Pitney Bowes Inc.

Luciano P Dos Santos

Russell W Holbrook

Nicholas R Antonelli

David R Auerbach

Daniel J Williams

Kevin J O'Dea

Jeffrey L Chodack

Norman C Allie

Anthony P Muffatti

Al Viglione

Daniel J Willams

An item feeder includes a deck for supporting items, a transport element for transporting the items along the deck on a transport path from an upstream loading area through a downstream receiving passage, a drive element for driving the transport element, and a cover element comprising a leading edge. The cover element may be movable between a closed position in which the leading edge is disposed at a first distance from the deck, and an open position in which the leading edge is disposed at a second greater distance from the deck. The leading edge may engage transported items having a thickness greater than the first distance to move the cover element out of the closed position. The item feeder further includes a controller for controlling the drive element, wherein the controller is configured to stop the drive element when the cover element is moved out of the closed position.

Item feeder with overthickness detection

An apparatus includes a frame, a rotatable first shaft, wherein the first shaft includes a first cam, a rotatable second shaft, an item gripper connected to the second shaft by a connection including a link and an offset shaft rotatably connected to the link, and a linkage. The link is adapted to rotate with the second shaft for pivoting the offset shaft about the second shaft. The item gripper includes jaws adapted to open and close when the offset shaft is axially rotated relative to the link. The linkage connects the first cam on the first shaft to a rider on the offset shaft. The linkage includes a second having a stepped surface for a stepped movement of the rider along the stepped surface to open the jaws during a predetermined angular movement of the offset shaft about the center axis of the second shaft.

Cam driven insert gripper

An item transport system includes a first transport element rotating around a plurality of first transport rollers in a first direction, a second transport element in opposing relation to the first transport element, the second transport element rotating around a plurality of second transport rollers in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a guide plate proximate to the first transport element for engaging the items during processing by an item processing element, and an item registration device configured to maintain the items in registration with the guide plate. The item registration device includes a plurality of independently articulating pivot assemblies biased to engage the second transport element with the first transport element and a plate associated with each pivot assembly. Each plate is fixedly constrained with respect to the pivot assembly at one end and slidably constrained with respect to the pivot assembly at another end.

Top registered item transport system

A method and system for moistening and sealing an envelope in a high speed mail processing machine including steps and components for heating a liquid to moisten the glue on the envelope flaps to more quickly soften the glue and provide an improved seal.

Envelope moistener with temperature adjusting apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Danbury, CT, United States of America

Luciano P Dos Santos