Patents by Inventor Thomas M. Helit

Thomas M. Helit has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6062003
    Abstract: In a mailing machine which transports along a feed path a mailpiece having a moistened flap and a main body portion, a sealing and deskewing device comprising structure for transporting the mailpiece through the mailing machine; a first roller mounted for rotation and having a first roller surface; and a second roller mounted for rotation and having a conical segment and at least one other segment, wherein at times when the mailpiece is transported between the first and second rollers in a skewed orientation relative to the feed path the conical segment operatively cooperates with the transporting means to deskew the mailpiece relative to the feed path and concurrently the first roller surface operatively cooperates with the at least one other segment to apply pressure to the moistened flap to seal the moistened flap to the main body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald C. Freeman, Thomas M. Helit
  • Patent number: 5397119
    Abstract: In apparatus for feeding respective sheets including framework and a deck mounted thereon for supporting a plurality of sheets in an upright stack thereof, wherein the deck defines a path of travel for respective lowermost sheets to be fed from the stack, and the stack has an upstream end and a downstream end, an improvement for facilitating feeding lowermost sheets from the stack, the improvement comprising a platform connected to the framework, the platform including a base wall portion having a longitudinal length extending upstream from the upstream end of the deck; a stack supporting member, the member including an upright upper wall portion having a lower end, the member including a lower wall portion extending upstream from the upper wall portion's lower end and forming therewith an elongate downstream marginal edge having a wedge-shaped transverse cross-section; and structure for adjustably mounting the stack supporting member on the platform, the mounting structure including first structure for movin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Brewster, Jr., Thomas M. Helit, Paul R. Sette, Walter Wolog
  • Patent number: 5397107
    Abstract: Apparatus for feeding respective sheets from a stack thereof comprising structure for supporting a plurality of sheets in an upright stack thereof, the supporting structure including an upright wall, the supporting structure including a deck extending beneath the wall and defining a path of travel for respective sheets fed from the stack, the deck extending transverse to the path of travel; structure for successively feeding respective sheets downstream in the path of travel, the feeding structure including opposed outfeed rollers downstream of the upright wall, the feeding structure including an elongate first roller longitudinally extending transverse to the path of travel upstream of the upright wall, the feeding structure including an elongate second roller longitudinally extending transverse to the path of travel upstream of the fist roller, the feeding structure including structure for driving the outfeed and first and second rollers; structure for controlling the driving structure, and the controlling
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Wolog, Thomas M. Helit, William H. Brewster, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5318285
    Abstract: An improvement for an apparatus conveying sheets of paper seriatim along a deck between a plurality of roller pairs, including lower driven rollers and corresponding upper biased idler rollers. The improvement comprises a roller and guide plate assembly pivotably mounted on the deck. The roller and guide plate assembly includes a guide plate operatively coupled to rigid support shafts and upper roller assemblies of the roller pairs, and means for supporting the guide plate a fixed distance above the deck. The guide plate is mounted to at least two shaft support blocks, the rigid support shafts for the upper roller assemblies being mounted to the support blocks above the guide plate, the guide plate including slots through which the biased upper rollers of the upper roller assemblies extend therethrough to cooperate with the corresponding lower driven rollers to convey sheets across the deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Edwards, Thomas M. Helit, Richard F. Stengl
  • Patent number: 5180157
    Abstract: An apparatus for conveying sheets of paper along a paper path comprises an outer frame having an inlet end for connection to an upstream conveying device and an outlet end for connection to a downstream conveying device. The outer frame has a hollow interior and an opening in each of the inlet and outlet ends for conveying sheets through. There is a drawer frame slidably mounted to the outer frame. The drawer frame is slidable through an open side of the outer frame between a closed position within the outer frame to an open position outside the outer frame. There is structure mounted in the drawer frame for conveying along a paper path sheets of paper received from the upstream conveying device to the downstream conveying device. The conveying structure includes structure for driving the conveying structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Helit, Kenneth W. Lowell, Karen P. Synnett