GB711223A - Apparatus for feeding envelopes - Google Patents

Abstract

711,223. Feeding and delivering sheets. MILLER-LAUFFER PRINTING EQUIPMENT CORPORATION. June 11, 1951, No. 13841/51. Class 100 (1) Sheet separators and carriers.-An apparatus for feeding envelopes comprises two endless chains travelling in unison along substantially parallel paths, pairs of laterally aligned fingers secured to the chains, a feed belt having a substantially horizontal portion supporting a stack of envelopes standing on edge with their flap folds uppermost so as to deliver the envelopes successively to a position between the chains, such that the fingers, while moving upwardly, engage the fold at each end of the envelope flap to remove the envelopes from the belt, and means to drive the belt in timed relation with the chains. A preferably rubberized belt 7 frictionally engages the bottom edges of substantially vertical envelopes to feed them towards a slanting abutment 10 which tilts the envelopes forwardly, such that air from a pipe 12 may blow the flap of the foremost envelope apart from the envelope body to permit a pair of laterally aligned fingers 21 to engage the flap fold of that envelope. The fingers 21 are carried by a pair of chains 17 driven by sprockets 14, the fingers being of thin flat strip metal projecting in the direction of travel of the chains ; alternatively, the fingers could be replaced by small pins projecting inwardly of the chains. A plurality of friction drags 35, comprising thin-gauge metal strips engage the envelopes to settle them firmly on the fingers 21. The chains 17 carry the envelopes to a cylinder 4 carrying type plates around the peripheral margins of the cylinder, the spacing of the plates corresponding to that of the fingers 21 along each chain 17. Delivery apparatus.-After printing, the envelopes are accelerated by preferably rubberized belts 38, Fig. 1, moving at a higher speed than the chains 17, such that the envelopes are disengaged from the fingers 21 ; rollers 41 resting on the envelopes increase the friction between the belts 38 and envelopes. A guide bar 42. guides envelopes leaving the end of the belts 38 downwardly on to conveyer belts 43 which move the envelopes towards inclined abutments 49 against which they are stacked.