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

Abstract: A device whereby a pile of rectangular items is placed on an inclined surface and pushed towards the straight front edge thereof by a push unit. The surface presents two pairs of conveyor belts parallel to each other and coplanar with the surface; and the pile is arrested upon a bottom portion of the first item in the pile activating a first or second limit stop sensor, which activates a respective pair of belts so as to move the bottom left or right portion of the item and so orient the item in relation to a gripping plane. A gripping unit with two suction cups movable along a three-dimensional trajectory grips the oriented item and feeds it to a follow-up conveyor belt.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a vacuum and belt document handling system comprises first structure for transporting individual documents along a document path in a first direction, second structure downstream from the first structure for transporting the individual documents in a second direction along the document path, and a vacuum drum having a peripheral section located between the first and second structure. The vacuum drum includes a plurality of non-rotating sections having stationary vacuum ports at the peripheral section and further includes a plurality of pulleys, each of which support an upper reach of an endless belt at the peripheral section of the vacuum drum between the first and second structure. The system further comprises a plenum shaft to which the non-rotating section of the vacuum drum is fixedly secured and the pulleys are rotatably secured. The plenum shaft is connected to a vacuum source and the stationary vacuum ports are connected to holes in the plenum shaft.

Abstract: A modular assembly of components is provided for various aspects of high volume mailing. The modular system of components includes a postage meter, having a base with a driving motor and a head driven by the driving motor and operative to apply selected postage to a piece of mail. The postage meter head can be selectively removed from the postage meter base. The modular systems of components further includes at least one accessory selectively mountable to the postage meter base and capable of being driven thereby. The accessory may include an applicator for applying a closure tab, a label or a stamp to an envelope or sheet of material being driven by the postage meter base.

Abstract: A process cartridge mountable within an image forming apparatus, includes an image bearing member, process means acting on the image bearing member, a frame, and a first guide surface provided on the frame and adapted to guide a recording medium toward the image bearing member, and a second guide surface recessed more than the first guide surface and having width smaller than that of the first guide surface. With the above construction, it is possible to provide a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus within which such a process cartridge can be mounted, which can be made small-sized and light-weighted and which are easy to use.

Abstract: In a machine including structure for printing an indicia on a sheet at a predetermined printing speed, wherein the machine includes structure for feeding the sheet in a path of travel to the printing structure, apparatus for detecting a malfunction of the machine, the apparatus comprising, structure for controlling the machine, the controlling structure including a microprocessor, structure for sensing the sheet in the path of travel, the sensing structure including a first sensor connected to the microprocessor for providing a first sensing signal thereto in response to sensing the sheet, the sensing structure including a second sensor connected to the microprocessor for providing a second sensing signal thereto in response to sensing the sheet, and the microprocessor programmed for causing the sheet feeding structure to feed the sheet to the sensing structure at a first predetermined sheet feeding speed less than the printing speed, causing the printing structure to commence a printing cycle after a first p

Abstract: A modular assembly of components is provided for various aspects of high volume mailing. The modular system of components includes a postage meter, having a base with a driving motor and a head driven by the driving motor and operative to apply selected postage to a piece of mail. The postage meter head can be selectively removed from the postage meter base. The modular systems of components further includes at least one accessory selectively mountable to the postage meter base and capable of being driven thereby. The accessory may include an applicator for applying a closure tab or label to an envelope or sheet of material being driven by the postage meter base. A closure tab applicator may be operative to move a closure tab into a position to be contacted by a sheet of material, such that momentum of the sheet of material causes the closure tab to wrap around and close the folded sheet.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a device for feeding a stack of flat articles on edge, especially mail items, to a de-stacker head provided with a support surface, the device comprising a main feed magazine in which the stack is disposed and a plate pushing the rear of the stack. A secondary feed magazine is introduced between the main magazine and the support surface of the de-stacker head, the secondary magazine having an upwardly inclined transfer surface, its edge adjacent to the support surface of the de-stacker head being higher than the latter.

