Am International Incorporated

Ta Triumph-adler Aktiengesellschaft

John A Manley

Andrew D Bruce

Aaron J Belvo

Peter A Wolf

Todd C Platt

Newspapers are collated with materials which vary as a function of the characteristics of the readers of the newspapers. For example, a newspaper for a reader having a credit card for a particular business establishment would include an insert which is an advertisement for the business establishment. A newspaper for a reader who did not have a credit card for the business establishment would not include the advertisement. Indicia identifying the reader for whom each newspaper is intended is printed on the jacket of the newspaper during the process of collating the newspaper. Further indicia may be applied onto inserts appropriate to the intended reader and/or advertiser.

Method of collating newspapers based upon credit card holders

An improved newspaper handling apparatus and method enables newspapers to be formed in a sequence which is the same as the sequence in which newspapers are to be delivered to different addresses along a delivery route. Therefore, newspapers containing inserts for readers having particular characteristics can be formed and indicia corresponding to addresses along a delivery route printed on the newspapers in a sequence which is the same as the sequence in which the newspapers are delivered to the different addresses along the delivery route. During the forming of the newspapers, collating spaces are moved past hoppers from which inserts are fed. The completed newspapers are transferred from the collating spaces to a discharge conveyor in a sequence which corresponds to the sequence in which newspapers are to be delivered to different addresses along a delivery route. In the event of a misfeed of an insert for a newspaper, the transfer of newspapers from the hoppers is inhibited until a misfed section of a newspaper has been fed to the hopper at which the misfeed occurred. This enables the newspapers to be maintained in the same sequence that they are to be delivered to different addresses along a delivery route.

Growing community of inventors

Vandalia, OH, United States of America

John A Manley