Mechanism of making an envelope

• US 4,343,129 A
• Filed: 07/09/1979
• Issued: 08/10/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GBR Systems Corp.
• Original Assignee: GBR Ltd.
• Inventors: Golicz, Roman M., Gunther, William H. Jr., Hough, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sipos, John
• Application Number:
  US06/055,551
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 53/460, 53/461, 53/206, 53/209, 53/218, 53/178, 53/266 A, 93/62, 93/63 R, 93/63 M, 229/69, 893/216
• US Class Current: 53/206
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2150/00 Flexible containers made from sheets or blanks, e.g. from flattened tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2160/10 rectangular and flat, i.e. without structural provision for thickness of contents
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2170/20 having multi-layered walls, e.g. laminated or lined
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 5/045 using heat-sensitive adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 5/047 using pressure-sensitive adhesive

Abstract

An improved machine and method of making and folding an insert and an envelope.

Claims

1. A mechanism for forming an envelope, comprising an envelope assembly having a sealing flap and an insert assembly, a predetermined envelope assembly being adapted to envelope a predetermined insert assembly, means for moving said predetermined envelope assembly along one path and for moving said predetermined insert assembly along another path, said paths moving in the same direction, said means for moving said predetermined insert assembly includes means for positioning the predetermined insert assembly in superimposed relationship to the predetermined envelope assembly, and for moving the two assemblies synchronously in the same direction so that said predetermined insert assembly is superimposed over said predetermined envelope assembly, said means for moving the predetermined envelope assembly includes means for causing the predetermined insert assembly to be deposited on said moving predetermined envelope assembly, means for folding the predetermined envelope assembly around the predetermined insert assembly, said predetermined envelope assembly being part of a continuous web of envelope assemblies connected together in lengthwise relationship to each other, cutter means being provided to separate the envelope assemblies from each other, said predetermined insert assembly being part of a continuous web of insert assemblies connected together in lengthwise relationship to each other, cutter means being provided to separate the insert assemblies from each other, the path of said predetermined insert assembly and said predetermined envelope assembly being in substantially superimposed relationship to each other, said envelope assembly moving means comprises conveyor means, said insert assembly moving means comprises a slide chute overlying the conveyor means down which the insert assembly slides, said slilde chute having a lower toe overlying the conveyor means, said lower toe pointing in the direction of travel of the said paths and the said conveyor, said envelope assembly moving means comprising conveyor means having upstanding pins adapted to strike the envelope assembly, slits being provided in said chute to permit the pins to strike the insert assembly and push it off the toe and onto an envelope assembly, a folding mechanism is provided adjacent the upper edge of said slide chute to fold the insert assembly, means are provided for applying adhesive to the edges of the envelope assembly, said envelope assembly folding means comprises a ramp having a stop at its forward end and being spaced above the plane of the conveyor to form a gap and means for causing the envelope to fold along a fold line and to push the folding envelope through said gap, a deflecting mechanism is provided movable upwardly to close the gap and permit the envelope to move up the ramp and to thereafter be movable downwardly to open the gap to permit the envelope to pass through the gap, pressure applying means are provided to seal the edges of the folded envelope assembly, means are provided for transferring said folded envelope assembly to a flap folding means, said flap folding means comprises second conveyor means moving at an angle to said first conveyor means, pressure rollers are adapted to place the envelopes into contact with the second conveyor means, said pressure means comprises a roller assembly pivotally mounted above said second conveyor means, means to pivot said rollers from a raised position to allow an envelope assembly to be deposited on the second conveyor means to a lowered position in contact with the envelope assembly, means to apply adhesive to the flap and means are provided to turn the flap, and a pressure roller is provided to seal the flap.

2. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said webs has perforations along the edges and wherein means are provided for removing the perforations.

3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein a pair of insert assemblies and a pair of envelope assemblies are provided transversely of each other and their respective webs on either side of a center line of the webs.

4. A mechanism as claimed in claim 3 wherein a cutter is provided near the top of said chute to cut the insert assembly along the center to form a pair of inserts.

5. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein guides are provided on the chute to prevent the insert assembly from angling.

6. A mechanism as claimed in claim 5 wherein said adhesive applier applies adhesive to the edges of the envelope assembly and along the center line.

7. A mechanism as claimed in claim 6 wherein guide rails are provided on each side of the insert assembly when positioned on the envelope assembly to prevent adhesive from being applied to the inserts.

8. A mechanism as claimed in claim 7 wherein a cutter is provided after the folding mechanism to cut the envelope assembly along the center line to form a pair of envelopes.

9. A mechanism as claimed in claim 8 wherein means are provided to deposit additional inserts on said envelope assembly, in advance of the envelope folding mechanism, said means comprising a mechanism to position additional inserts over the first conveyor means to permit the pins to strike the inserts and cause them to drop on the envelope assembly.