CA2125550C - Envelope flap up pick and place apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

An envelope flap up pick and place 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 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 envelope stack, pulled together and pivoted inward at the bottoms to squeeze the stack from the bottom edges. The assembly is then lifted to pick up the stack from the conveyor.

Description

ENVELOPE FLAP UP PICK AND PLACE APPARATUS AND M~Ov R~R~ROUND OF THE lNV~.. ~lON

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic envelope processing apparatus and method, and, more particularly, to such an apparatus which removes completed envelopes from an envelope folding machine, maneuvers them such that their folded-down top seal flap is placed upward, and deposits them in a horizontal stack on a receiving surface. A pair of cooperating movable supports then compresses individual stacks, each containing a predetermined number of envelopes, and positions them for a mechanical grasper to grasp the compressed stacks, lift them without bottom support and move them to another location for a further operation, such as packaging.

DescriPtion of the Related Art Envelope manufacturing in general has increasingly become a highly automated operation. In the production of standard and specialty envelopes, large, complex machines serve to fold blanks, apply patches, and place adhesive on the side and top or seal flaps.
The side flaps are folded over and sealed and the finished envelopes are normally output via a delivery spider into a horizontal stack on a surface, such as a conveyor belt, to be accumulated into stacks of envelopes for other operations, such as loading into cartons.
These accumulating and loading steps have been difficult to fully automate, using requiring hand operations. In the past, conventional delivery spiders have fed the finished envelopes onto the delivery surface with the folded seal flap facing downward. As 212~50 these envelopes with downward facing folded seal flaps accumulate on the receiving surface, the cumulative outward acting horizontal spring effect caused by the extra paper layers in the downward facing folded seal flaps tends to spread or expand the envelope stack longitudinally outward at the bottom. No gripping or picking machine is known which is capable of reliably automatically picking up the requisite number of envelopes from the horizontal stack and moving them away from the stacking area without dropping them. This is due to the "spring" action of the extra paper layers represented by the folded, open seal flaps which tends to bow the envelope stack outward at the bottom edges, causing envelopes in the middle of the stack to bulge downwardly and drop out, usually followed by the remainder of the stack.
As a result of this inability to design a suitable machine, and as further described below, it has been traditional for human workers to physically grasp the horizontal stacks of envelopes, carefully compensating for the greater bulk at the bottom, and lift them for transfer to a desired location, such as an open carton. There are a number of problems inherent in this arrangement. First, the use of manual labor is expensive, when compared to automated equipment.
Second, the workers themselves face the same problem with the envelope stacks, i.e., once they are picked up by compressing the stacks inwardly from the ends, the spring action of the downward facing folded seal flaps tends to cause envelopes to loosen at the bottom and drop out. This means that the workers must manually exert a considerable compensating force inward against the bottom edges of the envelope stack, effectively squeezing the stack bottom to prevent the stacks from falling apart as they are lifted. Often the workers find it easier to turn the stack 180 degrees so the seal flaps are facing up, but the turning operation itself is difficult and likely to cause the stack to disintegrate. The handling of the stacks leads to the third problem, which is that these repetitious manual lifting, squeezing and turning motions, when repeated hour after hour and day after day, frequently cause the affected workers to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. This is an extremely painful nerve, muscle and ligament irritation in the wrists and hands which can cause temporary and even permanent disability in the workers. In addition to the problem of the resulting pain and suffering, these injuries represent a considerable financial strain in the form of workmen's compensation, lost wages, sick leave, etc. to an envelope manufacturer.
It is clear then, that a need exists for an automated apparatus which is capable of effectively and reliably off-loading stacks of envelopes from a receiving surface, accumulating, counting, and picking up predetermined numbers of the envelopes in horizontal stacks from the surface, and transferring them to other locations during the manufacturing/packaging process. Such an apparatus should be capable of reliably picking up and loading the stacks of envelopes, i.e. the apparatus must solve the problem of the bottom spring action caused by the loading of envelopes with downward facing folded envelope seal flaps.

