Envelope accumulation, batching and compression apparatus and method

• US 5,464,316 A
• Filed: 08/11/1993
• Issued: 11/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tension Envelope Corporation
• Original Assignee: Tension Envelope Corporation
• Inventors: Kranz, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORSE, GREGORY ALLAN
• Application Number:
  US08/104,663
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 414/798.2, 414/798.4, 414/798.5, 414/798.9, 414/792.5, 198/418.7, 198/418.8, 198/429, 271/2
• US Class Current: 414/798.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/42142 by introducing articles from beneath
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4223 Pressing piles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1916 Envelopes and articles of mail
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/40 Members rotated about an axis perpendicular to direction of article movement, e.g. star-wheels formed by S-shaped members
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/06 the articles being piled on edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 33/02 by moving a blade or like member into the pile
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/12 including means pressing against top or end of group

Abstract

An envelope accumulation and batching apparatus and method uses a conventional envelope delivery spider which has been adapted to deliver envelopes to an accumulating surface, such as a belt conveyor, in a position with the folded envelope seal flaps facing upward. A rotary guide is positioned with radially extending guide members extending just above the conveyor belt to guide envelopes onto the conveyor in an upright orientation. The conveyor moves the envelopes toward a series of three separately movable, vertically oriented finger supports. The three supports are cooperatively driven to accumulate, batch and compress horizontal stacks of predetermined numbers of envelopes which are then positioned beneath a gripper assembly with a pair of opposed gripper arms. The gripper assembly is lowered into a position in which the gripper arms are inserted on either side of the compressed envelope stack, pulled together and pivoted inward at the bottoms to squeeze the stack from the bottom edges. The gripper assembly is then lifted to pick up the stack from the conveyor.

Claims

1. In a system wherein a plurality of individual items are sequentially delivered onto a support surface at a delivery point via a delivery means, an apparatus for accumulating, batching and compressing said items into a stack containing a predetermined quantity of said items, said apparatus comprising:

(a) first support means positioned above said surface and first moving means for selectively moving said first support means generally horizontally along said surface in a first direction for initially accumulating said items as they are delivered onto said surface;

(b) sensing means for detecting said predetermined quantity of said items as they are accumulated behind said first movable support means;

(c) second support means and-second moving means for selectively moving said second support means generally vertically between a position below said surface and a position above said surface near a first location between said first support means and said delivery point in response to said sensing means detecting said predetermined quantity to thereby divide said items into first and second stacks, with said first stack including said predetermined quantity; and

(c) third moving means for selectively moving said second support means generally horizontally from said first location along said surface in said first direction to a second location;

(d) said first, second and third moving means being independent from each other and separately controllable such that horizontal movement of said first support means and horizontal and vertical movement of said second support means can be independently controlled.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, and further comprising:

(a) third support means and fourth moving means for selectively moving said third support means generally vertically between a position below said surface and a position above said surface near said first location between said second support means and said delivery point and between said first and second stacks in response to said sensing means detecting said predetermined quantity, said fourth moving means being independent from said first, second and third moving means and separately controllable such that vertical movement of said second support means can be independently controlled.

3. An apparatus as in claim 2, and further comprising:

(a) fifth moving means for selectively moving said third support means generally horizontally from said first location along said surface in the same direction as said first and said second support means to a point near said second location, said fifth moving means being independent from said first, second, third and fourth moving means and separately controllable such that horizontal movement of said second support means can be independently controlled.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein:

(a) said support surface includes a conveying means which is movable in said first direction at a rate approximately equal to a first rate at which said first moving means moves said first support means in said first direction.

5. An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein:

(a) said third moving means selectively moves said second support means between said first and second locations at a second rate faster than said first rate such that said first stack is compressed between said first and second support means; and

(b) said fifth moving means selectively moves said third support means between said first and second locations at approximately the same rate as said first rate such that additional items in said second stack are accumulated behind said third support means while said first stack is compressed.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5, and further comprising:

(a) means for removing said first stack from between said first and second support means.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein:

(a) said first moving means is responsive to the removal of said first stack to selectively move said first support means above said surface in a direction opposite to said first direction to a position near said second location at a third rate faster than said first rate.

8. An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein:

(a) said second and fourth moving means selectively lower said second and third support means, respectively, from above to beneath said surface in response to said first support means reaching said position near said second location whereby said second stack then accumulates behind said first support means; and

(b) said third and fifth moving means then selectively return said second and third support means, respectively, beneath said surface in a direction opposite to said first direction to a position near said first location.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8, wherein:

(a) said items are envelopes and said delivery means comprises a delivery spider.

10. An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein:

(a) said first, second, third, fourth and fifth moving means each comprise a double acting cylinder.

11. An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein:

(a) said first and second support means each include a plurality of fingers arranged to cooperate with said means for removing.

12. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein:

(a) said sensing means comprises a counter and said quantity is a predetermined number of said items.

