FR2837793A1 - Packaged block of envelopes, has envelopes held bePackaged block of envelopes, has envelopes held between rigid spacers and held together by wrapping tween rigid spacers and held together by wrapping - Google Patents

Abstract

The envelopes (3) are held between two rigid spacers (5, 7) at either end of the block (1). A wrapping (11, 110) is provided around the envelopes and spacers in order to hold them together. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) Combination of the envelope blocks, a pallet and a stretch film for holding the blocks on top of the pallet; (2) Method for unwrapping the envelope blocks by removing a single piece of the wrapping, then removing the spacers and then loading the envelopes into a machine; (3) Machine for wrapping envelopes, comprising a pincer with jaws for gripping the envelopes and spacers and a device for tying a wrapping around them; and (4) Method for wrapping the envelopes using this machine.

Description

destruction of the latter without risk of pollution.

  The invention relates to the packaging and deconditioning of envelopes. In the present text, "envelopes" means all the pockets or pouches of paper, or even cardboard intended to receive a letter, sheets, or any other object capable of containing therein. In general, an envelope is considered by specialists in the field as a "flat product" and this term is frequently used. In this case, it applies to our term "envelope", which has more or less, depending on its structure, a certain suppleness or flexibility which means that in particular 0 under stress (for example, induced by a series of envelopes arranged one behind the other, back to back), a distortion born of differences

  of thicknesses existing in different places of each envelope appears.

  In this context, the invention proposes: - a block of conditioned envelopes having improved stability and / or flatness, - a set of blocks of envelopes conditioned on a handling pallet under improved conditions of maintenance and / or stability and / or blocking for easier future unpacking, - a method for unpacking a block of envelopes by improving the loading conditions of a loader of an envelope processing machine (for example , an insertion machine), - a machine for wrapping a series of envelopes conditioned in accordance with the invention, - and a method for thus conditioning such a series

envelopes.

  Concerning the first aspect (block of conditioned envelopes), the invention proposes a solution to the problems noted of lack of plancency of a series of envelopes arranged one behind the other and / or the unsuitability of the typical cardboard packaging, in particular in connection with a reduction in the volumes of waste and a reduction in the time of operators who have to prepare the envelopes, for example in a feeder of an insertion machine. In this regard, it should be noted that improving the packaging of a series of envelopes can lead to a significant gain in the loading of envelope processing machines, especially as before.

  deke processed by these machines, the envelopes must be unpackaged.

  There is therefore a real synergy between the conditioning, the

  unpacking and further processing of these envelopes.

  In this context, an important characteristic of the invention o therefore recommends the use of a block of conditioned envelopes comprising: - a series of envelopes having a front surface over which a closing flap of the envelope, a rear surface and a slice, the envelopes being arranged opposite one another, by one and / or the other of the front and rear surfaces, - rigid wedges arranged on either side of said series of envelopes, facing the front or rear face of the first and last envelopes of the series, - and a means of holding the series of envelopes, this means of support closely surrounding the series of envelopes and the two wedges. rgdes. According to another characteristic of the invention, the holding means is advantageously elastically deformable, without tension exerted on it, and surrounds in a resilient state the series of envelopes and the

rigid wedges.

  This solution is preferred to a non-elastic strapping band.

  Indeed, with an elastically deformable means, one can in particular absorb, over time, a possible reduction in volume of the series of envelopes. I1 may indeed afterwards, the air trapped between the envelopes during packaging can be evacuated gradually and that we are after a certain time, with a "withdrawal" of the volume

occupied by the series of envelopes.