212~5~ 0 SUMMARY OF THE lNvL..~lON

The present invention is directed to an envelope flap up pick and place apparatus and method including a delivery spider which transfers finished envelopes from an envelope folding machine to a receiving surface, in this example a horizontal belt conveyor. The delivery spider accepts finished envelopes from a series of rollers with the final roller pushing the envelopes downward, flap first, into upward facing slots in the delivery spider. The delivery spider turns clockwise, as shown in the drawings, moving the envelopes until the top of each envelop contacts a pair of horizontally oriented hold back fingers, which cause the envelope to drop out of the delivery spider, and onto the conveyor belt. The envelopes, as they drop onto the conveyor belt, are dropped between respective guide members on a guide wheel which is mounted in a position in which the guide members extend just above the belt. The guide wheel turns in a direction opposite of the spider, with the guide members feeding the envelope bottoms smoothly onto the belt in an upright orientation where they accumulate into a horizontal stack. The stacked envelopes are thus loaded onto the conveyor belt in a position with their folded seal flaps facing upward and away from the delivery spider.
As the envelopes are loaded onto the conveyor belt, a first movable vertically oriented finger support, positioned to extend above the conveyor belt, holds the stack upright. The first vertical finger support is attached to a double acting piston within a pneumatic cylinder, which moves the first finger support in the same direction as the conveyor belt, and at a speed which matches the accumulation speed of the loaded envelopes. When a predetermined number of envelopes have been loaded, as determined by a counter, 21255~ 0 .

second and third vertically oriented finger supports are simultaneously propelled upward into the stack of envelopes. The result is a stack including the predetermined number of envelopes, which stack is positioned between the first finger support and the second finger support.
The second and third finger supports are attached to pistons within a respective pair of vertically oriented pneumatic cylinders which are operative to raise and lower the respective second and third supports. Pistons in a respective pair of horizontally oriented pneumatic cylinders are attached to respective ones of the vertically oriented pneumatic cylinders such that the vertically oriented cylinders, along with the attached second and third finger supports, are independently movable in the same plane as the conveyor belt.
After the second and third finger supports are pushed upward into the envelope stack, they are moved in the same direction as the conveyor belt, but the second finger support is moved faster than the third finger support, thus compressing the envelope stack between the first and second finger supports. The first finger support reaches the end of its travel path as the envelope stack is fully compressed, and a grasp and pick mechanism pushes two downwardly extending gripper arms into the first and second finger supports, respectively.
The gripper arms include fingers which mesh with the fingers in the first and second finger supports. The grasp and pick mechanism then squeezes the two downwardly extending gripper arms together at the bottom and picks up the gripped envelope stack off of the conveyor belt, moving it to an open carton. As the stack is picked up off of the conveyor belt, the first finger support is moved in a direction opposite that of the conveyor belt, to the opposite limit of its travel, whereupon the second and third support fingers are pulled downward below the plane of the conveyor belt. Envelopes thus begin collecting against the first finger support, which is again propelled in the direction of the conveyor at the accumulation speed of the envelopes, and the cycle is repeated.

OBJ13CTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE lNV~iL.llON

The principal objects of the present invention include: to provide an improved envelope flap up and pick apparatus and method;
to provide such an apparatus in which finished envelopes are reliably transferred from an envelope folding apparatus to a horizontal belt conveyor; to provide such an apparatus in which the envelopes are loaded onto the conveyor with their open, folded seal flaps directed upward; to provide such an apparatus in which a plurality of movable upright finger supports cooperate to accumulate and compress individual stacks of envelopes, with each stack including a predetermined number of envelopes; to provide such an apparatus in which a pair of mechanical gripper arms are lowered on either side of each individual stack, after it has been accumulated and compressed;
to provide such an apparatus in which the mechanical gripper arms are pulled toward each other, squeezing and gripping the stack of envelopes, with the gripper arms then being lifted to pick up and convey the stack of envelopes away from the conveyor belt; to provide such a method in which envelopes are transferred from a manufacturing apparatus to a belt conveyor; to provide such a method in which the envelopes are stacked, open, folded seal flap upward, on the conveyor belt; to provide such a method in which horizontal stacks of predetermined numbers of envelopes are accumulated and compressed on ~1~55~ ~