Abstract: A high capacity envelope stacker accepts envelopes from a source in a planar configuration, pivots each envelope individually on either of its long edge axis so that it is stacked on its long edge, and then restrains the envelope on its two faces so that the stack of envelopes as a whole are stacked 1-N exactly as they arrive from the printer up to about 500 envelopes.

Abstract: An automatic feeder module for a mail sorting system including a cabinet having first and second ends and an upper planar surface, a conveyor belt having an upper run travelling along the upper surface of the cabinet, a drive plate linearly driven along the conveyor belt at the same speed as a conveyor belt and having a forward side and a rearward side, means for driving the conveyor belt and the drive plate at the same speed, and a singulator assembly including pick-off means against which a stack of mail is pressed by the drive plate and the conveyor belt, and a stack pressure switch for turning the driving means on and off to maintain a predetermined stack pressure against the pick-off means.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating sheets of material. The apparatus includes: a device for supporting adjacent sheets of material; a vacuum cup for acquiring one of the adjacent sheets of material, the vacuum cup having a circumferential inner wall with an opening adjacent the one sheet of material and a circumferential outer wall coaxial with and surrounding but spaced from the inner wall, wherein the inner wall closes the end of the outer wall adjacent the one sheet of material, and wherein the outer wall includes a flexible, corrugated section enabling the outer wall to collapse in the axial direction; and a device to create separate vacuums within the inner wall and the outer wall, wherein the vacuum within the inner wall causes the vacuum cup to acquire the one material sheet and the vacuum within the outer wall causes the cup to collapse and move away from the supporting device to thereby separate the one material sheet from its adjacent sheets.

Abstract: An envelope printing systems including a laser printer or similar printer operating under control of a micro-computer to print pairs of envelopes. The envelopes are printed with a FIM mark in a manner consistent with the requirements of the U.S.P.S. The envelopes are fed, two at a time, from a cassette which includes an identification mark. The envelopes are positioned in the cassette offset to one side and the printer is responsive to the identification mark to shift the image field to the opposite side so that the FIM mark is positioned on the upper edges of the envelopes, as required by regulation.

Abstract: An envelope dispensing module (10) for use in an ATM includes feed belts (26) for feeding the lowermost envelope (18') of a stack of envelopes (18) along a feed path (49) towards an exit slot (50). Pulse generating apparatus (54) includes a roller (62) which is urged into engagement with the underside of the lowermost envelope (18') as this envelope (18') is fed along the feed path (49). During such feeding movement, a sensor (68) associated with a timing disc (64) mounted for rotation with the roller (62) generates a series of timing pulses in response to rotation of the roller (62) due to its engagement with the lowermost envelope (18'). Electronic control circuitry is arranged to stop the feed belts (26) with the lowermost envelope (18') in its correctly presented position at the exit slot (50) in response to the control circuitry counting a predetermined number of timing pulses subsequent to the sensing of the leading edge of this envelope (18') by an exit sensor (78) positioned behind the exit slot (50).

Abstract: A stacker assembly for receiving generally flat documents, such as mailing envelopes and flats, in on-edge relation and maintaining the documents in upstanding side-by-side stacked relation as they accumulate in the stacker assembly. A receiving station is supported at one end of a horizontal support plate and guides successive incoming documents into stacked relation transverse to the longitudinal axis of the stacker assembly. A stacker plate is supported to engage the forwardmost document in the stack and is movable longitudinally of the stacker assembly in response to accumulation of documents in the stacker. Means in the form of a negator spring and a wedge plate cooperate with the stacker plate in a manner to apply a variable pressure against the documents so as to accommodate both thin lightweight and heavier documents in the stack while maintaining them in upstanding relation.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing an envelope from a stream of envelopes moving along a straight path. The apparatus includes: an envelope turner; a device for raising and lowering the downstream end of the envelope turner; an envelope sealer situated adjacent and downstream of the envelope turner; a device for detecting an envelope to be ejected; and a device for signaling the raising and lowering device to be raised in order to feed an envelope to be ejected over the envelope sealer.

