Package making – Means to fill and close preformed receptacle – Receptacle comprising envelope
Patent
1992-07-24
1994-07-12
Coan, James F.
Package making
Means to fill and close preformed receptacle
Receptacle comprising envelope
53569, 493475, B65B 5902
Patent
active
053277015
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
The invention relates to drive adjustment device for inserter apparatus, that is, an apparatus for effecting insertion of desired insert material into each of a series of envelopes.
Such apparatus comprises conveyor means defining a flow path along which envelopes are conveyed successively from a stack or other supply source through an opener station, at which each envelope is opened, to an insert station at which desired insert material, comprising one or more items usually in the form of printed cards or sheets, which may or may not be folded, is placed inside each opened envelope. The filled or loaded envelope is then usually conveyed from the insert station to be closed and sealed if required. Where the insert material is to comprise a plurality of items, a second conveyor means can be provided along which the two or more insert items are assembled into a stack, as by depositing on each first item the or each additional item from separate feeder devices, some or all of which can include folding equipment, located side-by-side along the flow path provided by the second conveyor means. This path ends at the insert station, where each assembled stack is loaded into a respective envelope carried there by the first-mentioned conveyor means.
Apparatus of this kind is required to operate quickly and reliably. It should be capable of detecting immediately any misfeed of the envelopes and insert material and is desirably simple in construction, incorporating as few moving parts as possible. It should also be readily adjustable to accommodate envelopes of different sizes. The invention is accordingly concerned with the provision of an inserter apparatus incorporating improved arrangements for the handling of the envelopes and the insert material, for detection of operational failure, and for adjustment to a selected envelope size.
The invention, more specifically, provides in such apparatus improved means for effecting opening of envelopes moved along a first flowpath to an insert station, improved means for assembling together a stack of inserts along a second flow path leading to the insert station, improved means for detecting failure of insert material to enter into an envelope, and improved means for adjustment according to envelope size.
The invention thus provides an inserter apparatus having conveyor means for conveying to an insert station a series of envelopes, and static means for effecting opening of envelopes being so conveyed prior to reaching the insert station. The static means comprises upstream means by which the envelope is distorted so as to cause an angular separation between the flap and the adjacent portion of the envelope body, and downstream means by which the flap is made to extend from the body in substantially co-planar relationship.
Thus, the envelopes can be moved by the conveyor means with the edge at which the closure flap joins the body of the envelope extending parallel to the direction of movement. The static means provides a guide restraining upward movement of this edge and a ramped ridge extending parallel to the edge, so as to be engaged by the underside of the envelope at a position somewhat laterally spaced from the edge, whereby the flap is raised upwardly from the body of the envelope. The envelope is carried further in this condition to bring the flap into engagement with a third element of the static means, a "ploughshare" or curved plate, by which the flap is brought substantially into the plane of the rest of the envelope, which has now moved beyond the downstream end of the ridge. The envelope is held in this opened condition at the insert station, ready to receive the insert material.
By the static envelope opening means of the invention, opening is reliably effected in an extremely economical way without moving parts other than the envelope itself, and of course the conveyor means by which it is moved.
The invention also provides an inserter apparatus having an insert station to which opened envelopes are successively carried and at which insert mate
REFERENCES:
patent: 3936993 (1976-02-01), Dorer
patent: 4418515 (1983-12-01), Foster et al.
patent: 4604849 (1986-08-01), Zemke et al.
patent: 4944131 (1990-07-01), Gough
patent: 5152122 (1992-10-01), DeBarber et al.
Coan James F.
Gealow Jon Carl
Printed Forms Equipment Limited
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