Other

Opex Corporation

Robert J Russell

William G Young

Barry D Nuss

Apparatus and method for opening an envelope upon three sides. The apparatus employs a circular rotating wheel which supports a plurality of complementary pairs of paddles which are designed to open at predetermined times to receive an envelope and close upon the envelope in a protective manner. The envelope is first received in the paddles with the leading edge thereof slightly exposed. As the paddles progress in their circular motion, the leading edge is engaged by means which weaken the edge. Thereafter, the paddles are opened and a conveyor below the paddles repositions the envelope between the paddles so as the trailing and bottom edges thereof are slightly exposed. As the paddles progress, the trailing and bottom edges are likewise weakened after which the envelope is discharged to an opening means. Opening means are provided which receive the envelope and convey the envelope by means of a belt over idler pulleys which cause parallel shearing forces to the sides of the envelope by reverse flexing of the envelope to crack the weakened edges. The envelope is then passed between a belt and a roller through which a vacuum is induced to grip the opposite panels of the envelope and exert a separating force perpendicular to the panels to complete opening of the envelope and expose the contents thereof.

Envelope opening apparatus and method

Apparatus is disclosed for extracting and sorting mail from envelopes which have had one edge thereof already severed. The plurality of envelopes with their edges already severed are placed into a hopper and fed from the hopper to a pair of conveyor belts operating along a vacuum manifold through which a vacuum is drawn. The conveyor is indexed to move the envelope to a work station at which two opposed vacuum cups pull the sides of the envelope into an open position to facilitate quick removal of the contents. While the operator is sorting the contents of the envelope into sorting compartments, the conveyor is again indexed to bring the next envelope into place whereupon it is drawn into an open position. An inspection device, such as a photocell arrangement, is positioned at an inspection station to check that the contents have been completely removed.

Growing community of inventors

Philadelphia, PA, United States of America

Robert J Russell