Abstract: An on-edge stacker for stacking envelopes comprises a transporter and diverter, an accumulator, a spider wheel for delivering diverted envelopes to a conveyor belt of the accumulator, and a propelling arrangement to a drive diverted envelopes to the spider wheel. The diverter includes a gate for intercepting and diverting envelopes from the transporter. The stacker includes a device for laterally offsetting envelopes. In one embodiment, the spider wheel is suspended in a free-floating manner against a spring load. The floating spider wheel displacement as a consequence of stack increase is sensed to energize the accumulator conveyor belt drive to reduce the displacement. The actuation of the envelope propelling arrangement is sychronized in correlation with the positions of spaces between legs of the spider wheel. In operation, a diverted envelope is aligned, selectively offset, and propelled into the spider wheel.

Abstract: Self-sealing envelopes having an envelope front with two side flaps and a osure flap, and a bottom flap with an edge strip along the free edge of the bottom flap, are produced by cutting blanks to size, and producing precreases along lines where folds will be made to fold all flaps. A self-sealing adhesive is applied to the inner surface on the closure flap and on the outer surface of the bottom flap edge strip. All precreases are formed on the same side of the blank, whereby the edge strip must be folded in a direction opposite to its precrease. This feature facilitates the movement of the blank through the envelope production machine into which the blank moves with the edge strip leading in the feed advance direction, and all creasing tools operate in the same creasing direction, whereby all precreasing tools can be located on the same side of the blank.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for facilitating manual feeding of business forms into business forms handling equipment to bypass the automatic feeder, primarily in the production of mailers from forms having pressure sensitive adhesive strips. Mounted at the interface between the conveyor and folder of the handling equipment is a transparent plastic plate having a slot with forms guides, and a forms centering scale adjacent the slot. A finger opening in, and an upstanding finger tab on, the quadrate plate may be provided to allow it to be lifted out of place covering the interface area between the conveyor and folder. An interlock engaging projection is provided on the plate for stopping operation of the equipment when it is removed. One may bypass the automatic feeding of the conveyor by manually inserting forms into the slot guided by the forms guides.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for changing the direction of motion of flat articles being conveyed along a first path to a second path. The apparatus comprises a deck mounted on a frame. The deck has a first side for receiving an article from a first direction and a second side for conveying the article in a second direction which forms an acute angle equal to or less than forty-five degrees (45.degree.) with the first direction. There is a structure for conveying the article over the deck in the second direction. The conveying structure engages a leading edge of the article only after the article has been disengaged by a conveying structure in the first direction. There is a registration wall positioned downstream from the second direction conveying structure adjacent a third side of the deck.

Abstract: A stacking device for letters or similar flat, flexible articles to be transported employing a plurality of stacking compartments to which the articles are supplied by way of switches separately associated with the individual compartments and in which the articles are stacked next to one another. A transporting roller and a stacking roller for engaging a side surface of the incoming article and a contact surface for engaging a bottom edge of the article are provided to guide the article in a transporting direction. To avoid congestion of successive articles, an additional conveying device is provided which urges the lower edge of each incoming article in the direction of the stack. The additional conveying device is a pressure roller disposed sufficiently below the contact surface of the incoming articles that part of the upper roller circumference engages the lower edge of the respective incoming article.

Abstract: Envelopes which are about to receive developed photographic films and/or prints are advanced toward a stacking station in a predetermined orientation and each envelope is provided with one or more fold lines extending in the direction of advancement of envelopes. The fold lines serve to straighten the envelopes which are delivered in rolled, creased and/or otherwise deformed condition such as could interfere with predictable stacking of envelopes in a predetermined sequence which is necessary to ensure that each envelope receive a proper set of film frames and/or prints for shipment or delivery to the parties whose names and/or addresses appear on the envelopes. The fold lines straighten the originally deformed envelopes (which are in random distribution with non-deformed envelopes) for an interval of time which suffices to ensure proper stacking, even if the envelopes exhibit a pronounced tendency to reassume their deformed state.