the conveyor belt; to provlde such a method ln whlch the stacks of accumulated and compressed envelopes are mechanlcally plcked up off of the conveyor belt and transferred to waltlng cartons; to provlde such a method ln which an existing envelope foldlng machlne whlch normally loads envelopes open, folded seal flap down onto a belt conveyor is converted to transfer envelopes, open flap up onto the belt conveyor; and to provlde such an apparatus and method whlch ls partlcularly well adapted for lts lntended purpose.
Accordlng to the present lnventlon,there ls provlded an envelope transfer and accumulatlng apparatus, comprlslng (a) means for grlpplng envelopes and propelllng them lndlvldually ln a downward dlrectlon, wlth a folded seal flap of each envelope faclng downward, sald means for grlpplng lncludlng a serles of drlven rollers placed ln ~uxtaposltlon, each sald roller, along wlth a respectlve assoclated envelope keeper, actlng to grlp and propel envelopes, sald rollers ln sald serles alternatlng ln dlrectlon wlth the flnal roller ln sald serles turnlng ln a dlrectlon such thàt envelopes propelled from lt exlt ln a downward dlrectlon;
(b) a dellvery means comprlslng a dellvery splder lncludlng a plurallty of curved envelope slots, sald dellvery means belng adapted and posltloned to recelve a serles of envelopes from sald flnal roller, wlth each sald recelved envelope enterlng a respectlve one of sald slots, sald dellvery splder belng turned ln a dlrectlon opposlte to that of sald flnal roller;
(c) means for removlng sald envelopes from sald slots ln 5~

a positlon ln whlch sald folded seal flaps are faclng upward;
and (d) means for accumulatlng stacks of sald envelopes ln sald flap up posltlon.
Also accordlng to the present lnventlon, there ls provlded an envelope transfer and accumulatlng apparatus, comprlslng (a) a rotatlng roller means lncludlng a serles of driven lnteractlng rollers, each wlth an associated envelope retalnlng means for grlpplng envelopes, said rollers in said serles alternatlng ln dlrection wlth the last roller in the serles turnlng ln a dlrectlon whlch propels sald envelopes lndlvldually ln a downward dlrectlon, wlth an open, folded seal flap of each envelope faclng downward;
(b) a dellvery means lncludlng a delivery spider wlth a plurallty of curved envelope slots ln said spider, said spider turning in a directlon opposlte to sald last roller and belng adapted and positloned to recelve a series of envelopes from sald last roller, wlth each sald recelved envelop entering a respective one of said slots;
(c) means for removing said envelopes from sald dellvery spider ln a posltlon ln which said folded seal flaps are facing upward, said means for removing comprising a generally horlzontally orlented llmlt stop whlch causes sald envelopes to drop out of sald curved slots; and (d) means for accumulatlng horizontal stacks of sald envelopes ln sald seal flap up positlon.
Further, accordlng to the present lnventlon, there ~ 20149-625 ~t 5S~

