GB2148231A - Envelope flap opener mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

Envelopes (6) are fed successively on a conveyor (2) into a slot of an opener device (10) so that the leading portion of the envelope is deflected into a pocket whereby the flap (8) of the envelope is partially opened. The envelope is then clamped between lateral feed rollers (30,32) and the opener device (10) is withdrawn so that only the tip of the envelope flap is retained in the slot in a nearly fully opened condition. The feed rollers (30,32) then transport the envelope laterally with the flap retained within the slot in the nearly fully opened condition. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Envelope opener mechanism The invention relates to the opening of envelopes in an envelope filling machine.

Envelope filling machines receive envelopes and printed papers or the like, and operate to insert a paper into each envelope. The envelopes are received in the condition in which they are packaged after manufacture, with a closure flap folded over the open edge of the envelope. So that filling can take place, the envelope must be opened by turning back the flap to allow access to the envelope interior through the open edge. The invention is concerned with the provision of a simple and reliable method and means of achieving this.

In accordance with the invention, an envelope to be opened and an opener device are relatively moved so that the device engages the envelope to effect partial opening, the envelope and device being then further relatively moved to effect further opening of the envelope.

The invention can thus provide that the envelope is fed to an opener device shaped to cause the envelope flap to be inclined at a first angle to the adjacent portion of the body of the envelope and then withdrawn from the device to effect an inclination of the flap at a second angle greater than the first. The first and second relative movements of the envelope and the device can be in opposed directions. The envelope can be first fed into the device by a conveyor and the device then moved relative to the conveyor to effect the withdrawal of the envelope therefrom. The opened envelope can then be moved laterally to a filling station to receive its contents.

The opener device can provide a slot through which the envelope is guided, with the spine at which the flap joins the main body of the envelope leading, to a deflector means by which leading end portion of the envelope is deflected to separate the flap from the envelope body to a sufficient extent for the flap to be moved into its substantially fully open condition as it emerges through the slot.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be made to the following illustrative description and the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of an envelope opener mechanism embodying the invention; and Figure 2 is an end view of the mechanism of Figure 1, with parts omitted.

The illustrated envelope opener mechanism is located in an envelope filling machine between a receptacle for a stack of envelopes and an envelope filling mechanism, neither of which are shown.

To carry envelopes, one at a time, from the stack, the mechanism includes conveyor means in the form of a pair of spaced parallel conveyor belts 2 arranged to run permanently in the direction indicted by the arrow 4. Each envelope 6 comprises a rectangular main body portion open along one edge at which a spine is formed between the body portion and a flap 8 which can be tucked into or sealed to the body portion after filling. On demand, the envelope 6 is received from the stack onto the conveyor belts with the flap 8 uppermost and the spine leading.

At the downstream end of the conveyor, at which the belts 2 turn around drive or guide pulleys, an opener device 10 is located to receive the envelope from the belts. The opener device 10 comprises a support plate 11 having a support portion 12 extending substantially in the plane of the upper runs of the conveyor belts 2, and a downwardly deflected guide lip 14 at the edge at which the envelope 6 is received. At the edge opposite the lip 14, the plate 11 has a downwardly inclined portion 16 and a mounting portion 18 extending parallel to the portion 12.Overlying the mounting portion 18 is a mounting portion 20 of a deflector plate 21 which has a deflector portion 22 extending upwardly from the portion 20 at a smaller angle to the plane of the support portion 12 of the plate 11 than the portion 16, so that the plate portions 16 and 22 form between them an inwardly tapering downwardly directed pocket.

The deflector plate 21 extends upwardly from the deflector portion 22, then back towards the conveyor and downwardly again to support within it a flap catch plate 25. The lower edge of the plate 25 overlies but is spaced from the guide lip 14 to form an entry slot of the device. If desired the flap catch plate 25 can be adjustably carried by the deflector plate 21, so that the width of the entry slot can be selectively adjusted.

The envelope 6 enters the opener device 10 through this entry slot, being fed forward posi timely by the conveyor belts 2 and a co-operating transversely extending pinch wheel 28. When the spine reaches the deflector plate portion 22, the leading end portion of the envelope body is deflected downwardly into the tapered pocket between the plate portions 16 and 22. The body of the envelope 6 is held against upward tilting by the lower edge of the catch plate 25, so the flap 8 is partially opened, with the flap against the deflector portion 22 and the adjacent envelope body portion against the portion 16. At this position, the trailing edge of the envelope 6 has just left the nip between the pinch wheel 28 and the conveyor belts 2, so that it can rest in this position with the belts sliding beneath it.

The fact that the envelope 6 has reached this end position is sensed by means described below and in response to this sensing the envelope is held in place whilst the opener device 10 is moved forward in the conveying direction to the position shown in broken line in Figure 1.

Retention of the envelope 6 in its end position is effected by gripping means located between the conveyor belts 2 and constituted by a normally stationary cross-drive roller 30 positioned beneath the path of the envelopes and a grip wheel 32 positioned above it, normally in the raised position shown in broken line in Figure 1 to allow clearance for passage of the envelopes.

