Pitney Bowes Inc.

Vincent D Bufalini

Thomas M Lyga

William A Ross

Christopher DeBarber

An envelope throat opening mechanism for an envelope inserting machine includes a pair of envelope throat opening claw assemblies mounted adjacent an envelope inserting position for opening the outer ends of an envelope disposed in the envelope inserting position to permit insert material to be inserted into the envelope. An envelope throat opening tongue assembly is also disposed adjacent the envelope inserting position and in substantial alignment with the center of an envelope, the tongue assembly having a tongue mounted therein for movement into the throat of the envelope adjacent the center thereof to ensure that the center portion of the throat is opened sufficiently to permit the insert material to be inserted into the envelope. There is means for driving the claw assemblies and the tongue assembly in a timed sequence with the arrival of an envelope at the inserting position, and with the claw assemblies operating asynchronously with respect to the mounting means for the tongue to move the claws into the throat of the envelope in advance of the tongue entering the throat, so that both the outer ends of the envelope and the center portion thereof are effectively opened by the claws and the tongue respectively.

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Norwalk, CT, United States of America

Vincent D Bufalini