Pitney Bowes Inc.

Robert E Mersereau

Harold Silverman

Dean H Foster

Robert Irvine

Michael A Brown

Arnold Fassman

Frank T Roetter

M James Marin

A bursting machine is provided for separating discrete sheets from a continuous strip of sheets having uniformly spaced perforation lines across the width of the strip. A gauging device with numerical increments in the form of a linear scale is manually compared to the length of the discrete sheets to provide a predetermined number corresponding to a pulse count for entering into a control device through a manually settable device. The control device in turn is operatively connected to an electronic pulse counter. When the leading edge of the strip advances a predetermined increment after passing through a sensing device located downstream in the path of travel with respect to a first pair of feed rollers, a pulse generator attached to the driven first feed roller is actuated to generate pulses for counting to reach the preset number in the pulse counter. When the preset number is reached, a second pair of feed rollers is stopped through disablement of an electromagnetic clutch and enablement of a brake while the leading sheet is continued to be conveyed downstream by the first pair of feed rollers to effect a burst.

Bursting machine

A gauging system for an envelope inserter provides simplified set up procedures for adjustment of a set of enclosure pick-up station side guides, an envelope stop and coordinated adjustment of both a set of envelope station side guides and sets of stripper fingers. A panel at the face of the inserter includes a slot and a pointer for lengthwise insertion of an enclosure. The operator places a specimen enclosure against an index end of the slot and rotates a knob to frame the enclosure length between the index and the pointer. Rotation of the knob provides simultaneous movement of the pointer and adjustment of the enclosure side guides to correspond with the framed length. A further slot and pointer are provided for envelope widthwise insertion. Rotation of its knob for framing the envelope width simultaneously adjusts the envelope stop. A further slot and pointer are provided for lengthwise envelope insertion. Rotation of its knob for framing the envelope length adjusts both the side guides and the stripper fingers. The index end of the envelope length slot is displaced to compensate for a dwell in side guide movement and a coordinated retraction in stripper finger position.

Inserter gauging system

A top-of-stack sheet feeder includes a stack lifting apparatus which provides uniform stack pressure at the feeder as well as stack replenishment without interruption of feeder operation. The stack lifting apparatus includes a comblike feeding platform which incrementally elevates a feed stack to a feed roller which removes successive top sheets. Platform elevation control is responsive to requirement signals generated by a top sheet height sensor. When the stack is depleted to a predetermined reserve, a pair of opposed comblike feeding decks interfit between spaces in the feeding platform and assume the stack elevation function after which the platform descends to a loading station to receive a new stack and lift same to the decks. Upon introduction of the new stack, the decks disengage the reserve and index to a lower dwell station ready to again resume stack lifting when the combined stack reaches the reserve level. The feed roller includes a perforated sleeve rotating about a fixed core having a peripherally open vacuum sector. The top sheet is lifted from the stack by the vacuum, assisted by a pair of air rifflers which induce air jets under the top sheet and is transported to acceleration rollers by the rotation of the feed roller.

Sheet feeder

Apparatus for accumulating sheet material in stacked relation on a vertically descending tray and transferring the stack for subsequent processing. An oscillating transfer mechanism is positioned in the path of movement of the tray as it is lowered. The tray and stack is pivoted by cam means into a complemental position with the transfer mechanism and as it passes the transfer mechanism is deposits the accumulated stack on the transfer mechanism. The transfer mechanism is then oscillated to remove the stack. When the stacking tray has assumed its transfer mode, an auxiliary sheet material receiving tray is formed by rotating two vanes from a vertical to horizontal position to receive subsequent sheets. Upon return of the stack tray to its initial position, the vanes are rotated back to their horizontal position dropping the accumulated sheets to the tray. A deflector which decelerates and positions the sheet material in the stack remains in contact with the stack and senses the level of the stack on the descending tray to deactivate the drive lowering the tray to assure that the stack reaches a certain height before transfer is effected.

Sheet material stacking and transfer apparatus

A collator system is disclosed, which allows a collator to operate in either one of two distinct modes: (a) RUN/REJECT; or (b) CYCLE/STOP. Each of the above modes of operation has a unique way of handling sheet feeding malfunctions. The RUN/REJECT mode allows the collator to continue to run, despite a sheet feeding malfunction. The stacks, or portions thereof, having an error are distinctly off-set from properly collated stacks. In the CYCLE/STOP mode, the collator feed is disengaged in accordance with the present invention and the drum is rotated at slow speed through a partial revolution and then brought to a stop. A pocket of the collating drum is thusly positioned in an operator accessible area, so that the malfunction may be easily corrected. The RUN/REJECT operational mode allows for automatic and continuous operation despite malfunctions, with corrections to improperly collated stacks to be processed after the completed collator run. The CYCLE/STOP operational mode allows the operator to easily correct any feeding malfunctions as they occur.

Disengaging apparatus for a collator

Disclosed is a registering apparatus for sheet handling machines in which sheets are collected at a receiving station and arranged in registration with each other for performing an operation on the collected stack of sheets. The invention is utilized particularly in machines for stitching, stapling or punching stacks of sheets which have been collated into booklets, the sheets having been delivered to the stitching, stapling or punching machine by a suitable feeding apparatus. The registering apparatus operates on the rear edge of the sheets after they are deposited on a receiving tray and incorporates mechanism by which a jogging device can be adjustably set to an infinite number of operating positions between predetermined limits which allows the machine to handle sheets ranging from approximately seven inches to approximately fourteen inches in length. The driving assembly for the jogging device is taken directly off the drive for the stitching, stapling or punching machine and the jogging device is adjustable along the driving assembly so that it can be locked in the aforementioned infinite number of operating positions along the driving assembly by the operator.

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Stamford, CT, United States of America

Robert E Mersereau