Bell & Howell Mail and Messaging Technologies Company

Bell & Howell Phillipsburg Company

Steve W McCay

Keith A Harshman

David P Nyffenegger

Bradford D Henry

Frank J Shinn

Leonard Neifert

James Rivenbark

Harry Noll

Stephen J Gillette

Dale A Wentzel

In an inserting apparatus and method such as the continuous motion type, a motion controller electrically communicates with an encoder, a first motor driving an insert conveyor assembly, a second motor driving an envelope conveyor assembly, and an actuator operatively interfaced with a peripheral device. The motion controller controls insert conveyor assembly speed, envelope conveyor assembly speed, and the rotational position at which the actuator should be activated, based on the encoder signal. Once during every master cycle, the motion controller calculates the actuator activation position, and causes the first actuator to be activated at the calculated first actuator activation position.

Inserting apparatus and method with controlled, master cycle speed-dependent actuator operations

The invention is directed to an overhead pusher finger guide system, preferably for use with a sheet handling apparatus. The guide system prevents the lower conveyor run from sagging or otherwise moving out of the proper feed plane. Accordingly, superior sheet handling is achieved.

Overhead pusher finger guide system

Apparatus and method for merging sheet streams conveyed in side-by-side streams in a conveying direction into a single stream. An infeed conveyor conveys at least two sheet streams side-by side in a direction toward a merger. The merger separates and separately conveys the sheet streams to a merge location. The sheet streams are transported at different accelerations or speeds, such that each article of one of the sheet streams is directed into a gap between the articles of the other sheet stream in order to produce a single, merged sheet stream traveling at an accelerated outfeed speed for further processing.

Method and apparatus for merging sheets

A multi-stage, serpentine-shaped buffer has an entry area for receiving documents, a first level comprising a first plurality of document stages, a first turn-around for substantially reversing the direction of document travel following said first plurality of stages, a second level vertically adjacent to said first level, said second level comprising a second plurality of document stages, a second turn-around for substantially reversing the direction of document travel, and a third level vertically adjacent to said second level, said third level comprising a third plurality of document stages.

System for multi-stage serpentine-shaped buffer with first turn around

A diverter and on-edge stacker for diverting and on-edge stacking of envelopes comprises: an envelope conveying path; a device for selectively diverting a conveyed envelope by intercepting a lateral portion of the leading envelope edge and thereby skewing the envelope; a stepper-motor-driven spider wheel having legs and gaps therebetween for receiving diverted envelopes; revolving rollers to capture and drive the skewed envelope away from the conveying path into a gap of the momentarily stationary spider wheel; and, a sensor to sense an envelope that has been driven into a spider wheel gap and, consequently, to control rotation of the spider wheel by one gap pitch.

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Steve W McCay