Abstract: Translatable registration apparatus in an envelope turning machine. The apparatus includes: a deck for transporting a plurality of envelopes from an upstream location to a downstream location; a translatable carriage mounted to the deck and adjustable for upstream and downstream movement to accommodate different size envelopes; a yoke pivotably mounted at its upstream end to the carriage, the yoke having a stopping finger projecting upwardly at its downstream end; a solenoid located beneath the finger and mounted to the carriage; and a device engaging the solenoid and the yoke for moving the finger up above the deck and down below the deck, wherein, when the solenoid raises the finger above the deck, the stopping finger is locked in a raised position with no pressure bearing on the solenoid.

Abstract: A shingling device for use in a mail document sorting apparatus includes a first conveyor belt for receiving a vertical stack of sorted documents. A guide element is oblique to the conveyor belt for shifting the moving vertical stack into a shifted oblique stack and defines a gap between the belt and the guide element to enable passage of documents from the lower portion of the stack. A rotatable roller is disposed adjacent and downstream from the guide element and has a lower surface partially obstructing the gap. The roller rotates opposite to movement of the first conveyor belt for shingling documents passing through the gap. A second conveyor belt cooperates with the first conveyor belt to confine shingled documents advancing on the first belt, and cooperates with the roller so that the second belt has a longitudinal velocity substantially equal to the tangential velocity of the roller.

Abstract: An envelope feeder which can be used on virtually all existing printing machines without the need to synchronize the latter comprises a low-pressure chamber (3), a perforated conveyor belt (4) and an adjustable barrier (6). An overlap with a very small overlap length (5) is thereby achieved. The envelope feeder can therefore be used not only for small envelopes (1), but also for those with very narrow flaps (2).

Abstract: Manually operable label-transfer apparatus characterized by a transit path for a tractor-feedable backing strip which has labels or similar adhesive-backed pieces laminated thereon, and also providing a bin. The path has up-path first and down-path second stations, and the bin adjoins the first station. The apparatus has tractors at the second station, a pusher in the bin, and manual crank-drive means associated with the tractors and the pusher. The tractors engage the strip and, driven by the drive means, advance the strip down-path from the first station and over a delaminator with an edge and around a sharp turn. The strip, as drawn past the turn, is bent and experiences a direction reversal of between 160.degree. and 180.degree.; and, in this action, the labels successively separate or peel from the strip, and, a guide on the apparatus successively guides each separated label toward an operably proximal position relative to the first station.

Abstract: A gravity fed, "load-while-run" envelope feeder places a high capacity envelope storage bin's long dimension against a printer which creates a small footprint. The feeder transfers the envelopes from the storage bin to a horizontal transporation area with the rotation of a motor driven blade to within access of the printer's feed rollers. The blade catches an envelope's flap to feed it and rotates it by 90.degree. into the transportation area.

Abstract: Apparatus for turning an envelope, including: a housing; a transport deck secured to the housing for transporting an envelope from an upstream location to a downstream location, the deck including a device for moving the envelope; a vertically extending spindle located beneath the deck, the spindle being rotatable and reciprocable and having an upper end capable of extending above the transport deck; a device for raising and rotating the spindle; and a clamping arm assembly rotatably mounted to the housing situated above the transport deck, the clamping arm assembly having a device for applying a light, downward bias on the envelope against the upper end of the spindle, and a device for applying additional pressure to the envelope after the spindle is raised.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extracting the contents of envelopes, each of which has been opened along at least one edge and has an opposite edge which is unopened. The envelopes are successively projected with their unopened edges leading, against an adhesive surface of a travelling belt. The belt is subsequently oriented so that the envelopes are suspended therefrom and the belt is simultaneously vibrated to cause the contents of the envelopes to migrate downwardly and leave the envelopes. The contents are conveyed in an orderly fashion on a belt conveyor and formed into a stack. The empty envelopes are stripped from the belt. The adhesive surface on the belt is formed by renewable adhesive strips.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding sheets having folded edges comprising: a support for supporting a stack of upright sheets respectively on an edge thereof; a sliding wall engaged by a toothed belt for feeding the sheets in a path of travel; an endless belt having an upper run disposed for engagement of the edges of the sheets for feeding the sheets in a direction extending transverse to the path of travel; and a front wall resiliently biased against each sheet fed from the stack for exerting a force in a direction opposite to the path of travel.

