Patent ID: 8540235

Claim:
An apparatus for conveying envelopes traveling in a travel direction in a generally upright orientation, comprising: a first pair of conveyor assemblies disposed opposite one another and configured to engage lateral edges of the envelopes, said first pair of conveyor assemblies configured to move the envelopes in the travel direction; and a second pair of conveyor assemblies disposed opposite one another and positioned downstream of said first pair of conveyor assemblies in the travel direction, said second pair of conveyor assemblies configured to move the envelopes in the travel direction independently of said first pair of conveyor assemblies, wherein at least one of said first or second pairs of conveyor assemblies includes at least one conveyor belt and a plurality of flexible and deflectable elements extending from said belt for engaging the lateral edges of the envelopes, said flexible deflectable elements being bendable with respect to said belt by action of the engagement of the lateral edges of the envelopes therewith so as to position each of the lateral edges between displaced flexible and deflectable elements; and wherein at least a portion of said first pair of conveyor assemblies overlaps said second pair of conveyor assemblies in the travel direction.