Pitney Bowes Inc.

Dean H Foster

Harold Silverman

Robert E Mersereau

Morton Silverberg

William J Wright

Steven A Supron

James A Salomon

Russell W Holbrook

Karel J Janatka

Hans C Mol

James Morabito

Steven E Cohen

William Adamoski, Jr

Richard E Kish

An apparatus has a transport mechanism for transporting mailpieces to a printing and weighing station. The apparatus also includes a weighing device; a printing mechanism operatively associated with the weighing device to form the printing and weighing station; a carriage assembly moveably mounted in the apparatus, the printing mechanism removeably supported on the carriage assembly to move therewith between the printing and weighing station and at least a second station; and structure to transfer complete support of the printing mechanism from the carriage assembly to the weighing device during movement of the printing mechanism into the printing and weighing station.

Apparatus and method for positioning and isolating a printing mechanism

A power stacker provides for receiving lengthwise orientated envelopes projected longitudinally onto the power stacker at a receiving end of the power stacker from an envelope feed device. The power stacker has a base supporting both an elongated deck and registration wall, an envelope transport system for transporting envelopes along the deck from the receiving end to a stack end of the deck. The transport system includes a plurality of friction belts extending partly along the deck and a power stack wheel pivotally mounted to the registration wall. An upper deflection flap at having one end pivotally mounted to the registration wall at the receiving end of the deck at a vertical elevation above that of the longitudinal feed level of the feed device, the upper deflection flap to contact the deck at it other end at a predetermined nominal angle forward of the power stack wheel. A deflector ramp is fixably mounted to a lateral positioning member, the deflector ramp being horizontally elongated and set at a fixed inclining horizontal angle nominally set at 20 degree. The lateral positioning member is adjustably mounted to the deck and the deflector fixably mounted thereto for selectively positioning the deflector ramp laterally with respect to the registration wall. A deflector bench is fixably mounted to the registration wall at the receiving end of the deck at a vertical elevation just below the longitudinal feed level of the feed device for preventing opening of the envelope.

Registration power stacker

Apparatus for transporting an evelope including a body having opposed front and back wall portions defining a bottom edge, wherein the envelope includes a flap wall portion extending from the front wall portion and defining therewith a crease edge extending parallel to the bottom edge for folding the flap wall portion in overlaying relationship with the back wall portion, and wherein the front and back wall portions define parallel-spaced side edges extending between the crease and bottom edges, the apparatus comprising: first structure for conveying the envelope in a first direction wherein the front and flap wall portions thereof are upwardly oriented, the first conveying structure including first structure for aligning one envelope side edge in the first direction; second structure for conveying the envelope in a second direction wherein the front and flap wall portions thereof are downwardly oriented, the second conveying structure including second structure for aligning the one envelope side edge in the second direction; and structure for reorienting the envelope, the reorienting structure including structure for guiding the envelope through a curvedly-extending path of travel wherein the upwardly oriented front and flap wall portions are progressively downwardly oriented, the reorienting structure including first structure for feeding the envelope from the first conveying structure to the guiding structure, and the reorienting structure including second structure for feeding the envelope from the guiding structure to the second conveying structure.

Apparatus for transporting and reorienting envelopes

In a machine including framework and structure for feeding an unsealed envelope downstream in a path of travel, the envelope having a body portion and a flap portion folded in overlying relationship with the body portion, apparatus for unfolding the flap portion comprising: a guide member including a first portion extending downstream alongside the path of travel and a second portion angularly-extending from the first portion and into the path of travel; and structure for movably supporting the guide member, the supporting structure including an elongate arm pivotably connected to the framework, and the guide member connected to the arm and movable therewith.

Guide means for envelope opening apparatus

In a machine including structure for feeding an unsealed envelope downstream in a path of travel, wherein the envelope has a body portion and a flap portion folded in overlying relationship with the body portion and has a free edge, there is provided apparatus for unfolding the flap portion of an envelope. The apparatus includes a first guide member extending parallel to the path of travel; a finger member rotatable into engagement with the flap portion for bending the body portion against the first guide member to form a gap between the flap portion and body portion; a second guide member extending into the path of travel for engaging an envelope fed thereto downstream of the finger member; structure for sensing an envelope in the path of travel; structure responsive to the sensing structure for causing the finger member to rotate into engagement with the flap portion when the envelope is fed downstream in the path of travel; and the second guide member dimensioned for entry into the gap and progressively moving the free edge of the flap portion away from the body portion when the feeding structure feeds the envelope into engagement with the second guide member.

Envelope opening apparatus

Apparatus is provided for opening the flap of a document having a bent-over flap. The apparatus includes a pair of side frames, a driven, transfer roller rotatably mounted in said frames, a first, rotatably mounted pressure roller disposed against said transfer roller and providing between itself and said transfer roller a first nip for receiving said document, and a second, rotatably mounted pressure roller disposed against said transfer roller, said second roller being spaced from said first roller about the periphery of said transfer roller and providing between itself and said transfer roller a second nip for receiving said document. The apparatus further includes an upper, arcuate guide pivotably mounted to said frames for receiving the document from said first nip and guiding said document toward said second nip, said upper guide pivotable between a first position adjacent said transfer roller and a second position remote from said transfer roller, and a lower, arcuate guide pivotably mounted to said frames and hingedly connected to said upper guide. The lower guide has a flap-engaging lip oriented to engage and bend back the flap of said document as said document traverses said lower guide. The lower guide is pivotable between a first, non-flap-engaging position and a second, flap-opening position, said lower guide being pivotable to said flap-opening position by the document as it traverses said lower guide. The pivoting of said lower guide causes said upper guide to pivot to said second position remote from said transfer roller, thereby allowing said document with said flap to pass through the gap between said transfer roller and said upper guide.