  As a preferred technical solution for absorbing such a possible reduction in volume, it is recommended that the holding means comprise a plastic stretch film, used in its elastic state. To favor the use of the packet of conditioned envelopes and in particular to save time for an operator, by taking another advantage of the use of such a stretch film, another characteristic of the invention recommends that rigid wedges and the retaining film of the series of envelopes are transparent, or else the film and / or the shims are provided with marking means to provide the user of the pack of conditioned envelopes with marking in the space of the envelopes, which are, in the series, then all oriented in the same way. In connection with the foregoing, a problem which the invention solves relates precisely to the requirement of a correct orientation of each block of envelopes in connection with in particular the arrangement of this block on the charger of a processing machine. '' envelopes, especially if these are not pockets, but rectangular envelopes with a closing flap located on one of the longest lengths of the envelope. In this case, the solution widely recommended by the invention consists in that, within the series of envelopes: a) all the envelopes are identically oriented, the holding means surrounding the envelopes away from the closing flap , and b) a location of the orientation of the envelopes, including the position of the closing flap, exists: - due to an ability to visually identify this orientation through the holding means and at least one of the shims , - And / or by means of tracking identifying this orientation and provided on the holding means and / or on at least one of the wedges. As already indicated, the invention is also concerned with the conditions for handling blocks of envelopes thus conditioned. Another aspect of the invention relates to the manner of preparing the handling of a series of blocks of envelopes packaged on a pallet, while ensuring good conditions of stability, without appreciable risk of damage to the envelopes, or even by promoting the work of the operators for a faster and safer presentation of the blocks of envelopes with a view to their unpacking and their installation

  in the feeder of the processing machine.

  Therefore, a characteristic of the invention relates to an assembly comprising: - a series of blocks of conditioned envelopes as presented above, - a handling pallet on which several blocks of conditioned envelopes rest, arranged at least for some with a section of the edge of the envelopes and the shims of said blocks facing an upper support surface of the pallet, - and a means for coating the pallet and the series of blocks of envelopes arranged on it , this coating means comprising a film

  elastic stretch, stretched in its elastic deformation zone.

  Advantageously, according to an additional characteristic: - the series of blocks of conditioned envelopes will be distributed over several superimposed layers, - an interlayer will be interposed between at least some of the layers, - and at least some of the blocks of envelopes will have, within the series of envelopes, some envelopes offset in height by

  compared to others, thus creating a surface irregularity.

  Furthermore, according to yet another characteristic, alternative or complementary to the previous one, it is recommended that at the place of the first level of envelope block located immediately above the pallet, the blocks of envelopes concerned rest on a solid support surface, not perforated, by means of at least one intermediate sheet for this

  and / or a full horizontal top surface of the pallet.

  Another aspect of the invention therefore relates to a method for

  unpack a said block of envelopes.

  A problem which the method of the invention solves is that of opening the tight holding means, preventing its removal from damaging the envelopes or from altering their correct positioning, for example

example by shifting them.

  A solution proposed by the invention therefore consists in that, in order to unpack the block (s) of envelopes: a) at least one said block of envelopes is placed in a loader of the envelope processing machine, b ) before or after step a), the retaining means are removed in one piece which then encloses the series of envelopes and the rigid wedges, without therefore breaking this holding means, and the rigid wedges are also removed , c) then the envelope processing machine is supplied with

  this series of unconditioned envelopes, placed in the charger.

  In particular if the holding means is elastically deformable, it is recommended, to remove this holding means and / or the rigid wedges with respect to a series of conditioned envelopes, to separate the holding means and / or the wedges rigid with respect to said series of envelopes, nevertheless maintaining at this time the holding means and / or the rigid shims facing the front or rear surfaces of the envelopes which face them, then removing the holding means and / or the rigid plates, by relative transverse displacement, away from these surfaces, between the series of envelopes and said shims and / or the holding means. Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a machine for

  coat the envelopes and their rigid shims.

  For this, it is advisable to use a machine comprising: - pliers with jaws for clamping the series of envelopes and the rigid wedges, - and means for placing, clamped around them, a means of holding the series of envelopes and the rigid shims, said holding means being arranged, during its installation, around the series of envelopes,

  rigid wedges and clamp jaws.

  Preferably, at least some of the jaws of the clamp will be provided with a surface having a sliding power vis-à-vis the rigid wedges and / or the holding means, in order to facilitate removal thereof after installation.

  of this holding means around the wedges and the series of envelopes.

  Conditioning the envelopes and rigid shims thus provides reliable, rapid and inexpensive packaging, in particular in

  connection with the use of an elastically deformable holding means.

