Moore Business Forms, Inc.

Franklin L Burket

John Van De Ven

I Gerald Doane

Ivan G Doane

Frederick J Facklam

Documents printed by high speed laser printers are automatically handled to verify, track, handle, and deposit them in appropriate shipping containers. The system is modular so that it can be configured to suit the needs of a wide variety of users, and includes document transport conveyors, transfer conveyors, and container transport conveyors. A paper sheet having bar coding is associated with each group of documents and the bar coding is sensed to determine where to route the document (what shipping container it should be placed in), and also optionally other document handling procedures, such as plastic shrink wrapping and/or banding. Documents are conveyed to a number of different filling stations with containers passing underneath the filling stations. When the destination bar coding on a group of documents at a filling station matches the bar coding on the container underneath that filling station, dump paddles are activated to drop the group of documents into the container. Prior to operation of the dump paddles, the size of the group of documents and the remaining volume in the container are both sensed to be sure the group of documents will fit in the container. Containers that are determined to be full are transferred to a shipping loop for transportation by trucks or other shipping options.

Automated document handling system

Multiple part documents in which each part has common non-variable information and variable information are produced at high speed with a minimum amount of equipment. Utilizing either sequential press technology or large diameter plates, the multiple parts of the document are sequentially printed on a single web with the non-variable information. The variable information is sequentially printed on the same web in a procedure distinct from the printing of the non-variable information, typically utilizing a single ion deposition printer for each face of the web. The parts are separated and intelligently gathered and then the parts are sealed together to form a document, along one edge, by applying glue, or pressure seal adhesive. After sealing the documents may be rotated and delivered to a carrier web. Alternatively, an outer wrapper or envelope, variably imaged by another ion deposition print engine, may be provided around the multiple part documents after sealing.

Method to manufacture multiple part imaged documents

A method and apparatus provide for the personalization of magazines and like 'book' publications. A book, having a cover which provides address information, is formed from a number of signatures. This is accomplished by automatically printing at least one personalized signature with variable personalized printing (such as by ion deposition), assembling the personalized signature with at least one other signature, detecting the personalized printing on the personalized signature (as by optically scanning OCR characters), and in response to such detecting, printing address information on the cover. The personalized printing can be the addressee's name, photograph, or identification number. The personalized signature may be assembled with other business documents, such as a business reply envelope, and may be perfed to provide a return form. Alternatively, complete address information may be printed on the signature and a die cut window formed in the cover, through which the address information is visible once the book is assembled. All of the books having address information with common postal codes are produced in a sequence--regardless of the demographic form of the signature that has been personalized--so as to maximize the chances for securing a minimum postal rate.

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Grand Island, NY, United States of America

Franklin L Burket