NZ516657A - High speed machine for inserting sheets into envelopes - Google Patents

Abstract

A high speed machine (10) is disclosed that inserts about twelve thousand sheets or stacks of sheets of paper per hour into the same number of envelopes. A first table 12 delivers an elongate horizontal queue of thousands of envelopes to an envelope hopper 32. A second table 16, parallel to the first table 12, includes a plurality of independently-controllable sheet feeders and delivers individual groups of stacked sheets to an envelope insertion station that is transversely spaced apart from the envelope hopper. A third table 30 is disposed transversely to the first two tables and includes the envelope insertion station. Clamps carried by an elongate sprocket chain mounted in the third table sequentially remove envelopes from the bottom of the envelope hopper and pull them past an envelope flap-opening structure to the envelope insertion station where the envelopes are opened by a puff of air. The envelopes are then pulled past a moistening device, an envelope flap-closing device, and a roller that seals the envelopes and ejects them from the third table to a collection station. Pusher members that push the sheets into the envelopes at the envelope insertion station are mounted on a high speed rotary assembly that eliminates the back-and-forth motion of earlier pusher members.