  According to yet another characteristic of the invention, in conjunction with the machine which has just been presented, it is advisable, in order therefore to condition by coating the series of envelopes and the rigid shims, to proceed as follows: - the series d '' envelopes and rigid wedges between the jaws of pliers, - the jaws are tightened to bring the rigid wedges between which the series of envelopes is interposed, the series of envelopes is surrounded , the rigid wedges and the jaws with a tight holding means for the wedges and the series of envelopes, - the jaws of the clamp are loosened, and - the series of envelopes and the wedges surrounded by are removed from this clamp the tight holding means. This solution is particularly advantageous when a stretch film is used as a tight holding means, its elasticity facilitating the removal of the envelopes and conditioned shims, away from the jaws of the clamp.

  lo An even more detailed description of the invention will now

  be provided with reference to the accompanying drawings given only to tike dexemple and in which: - Figures 1 and 2 show two solutions for packaging a batch of envelopes, according to the invention, - Figure 3 shows, to a smaller ladder, a batch of envelopes in the process of being packaged by a wrapping machine, - Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 3, - Figure 5 shows a handling pallet filled with a whole series of blocks packaged envelopes, with an enlarged detail of a block of envelopes, some of which are projecting, - Figure 6 shows an alternative embodiment of Figure 5, - Figures 7, 8, 9,10, show four stages of an automated unpacking of a block of envelopes, and - Figures 11,12,13 show three successive stages of

  alternative to achieve such deconditioning.

  In Figure 1, we see a block 1 of conditioned envelopes. This block, or set, comprises a succession of envelopes 3 and shims

  rigid 5, 7, between which is disposed and maintained the batch of envelopes 3.

  Within this series, all the envelopes are, like that marked 3a which has been extracted from the batch, preferably all identically arranged and oriented. They are therefore, for an intermediate envelope like the envelope 3, two by two in contact back to back, either by their front surface 30a, or by their rear surface 30b. The holding blocks of the series of envelopes are advantageously constituted by two rigid, full rectangular plates, for example flat plates made of transparent plastic, having as dimensions those of the envelopes, which in this case are 0 all of the same dimension and are arranged with their closing flap 9 identically located on all the envelopes of the batch. The flap 9, if it is folded over part of the front surface 30a, is not closed (that is to say that it is not glued to the body of the envelope since the

  envelopes 3 of the lot in question have not yet been filled).

  Although the solution seems less appropriate, given the multiple possible deformations of the envelopes in the lot, especially if they are flexible, not very rigid envelopes, such as non-cardboard envelopes, one and / or the other of the end shims 5, 7, could be made up of a means other than a plate, such as for example a frame, with or without a central spider to ensure flatness

  envelopes, in the central part of their surfaces.

  One could also consider naturally thin curved plates, which would reach a flat state under the tension of the medium

Clamping.

  Around the envelopes of the lot and the shims 5, 7, is arranged a

  means 11 for holding the envelopes in the lot tightly.

  This strip 11 closely surrounds the envelopes and the plates.

  It will be noted that the envelopes are rectangular. They each have a thin slice 13 with, along this slice, two opposite sides of shorter length Z and two opposite sides of longer

  length L. The same is true for plates 5, 7.

  The tight holding means 11 passes along the two opposite sections of smaller length I of the envelopes and shims 5, 7, and advantageously extends over the entire short length l of the envelopes and shims. Thus, once such a batch of envelopes rests on a support for supporting each lower section of greater length :, it is blocked laterally by the means 11 and prevented, both frontally and dorsally,

  to arch, by the presence of wedges 5, 7.

  o To maintain the most effective pressure over time on the batch of envelopes, the holding means 11 consists, in FIG. 1, of a film

  stretchable plastic, such as a thin polyethylene film.

  This is therefore an elastically deformable means which, once placed tightly around the batch of envelopes and of boxes 5, 7, is still in its elastically deformable state, so that if the batch of envelopes lose their volume, they absorb this "withdrawal" while continuing to exercise despite

  all a tightening pressure on the batch of envelopes and the end shims.

