Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for delivering and feeding a stack of paper to a high-speed sheet feeder. A sheet handling cart is removably connectable to a docking station attached to the high-speed sheet feeder. The sheet handling cart comprises a paper trough which is liftable from the rest of the cart. The paper trough has a trough bottom which longitudinally forms an elongated opening narrower than the bottom of the paper trough, the elongated opening being dimensioned to accommodate a conveyor belt that will protrude upward through the rectangular opening, after the paper trough is lifted from the rest of the cart, in order to advance the stack of paper toward the high-speed sheet feeder.

Abstract: A turnbar for use in a sheet accumulator having an accumulating assembly which causes sheets serially and separately entering an entry point to overlap each other to form a stack at an exit point. The turnbar is used to change the direction of the sheets at the entry point and the stack at the exit point. The turnbar can be disengaged from the accumulating assembly for jam clearance and maintenance purposes. Preferably, the turnbar has a securing mechanism for removably mounting the turnbar on the sheet accumulator.

Abstract: A turnbar for use in a sheet accumulator having an accumulating assembly which causes sheets serially and separately entering an entry point to overlap each other to form a stack at an exit point. The turnbar is used to change the direction of the sheets at the entry point and the stack at the exit point. The turnbar can be disengaged from the accumulating assembly for jam clearance and maintenance purposes. Preferably, the turnbar has a securing mechanism for removably mounting the turnbar on the sheet accumulator.

Abstract: A buckle chute having a stop to cause a sheet of document entering the buckle chute to buckle for making a folded edge. The ends of stop are threadably engaged with two lead screws, which are mechanically linked together by a chain, so that the lead screws can be simultaneously turned in order to adjust the position of both ends of the stop. Each end of the stops has a split nut with grooves for engaging with the threads of the lead screws. The split nut can be disengaged from the threads so that the position of one or both ends of the stop can be adjusted.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a document processing and collating machine having a feeding path leading to at least one document conveying devices having one or more document accumulating bins for receiving a series of documents that are fed downstream in spaced apart collations with documents in shingled relationship. The document accumulator bins have an intermediate conveying and diverting apparatus which is momentarily engaged to cause a leading end of a shingled collation of documents to be diverted into a document accumulating bin where the documents are registered at their common leading end at a nip of a set of downstream conveying rollers that are stopped during the registration process.

Abstract: A buckle chute having a deflector disposed in front thereof to allow a sheet of document to enter the buckle chute channel or to deflect the sheet away from the channel. The deflector is pivotally linked to two actuator arms on the left and right sides of the buckle chute. Each actuator arm is pivotally linked to a bell crank, which is also pivotally linked to a linking member. The linking members are further connected to a lever such that they can be moved in opposite directions from left to right or from right to left so as to cause the bell cranks to rotate in opposite directions. As such, the actuator arms are simultaneously moved toward or away from the front side to control the deflector position.

Abstract: A method and system for transporting envelopes from an envelope feeder to an envelope staging area in an envelope insertion machine. The envelope transport system includes two envelope bins and two envelope supply paths linking the envelope bins to an envelope feeder. Each of the bins is used to temporarily store an envelope before that envelope is moved to the staging area. The envelope supply paths are controlled by a flipper gate which alternately opens one path and closes another so as to allow an envelope to enter one envelope bin while another envelope in the other envelope bin is moved to the staging area. With the dual envelope bins connected to the dual supply paths to receive envelopes released by the envelope feeder, the envelope feeder does not have to slow down substantially in order to wait for the released envelope to clear the feeding path.

Abstract: A method and system for transporting envelopes from an envelope feeder to an envelope staging area in an envelope insertion machine. The envelope transport system includes two envelope bins and two envelope supply paths linking the envelope bins to an envelope feeder. Each of the bins is used to temporarily store an envelope before that envelope is moved to the staging area. The envelope supply paths are controlled by a flipper gate which alternately opens one path and closes another so as to allow an envelope to enter one envelope bin while another envelope in the other envelope bin is moved to the staging area. With the dual envelope bins connected to the dual supply paths to receive envelopes released by the envelope feeder, the envelope feeder does not have to slow down substantially in order to wait for the released envelope to clear the feeding path.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for supplying document accumulation sets to an inserter system wherein sheets are first feed into a sheet stacking device to be stacked into a stacking pile. Individual sheets are then fed in seriatim from the stacking pile into a collating device, which collates a predetermined number of the individual sheets into a collation set. The collation set is then advanced into an accumulating device, which accumulates at least one collation set to form an accumulation set. The accumulation set is then advanced into the inserter system for further processing.

Abstract: A method and system for transporting envelopes from an envelope feeder to an envelope staging area in an envelope insertion machine. The envelope transport system includes two envelope bins and two envelope supply paths linking the envelope bins to an envelope feeder. Each of the bins is used to temporarily store an envelope before that envelope is moved to the staging area. The envelope supply paths are controlled by a flipper gate which alternately opens one path and closes another so as to allow an envelope to enter one envelope bin while another envelope in the other envelope bin is moved to the staging area. With the dual envelope bins connected to the dual supply paths to receive envelopes released by the envelope feeder, the envelope feeder does not have to slow down substantially in order to wait for the released envelope to clear the feeding path.