ls provlded a method of adapting an envelope machlne whlch ls constructed to dellver envelopes to an accumulating means from a serles of envelope rollers and a dellvery splder wlth folded envelope seal flaps faclng downward to dellver sald envelopes to sald accumulatlng means wlth sald folded seal flaps faclng upward, the method comprlsing the steps of:
~ a) provldlng an addltlonal envelope roller whlch ls posltloned ad~acent sald serles of rollers and whlch rotates ln a flrst dlrectlon, sald addltlonal roller belng adapted to accept envelopes, seal flap flrst, from sald serles of rollers and dlrect sald envelopes ln a downward dlrectlon;
(b) provldlng a dellvery splder wlth curved slots wlth envelope recelvlng openlngs, sald splder belng orlented such that sald slot openlngs are posltloned to recelve envelopes exltlng sald addltlonal roller;
(c) provldlng a llmlt stop ad~acent sald splder, sald stop belng posltloned on the opposlte slde of sald splder from sald addltlonal roller;
(d) rotatlng sald splder ln a dlrectlon opposlte sald flrst dlrectlon toward sald llmlt stop; whereby (e) sald envelopes exlt sald spider and drop onto sald accumulating means wlth said folded seal flaps faclng upward.
Stlll further, accordlng to the present lnventlon, there ls provlded a method of dellvering envelopes from a stream of sald envelopes to a horlzontal accumulatlng means wlth folded envelope - 8a -A~ 20149-625 ~ 212555 0 seal flaps facing upward, the method comprising the steps of: (a) directing said envelopes via a roller means in a downward direction with said folded seal flaps facing downward; (b) receiving said envelopes in individual envelope slots in a delivery spider, said spider being oriented such that openings of said slots are positioned to receive envelopes exiting said roller; (c) rotating said spider in a direction opposite from said roller; and (d) causing said envelopes to drop out of said spider and onto said accumulating means in a position with said folded seal flaps facing upward.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the envelope flap up and pick apparatus and method in accordance with the present invention.
Fig. 2 is an illustration of a conventional, prior art, envelope folded seal flap down transfer mechanism.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of an envelope positioned in the horizontal stack of Fig. 2, taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and showing the folded seal flap in phantom lines, facing down and toward the delivery spider.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view of an envelope flap up delivery system in accordance with the present 212S5~0 invention, showing a second and third finger support extending upward into the horizontal envelope stack.
Fig. 5 is a reduced, fragmentary side elevational view of the envelope flap up and pick apparatus and method, showing the second and third finger supports pulled down below the conveyor, and with envelopes accumulating behind the first finger support.
Fig. 6 is a reduced, fragmentary side elevational view of the envelope flap up and pick apparatus and method, showing the second and third finger supports pushed up into the envelope stack, and with envelopes accumulating behind the third finger support.
Fig. 7 is a reduced, fragmentary side elevational view of the envelope flap up and pick apparatus and method, showing the second and third finger supports being advanced to the left, with the second support moving faster than the third support, and serving to compress a stack of envelopes against the first support.
Fig. 8 is a reduced, fragmentary side elevational view of the envelope flap up and pick apparatus and method, showing the envelope stack compressed and positioned for a grasp and pick mechanism, with the grasp and pick mechanism being lowered toward the envelope stack, and with additional envelopes accumulating behind the third support.
Fig. 9 is a reduced, fragmentary side elevational view of the envelope flap up and pick apparatus and method, showing the envelope stack being grasped and picked up by the grasp and pick mechanism, with the grasp and pick mechanism being raised, and with additional envelopes accumulating behind the third support, which is adjacent the second support.
Fig. 10 is a reduced, fragmentary side elevational view of the envelope flap up and pick apparatus and method, showing the second - 2125~5 Q

and third finger supports pulled down below the conveyor in a first position in solid lines, and in a second position in phantom lines, and with envelopes again accumulating behind the first finger support.
Fig. 11 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view of a stack of envelopes accumulating behind the third finger support, showing the folded seal flap up orientation of the envelopes.
Fig. 12 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view, taken along line 12-12 of Fig. 1, and showing fingers in the left gripper arm meshing with fingers in the first finger support.