  Optionally, as a replacement, one could have considered replacing the elastically deformable means 11 by a thong or a thicker, non-elastically deformable strip o 110, which one would have simply tightened around the batch of envelopes and shims 5, 7 , at the time of

  original packaging (Figure 2).

  In Figure 2, at least the shim 5 is transparent. The tape 110 is preferably too. An operator can thus detect through the wedge 5 and the part of the ribbon 110 which covers it, the position of the closing flap 9 and thus check whether the pack 1 packaged is correctly oriented, in particular for an optimized positioning on the charger. '' an envelope insertion machine. In FIG. 1, it has been imagined that neither the end wedges 5, 7, nor the wrapping 11 made it possible to identify the flaps 9 through them. Also there is provided a locating means 12. In the example, it is an arrow directed downwards and printed on an area of the retaining means 11 extending opposite the outer surface of the shim 5 to indicate that the closing flap faces the shim 5 along its greatest lower length (as does the situation of the flap 9 which can be seen by transparency in FIG. 2). In another solution, the location could

  be worn on at least one of the holds.

  0 Figure 3 shows a solution for placing the plastic film

  stretchable 11 around the batch of envelopes 3 and the end shims 5, 7.

  The machine 10 for packaging the assembly 1 as illustrated in FIG. 2, comprises a wrapping machine 15 in which is stored a roll of stretch film 111 which, once wound in the manner already indicated around the shims 7, 5, and of the batch of envelopes 3, constitutes the wrapping 11, after rupture of the strip 111 in a suitable place, for example, by cutting via a hot knife (not shown). For tensioning the stretch film 11, a traction system (not shown) provides stretching in

  its elastic zone of the terminal part of the strip 111.

  As illustrated, the shims 5, 7, and the batch of envelopes 3 are arranged in the middle of the film roll and are supported by the pincel7 (the connection of which has not been shown with the rest of the machine, for the sake of simplification). The clamp comprises an upper jaw 19 comprising in this case two plates 21a, 21b, and a lower jaw 23 formed in the same way. The two jaws are movable relative to each other in translation via a piston system 25 to tighten in the direction of the arrows of

Figure 4.

  It will be noted that the clamping plates of the jaws, such as 21a, 21b, are, at the time of wrapping, interposces between the outer band

  11 and the rigid wedges 5, 7 (see in particular Figure 3).

  After tensioning of the stretch film and separation of the strip 11 from the rest of the roller 111, the assembly 1 is removed. For this, the surfaces of all or part of the jaws 19, 23 are preferably covered with a sliding coating 27 (for example a coating of TeflonC3). The coating can be located on the upper and lower faces of the plates such as 21a, 21b. After removal from the machine 10 out of 0, the block of envelopes 1 of FIG. 1 is obtained, on which there is at 29 the weld zone where the strip is closed over it

  same and from do it was separated from the rest of the roller 111 of Figure 3.

  FIG. 5 shows a set of blocks of envelopes conditioned such as 1, 20, 30, 40 and arranged, in adjacent stacks, on a handling pallet 31. The different blocks such as 20, 30, are identical to block 1 of Figure 1 and are each arranged in the same way as in Figure 1, that is to say with a wrapping on the side walls, in the direction of the height, with the upper and lower edges free, a portion of edge lower zo of greater length of the envelopes and shims resting either on an identical lower block, or, for the lower block,

  directly on the upper surface 32 of the pallet.

  In a number of situations, some envelopes (such as 300) of a pack of conditioned envelopes can be shifted in the height direction, as shown in the enlarged view on the right on this same

figure 5.

  To avoid problems resulting from this situation, insert sheets such as 33 are interposed at least between some of the levels of packaged envelope blocks by individually extending over an area larger than the upper or lower surface S of a block unique. The thickness and flexibility of these dividers (typically made of paper) are such that the flatness between the levels of stacked blocks is thus recovered, by making up for the irregularities created by these height offsets of certain envelopes in a block, without however damage them

  envelopes (it being understood that the offset is typically not very pronounced).