Abstract: A mechanism is described for automatically handling envelopes and paper sheets, the mechanism having an input window for receiving the envelopes and paper sheets. The mechanism comprises a first tray for holding a stack of paper sheets and is mountable in the window. A second tray is provided for holding a stack of envelopes and is also mountable in the window. A roller system is positioned to selectively engage the topmost sheet of the stack of sheets in the first tray or a bottommost envelope of the stack of envelopes in the second tray and to feed either the topmost sheet or the bottommost envelope, as the case may be.

Abstract: A front-end feeder for a mixed mail handling machine employs a raised deck portion spaced from a registration wall for the mail pieces. The raised deck portion, preferably a plurality of fixed steps of increasing height, provides additional tilting and guidance of wide mail pieces to prevent mis-registration.

Abstract: Apparatus for folding, sealing and aligning seriatim a supply of documents into envelopes, each of the documents containing a water-activated adhesive on a portion thereof. The apparatus includes: a hopper for storing a supply of the documents; a device for applying moisture to a portion of the documents; a pair of folding rollers for imparting a fold to the documents; a buckle chute for stopping the forward progress of the documents and causing the documents to enter the nip of the folding rollers; a pair of ironing rollers located downstream of the folding rollers for maximizing adhesive contact of the documents and forming the envelopes; a conveying device located downstream of the ironing rollers for holding the envelopes together during transport prior to their release for further processing; and a downwardly billowing, flexible membrane situated above the conveying device.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding sheets respectively having an upright surface and a lower edge, the apparatus comprising: structure for supporting a stack of said sheets on said lower edges thereof; first structure for feeding said sheets of said stack in a downstream path of travel; second structure for feeding said sheets on said lower edges thereof from said stack in a direction extending transverse to said path of travel, said second sheet feeding structure including structure for frictionally engaging the upright surfaces of successive sheets; and structure for resiliently urging said structure for frictionally engaging into engagement with said upright surfaces of successive sheets.

Abstract: Apparatus for aligning a document, the apparatus comprising: structure for feeding a document in a downstream path of travel, the document have a downstream edge relative to the path of travel; structure for registering the downstream edge of a document in a direction extending transverse to the path of travel, the registering structure including at least one member extending into the path of travel, the registering structure including structure for moving the at least one member downstream in the path of travel; and structure for controlling the feeding structure to urge a document into engagement with the at least one moving member.

Abstract: The elements of a printing mechanism, including a platen, print head and drive motors, are constructed and arranged to provide a clearance permitting an envelope to remain entirely in a flat condition in a plane tangent to the platen at the location of the printing line while the envelope is being printed by the print head. The housing of the printing mechanism is constructed with specially configured slots. First and second opposite end walls of the housing, and a third wall, extending from one end wall to the other, provide at least partial coverage of the print head and platen. The third wall has a slot extending from one end wall to the other, the slot being arranged to receive an envelope and to allow the envelope to be inserted in a flat condition between the print head and the platen. The end walls have parallel slots, meeting and continuous with the slot of the third wall.

Abstract: Document feeding apparatus, comprising: structure for registering an edge of a document; first structure for feeding a document in a path of travel; and second structure for feeding a document from the registering structure to the first feeding structure, the second feeding structure including a plurality of rows of independently flexible members rotatable into and out of engagement with a document.