DETI~TT T~n DESCRIPTION OF THE lNVL...~ lON

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

Prior Art Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate a typical prior art envelope folding apparatus 1 with a flap down conveyor transfer assembly 2. The transfer assembly 2 includes a plurality of rollers 3-6 which serve to seal the side flaps of the finished envelopes 7, leaving a seal flap 8 open. The envelopes 7 may include a transparent window patch 9. The envelopes 7 are directed into a delivery spider 11. The spider 11 includes a plurality of curved envelope slots 12 which receive envelopes 7 as they exit the last roller 3, which is rotated clockwise, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The envelopes 7 enter the slots 12, folded seal flap first, and the spider 11 is rotated counter-clockwise, or opposite to that of the roller 3. A limit stop 13 causes the envelopes to drop out of the slots 12 and fall onto a receiving surface 14. The envelopes 7 drop onto the surface 14, folded seal flap first, and are accumulated into a horizontal stack 15. A human workman (not shown) then manually grasps individual stacks of predetermined numbers of envelopes 7, lifting them from the surface 14 and transferring them to open cartons for packaging. The outward spring pressure on the bottom of the stack 15, due to the extra paper layers represented by the downward facing folded seal flaps 8, means that a great deal of compensating pressure must be exerted manually by the workman against the bottom ends of the stack 15 to keep the stack 15 from falling apart, i.e. to keep the envelopes 7 from dropping out of the stack 15 when it is lifted from the receiving surface 14. This exertion of manual pressure, when repeated hundreds of times daily, causes the workmen to develop carpal tunnel syndrome, as explained above.

EnveloPe Flap Up Pick And Place ADparatus And Method The present invention, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4-12, is designed to automate the processing of envelopes 7 previously accomplished manually in the system 1. Referring to Fig. 1, the number 30 generally indicates an envelope folding machine, which may be, for example, a Type 527 Envelope Machine manufactured by Winkler 5~5C) and Dunnebier of Germany. The numeral 31 generally lndlcates an envelope seallng and transfer assembly attached to the machlne 30 ln accordance wlth the present lnventlon. The assembly 31 lncludes a number of rollers 32-35, whlch seal envelope slde flaps and dlrect the envelopes 7 ln the same manner as the rollers 3-6 ln the system 1. An addltlonal roller 36, wlth an envelope keeper 37, ls added to dlrect the envelopes 7 ln a downward dlrectlon lnto a dellvery splder 41, whlch lncludes curved envelope slots 42. The splder 41 ls mounted wlth the slots 42 runnlng ln a dlrectlon opposite to the slots 12 of the prlor art splder 11. The envelopes 7 exlt the roller 37 and enter the slots 42, open, folds seal flap flrst. The splder 41 rotates ln a clockwlse dlrectlon, as plctured ln Flgures 5-10, and a llmlt stop 43 causes the envelopes 7 to drop out of the slots 42 and onto a belt conveyor 44. An angled ad~ustment arm 45 ls connected to a splder axle support 46 at one end and to a slotted horlzontal plate 47 at the other end. The plate 47 supports a vertlcal member 48, whlch, ln turn, supports the llmlt stop 43. The helght of the llmlt stop 43 can be ad~usted to accommodate for envelopes 7 of dlfferlng helghts by rotatlng the arm 45 about the support 46 and an axle 49. A rotary gulde 50, wlth radlally extendlng gulde members 51 whlch extend ~ust above the conveyor 44, guldes the envelopes 7 ln an uprlght orlentatlon onto the conveyor 44. An addltlonal, smaller rotary gulde 52 ls posltloned above the gulde 50, and lncludes lndlvldual gulde members 53. The gulde 52 can also serve as a counter trlgger for an envelope counter ~not shown).