  At the lowest level of the stacks, the blocks of conditioned envelopes, such as block 40 in FIG. 5, rest on a floor.

  solid 32 constituting the upper surface of the pallet 31.

  o As an alternative, provision can be made to replace this solid floor 32 with an openwork partitioning 37 forming the upper floor of the pallet 39 of FIG. 6, with the interposition of a series of intermediate sheets 35 which, like the intermediate sheets 33, have each one surface greater than each individual surface S of a block of conditioned envelopes, and which are interposed, edge to edge or with a slight overlap, between the different blocks of conditioned envelopes of the lowest level of the stacks and the surface discontinuous upper part of the pallet. In Figure 6, all stacks of wrapped envelopes are

  shown coated with a retaining stretch film 45.

  In FIGS. 7 to 10, a first means of conditioning the block of envelopes 1 can be seen, according to several stages of implementation. In these figures, as indeed in the following figures 11 to 13, the deconditioning device presented will make it possible to remove the holding means 11, without breaking it, thus avoiding any possible damage to the envelopes or alteration of the relatively compact assembly. that they constitute. In FIG. 7, the deconditioning device 50 comprises a pusher 51 mounted on a jack 53 carried by a frame 55 of which two opposite arms 57, 59, carry rods 61a, 61b, 61c, 61d, movable in relative spacing, two by two , to constitute controlled widening means of the strip 11, until ensuring its removal, as can be seen on the

figure 9.

  Preferably, the spacing means 61a ,, 61d, are provided to act on the holding means 11 at the location of the end wedges 5, 7, thus avoiding interfering with the envelopes, at the risk of damaging them.

  o or disrupt its uniform and correctly positioned block maintenance.

  Note that in the event that one or more straps, as in Figure 2, replace the enrollment bench with the elastically deformable means ll, the invention strongly advises to unpack the block of envelopes from at least an area located at the end shims 5, 7, that is to say away from the envelopes, all

  particularly for the same reasons as those above.

  In FIG. 7, the spacer rods 61a, ..., 61d are mounted in slides 63a, 63b, 63c, 63d, which are located in line with the

  longitudinal ends of the end wedges 5, 7, respectively.

  zo On the height (short length) 1 of each of the shims, at these longitudinal ends, open grooves 65a, 65b, 65c, 65d, allow the rods 61a, ...., 61d, to act on the holding means 11, by engagement inside the open grooves, as seen on

Figure 7.

  In this position, the whole of the frame 55 with the rods 61a, 61d, has been brought closer to the block of envelopes 1 conditioned and the pusher 51 is in abutment against a common slice of greater length L of the whole of the block d 'envelopes and two end wedges 5, 7, so as to press them, under the effect of the cylinder 53, against their opposite bearing surface 67 (action in the direction of arrow 69 in Figure 8). Surface 67

  can constitute the bottom 'a charger of an envelope insertion machine.

  In this position, the spacer rods 61a, ...., 61d, are in the "retracted" position, at the rear end of their slide (respectively 63a, 63d.

  The stretchable holding means 11 is not over-stretched.

  On the other hand, it is in FIG. 9 o the device 50 is in the same position as in FIG. 8, with the exception of the spacing rods 61a, 61d, which are now in the "active" position, exits from the grooves o open. 65a ,, 65d, to push the stretchable means 11 away from the edge of two opposite sides of shorter length of the batch of envelopes (in this case, by stretching the film 11 in the two opposite directions 71a, 71b ,

in the same direction).

  It then only remains to raise the entire frame 55, including therefore the rods 61a, 61b, which then hold the stretchable strip 1 1, while still pressing on their support surface 67 the envelope lot 3 and the shims 5, 7, via the pusher 51 and the deployment of the

  cylinder rod 53 in the direction of direction 72 (see FIG. 10).

  It then only remains to remove the two end shims 5, 7.

  In Figures 11, 12, 13, an alternative embodiment of a deconditioning device, 70, has been illustrated. It is distinguished from the device 50 by the direction of the grooves 73a, 73b, 73c, 73d, along which the spacing rods 61a, ..., 61d move (it being specified that in this figure, the same references have been assigned to same means as those described in relation to the

  deconditioning device 50).

