Mechanism for folding an envelope around an insert

• US 4,694,632 A
• Filed: 08/25/1986
• Issued: 09/22/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Connecticut Innovations, Inc. (State of Connecticut)
• Original Assignee: Gunther International, Ltd.
• Inventors: Gunther, William H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sipos, John
• Application Number:
  US06/899,645
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 53/206, 53/209, 53/534, 53/460, 53/55, 209/584, 209/900
• US Class Current: 53/55
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 3/04 automatic

Abstract

A mechanism for automatically feeding individual pre-cut sheets and stuffing a personalized letter or some other pre-cut insert into a personalized envelope. The mechanism has means to permit additional inserts to be automatically added to the envelope and to automatically seal the contents within the envelope. The mechanism will also combine pre-cut inserts and envelopes fed from different sources and form them into a completed mailing envelope.

Claims

1. A mechanism for forming an envelope comprising a stack of pre-cut single predetermined individual envelope assemblies having a rear edge and a stack of pre-cut single predetermined individual letter insert assemblies having a rear edge, first means for moving each individual envelope assembly along a first path, second means for moving each individual letter insert assembly along a second path, said first and second moving means comprising a two-tiered conveyor mechanism with each tier superimposed over and in spaced relationship to each other, each tier of said conveyor mechanism being adapted to receive an assembly, means operatively associated with said first and second means to move both assemblies with their rear edges in vertical alignment with each other, each of said assemblies being individually fed to their respective conveyor mechanism tiers from stacks of assemblies 1 code data on said letter insert assembly and said envelope assembly, reading means adjacent the stacks for sensing said code data to determine whether an insert assembly matches an envelope assembly before said assemblies are fed to their respective conveyor mechanism tiers and before the assemblies are fed from the stacks, means for comparing the code data sensed by the reading means to determine whether a predetermined letter insert assembly is matched with a predetermined envelope assembly whereby feeding from said stacks is interrupted if the code data on the predetermined letter insert assembly does not match with a predetermined envelope assembly, third and fourth means in line with said first and second moving means for receiving said assemblies from said first and second moving means and for causing said assemblies to move along superimposed third and fourth paths, said third and fourth means comprising a two-tiered conveyor mechanism, said third means includes means for folding each letter insert assembly and for positioning each predetermined letter insert assembly in superimposed relationship to each predetermined envelope assembly, said fourth means includes means for causing said folded letter insert assembly to be deposited on top of said moving envelope assembly, means for folding the envelope assembly around said letter insert assembly, means for sealing the edges of said envelope assembly, said envelope assembly comprising a front panel, a rear panel, end flaps and a seal flap, said means for depositing deposits the folded letter insert assembly onto said front panel, and means operatively associated with said two-tiered conveyor mechanism for maintaining said folded letter insert assembly on said front panel during movement of both said assemblies.

2. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said maintaining means comprises pushers for different pushing areas in advance of each other.

3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein said pushers are L-shaped and having pushing surfaces in advance of each other.

4. A mechanism as claimed in claim 3 wherein one of said pushing surfaces pushes the envelope and the other of said pushing surfaces pushes the folded letter and maintains the folded letter on the front panel of the envelope.

5. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein means are provided for folding said end flaps over the envelope assembly.

6. A mechanism as claimed in claim 5 wherein means are provided for folding the rear panel over the folded end flaps and adhering it to the end flaps.