Abstract: Apparatus for singulating respective documents fed thereto, wherein each of the documents is uprightly oriented on an edge thereof and has oppositely facing upright surfaces, and wherein each successive document is slidably movable relative to a next successive document against an interdocument frictional force developed therebetween, the apparatus comprising: first document feeding structure including two first belts, the first feeding structure including first structure for moving the first belts downstream relative to a path of travel in vertically spaced first belt runs; second document feeding structure including a second belt, the second feeding structure including second structure for moving the second belt upstream relative to the path of travel in a second belt run, the second feeding structure including structure for resiliently urging the second belt run into interleaving relationship with the first belt runs; and the first belt runs exerting a downstream frictional force greater than the interdocu

Abstract: A vacuum drum is located in close proximity to the lowermost flat workpiece in a stack of workpieces in a hopper for applying a suction to remove the bottommost workpieces one at a time from the hopper for passing on to a conveyor to a printing press. The drum is mounted on a reciprocably rotatable hollow-cored shaft for reciprocable rotation therewith and has multiple sets of vacuum outlets which can be selectively positioned in vacuum communication with the hollow bore of the shaft for feeding vacuum from the shaft bore to a selected one of the multiple sets of vacuum outlets so that the drum can be used for a variety of workpieces.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for producing a singulated flow of correctly oriented flats (100 or 160) includes an input conveyor (12), a plurality of singulating conveyors (14, 16, and 18), and a skew correction station (20). A stack of flats (100 or 160) is deposited onto an inclined surface (42) of the input conveyor (12). The input conveyor (12) produced a running shingle of flats by frictionally engaging and pulling the bottom most flat in the stack. The plurality of singulating conveyors (14, 16, and 18) convert the running shingle into a singulated flow using frictional, inertial, and gravitational forces. By advancing conveyor (16) while halting conveyor (14), a flat (102) is pulled from underneath flat (108) with flat (108) remaining stationary. By operating conveyor (16) in a pulsed acceleration mode, passenger flat (122) is separated from underlying flat (120). By angling the conveyors (14, 16, and 18) in an upward direction, rearward gravitational force passenger flats (134 and 136) down conveyor (14).

Abstract: A dual bin envelope tray is adapted to support, in a side-by-side relationship, two stacks of envelopes which may be of different sizes. The envelope tray is configured to be interchangeable with the conventional paper supply tray of a printing device, such as a printer, copier or the like, and may be inserted directly into the printing device housing opening from which the paper tray is removed. Cooperating driving and driven structures, respectively disposed within the housing and on the envelope tray, function to sequentially feed the envelopes in either stack thereof into the printing device housing for passage through its existing printing and paper exit paths.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a sheet member feeding apparatus for feeding a sheet member such as an envelope. The feeding apparatus has a pair of opposed contacted rotary members such as rollers and comprising a releasing member for releasing the contact between the rotary members provided on at least one of the rotary members in areas where front corners of the sheet member pass through. The feeding apparatus is applicable to a printing system, reader system and the like.

Abstract: This disclosure provides an apparatus used in combination with an envelope feeder of the type having a frame with a generally horizontal feeder tray and a rack holding a stack of envelopes, the feeder having an endless belt supported on the feeder tray and the feeder serving to deliver envelopes from the stack onto the endless belt, the endless belt moving the envelopes to form a short-height stack at the outer end of the tray where the envelopes may be picked up by a printing press, a flap closure to close the envelope flaps so that open flaps do not interfere with the stacking process, the closure being in the form of an elongated member supported at the feeder tray outer end and having a first upper surface portion inclined upwardly in the direction away from the envelope feeder and a second horizontal upper surface spaced in a direction away from the envelope feeder, the second surface being in a plane parallel to and spaced above the plane of the endless belt.

Abstract: A module for transporting, aligning, diverting and stacking a plurality of envelopes. The module includes: a housing frame; a registration wall secured to the housing frame; a fixed transport panel secured to the housing frame; a pivotable, envelope diverting transport panel situated upstream and adjacent the fixed transparent panel; a device for pivoting the pivotable panel between a horizontal plane and an acute angle with the horizontal plane; a stacking chamber secured to the housing frame situated beneath the fixed transport panel; and a roller assembly secured to the housing frame for transporting the envelopes in a downstream direction and for aligning the envelopes against the registration wall.