~/~5~

As the envelopes 7 are gulded onto the conveyor 44, they form a horlzontal stack 54. A flrst movable, vertlcally orlented flnger support 55 serves to hold the envelopes 7 ln an uprlght posltlon. The flrst support 55 ls connected to a carrlage 56, whlch ls, ln turn, connected to a dual actlng plston wlthln a pneumatlc cyllnder 61. The cyllnder 61 has a two-way actlon, l.e. alr under pressure can be lntroduced at elther end to propel the plston and attached carrlage 56 to the left or rlght. Compressed alr lntroductlon lnto the cyllnder 61 ls tlmed such that the carrlage 56 and flr~t support 55 are propelled to the left, as shown ln Flgure 5, at the same rate of speed that the envelopes 7 accumulate on the conveyor 44. Thus, the flrst support 55 holds the envelope stack 54 ln a vertlcal orlentatlon wlthout puttlng pressure on the stack 54.
When a predetermlned number of envelopes 7 have been counted, by a counter connected to the gulde 52, or by other countlng mechanlsm, such as photoelectrlc detectors, etc., a second and a thlrd movable flnger support 62 and 63, are propelled upward, slde by slde, lnto the envelope stack 54, as shown ln Flgure 6. The second support 62 ls connected to a rod 64 connected to a vertlcally orlented pneumatlc cyllnder and plston 65. The cyllnder 65 ls, ln turn, connected to a rod 71, whlch ls connected to a plston wlthln a horlzontally orlented pneumatlc cyllnder 72. Slmllarly, the thlrd support 63 ls connected to a rod 73 connected to a vertlcally orlented pneumatlc cyllnder and plston 74. The cyllnder 74 ls, ln turn, connected to a rod 75, whlch ls connected to a plston A.-~S~

wlthln a horlzontally orlented pneumatlc cyllnder 76. Each ofthe cyllnders 65, 72, 74 and 76 are double actlng pneumatlc cyllnders slmllar to the cyllnder 61, but wlth shorter plston strokes.
After the second and thlrd supports 62 and 63 have been propelled upward lnto the envelope stack 54, as shown ln Flgure 6, the second support 62 ls propelled relatlvely rapldly to the left by the horlzontal cyllnder 72, as shown ln Flgure 7, whlle the thlrd support 63 ls also propelled to the left by the horlzontal cyllnder 76, but - 14a -~ 2125~ 0 at a significantly lower speed. This causes the second and third supports 62 and 63 to separate, leaving a gap 66 as shown in Fig. 7, as the second support 62 compresses the envelope stack 54 against the first support 55, which has now reached the leftmost end of the piston stroke within the cylinder 61.
Next, as shown in Fig. 8, a gripper assembly 81 is lowered by a vertically oriented pneumatic cylinder 82 (Fig. 1). A first double rod horizontally oriented air cylinder 83, equipped with rods 84 and 85, is connected to a plate 91, which is pivotally connected to a left gripper arm 92 via a pivotable connector 93. The rods 84 and 85 are simultaneously extendable and retractable by the cylinder 83.
Similarly, a second double rod horizontally oriented air cylinder 94, equipped with rods 95 and 96, is connected to a plate 101, which is pivotally connected to a right gripper arm 102. The gripper arms 92 and 102 are mirror images of each other and, thus, only the gripper arm 92 will be further described herein, with particular reference to Figs 1 and 12. The gripper arm 92 is tapered near the bottom, and includes a slot 104 near the top. The slot 104 is sized and adapted to accommodate and move freely along a threaded adiustment rod 105, which incorporates a pair of threaded stops 111 and 112. The adjustment rod 105 is threaded into a support 113, which is rigidly attached to a horizontal cylinder support arm 114. A bowed stack top support 115 is attached between the gripper arms 92 and 102, and the support 115 curves downward at either end as the gripper arms 92 and 102 are pivoted inward at the bottom. The support 115 is attached to the cylinder support plate 114 via a threaded screw 116, which extends into a vertical cylinder support 121.
Referring to Fig. 12, the gripper arm 92 includes a plurality of fingers 122-124 which mesh with corresponding fingers 125 and 126 on ~S~

