Bell + Howell Company

Lester H Stocker

Kenneth A Hams

Rows (14, 16) of documents are conveyed in a shingled 'two-up' fashion between low speed input rollers (18) and then to high speed rollers (22) which burst the shingled documents. After bursting, coded indicia (44) on each document are read by a photocell assembly (40). After bursting and reading, each document is individually folded in a folder (24). Documents are then delivered to a two-stage collector assembly (26). Documents having like indicia are passed through the collector assembly (26) to a lower collector stage (30). Upon bursting, documents whose indicia (44) indicate that they do not belong to a preceding group of documents are folded and then retained in an upper collector stage (28) until documents belonging to a preceding group of documents have been dumped on an insert track (32).

Document handling machine with double collector and method of operation

A method and apparatus for segregating articles, such as envelopes (14a, b, or c) bearing address labels (15) into separate groups, with all the articles in each group having the same unique mark (such as a zip-code-area mark). The apparatus includes a right angle conveyor (12) positioned perpendicular to a discharge conveyor (10), an article deflector plate (20), and two or more freely rotatable balls (38, 40) supported in contact with the right angle conveyor (12) and spaced laterally across the face thereof. At least one freely rotatable ball (38) is selectively removable from contact with the right angle conveyor (12) by a solenoid (18) acting through a beam (32) and a control arm (26). The solenoid (18) is activated by a signal from a detector (16) which detects a change in unique markings on address labels of articles just prior to their engagement with the selectively-removable, freely-rotatable ball and the right angle conveyor.

Zip sort registration system

An automated 'two-up' in-line mailing (AIM) system of the type comprising a continuous sheet web supplier (11), a sheet cutter (13), a registerer (15), a folder (17), a collector sequencer (19), and an envelope inserter raceway (21) is controlled by indicia on a sheet web. A control system includes scanners (55) for sequentially sensing the web indicia (57) upstream of a cutting blade (64) and trailing edge sensors (37, 53) at discharge ends of two collectors (23, 25) in the collector sequencer (19). The two collectors (23, 25) are positioned at discharge ends of channels of the folder (17) for receiving two-up folded individual sheets (61, 63). One collector (25) accumulates the sheets from both the folder (17) and the other collector (23) in sequential order in piles for subsequent discharge. In one embodiment, the collector sequencer (19) is positioned upstream of the folder (17).

Document sequencer

An article turnover assembly (16) for transporting flat envelopes and the like while turning them over 180 degrees includes upper and lower crowned entrance and exit pulleys (22 and 24; 52 and 54) having two flexible endless belts (18 and 20) extending between the lower entrance pulley and the upper exit pulley and the upper entrance pulley and the lower exit pulley. The belts are twisted 180 degrees between the entrance and exit pulleys with each having at least one span contiguous to a corresponding span of the other. Registration of envelopes (10) is established at the entrance and is maintained by a horizontal flat registration plate (60) located about half of the travel distance between the entrance and exit pulleys. In addition, two opposed idler wheels (64 and 66) bias the spans together above the horizontal flat registration plate at about 3/5 of the travel distance through the assembly. Contoured stationary plows (84 and 86) are included at a downstream end of the contiguous belt spans to assist in turning the envelopes over.

Article turnover assembly

An automated in-line mailing (AIM) system of the type comprising sequentially a continuous sheet-web (20), a sheet cutter (10), an accumulator (12), a folder (14), a collector (16) and an envelope inserter raceway (24) is controlled by hyphens, or indicia, (60) on the sheet web (20). A control system includes a scanner (56) for sequentially sensing the web indicia (60) upstream of a cutting blade (30). The scanner is linked to a one-way clutch drive (114) to activate a plurality of opposed mutilated rollers (88, 90) positioned in the accumulator (12). The control system also includes a trailing edge sensor (122) for sensing a trailing edge of an accumulation of sheets as they are discharged from the accumulator (12). The control system senses when a set of sheets has been cut by the cutter (10) and, in response thereto, deenergizes the cutter (10) with a first sheet of a following set extending beyond a cutter blade of the cutter (10) and energizes the accumulator (12) to eject the completed set into the folder (14) to be folded as a unit and deposited with the collector (16). Once the collector has collected a group of sets it is ordered by the control system to dump them on the inserter raceway (24).

Automated in-line mailing system

A binary sorting code is read from documents and transmitted to a sorting machine where the code for each document is decoded and used to direct the document to a specific stacker. Cycling of the sorter is controlled by a sequencer responsive to timing pulses from a shaft encoder. Each sequence cycle is initiated by a flip-flop circuit responsive to a document detector. An additional flip-flop provides for fault detection in the system.

Document sorter

A sheet collector for serially receiving a plurality of sheets, retaining the sheets in a stack, and selectively ejecting the entire stack of sheets from the sheet collector includes a driven endless conveyor, idler rollers positioned adjacent to the driven endless conveyor, and movable stops positioned downstream of the idler rollers. An idler-roller/stop shaft, positioned adjacent to, but below the path of the sheets, is rigidly attached to the stops and an axle support for the idler rollers. The idler-roller/stop shaft is rotated angularly to move the stops and the idler rollers from opposite sides of the sheet path, into the sheet path. When the stops are rotated into the path of the sheets, the sheets contact the stops and are held from further movement. However, when the idler rollers are moved into the sheets' path they contact the stack of sheets previously held by the stops and urge the sheets against the driven endless conveyor which ejects the stack or pile of sheets from the sheet collector. The angular positions of the stops and the idler rollers on the idler-roller/stop shaft are adjustable and the amount of angular rotation of the idler-roller/stop shaft is also adjustable.

Sheet collector

Accordion 'Z' fold sheets are stacked on end on a tray between a hold-back rod and a follower. A separator assembly is supported from a drive shaft. A first pair of separator rollers are driven by the drive shaft and a second pair of rollers are supported on the separator assembly in tandem with the first pair of rollers. The second pair of rollers rotate simultaneously with and at the same speed as the first pair. A sheet abutting step is positioned below the first pair of rollers and an idler roller is below the second pair. The drive to the separator assembly is controlled by a micro-switch in the feed path below the separator assembly. The tray is provided with adjustable guides and teflon slide pads.

Sheet feeding apparatus

An apparatus for diverting selected cards or sheets from a normal path to a new path includes a rotatable surface member having an axis of rotation located above the plane of the normal path. The rotatable surface member has a stationary position which is out of the plane of the normal path so that documents are usually allowed to travel along the normal path under the rotatable surface member. However, the rotatable surface member is of a size such that when it is rotated, a portion thereof extends into the plane of the normal path. A document is diverted by rotating the rotatable surface member through the path immediately in front of the leading edge of the document and back through the normal path under the document, carrying the document with it to the new path across the top of the rotatable surface member.

Separator card retriever

An inserting machine of the type having an insert raceway, insert stations along the raceway, and an envelope-stuffing station at the end of the raceway, further includes a pocket stuffing station for stuffing a card or the like into a pocket formed on an insert sheet. The pocket on the insert sheet is open along one edge thereof which is directed toward the side of the conveyor from which the card will be stuffed into the pocket. The insert sheet includes a portion which extends beyond the insert pocket and this portion is on the bottom when the insert sheet is on the raceway. When the insert sheet is at the pocket stuffing station a suction mechanism lifts the upper side of the pocket while a guide holds the portion extending beyond the insert pocket down, thereby spreading the pocket's open edge. Pusher fingers then push the card into the pocket.

Growing community of inventors

Phillipsburg, NJ, United States of America

Lester H Stocker