CONTINUOUS ENVELOPER SYSTEM

Abstract: Continuous enveloper system for continuously fabricating envelopes and the subsequent enveloping of a single or multiple page letter automatically. The fabricated envelope is also a self mailer, if desired. The system is carried out by feeding envelope web blanks (122) through continuous and uninterrupted feed rollers (101, 102), tensioning said web blanks as they are passed over a Bernoulli plate (123) (124) for proper placement of the web blanks upon arrival at burster rollers (107) that separate each web blank, synchronizing the speed of said web blanks with the speed of a folded page or pages of a letter for merging the web blanks with the folded letter, and sealing the envelope containing said folded letter. Other printing paper handling equipment can be added as desired or necessary.

Description: Description Continuous Enveloper System Technical Field This invention pertains to an enveloper system that can continuously fabricate and envelope single or -multiple page letters automatically. It also pertains to a continuous self mailer system wherein the letter becomes a self mailer, if desired. This invention is also a subsystem of an overall electronic message system. The printing and paper handling equipment, the subject of this invention, both input and output, represent a more gradually changing state of the art than the progress in the electronic field. The throughput rates, reliability, overall functions and the ability of the invention to intermittently make an envelope or a self mailer, as desired, is a system that is not available in' the market place, yet is necessary if the success of an overall electronic message system is to become viable, Disclosure of Invention This invention relates to a continuous enveloper system for first fabricating envelopes and then using said envelopes for enveloping a single or multiple page letter automatically when said letter is received from a scanner that processes electronic messages. The novel approach to continuous envelop¬ ing in this instance comprises feeding envelope web blanks continuously to continuous and uninterrupted feed rollers. The web blanks are maintained under 0MPI_ * /1Λ. WIPO tension to keep the blanks flat to assist in maintaining synchronization throughout the system. The web blanks are then advanced over a Bernoulli plate for proper placement upon arrival at burster rollers which separate the web blanks. The web blank speed is continuously synchronized with the speed of the letter speed for merging each envelope with each letter. Each web blank and letter are folded. Each web blank upon folding, envelopes each letter. The envelopes are stacked for easy removal or processed otherwise for subsequent delivery. Brief Description of the Drawing The Figure is a schematic of the enveloper system which will be described in explaining the invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Referring to the Figure, two stacks of fan- folded envelope blanks 122 are fed across two stationary bars 104 to knurled feed rollers 101 and 102. The envelope blanks are driven against the feed rollers by identical pressure roller assemblies consisting of two D-shaped rollers 103 geared together. The tension of the driven webs is maintained by the drag supplied by two sets of adjustable brushes 105 which ride against the envelope blanks 122. The feed rollers 101 and 102 are driven alternately on demand by identical clutch/brake units, not shown, supplying blanks at high operat- ing speeds and thereby alleviating the effect of lag in clutch/brake response time. The clutch/ brake operation is triggered by a photodetector, OMPI A m iFO not shown, in the mailstream which operates in conjunction with processor control, not shown. Envelope blanks are fed out along decks 123 and 124 to take away rollers 107 which run continuously at speeds 1.57 times, faster than web feed. This speed differential is sufficient to draw the unbroken web tightly against blades 106 which burst or separate the web. In this manner the dual station burster maintains synchronization at high operating speeds, particularly when envel¬ oping a long series of single-page letters is called for. In effect, if a machine operating speed of ten (10) pages per second is set, each web feeds alternately at five ( 5 ) pages per second. Demand feed of either web is topped by a logic system, not shown, which senses the lead edge of the web photo-optically at a point just before the take-away rollers. The envelope blank, now separated from the web proceeds through the transport 108 where it may be scored. The blank then proceeds into a turn-around transport system 109, 110 and 111 where belt mois- teners 112 activate the glue in preparation for folding. The moistener belts are supplied with water by dual pumps 118 which are connected to a remote reservoir 119 and moistener tanks 113. Water is picked up directly on the belt, providing immed¬ iate tanks 113, building up to a pre-determined level while the pumps 118 are operating. The mois¬ tener tanks 113 drain completely when the pumps 118 stop, returning accumulated sludge and paper dust to remote reservoir 119. The envelope blank merges with the " document between transport 110 and 111 prior to folding. The _ . 0MPI_ ,AΛ. WiPO Λ» merged packet, consisting of the letter or letter set and the envelope blank enters the plow folding transport 114 which turns the inner flap of the envelope blank 130° over the letter; the inner flap is then sealed to itself as it passes through two compliant rollers 115. The outer flap of the blank enters plow folding trans¬ ports 116 which turn the outer flap 180° onto itself and the inner flap. Final sealing is done by two compliant rollers 117, completing the cycle of enveloping. The advantages of the enveloper of this inven¬ tion produces an envelope which is substantially conventional in appearance, thus giving an envel- ope made of paper; a stiffer mail-piece which allows better subsequent machine handling, better appearance and better customer acceptability. More¬ over, the enveloper of this invention is completely asynchronous and in-line; therefore, mailpieces not designated for enveloping (that is, self-mailers) can pass directly through the enveloper without the need for complex gating mechanisms.

Claims: Clai s 1. A continuous enveloper system which com¬ prises: (a) feeding envelope web blanks toward con¬ tinuously, uninterrupted feed rollers, . (b) tensioning said web blanks to keep said web blanks flat for maintaining system syn¬ chronization, (c) advancing said web blanks over a Bernoulli plate to insure the lead edge of said web blanks is properly placed upon arriving at the burster rollers for assisting in controlling said web blanks travel for system synchronizing, (d) synchronizing said continuous enveloper system by sensing the lead edge of the web blanks and feeding said sensing information to a clutch brake controlling said feed rollers, (e) bursting said envelope web blanks as the lead edge of said web blanks is engaged by burst rollers, (f) activating the adhesive on said web blanks for subsequent adherence, (g) merging said web blank with a folded letter for subsequent enveloping, .(h) enveloping said folded letter by folding the non-longitudinal adhesive containing side of said web blanks prior to folding the opposite side of said web blanks, and • (i) sealing said envelope by passing through sealing rollers. 2. A continuous enveloper system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said folded letter com¬ prises a single o.r multiple number of pages. -BUREAU OMPI ,. IPO 3. A continuous enveloper system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said feeding of envel¬ ope web blanks toward continuously, uninter¬ rupted feed rollers is at a predetermined rate, 4. A continuous enveloper system in accordance .with claim 3 wherein said predetermined rate is an adjustable rate. 5'. A continuous enveloper system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said bursting of said envelope web blanks is carried out by main¬ taining a speed differential between said feed rollers and said burst rollers. 6. A continuous enveloper system in accordance with claim 5 wherein synchronization is ain- tained by synchronizing said burst rollers speed with said folded letter speed. 7. A continuous enveloper system in accordance with claim 6 wherein all processing is con¬ trolled by a processor as described in the specification.

Inventors: FREEMAN G, ILLK D
Applicants: US POSTAL SERVICE, UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
Application year: 1979
Main classification: B65B11
IPC codes: B31B41, B43M5, B65H35