Patent ID: 7051496

Claim:
A high-speed envelope transport and insertion machine comprising: a slip-drive system comprising an upper drive portion and a lower drive portion, each of the upper drive portion and the lower drive portion comprising a plurality of laterally spaced apart belts disposed about a plurality of pulley elements and at least one driving member to move the plurality of belts of the upper drive portion and lower drive portion at a first speed; an envelope transmission device disposed to input envelopes into the slip-drive between the plurality of belts of the upper drive portion and lower drive portion; a plurality of gripping members disposed on and at intervals along a first drive member comprising a chain or belt disposed to pass between the plurality of laterally spaced apart belts and between the upper drive portion and lower drive portion, the first drive member being driven at a second speed lower than the first speed; wherein envelopes input into the slip-drive are moved at a speed greater than a speed of the gripping members so that an envelope borne by the slip-drive overtakes a corresponding one of the plurality of gripping members and is registered therein, wherein, upon registration of an envelope within a gripping member, the gripping member closes to retain the envelope.