Single cycle envelope flap opener

An envelope and document feeder is disclosed within which there is a first stationary frame, and a second movable frame. The feeder has a support surface for a stack of articles to be fed seriatim, and has an apparatus which is engaged by the second movable frame to permit feeding. When the second frame is pivotably raised, the engaging apparatus prevents the articles from sliding down into the throat of the feeder.

Envelope supply pack retainer

A gauging system for an envelope inserter provides simplified set up procedures for adjustment of a set of enclosure pick-up station side guides, an envelope stop and coordinated adjustment of both a set of envelope station side guides and sets of stripper fingers. A panel at the face of the inserter includes a slot and a pointer for lengthwise insertion of an enclosure. The operator places a specimen enclosure against an index end of the slot and rotates a knob to frame the enclosure length between the index and the pointer. Rotation of the knob provides simultaneous movement of the pointer and adjustment of the enclosure side guides to correspond with the framed length. A further slot and pointer are provided for envelope widthwise insertion. Rotation of its knob for framing the envelope width simultaneously adjusts the envelope stop. A further slot and pointer are provided for lengthwise envelope insertion. Rotation of its knob for framing the envelope length adjusts both the side guides and the stripper fingers. The index end of the envelope length slot is displaced to compensate for a dwell in side guide movement and a coordinated retraction in stripper finger position.

Inserter gauging system

An inserter is adapted to insert successive enclosures from a stack carried by an enclosure feeder assembly into envelopes carried by an envelope feeder assembly. Each feeder assembly includes a sloped tray and a pair of side guides which engage the ends of the stack of materials being fed. Both side guides are adjusted by releasing a tab adjacent one of the guides and sliding the guide. An endless belt mounted beneath the tray assures symmetrical displacement of both guides relative to the center of the tray. A feed wheel is carried along a drive shaft which extends transversely above the tray. The hub of the feed wheel includes a one way clutch which permits adjustment of the feed wheel position. A separator stone projecting from beneath the tray in staggered registration with the feed wheel includes a stone shield. Both the stone and the stone shield are adjustable through control knobs accessible at the front of the inserter. One of the enclosure inserters includes an adjustable mount for spring biased skis which depend from the underside of its tray and engage enclosures which are being transported from a further feeder assembly.

Inserter feeder assemblies

In envelope stuffing apparatus which has an enclosure inserting station and includes a deck at the inserting station, structure for delivering the envelope in a path of travel to the inserting station, structure for opening the envelope and structure for inserting an enclosure into the envelope; and wherein the opening structure includes a ledge for supporting the flap of the envelope above the deck, and a first finger insertable into the envelope for stripping apart from each other the front and back panels of the envelope; there is provided an improvement in the envelope opening structure. The improvement comprises: a solenoid operable in response to delivery of the envelope to the inserting station; a second finger for depressing the envelope toward the deck against the resistance of the flap supporting ledge; and a linkage assembly. The linkage assembly interconnects the second finger and solenoid for normally holding the second finger out of the path of travel of delivery of the envelope and for lowering the second finger into engagement with the envelope when the solenoid is operated, whereby the envelope is depressed toward the deck after the envelope is delivered. And the lowered second finger depresses the envelope sufficiently to open the envelope to permit insertion of the first finger into the envelope.

Envelope stuffing apparatus

Disclosed is a sheet jogging assembly for use in a sheet registering apparatus in which sheets are collected at a receiving station and arranged in registration with each other for performing an operation on the collected stack of sheets. The invention is utilized particularly in machines for stitching, stapling or punching stacks of sheets which have been collated into booklets, the sheets having been delivered to the stitching, stapling or punching machine by a suitable feeding apparatus. The registering apparatus operates on the rear edge of the sheets after they are deposited on a receiving tray and incorporates mechanism by which a jogging device can be adjustably set to an infinite number of operating positions between predetermined limits which allows the machine to handle sheets ranging from approximately seven inches to approximately fourteen inches in length. The driving assembly for the jogging device is taken directly off the drive for the stitching, stapling or punching machine and the jogging device is adjustable along the driving assembly so that it can be locked in the aforementioned infinite number of operating positions along the driving assembly by the operator. The jogging device includes a jogging assembly having a sheet supporting member which moves back and forth as sheets are jogged into registration. A jogging element having a sheet contacting jogging surface is adjustably mounted on the jogging assembly in order to still further extend the range of positions of operation of the jogging element. An auxiliary adjustment of the paper jogging element allows for still further extension of the range of positions for the jogging element.

Growing community of inventors

Stratford, CT, United States of America

Dean H Foster