Abstract: A method and device for collating a number of sheets, serially and separately entering an entry point, into a stack at an exiting point without slowing down or pausing the sheets. The method and device, according to the present invention, provide a plurality of traveling paths with different path lengths to connect the entry point and exiting point, and use controlling devices to control the paths such that a sheet entering the entry point will travel a shorter path than the preceding sheet. It is preferred that the path length difference between any two adjacent paths is the same. The path length difference can be smaller than or equal to the length of the sheets. When the path length difference is equal to the sheet length, all sheets travel through different paths will arrive the exiting point concurrently.

Abstract: A method for supplying envelopes to an inserter system, including the steps of providing an envelope supply structure having an exit point, providing at least first and second supply paths from the exit point of the envelope supply structure and providing a common path from the at least first and second supply paths. Individual envelopes are fed from the envelope supply structure to a selected one of the at least first and second supply paths wherein the envelope is conveyed to a holding area in the selected supply path and from the holding area of the selected supply path it is conveyed to the common path. The envelope then travels from the common path to an envelope insertion area wherein prearranged documents are caused to be inserted into the envelope.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an input system for feeding one-up sheets from a paper web to a high speed mass mailing inserter system. The input system includes a feeding module for supplying a paper web having two web portions in side-by-side relationship. A merging module is located downstream in the path of travel from the feeding module and is operational to feed the two web portions in an upper-lower relationship so as to reorient the paper web from the side-by-side relationship to an upper-lower relationship. A separating module is located downstream in the path of travel from the merging module and is operational to receive the paper web in the upper-lower relationship and separate the paper web into individual two-up sheets. In order to separate the two-up sheets into one-up sheets, a stacking module is located downstream in the path of travel from the separating module and is configured to receive the two-up sheets, stack the two-up sheets and individually feed one-up sheets from the stack.

Abstract: An envelope transport system, for transporting envelopes, flaps opened, along a final common path in a direction at ninety degrees from a feed direction along which the envelopes are provided in two parallel paths.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for feeding sheets from a sheet stack, having a feed deck for supporting the sheet stack and a pair of spaced apart parallel guide rails on the feed deck for receiving the sheet stack between the guide rails. A sheet feeding assembly is mounted in proximity to a sheet feeding end of the feed deck and is operative to feed individual lowermost sheets from the sheet stack, the sheet feeding assembly including a continuously rotating feed drum having an inner and outer circumference and a plurality of suction openings and a vacuum assembly received in the inner circumference of the feed drum and having at least one rotating cylinder coupled to a vacuum source and movable between an actuated position for drawing air downward through the portion of the feed drum extending above the planar surface of the feed deck and a default position preventing the drawing of air through the feed drum when a vacuum is applied to the at least one rotating cylinder.

Abstract: A separator assembly operative to separate and feed individual documents from a storage tray of an inset feeder apparatus. The separator assembly including an adjustment assembly configured to adjustably position the separator roller relative to the separator stone. The separator assembly further includes a leverage assembly configured to raise the separator roller from an adjusted position to a height suitable for clearing a paper jam and to return the separator roller to the adjusted position relative to the separator stone. The leverage assembly and adjustment assembly both having respective operator actuated mechanisms positioned atop one of the first and second side portions of the feeder apparatus.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for feeding sheets from a sheet stack, having a feed deck for supporting the sheet stack and a pair of spaced apart parallel guide rails on the feed deck for receiving the sheet stack between the guide rails. A sheet feeding assembly is mounted in proximity to a sheet feeding end of the feed deck and is operative to feed individual lowermost sheets from the sheet stack, the sheet feeding assembly including a continuously rotating feed drum having an inner and outer circumference and a plurality of suction openings and a vacuum assembly received in the inner circumference of the feed drum and having at least one rotating cylinder coupled to a vacuum source and movable between an actuated position for drawing air downward through the portion of the feed drum extending above the planar surface of the feed deck and a default position preventing the drawing of air through the feed drum when a vacuum is applied to the at least one rotating cylinder.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an insertion device includes the steps of providing sensors for providing respective signals in accordance with selected events associated with the operations and providing a plurality of motor profiles for operation of motors associated with the operations. Respective motors associated with respective operations of the apparatus are driven in correspondence with selected ones of said plurality of motor profiles for controlling driving of said motors in response to receiving the event signals from the sensors and other modules of the control program. In the event of out of tolerance conditions the envelope can be diverted and another substituted without having to shut down and restart the system at a known place.

Abstract: An insertion station for inserting enclosure collations into an envelope, the insertion station including a deck and at least two transport belts having a top surface disposed atop the top surface of the deck for conveying an envelope along a direction of travel. A plurality of vacuum ports are arranged between the at least two transport belts wherein vacuum is continuously present at each vacuum port. An elongate rib member is provided upstanding from the deck and extending between the at least two transport belts and adjacent the plurality of vacuum ports, the rib member being configured to support a portion of the envelope that is disposed between the at least two transport belts.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet material feeder apparatus that includes a first feeder assembly positioned on an exit area of a sheet material storage compartment, which first feeder assembly is operative to provide a first driving force to a sheet material disposed in the storage compartment so as to convey the sheet material from the exit area of the storage compartment onto the main deck of an inserter system. The feeder apparatus further includes a second feeder assembly positioned on the main deck of the inserter system, which second feeder assembly is operative to provide a second driving force to the sheet material conveying through the first feeder assembly such that the sheet material is combined with the other sheet materials conveying along the main deck of the inserter system.