Pitney Bowes Inc.

Nicholas R Antonelli

Kevin J O'Dea

Luciano P Dos Santos

John W Sussmeier

Russell W Holbrook

David R Auerbach

Neil J Kennedy

Jeffrey L Chodack

Gary W Comstock

Al Viglione

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 on-edge stacker having a deck surface to support a vertical mail stack, which is allowed to expand from the upstream end to the downstream end. A paddle, movably mounted on a linear support member, is used to support the downstream end of the mail stack. The linear support member is positioned at a level lower than or substantially the same as the deck surface so that the mail can be swept from the deck surface from either longitudinal side of the stacker. A toggle switch is disposed near the downstream end so that when the paddle moved by the expanding stack reaches beyond a certain point, the toggle switch is triggered to indicate that the stack is full or almost full. The paddle has a wedge-shaped blade so that it can slide the stacked mailed on the deck surface without damaging the mail.

Paddle and paddle support in on-edge mail stackers

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

A method and apparatus for improving the timing between the releasing of documents from enclosure feeders and the arrival of pusher fingers fixedly attached to a conveyer belt in a gathering section of an inserting machine. As the conveyer belt begins to wear and stretch after being used for a long period of time, the timing between the releasing of documents and the arrival of pusher fingers may no longer be appropriate. By using two sensors placed, preferably, at the two ends of the gathering section to measure the timing of the arrival of the pusher fingers at the sensors, the stretch of the chain can be determined and the delay of the arrival of a pusher finger at each enclosure feeder can be calculated. Adjustment to the releasing timing at each enclosure feeder can be made accordingly.

Method and apparatus for improving synchronization in a document inserting system

Solenoid apparatus having a substantially cylindrical casing, an electro-magnetic coil, a plunger axially aligned and slideably mounted to the casing, a housing hermetically mounted to an end of the casing and a vacuum source operatively coupled to the external port. The plunger has a first end extending outside of the casing, a second end and an internal passage extending from the first end to the second end. The electro-magnetic coil is selectively energizeable for moving the plunger between a first position and a second position. The housing corresponds to the plunger second end to define an inner chamber which encloses the plunger second end. The housing includes an external port connected to the inner chamber so as to provide an unobstructed pathway from the external port to the first end of the plunger via the internal passage and the inner chamber regardless of whether the plunger is in the first position, the second position or therebetween. The vacuum source is selectively activatable for generating negative pressure at the first end of the plunger via the inner chamber and the internal passage.

Solenoid apparatus having a plunger with an internal passage and a

Apparatus for opening a container including at least one moveable panel. The apparatus comprising a frame, vacuum source means, means for gripping the container and a solenoid fixably mounted to the frame. The solenoid including a moveable plunger having a first end and an internal passage having an opening at the first end and being in communication with the vacuum source means. The gripping means mounted to the plunger first end. Also, the apparatus additionally including control means for actuating the plunger between a home position where the gripping means is spaced apart from the moveable panel and an operative position where the gripping means contacts the moveable panel. The vacuum source means for applying negative pressure to the internal passage so that the moveable panel adheres to the gripping means as the plunger moves from the operative position to the home position separating the moveable panel from the container and opening the container.

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Danbury, CT, United States of America

Nicholas R Antonelli