13. In a system wherein a plurality of envelopes are sequentially delivered onto a support surface at a delivery point via a delivery means, an apparatus for accumulating, batching and compressing said envelopes into a stack containing a predetermined quantity of said items, said apparatus comprising:

(a) first support means positioned above said surface and first moving means for selectively moving said first support means generally horizontally along said surface in a first direction for initially accumulating said envelopes as they are delivered onto said surface;

(b) sensing means for detecting said quantity of envelopes as they are accumulated behind said first movable support means; and

(c) second support means and second moving means for selectively moving said second support means generally vertically between a position below said surface and a position above said surface near a first location between said first support means and said delivery point in response to said sensing means detecting said predetermined quantity to thereby divide said envelopes into first and second stacks, with said first stack containing said predetermined quantity

(d) said first and second moving means being independent from each other and separately controllable such that horizontal movement of said first support means and vertical movement of said second support means can be independently controlled.

14. An apparatus as in claim 13, and further comprising:

(a) third moving means for selectively moving said second support means generally horizontally from said first location along said surface in said first direction to a second location, said third moving means being independent from said first and second moving means and separately controllable such that horizontal movement of said second support means can be independently controlled.

15. An apparatus as in claim 14, and further comprising:

(a) third support means and fourth moving means for selectively generally vertically moving said third support means between a position below said surface and a position above said surface near said first location between said second support means and said delivery point and between said first and second stacks in response to said sensing means detecting said predetermined quantity, said fourth moving means being independent from said first, second and third moving means and separately controllable such that vertical movement of said second support means can be independently controlled.

16. An apparatus as in claim 15, and further comprising:

(a) fifth moving means for selectively moving said third support means from said first location along said surface in the same direction as said first and said second support means to a point near said second location, said fifth moving means being independent from said first, second, third and fourth moving means and separately controllable such that horizontal movement of said second support means can be independently controlled.

17. An apparatus as in claim 16, wherein:

(a) said support surface includes a conveying means which is movable in said first direction at a rate approximately equal to a first rate at which said first moving means moves said first support means in said first direction.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17, wherein:

(a) said third moving means selectively moves said second support means between said first and second locations at a second rate faster than said first rate such that said first stack is compressed between said first and second support means; and

(b) said fifth moving means selectively moves said third support means between said first and second locations at approximately the same rate as said first rate such that additional envelopes in said second stack are accumulated behind said third support means while said first stack is compressed.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18, and further comprising:

(a) means for removing said first stack from between said first and second support means.

20. An apparatus as in claim 19, wherein:

(a) said first moving means is responsive to the removal of said stack to selectively move said first support means above said surface in a direction opposite to said first direction to a position near said second location at a third rate faster than said first rate.

21. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein:

(a) said second and fourth moving means selectively lower said second and third support means, respectively, from above to beneath said surface in response to said first support means reaching said position near said second location; and

(b) said third and fifth moving means then selectively return said second and third support means, respectively, beneath said surface in a direction opposite to said first direction to a position near said first location.

22. An apparatus as in claim 21, wherein:

(a) said delivery means comprises a delivery spider.

23. An apparatus as in claim 16, wherein:

(a) said first, second, third, fourth and fifth moving means each comprise a double acting cylinder.

24. An apparatus as in claim 19, wherein:

(a) said first and second support means each include a plurality of fingers arranged to cooperate with said means for removing.

25. An apparatus as in claim 15, wherein:

(a) said sensing means comprises a counter and said quantity is a predetermined number of said envelopes.

26. A method of accumulating, batching and compressing predetermined quantities of envelopes from a plurality of envelopes sequentially delivered at a delivery point via a delivery means to accumulate on a support surface, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) moving a first support means along said surface generally horizontally in a first direction and at a first rate via a first moving means for initially accumulating said envelopes as they are delivered onto said surface;

(b) sensing said predetermined quantity of envelopes as they are accumulated behind said first support means;

(c) moving a second support means generally vertically between a position below said surface and a position above said surface and within said plurality of envelopes near a first location between said first support means and said delivery point via an independent second moving means in response to said sensing step to thereby separate said envelopes into first and second stacks with said first stack containing said predetermined quantity;

(d) moving said second support means from said first location generally horizontally along said surface in said first direction to a second location via an independent third moving means; and

(e) moving a third support means generally vertically between a position below said surface and a position above said surface near said first location between said second support means and said delivery point and between said first and second stacks via an independent fourth moving means in response to said sensing step.

27. A method as in claim 26, and further comprising the step of:

(a) moving said third support means generally horizontally from said first location along said surface in the same direction as said first and said second support means via an independent fifth moving means to a point near said second location.

28. A method as in claim 27, wherein said support surface includes a conveying means which is movable in said first direction at a rate approximately equal to a first rate at which said first moving means moves said first support means in said first direction, said method further including the steps of:

(a) moving said second support means between said first and second locations at a second rate faster than said first rate such that said first stack is compressed between said first and second support means; and

(b) moving said third support means between said first and second locations at approximately the same rate as said first rate such that additional envelopes in said second stack are accumulated behind said third support means while said first stack is compressed.

29. A method as in claim 28, and further comprising the step of:

(a) removing said first stack from between said first and second support means.

30. A method as in claim 29, and further comprising the step of:

(a) moving said first support means above said surface in a direction opposite to said first direction to a position near said second location at a third rate faster than said first rate in response to said removing step.

31. A method as in claim 30, and further comprising the step of:

(a) lowering said second and third support means, from above to below said surface in response to said first support means, reaching said position near said second location; and

(b) returning said second and third support means below said surface in a direction opposite to said first direction to a position near said first location.

32. A method as in claim 26, and wherein said sensing step comprises:

(a) counting said envelopes to detect a predetermined number of said envelopes.