The roller 30 and the wheel 32 can rotate about axes extending parallel to the conveyor direction and the roller can be driven by way of a shaft 34 on which it is mounted. To retain the envelope 6, the grip wheel 32 is lowered to the position shown in Figure 1 in solid line. To effect the forward movement of the opener device 10, the mounting portions 18 and 20 of the support and deflector plates are secured to a slide carriage 35 which can be moved through a predetermined distance in the direction of the conveyor movement on a pair of parallel spaced guide rods 36, extending from a support 38. This movement is conveniently brought about by a crank mechanism (not shown) driven through a half cycle clutch drive, but any suitable hydraulic or electric drive means could be employed.

Because the envelope 6 is gripped as described, the forward movement of the opener device 10 does not carry the envelope with it and the flap 8 is consequently engaged against the inner side of the catch plate 25, so as to be substantially aiigned with the plane of the body of the envelope as the flap emerges out through the entry slot The cross drive roller 30 is now rotated to transfer the envelope laterally of the conveyor direction for further processing. The forward position of the opener device 10 is such that the free end of the flap 8 is retained beneath the lower edge of the plate 25 during this movemen1: and until engaged at the filling station, so that the flap cannot spring back towards its original position.At the end of the transverse movement, for example, in response to the arrival of the envelope 6 at the filling station of the machine, the slide carriage 35 returns the opener device to the initial position shown in solid line in Figure 1, and the grip, wheel 32 is raised to the broken line position. Thr next envelope to be opened can then be advanc.ed by the pinch wheel 28 and conveyor belts 2 into the opener device for similar treatment.

The arrival of the envelope 6 at its end position within the opener device 110 is conveniently sensed by a photocell device 40 F,ositioned to receive light through an aperture in th e deflector plate 22. The sensing signal from the device 40 actuates a control mechanism for the slide carriage 35 and the grip wheel 32 the move menus of which are conveniently effected by appropriate electrical or hydraulic drive means.

Envelope opening can thus be effected in accordance with the invention by a simple in-line operation. It will be evid ent that the invention can be embodied otherwise than as specifically described and shown.

Claims (16)

1. An envelope opener mechanism comprising means for effecting an initial relative movement of an envelope and an opener device so that the envelope is engaged with the device to be partially opened thereby, and -for subsequently effecting a different relative movement of the envelope and the device, whereby tile envelope is further opened by the device.

2. An envelope opener mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the envelope is initially fed into the opener device with the device stationary, the envelope is then held stationary, and the device is subsequently moved, to effect the further opening.

3. An envelope opener mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein the device is subsequently moved in a direction aligned with that in which the envelope is initially fed.

4. An envelope opener mechanism as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 having means for moving the envelope when in the further opened condition in a direction laterally of the direction in which the envelope is initially moved.

5. An envelope opener mechanism comprising means for feeding an envelope having a flap joined to a body portion at a hinge into a stationary opener device, the opener device being arranged to bend the envelope on entry thereof into the device so as to partially open the flap, means for then holding the inverted envelope stationary and means for moving the opener device in the direction in which the envelope is fed into the device to thereby effect further opening of the partially opened flap.

6. A mechanism as claimed in claim 5 wherein the opener device comprises means defining a slot through which the envelope enters the device with the hinge leading, a wall inclined to the direction of movement of the envelope so as to bend the leading portion thereof so as to partially open the flap, with the slot restraining the trailing part of the envelope.

7. An envelope opener mechanism as claimed in claim 6 wherein the slot is shaped to effect the further opening of the flap by withdrawal of the envelope therethrough on the movement of the opener device.

8. An envelope opener mechanism as claimed in claim 7 wherein the movement of the opener device is such that the free end portion of the flap is engaged by the slot at the end of the carriage movement, whereby the flap is held against return to the initial position, and wherein means is provided for moving the envelope to a filling station laterally of the feed direction with the flap still engaged by the slot.

9. An envelope opener mechanism as claimed in claim 8 wherein the holding means constitutes the means for moving the envelope laterally.

10. An envelope opener mechanism as claimed in claim 9 wherein the holding means comprise rollers having the axes thereof in the envelope feed direction, at least one of the rollers being movable into and out of a position of engagement with the envelope.

11. An envelope opener mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 10 wherein the means for feeding the envelope comprise a pair of laterally spaced conveyor belts, the holding means being arranged to engage the envelope between the belts.

12. An envelope opener mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 11 wherein the means for moving the opener device comprises a carriage on which the device is mounted and means for moving the carriage in the envelope feed direction.

13. An envelope opener mechanism substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of opening an envelope comprising the steps of relatively moving the envelope and an opener device so that the envelope enters the device and is bent thereby so as to partially open the flap thereof, and then relatively moving the envelope and the device in a direction to withdraw the envelope so that the flap is further opened.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the envelope is fed into the opener device, the opener device is moved to effect the further opening of the envelope, the envelope is withdrawn laterally of the feed direction, the opener device being then returned to receive a further envelope.

16. A method of opening envelopes substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.