition therebetween comprises an envelope magazine, a vacuum feed mechanism for sequentially withdrawing envelopes from the magazine and feeding the envelopes to cutter assemblies, which severs each successive envelope along opposite side edges to separate the panels thereof along said opposite side edges. The cutter assemblies feed the envelope into a separating mechanism which includes a rotatable vacuum drum. One panel of the envelope is gripped by and moves with the rotating drum whereas the other envelope panel and the envelope contents move away from the drum in a direction generally tangent to the drum.

Abstract: A circuit is disclosed for monitoring the output voltage of a magnetic pickup and for producing output signals representing the valid detection of bars of magnetized ink moved past the pickup. The circuit is capable of detecting and providing correct output data from input signals ranging from relatively weak signals of low amplitude to relatively strong signals which are of high amplitude and include overshoot pulses of substantial amplitude. The circuit is disclosed in association with a system for sorting envelopes containing inserts coded with bars of magnetic ink, the output of the signal detecting circuit being used as the input to a sorter logic controlling a sorter mechanism.

Abstract: A device for checking supposedly emptied envelopes for documents, as the envelopes are fed in spaced end-to-end relationship past an inspection station, consists of three sensors at the inspection station arranged along a line perpendicular to the envelope path to sense the opacity of each envelope along three zones located respectively near the top, near the bottom and near the center of the envelope. The output of the center sensor serves as a reference for the top and bottom sensors and a signal processing circuit connected with the sensors produces a suspect signal, indicating the suspected presence of a document in an envelope, when the output of either the top or bottom sensor compares unfavorably with that of the center sensor for an amount of time sufficient to make the device insensitive to short duration opacity differences caused by overlapping envelope seams.

Abstract: A table top extractor unit for removing contents from previously opened envelopes which have two panels connected along three side edges comprises a chadless cutter assembly and a vacuum feed mechanism for sequentially feeding envelopes to a transport conveyor which advances each successive envelope into the cutter assembly. The cutter assembly cuts through one panel of the envelope to sever the one panel from the other along opposite connected edges and simultaneously conveys the envelope to a vacuum separator drum located at the front end of the machine. The rotatable drum grips one panel of the envelope and carries the envelope past a stationary deflector or chute which enters between the envelope panels to cause the other panel to be folded back and into a trailing position relative to the one panel allowing the contents of the envelope to drop from juxtaposition between the panels and travel down the chute.

Abstract: A device for inspecting envelopes for enclosed contents consists of a conveyor for feeding the envelopes one at a time past an inspection station whereat the opacity of an envelope is sensed at two zones spaced from one another along a line perpendicular to the direction of envelope movement. The signals produced by the sensors are processed to produce a signal indicating the suspected presence of a document within an envelope as a result of differences in the opacities sensed by the two sensors and caused by such enclosed document, the system however compensating for opacity changes caused by seams in the envelopes and by differences in the opacities of the materials from which different envelopes are made. A gate mechanism operable in response to the production or non-production of a suspect signal as each envelope passes the inspection station segregates envelopes suspected of containing documents from those not so suspected.