GB2225763A - Inserter apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Inserter apparatus includes a transport plate 30 convergent with an envelope feed path 10 and for delivering an insert 29 along an insert feed path for insertion into an envelope 12 under the influence of a drive roller 14, the plate having angled deflector means 32 at its downstream end which deflect the leading edge of the insert into engagement with the drive roller 14. The deflector means comprises spring tabs disposed laterally either side of a pair of spring fingers 56 (Fig. 2) which are moved out of grooves in roller 14 when engaged by an insert causing pivotal movement of plate 30 which can be picked up by a sensor. The plate is inclined at an angle of between 50 DEG to 70 DEG , preferably 60 DEG , to the envelope feed path whilst the tabs 32 are inclined at an angle of 10 DEG to 20 DEG , preferably 15 DEG , to the envelope feed path. <IMAGE>

Description

INSERTER APPARATUS This invention relates to inserter apparatus for inserting successive inserts into successive envelopes.

In our earlier U.K. Applications Nos. 8808313.4 and 8810699.2 there was described a folder and inserter apparatus which folds and inserts successive inserts into successive envelopes. The contents of these earlier applications are incorporated herein by reference. In the apparatus disclosed in the earlier applications, an insert is driven along an insert feed path to an inserting station where it meets an envelope supplied along a convergent envelope feed path. The envelope is held stationary at the inserting station whilst continued driving of the insert by a drive means adjacent the mergence of the paths inserts the insert into the envelope via the throat of the envelope.

In earlier arrangements, the configuration of the apparatus has such that the insert feed path converges with the envelope feed path at a relatively large angle. Thus, in use, the angle at which the insert impacts the throat of the envelope is relatively high. Although the inner surface of the envelope throat can deflect the insert into driving engagement with the drive means this has found to be unsatisfactory as it does not give a controlled feed surface for the insert prior to insertion into the envelope.

According to this invention, there is provided inserter apparatus for inserting an insert into an envelope, said apparatus including: insert path-defining means for defining a feed path for said insert; envelope path-defining means for defining a feed path for said envelope, said insert feed path and said envelope feed path converging; drive means located in the region of convergence of said feed paths for driving an insert into the throat of an envelope on said envelope feed path, and transport plate means located along said insert feed path and including adjacent its downstream end deflector means arranged at an angle to said transport plate means for deflecting an insert into engagement with said drive means.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of a non-limiting example, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of part of one example of an inserter machine according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view showing, inter alia, the location of the deflector means.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, a generally horizontal deck 10 defines an envelope feed path along which envelopes 12 are fed from left to right (as viewed in the drawing) from an envelope supply such as a hopper (not shown). The envelopes are driven along the deck 10 by means of rollers 54, 72, 18 and 20. The rollers 54 and 72 respectively correspond to the rollers 54 and 72 shown in Figure 1 of our U.K. Patent Application No. 88 10699.2 or 88 08313.4. The upper left hand drive roller 54 is rotatably mounted about a fixed horizontal axis and is driven by a drive motor (not shown). The lower left hand roller 72 is mounted concentrically on an axle 22 which itself is eccentrically mounted on a rotatable shaft 24.Rotation of the shaft 24 brings the lower left hand roller 72 into and out of engagement with the upper left hand roller 54 so that drive to an envelope 12 passing between the rollers 54 and 72 can be interrupted and resumed as desired.

As described in our earlier applications Nos. 8808313.4 and 8810699.2 rotation of the shaft 24 can be operationally coupled with two clamp fingers (not shown) located upstream of the rollers 54 and 72 which clamp the envelope flap 25 against the deck 10 when the lower roller 72 is disengaged from the upper roller 54. The upper right roller 18 is an idler roller and is mounted generally parallel to the upper left roller 54 by means of parallel spaced arms 26 (only one of which is shown). The lower righ! roller 20 is driven off the lower left roller by means of an '0' ring (endless-band type) drive (not shown).The upper and lower right rollers 18 and 20 are staggered so that an envelope 12 held ready for insertion (i.e. at the inserting station as illustrated by the position of the envelope in the drawing) is flexed concavely about its front surface so as to maximise the opening of the envelope throat 28. For sirnilar reasons, the deck 10 is cranked adjacent the lower right roller 20. A pair of spring steel fingers 56 are attached to the lower edge of the deflector plate 30.

These are shown in Figure 2, but are not seen in Figure 1 because the fingers 56 are hidden by the deflector means 32 (to be described). These fingers 56 extend into peripheral grooves 54A in the roller 54. The purpose of the grooves 54A is to receive the fingers 56. The transport plate 30 is mounted for limited pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis at or near its upper end and the fingers 56, when engaged by an insert 29, are moved out of the grooves 54A and cause a limited pivoting movement of the plate 30 which can be picked up by a suitable sensor, not shown. When no insert 29 is present the fingers 56 rest in the grooves 54A.

An insert feed path for inserts 29 is provided. The downstream end of the insert feed path is defined by the transport plate 30 which causes an insert to pass towards the envelope throat 28 and the upper left drive roller 54. The transport plate 30 includes at its downstream end spring-biassed deflector means 32 which are cranked so that an insert passing along the transport plate 30 is urged into engagement with the upper left drive roller 54. The deflector means 32 may typically comprise a pair of spring steel deflector tabs. More than two tabs may be employed if desired. The deflector means 32 are located laterally outwardly of the roller 54 as seen best in Figure 2.

The angle formed between the deflector means 32 and the deck 10 in the illustrated arrangement is about a quarter or a third of the angle formed between the transport plate 30 and the deck 10. The angle between the transport plate 30 and the deck 10 preferably lies in the range of from 50 to 700 (typically 600), and the angle between the deflector means 32 and the deck 10 preferably lies in the range of from ZOO ta ty, X3ical e).

It will be seen that the deflector means 32 deflects the leading edge of an insert so that it impacts the throat 28 of the envelope at about point 'B' instead of at point 'A'. This means that the angle of incidence of the insert on the envelope throat is greatly reduced, thus reducing the possibility of snagging, jamming or tearing.

Claims (9)

1. Inserter apparatus for inserting an insert into an envelope, said apparatus including: insert path-defining means for defining a feed path for said insert envelope path-defining means for defining a feed path for said envelope, said insert feed path and said envelope feed path converging; drive means located in the region of convergence of said feed paths for driving an insert into the throat of an envelope on said envelope feed path, and transport plate means located along said insert feed path and including adjacent its downstream end deflector means arranged at an angle to said transport plate means for deflecting an insert into engagement with said drive means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the angle between the insert feed path and the envelope feed path in the region of said convergence is at least twice the angle between the deflector means and said envelope feed path.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the angle between the insert feed path and the envelope feed path in the region of said convergence is between about 500 and 700; and the angle between the deflector means and said envelope feed path is between about 100 and about 200.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the angle between the insert feed path and the envelope feed path in the region of said convergence is about 600, and the angle between the deflector means and said envelope feed path is about 15 .

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim in which spring fingers extend into the insert feed path, the spring fingers being located laterally inwardly of the deflector means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the drive means includes a driven roller having peripheral grooves therein, and the respective spring fingers are located to be capable of extending into respective ones of said grooves in the absence of an insert.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6 including sensors located to sense a movement of said spring fingers caused by arrival of an insert.

8. Inserter apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

9. Any and all combinations and subcombinations of novel features substantially as herein disclosed.