Bowe Bell + Howell Company

Bell & Howell Mail and Messaging Technologies Company

Bell & Howell, LLC

Bradford D Henry

Frank J Shinn

James Rivenbark

Keith A Harshman

Steve W McCay

Kathleen E McCay, Legal Representative

Penny P Fusco

Steve W Di Mccay

James R Rivenbark

In an inserting apparatus and method such as the continuous motion type, a motion controller electrically communicates with an encoder, a first motor driving an insert conveyor assembly, a second motor driving an envelope conveyor assembly, and an actuator operatively interfaced with a peripheral device. The motion controller controls insert conveyor assembly speed, envelope conveyor assembly speed, and the rotational position at which the actuator should be activated, based on the encoder signal. Once during every master cycle, the motion controller calculates the actuator activation position, and causes the first actuator to be activated at the calculated first actuator activation position.

Inserting apparatus and method with controlled, master cycle speed-dependent actuator operations

A high-speed envelope transport and packing system includes a conveyor for conveying an open envelope having a flap, a packing station for inserting an object into a conveyed open envelope, and a bending member disposed upstream of the packing station. The bending member is configured to impart a bend in a conveyed open envelope by displacing a center portion of the envelope relative to widthwise distal end portions of the envelope and to maintain a bend in the envelope until the open envelope is gripped by a gripping device in such a manner as to provide access to an interior of the open envelope or until an object is at least partially inserted into an interior of the open envelope.

Method and device for controlling envelope flap during insertion

An envelope insert conveyor assembly includes a first pair of rotation members and a second pair of rotation members spaced apart from one another. A first conveying member is disposed around the first pair of rotation members, and a second conveying member is disposed around the second pair of rotation members, so that the conveying members rotate around the first rotation member and the second rotation member. A plurality of pusher members are fixed to each of the first conveying member and second conveying member. The pusher members each have paired sidewalls, a cross-wall connecting the paired walls, and an indented portion provided in each of the paired sidewalls. A gripping element is disposed adjacent an indented portion of one of the paired sidewalls and biased toward an interior surface of the indented portion.

Gripping element for continuous motion inserting finger

A cutter module with an integrated trim disposal mechanism is disclosed. The integrated trim disposal mechanism results in the lack of need for using large expensive external trim disposal devices. The trim disposal mechanism chops the trim into small pieces that are easily collected in a trim fragment collection receptacle. A full trim fragment collection receptacle can either be emptied and reused or discarded and replaced with a new empty trim fragment collection receptacle.

Cutter module with an integrated trim disposal mechanism

Growing community of inventors

Cary, NC, United States of America

Bradford D Henry