d/~ 55~

the flrst support 55. The griper arm 102 and the second support 62 have similar meshing fingers (not shown).
Figure 11 illustrates a stack of the envelopes 7 as they are accumulated behind the thlrd support 63 and gulded by gulde members 51 and 53 of the rotary guldes 50 and 52, respectlvely. As the envelopes 7 are guided onto the conveyor 44, the folded seal flaps 8 face away from the splder 41, wlth the wlndows 9 faclng toward the spider 41. Figure 11 also illustrates the sprlng actlon exerted by the open, folded seal flaps 8, as the seal flaps 8 at the tops of the envelopes 7 tend to sprlng outward due to the additional paper layers, maklng the envelopes 7 thlcker at the top than the bottom, and taperlng the entlre stack 54 outward at the top.
Operation Referring again, in particular, to Figures 5-10, the flnlshed envelopes 7 exit the roller 36 and the keeper 37 ln a downward direction and enter the slots 42 ln the spider 41, with the folded seal flaps 8 entering first. As the spider 41 rotates clockwise, the envelopes 7 encounter the limit stop 43, which forces them to drop out of their respectlve slot 42.
When the envelopes 7 drop out of the respective slot 42, they fall onto the conveyor 44, folded seal flap 8 facing up. The lower rotary guide 50 and the upper rotary guide 52 insure that the envelopes 7 have an upright orientatlon as they are moved onto the conveyor 44. The flrst movable support 55 ls propelled to the left at the same rate of speed that the envelopes 7 accumulate on the conveyor 44, thus providing a leftmost support for the envelope stack 54.

A~ 2ol49-625 When a predetermined number of envelopes are counted, the second and thlrd movable supports 62 and 63 are propelled upward into the stack 54 by the cylinders 72 and 76, respectlvely. The supports 62 and 63 are then propelled to the left, at dlfferent speeds, by the cyllnders 65 and 74, respectlvely, wlth the second support 62 compresslng the envelope stack 54 to the requlred density ~ust as the first support 55 reaches its leftmost position. Meanwhile, the third support 63 ls advanced to the left at the same rate of speed as the envelopes 7 accumulate behind lt, causlng the gap 66 to open between the second and thlrd supports 62 and 63.
The grlpping assembly 81 is then lowered, as shown ln Flgs. 8 and 9, to a posltlon ln whlch the flngers 122-124 of the gripper arm 92 mesh with the corresponding fingers 125 and 126 in the first 55. The gripper arm 102 simultaneously meshes with the second support 62 in the same fashion. The double rod cylinders 83 and g4 are then actuated, with the rods 84, 85, 95 and 96 being simultaneously retracted, causing the top portions of the gripper arms 92 and 102 to abut the corresponding inner stops 112. This causes the gripper arms 92 and 102 to pivot inward at the bottom, causing the envelope stack 54 to bow upward in the center to conform to the shape of the top support 115. Thus, since the envelopes 7 are loaded with the folded seal flaps 8 facing upward, the tendency for the stack 54 to spring outward at the top is accommodated by the inward pivoting bottoms of the gripper arms 92 and 102, and the bowed top support 115. The gripping assembly is then llfted by the cylinder 82 and the envelope . i 5s~

stack 54 is transported for a further manufacturing operation, such as packaglng (not shown).
The first support 55 ls then propelled to the right to the posltlon shown ln Flgure 10, and the second support 62 is also propelled to the rlght to a posltlon ad~acent the thlrd support 63. The second and thlrd supports 62 and 63 are then simultaneously - 17a -~,~

lowered to a position below the conveyor 44 by the cylinders 65 and 74, respectively, this position being shown in solid lines in Fig.
10, and then the second and third supports 62 and 63 are moved to the right to the position shown in phantom lines in Fig. 10. The envelopes 7 then begin accumulating behind the moving first support 55 and the entire cycle is repeated.
While the apparatus 41 has been shown and described in conjunction with a Standard Winkler ~ Dunnebier 527 Envelope Machine, it could readily be adapted to other envelope manufacturing machines.
It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.