  In this case, the grooves 73a, ...., are directed at an angle to ensure a separation of the holding means 11 on the four lateral sides of the block

  packaged envelopes 100, when all the spacing rods 61a, .....

act together.

  Note also in FIGS. 11 to 13, another feature consisting in the possibility of removing, in a single operation, both the elastically deformable means 11 and the end shims 5, 7, away from the

set of envelopes 3.

  Of course, the spacing of the four sides of the stretch film by the

  oblique grooves 73a, ..., can be dissociated from the simultaneous removal of the shims.

  However, for any automated removal of these end shims 5, 7, it should be clear that the invention provides delimited support zones for the withdrawal means (such as 61a, ..., 61d), which '' it concerns the withdrawal of the holding means 11 alone, or the combined withdrawal of this holding means and

shims (as in Figure 13).

  Indeed, it is then important that these end wedges 5, 7 are locally shaped to receive support thereon either by pushing means (such as rods 61a, ...,) or by pulling means (not shown here) which allow, at the location of these shims, to act at least on the holding means 11 (to move it away from the batch of envelopes 3), or even on the assembly constituted by this means 11 and the shims 5, 7, together to keep them away from the lot

  envelopes, as in figure 13.

  In FIGS. 7 to 10, said delimited reserved support zones

  on the end wedges 5, 7, are constituted by the open grooves 65a, ....

  d. In FIGS. 11 to 13, there are open grooves 75a, ..., 75d situated on the height I of the shims, at their opposite longitudinal ends, but these grooves are here formed at the location of the interior angle of these ends of the shims, to reserve an external support flange 77, at each end, making it possible to spread the means 11 by means of an action

over such limited areas.

  It should be noted that these delimited support zones could possibly be located elsewhere on the wedges and / or otherwise shaped, if necessary in conjunction with spacing means other than the rods 61a,

  even if these means facilitate the automation of deconditioning.

  Thus, one could for example consider the presence, on the end wedges, of projecting tabs accessible to the fingers of an operator and making it possible to unpack the batch of envelopes 3, manually. In FIGS. 11 to 13, it will also have been noted the presence, on each end wedge 5, 7, of a cutout 79 which may appear as a vertical groove (see FIG. 13) and which prevents the bar from support 51

acts on the holds.

  o Thus, once the push rods 61a ,, engaged in front of the flanges 77, these rods are activated, while the bar 51 presses on the envelopes (FIG. 12). Both the two support wedges 5, 7 and the stretchable holding means 11 are then separated from the batch of envelopes 3. I1 no longer remains

  to separate this batch of envelopes 3 from the rest (see Figure 13).

  In none of the figures showing the main elements of the deconditioning device 50, 70, the frames or additional support or actuation means (motor, linkage, etc.) have been illustrated, allowing for example the push rods 61a, ..., to pass from their retracted position to their active position. These means are within the reach of those skilled in the art and

are in themselves known.

Claims (14)

