Patent ID: 7677543

Claim:
A sheet handling apparatus for collating or inserting inserts, the apparatus comprising: a raceway adapted to transport sets of inserts at a raceway transport rate; and an insert feed line adapted to feed an individual insert to each of the sets of inserts on the raceway at the raceway transport rate; the insert feed line having a singulation device adapted to separate the individual insert from bundles of inserts at a separation rate, the singulation device including a lifter lifting at least one insert from the bundles of inserts to separate the individual insert from the bundles of inserts; wherein, the lifter lifts the at least one insert at the separation rate and the singulation device has a controller adapted to control the singulation device separation rate so that it is variable with respect to a predetermined raceway transport rate, to allow the insert feed line to feed the individual insert to each set of inserts transported on the raceway at the raceway transport rate.