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Claims (13)

1. An envelope transfer and accumulating apparatus, comprising (a) means for gripping envelopes and propelling them individually in a downward direction, with a folded seal flap of each envelope facing downward, said means for gripping including a series of driven rollers placed in juxtaposition, each said roller, along with a respective associated envelope keeper, acting to grip and propel envelopes, said rollers in said series alternating in direction with the final roller in said series turning in a direction such that envelopes propelled from it exit in a downward direction;
(b) a delivery means comprising a delivery spider including a plurality of curved envelope slots, said delivery means being adapted and positioned to receive a series of envelopes from said final roller, with each said received envelope entering a respective one of said slots, said delivery spider being turned in a direction opposite to that of said final roller;
(c) means for removing said envelopes from said slots in a position in which said folded seal flaps are facing upward;
and (d) means for accumulating stacks of said envelopes in said flap up position.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein (a) said means for removing said envelopes comprises a generally horizontally oriented limit stop which causes said envelopes to drop out of said curved slots.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein:
(a) said means for accumulating comprises a horizontal belt conveyor.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3, and further comprising:
(a) means for guiding said envelopes onto said conveyor in an upright orientation.

5. An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein (a) said means for guiding said envelopes comprises a rotary guide with radially extending envelope guide members.

6. An envelope transfer and accumulating apparatus, comprising:
(a) a notating roller means including a series of driven interacting rollers, each with an associated envelope retaining means for gripping envelopes, said rollers in said series alternating in direction with the last roller in the series turning in a direction which propels said envelopes individually in a downward direction, with an open, folded seal flap of each envelope facing downward;

(b) a delivery means including a delivery spider with a plurality of curved envelope slots in said spider, said spider turning in a direction opposite to said last roller and being adapted and positioned to receive a series of envelopes from said last roller, with each said received envelop entering a respective one of said slots;
(c) means for removing said envelopes from said delivery spider in a position in which said folded seal flaps are facing upward, said means for removing comprising a generally horizontally oriented limit stop which causes said envelopes to drop out of said curved slots; and (d) means for accumulating horizontal stacks of said envelopes in said seal flap up position.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein:
(a) said means for accumulating comprises a horizontal belt conveyor.

8. An apparatus as in claim 7, and further comprising (a) means for guiding said envelopes onto said conveyor means in an upright orientation.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8, wherein (a) said means for guiding said envelopes comprises a rotary guide with radially extending envelope guide members.

10. A method of adapting an envelope machine which is constructed to delivery envelopes to an accumulating means from a series of envelope rollers and a delivery spider with folded envelope seal flaps facing downward to deliver said envelopes to said accumulating means with said folded seal flaps facing upward, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing an additional envelope roller which is positioned adjacent said series of rollers and which rotates in a first direction, said additional roller being adapted to accept envelopes, seal flap first, from said series of rollers and direct said envelopes in a downward direction;
(b) providing a delivery spider with curved slots with envelope receiving openings, said spider being oriented such that said slot openings are positioned to receive envelopes exiting said additional roller;
(c) providing a limit stop adjacent said spider, said stop being positioned on the opposite side of said spider from said additional roller;
(d) rotating said spider in a direction opposite said first direction toward sald limit stop; whereby (e) said envelopes exit said spider and drop onto said accumulating means with said folded seal flaps lacing upward.

11. A method according to claim 10, and further comprising the step of (a) providing a rotary envelope guide means positioned beneath said spider, said rotary guide means including a plurality of radially directed guide members adapted to receive individual envelopes therebetween and to direct said envelopes onto said accumulating means in an upright orientation.

12. A method of delivering envelopes from a stream of said envelopes to a horizontal accumulating means with folded envelop seal flaps facing upward, the method comprising the steps of (a) directing said envelopes via a roller means in a downward direction with said folded seal flaps facing downward;
(b) receiving said envelopes in individual envelope slots in a delivery spider, said spider being oriented such that openings of said slots are positioned to receive envelopes exiting said roller;
(c) rotating said spider in a direction opposite from said roller; and (d) causing said envelopes to drop out of said spider and onto said accumulating means in a position with said folded seal flaps facing upward.

13. A method according to claim 12, and further comprising the step of:
(a) guiding said envelopes onto said accumulating means in an upright orientation such that said envelopes accumulate in a horizontal stack.