  1.- Block of conditioned envelopes comprising: - a series of envelopes (3, 3a) having a front surface (30a) over which a shutter closing the envelope is closed, a rear surface (30b) and a wafer, the envelopes being arranged opposite one another, by one and / or the other of the front and rear surfaces, - rigid shims (5, 7) arranged on either side of said series of envelopes , opposite the front face or the rear face of the first and last envelopes of the series, 0 - and a means (11,110) for holding the series of envelopes, this holding means closely surrounding the series of envelopes and both rigid wedges.   2.- Block of envelopes according to claim 1, characterized in that, within the series: a) all the envelopes are identically oriented and the holding means (11,110) surrounds the envelopes away from the closing flap (9)! b) the closing flap of each envelope extends along a side of greater length (L) of this envelope, and c) a marking of the orientation of the envelopes, including the position of the flap (9) closure, exists: - due to an ability to visually identify this orientation through the holding means (11) and at least one of the shims (5, 7), - and / or by means marking identifying this orientation and provided on the holding means (11) and / or on at least one shims (5, 7).   3.- Block of envelopes according to any one of claims   above, characterized in that the holding means (11) is elastically deformable, without tension exerted on it, and surrounds in a   elastic state the series of envelopes and rigid wedges.   4.- Block of envelopes according to any one of claims   previous, characterized in that the holding means (11) comprises a plastic stretch film. 5.- Block of envelopes according to claim 4, characterized in that the rigid shims (5, 7) and the retaining film of the series of envelopes are transparent, or else the film and / or the shims are provided with '' a locating means for providing the user of the packet of conditioned envelopes with a locating o in the space of the envelopes, which are, in the series, all oriented in the same way.   6.- Set comprising: - a series of blocks of conditioned envelopes (1) according to one   any of the preceding claims,   - a handling pallet (31) on which several blocks of conditioned envelopes rest, arranged at least for some with a section of the edge of the envelopes and shims of said blocks facing an upper support surface of the pallet, - And a means of coating the pallet and the series of blocks of envelopes arranged on it, this means of coating comprising a film   elastic stretch, stretched in its elastic deformation zone.   7. An assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that: - the series of blocks (1) of conditioned envelopes is distributed over several superimposed layers, - an interlayer (33) is interposed between at least some of the layers, - and at least some of the blocks of envelopes have, within the series of envelopes, certain envelopes offset in height by   compared to others, thus creating a surface irregularity.   8.- An assembly according to claim 6 or claim 7, characterized in that at the place of the first level of envelope block located immediately above the pallet, the concerned envelope blocks rest on a surface of solid support, not perforated, by means of at least one intermediate sheet (35) and / or a surface   full horizontal top (37) of the pallet.   9. - Method for unpacking a block of envelopes according to one   any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that:   d) at least one said block of envelopes (1; 3, 3a) is placed in 0 a loader (67) of an envelope processing machine, e) before or after step a), one piece the holding means (11,110) which then encloses the series of envelopes and the rigid blocks (5, 7), without therefore breaking this holding means, and the rigid blocks are also removed, f) and then the envelope processing machine with   this series of unconditioned envelopes, placed in the charger.   10.- Method according to claim 9, characterized in that to remove the holding means and / or the rigid wedges vis-à-vis a series of conditioned envelopes, the holding means (11) is removed and / or the rigid wedges (5, 7) with respect to said series of envelopes, while still maintaining the holding means and / or the rigid wedges facing the front (30a) or rear (30b) surfaces of the envelopes which make them face, then the retaining means and / or the rigid plates are removed, by relative transverse displacement, away from these surfaces, between the series of envelopes and   said wedges and / or the holding means.   11.- Machine for coating a series (1) of envelopes facing rigid shims (5, 7) arranged on either side of the series of envelopes, the machine comprising: - a clamp (17) with jaws (19, 21) for clamping the series of envelopes and the rigid wedges, - and means for placing, clamped around them, a means for holding (11) the series of envelopes and the rigid wedges, said holding means being arranged, during its installation, around the series   envelopes, rigid wedges and jaws of the clamp.   12. Machine according to claim 11, characterized in that at least some of the jaws of the clamp are provided with a surface (27) having a sliding power with respect to rigid wedges and / or the holding means, 0 to facilitate removal after installation of this holding means   around the shims and the series of envelopes.   13.- Method for conditioning by coating a series (1) of envelopes facing rigid shims (5, 7) arranged on either side of the series of envelopes, the method comprising the following steps: - there are the series of envelopes and the rigid wedges between jaws (19, 21) of pliers, - the jaws are tightened to bring the rigid wedges between which the series of envelopes is interposed, - surround the series of envelopes, the rigid wedges and the jaws with a means (11,110) for tightly holding the wedges and the series of envelopes, - the jaws of the clamp are loosened, and - they are removed from this clamp the series of envelopes and the shims   surrounded by the tight holding means.   14.- Method according to claim 13, characterized in that the tight holding means is a stretch film (11) which is stretched in its elastic state to surround the series of envelopes and the rigid plates during,