Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Separators
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-17
2002-05-21
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Separators
C271S100000, C271S123000, C271S144000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06390461
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is generally directed to an apparatus for feeding insert materials from one or more insert storage devices to an insert processing machine such as a mail processing machine. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an insert hopper having components which improve the operation of the insert hopper.
BACKGROUND ART
Mail insertion machines automate many mail processing tasks. These tasks include handling documents, invoices, cards and other types of inserts, inserting a single insert or group of inserts into envelopes, sealing the envelopes, and accumulating the resulting mail packages. A key component of the mail insertion machine is the insert hopper or magazine, which is used typically to store inserts and prepare the inserts for extraction or feeding into other stations of the mail insertion machine.
One type of insert feed station that can be used in a mail insertion machine is illustrated in FIG.
1
. An example of this insert feed station, generally designated
10
, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,962 to Spiro. Insert feed station
10
includes an insert hopper generally designated
15
and an insert extraction means generally designated
20
. Insert hopper
15
includes a front guide plate
15
A, a rear guide wall or back stop
15
B, and a bottom support
15
C. Front guide plate
15
A, back stop
15
B and bottom support
15
C cooperate to generally define an insert hopper area
15
′ in which a stack of inserts
25
can be loaded. Insert hopper
15
has a bottom opening
15
D defined between bottom support
15
C and front guide plate
15
A through which the lowermost insert of insert stack
25
can be extracted from insert hopper
15
. In mail insertion machines adapted to process a plurality of different inserts, several insert feed stations
10
with associated insert hoppers
15
and insert extraction means
20
can be disposed in series along the course of the mail insertion machine.
One or more air nozzles such as air nozzle
32
communicating with a compressed air source (not shown) are mounted to front guide plate
15
A. Air is blown through air nozzle
32
between the lowermost sheet and next-to-lowermost inserts of insert stack
25
, thereby “fluffing” these inserts to ensure that an insert hopper suction cup
34
(or a plurality thereof) disposed below insert hopper
15
engages and separates only the lowermost insert. Suction cup
34
is attached to vacuum tubing
36
through which vacuum is provided from a vacuum source (not shown). Suction cup
34
is mounted at the end of a reciprocating arm
38
pivotably mounted to a shaft
39
.
Insert extraction means
20
includes an arcuate vacuum surface
42
generally disposed below suction cup
34
and attached to a reciprocating arm
44
pivotably mounted to a shaft
45
. Vacuum surface
42
includes a plurality of orifices
42
A communicating with a plenum chamber
42
B (shown in phantom) and ultimately with a vacuum source (not shown). After rotating upwardly and engaging the lowermost insert, suction cup
34
retracts downwardly to separate the lowermost insert from insert stack
25
. Vacuum surface
42
then engages the lowermost insert and rotates about shaft
45
to bring the lowermost insert into engagement with the remaining portions of insert extraction means
20
.
The remaining portions of insert extraction means
20
include a pair of oppositely rotating nip rollers
46
A and
46
B, each of which are driven by respective belts or chains
47
A and
47
B and pulleys or sprockets
48
A and
48
B, and an actuating roller
52
. Actuating roller
52
is pivotably mounted to the end of a rocker arm
54
. Rocker arm
54
itself is pivotably mounted to a reciprocating arm
56
which moves synchronously with respect to vacuum surface
42
. The rocking motion of rocker arm
54
is effected through a rotating cam
58
and a reciprocating cam follower
58
A. At the urging of cam
58
, cam follower
58
A translates downwardly through the bore of an extension member
56
A of reciprocating arm
56
, thereby lifting actuating roller
52
, and retracts with the biasing assistance of a spring
58
B. Actuating roller
52
can be used to urge the lowermost insert against vacuum surface
42
and/or between nip rollers
46
A and
46
B. Nip rollers
46
A and
46
B drive the lowermost sheet toward the next station of the mail insertion machine. The next station can be another insert feed station
10
for feeding a different type of insert, an envelope stuffing station, or the like.
Another type of insert feed station is illustrated in FIG.
2
. An example of this insert feed station, generally designated
100
, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,514 to Emigh et al. Insert feed station
100
includes insert hopper generally designated
15
and an insert extraction means generally designated
120
. As in the prior example, insert hopper
15
includes front guide plate
15
A, back stop
15
B, bottom support
15
C, insert hopper area
15
′ and bottom opening
15
D between bottom support
15
C and front guide plate
15
A through which the lowermost insert of insert stack
25
can be extracted from insert hopper
15
. Suction cup
34
is also provided. In this case, a pneumatically driven cylinder
135
and mechanical linkages
135
A are used to reciprocate suction cup
34
through its positions. In
FIG. 2
, however, the approaches taken for insert separation and extraction are different.
Insert feed apparatus
100
in
FIG. 2
includes an insert separator foot
132
that is reciprocated by linkage
133
A and pneumatically driven cylinder
133
. A tip
132
A of insert separator foot
132
rotates toward insert hopper
15
and into a position between the trailing edges of the lowermost insert and next-to-lowermost insert. Tip
132
A ensures that only the lowermost insert is engaged and separated by suction cup
34
. Insert extraction means
120
is characterized by a gripper jaw assembly
146
attached at the end of a picker arm
148
. Picker arm
148
rotates in reciprocating fashion about a drive shaft
149
journaled in a bearing
152
at the end of an angled arm
154
. Gripper jaw assembly
146
includes a stationary foot
146
A and a movable gripper jaw
146
B. Gripper jaw
146
B is actuated by a pneumatically driven cylinder
155
interposed between pivotal attachments
155
A and
155
B mounted to picker arm
148
and gripper jaw
146
B, respectively. Gripper jaw assembly
146
thus operates in synchronous cycles with suction cup
34
and insert separator foot
132
to extract the lowermost insert from insert stack
25
.
FIG. 2
also illustrates an insert track conveyor
160
on which a group of inserts or an extracted insert such as insert I travel to downstream stations of the mail insertion machine. Insert track conveyor
160
is driven by a drive chain
160
A, and insert I is guided by pusher fingers or flights
160
B extending upwardly from drive chain
160
A. An insert track hold-down foot
165
(or a plurality thereof) can be used to secure inserts I in proper positions on insert track conveyor
160
during successive track advancements. In the example shown, insert track hold-down foot
165
is pivotably mounted on a shaft
166
and actuated through a linkage
167
A and pneumatically driven cylinder
167
.
Insert feed apparatuses such as station
10
shown in FIG.
1
and station
100
shown in
FIG. 2
generally perform well for their intended purposes within the context of mail insertion machines. Current insert hopper designs, however, present some limitations that affect the overall utility of insert feed apparatuses and their associated mail insertion machines.
One limitation relates to the working stack height of insert stack
25
loaded into insert hopper
15
, i.e., the maximum number of inserts that can be loaded into insert hopper
15
without impairing the operation of the particular insert extraction means used. For any given insert feed apparatus, the working stack height depends upon the type of insert, the finish provided on the surface o
Kanick Richard F.
Vitko, Jr. John H.
Bell & Howell Mail & Messaging Technologies Company
Crawford Gene O.
Ellis Christopher P.
Jenkins & Wilson, P.A.
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