Abstract: A device for feeding envelopes or similar work pieces to a printing press or the like utilizes a vacuum chamber mounted on a reciprocably driven roller for removing the lowermost envelope out of a stack of envelopes in a hopper and advancing it to a carrier for conveyance to the printing press. The vacuum is fed to the vacuum drum through an elongated passageway along the axis of the roller and a valve at the input of the vacuum at one end of the roller reciprocates with the roller to open and close the vacuum passageway. Also, a pusher lug is provided to assist in removing heavier stock from the hopper.

Abstract: An envelope feeder (20) for use in a photographic order-finishing station, including a base (22) to which a retaining plate (28) is mounted. A stack-holding tray (30) is biased toward the retaining plate to compress a stack (18) of envelopes placed therebetween for feeding. Suction heads (50) move arcuately to contact and grip the outermost envelope (36) on the stack by application of a partial vacuum, and the move back to peel and lift a portion of that envelope from the stack. A shuttle assembly (52) with a plurality of narrow shuttle fingers (108) is included for insertion between the partially lifted outermost envelope (36) and the underlying envelope (68) to split any adhesions formed between them and separate the outermost envelope from the stack.

Abstract: Apparatus for stacking a plurality of documents on one edge thereof in vertically disposed position which comprises a movable stacker carriage adapted for movement between a forward and a rear position. An upper stacking screw worm rotatable about a horizontal axis is rigidly attached to the movable stacker carriage and functions to move documents laterally away from the carriage and into stacked relationship. At least one lower stacking screw worm and preferably two lower stacking screw worms rotatable about horizontal axes are rigidly attached to the movable stacker carriage and function to move documents laterally away from the carriage and into stacked relationship. The upper and lower stacking screw worms are rotatable. The stacking apparatus is adapted for use with a device for delivering single documents thereto and the stacking apparatus can be used with a movable transport element such as a conveyor for transporting stacked documents.

Abstract: The front feeder for a high speed machine for handling mixed mail, including a nudger drive assembly for advancing the mail pieces while maintaining registration and for fluffing a stack of mail contributing to preshingling of the mail as it is advanced downstream, angled decks and a back prop for a guideless hopper region, a tamper subsystem for maintaining registration of flapped envelopes, and structure configured to guide one envelope flaps along a slot for downstream sealing purposes.

Abstract: An apparatus for selectively feeding sheets from a stack of sheets in sequence along a paper line, has an endless carrier belt which advances the sheets individually and successively through a feeding zone. A vertically actuated feed gate operates between two opening positions to allow only the lowermost sheet in the stack to advance sequentially through each opening position and the opening of both positions is controlled. A stack lifter moves sequentially in a vertical path above and below the carrier belt so that the lowermost sheet advances when in contact with the carrier belt to advance a portion of the lowermost sheet in the stack through the first opening position. The apparatus also forms a second predetermined opening portion between the lifter and feed gate which moves the gripper surface through which the remaining portion of the sheet advances.

Abstract: In a mail handling machine, mail thickness measuring apparatus associated with a singulator mechanism for measuring mail thickness as soon as individual mail pieces are separated by the singulator from a stack of mail pieces.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for stacking flat articles, such as postal items. First guide (9), which form part of a stacker head (7) and which bound a stack of articles (2) already stacked in a stacker bed (1) in a plane of stacking (D), carry out an imposed to-and-fro pulse movement between a rest position (A) and an outermost position (C) transversely to a supply line (3) and in line and level with the stack to make stack space for a short time for an article (2.2) to be stacked, which article is entering at that moment via the supply line (3). The pulse movement can be realized by hanging the first guide (9) on the one hand by way of a first set of parallel leaf springs (17, 18) to a frame part (19, 20, 31, 32) in such a way that they can swing, and on the other hand by coupling them to the driving end (28) of drive (25, 26) carried on bearings in the frame part.