High speed insert handling mechanism and method

Abstract

The invention is a high speed feeding method and apparatus for inserting products having a shorter flap portion folded over a longer body portion. The products may comprise single or multiple page signatures, or the like, for stuffing, including in-line inserting of pre-prints into newspapers after they leave the press or for directly inserting into the nip of paper webs where the sections are being brought together as multiple continuous webs. The flap enables positive sequential feeding of the products. A drum, rotated at high speed, adjacent a source of products, includes at least one cut-out for receiving a product flap, as synchronized straightening apparatus unfolds the flap and introduced the forward edge to a high speed nip for accelerating the product away from the source for sequential feeding. Novel conveyor apparatus opens newspapers, traveling at press speeds, to receive the inserts, or to receive a plurality of different inserts when more than one feeder is employed. In other embodiments, a high speed rotary drum has one or more radially extending blades for impacting the free edge of the shorter portion of the product to push it from the source of products to speed up rollers, which have a nip for receiving the forward folded over end, for accelerating the product.