Muller Martini Corp.

Butler Automatic, Inc.

Graphic Management Associates, Inc.

Stacker Machine Co., Inc.

Muller Martini Mailroom Systems, Inc.

Timothy Goszka

Harry C Noll, Jr

Randy R Seidel

Irving H Neumann

Eric Bader

Gregory Balcerek

Mike White

Kolbjorn Roste

John R Shaffer

Ed Yeoman

Richard J Sterner

Roger Bilodeau

John Messenger

Tim Voorhees

James Baird

Harry C Noll

An apparatus and method for transporting flat products and for orienting such products for applying printed indicia while the products are transported, comprises a conveyor system which transports flat products in a first direction while holding the products in a first orientation generally orthogonal to the first direction, and, during transport, orients at least a peripheral portion of the product in a direction opposite the first direction, in an orientation and position for applying printed indicia on the peripheral portion of the product. The apparatus and method are particularly applicable for use in applying address information to the upper right corner of newspapers.

Apparatus and method for orienting products for applying indicia during transport

A co-mailing system uses an insert machine to merge different mail streams into one stream in the sequence of a master mail list. By using an insert machine with vertically oriented pockets traveling on a moving conveyor, the speed of merging the mail streams is high and efficiency is obtained.

Collating system

A system uses a plurality of sensors to detect and manage conditions within a moving pocket, such as a pocket carrying a flat product from one location to another. The system is particularly useful in connection with a newspaper insert machine. One sensor detects whether the product has been opened properly at a particular time; another sensor detects whether the product has been properly gripped by a gripper at a particular time; another sensor detects whether the pocket is empty at a particular time and another sensor detects whether the pocket is open or closed at a particular time. In the event an error condition is detected, the error condition is corrected by a control system.

Pocket management system

An apparatus feeds paper inserts or other flat products from one area to another. The apparatus is particularly useful for newspaper insert machines. A rotating gripper drum or pusher disk feeds paper products from the bottom of a stationary stack down into open moving pockets. Roller assemblies are employed to first speed up the product and then slow the product down as the product exits the feeder. In operation, the product is first quickly accelerated to a speed faster than the circumferential speed of the drum or pusher disk, to maximize feeding speed, and then is quickly decelerated to a slower speed, to prevent the product from bouncing or crumpling in the bottom of the pocket.

Product feeder with accelerator and decelerator devices

This invention discloses an apparatus and method for separating and feeding flat products from a stack to a gripper drum. The invention employs a specially-positioned pivoting and articulating sucker bar, having several degrees of motion, operating in timed relationship with a reciprocating and articulating pusher blade, to reduce the travel distance of vacuum suckers, to reduce the diameter of the gripper drum, and to increase the speed at which products are separated from the stack and transferred to the gripper drum.

Product separator and feeder

The present invention is an apparatus useful for palletizing elongated articles including bundles of stacked sheets or signatures. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a frame and a slide system mounted to the frame. The slide system comprises a slide conveyor and a slide support connected to the slide conveyor. There is at least one, and preferably at least two, clamp assemblies connected to the slide support. Each clamp assembly comprises a pair of opposing clamping surfaces with at least one of the clamping surfaces on a clamp, and preferably each clamping surface on an opposing clamp.

Palletizer

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for interrupting a stream of signatures. The apparatus comprises successive conveyor belts in series which can be controlled to advance the belt supporting surfaces at relatively different speeds. At least one conveyor belt has a supporting surface capable of varying in length.

Signature stream interrupt apparatus and method

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Emmaus, PA, United States of America

Timothy Goszka