US3204841A

US3204841A - Detaching apparatus and process

Info

Publication number: US3204841A
Application number: US284786A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hubert A Guyer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-05-29
Filing date: 1963-05-29
Publication date: 1965-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 1982-09-07

Description

' Sept. 7, 1965 A, GUYER 3,204,841

DETACHING APPARATUS AND PROCESS Filed May 29, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR I HaZeriA Glyer ATTORNEY p 7, 1965 H. A. GUYER 3,204,841

DETACHING APPARATUS AND PROCESS Filed May 29, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 2- v i .l' INVENTOR.

4 67 gubez ZA my Sept. 7, 1965 H. A. GUYER DETACHING APPARATUS AND PROCESS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 29, 1963 Haber 73A. G

mng mmy mmql wmmjy 15A 22 Z3 14 INVENTOR. BY ll yl (2mm Sept. 7, 1965 H. A. GUYER DETACHING APPARATUS AND PROCESS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 29, 1963 INVENTOR. HuberZA G z yei" BY 221K024 Sept. 7, 1965 H. A. GUYER 3,204,841

DETACHING APPARATUS AND PROCESS Filed May 29, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

Ewe/"5A. G 67 United States Patent 3,264,841 DETACIHNG APPARATUS AND PRU'CESS Hubert A. Guyer, 119 Ridgeland Road, Lynnfield, Wilmington, Del. Filed May 29, 1963, Ser. No. 284,786 16 Claims. (Cl. 22'51) This invention relates to a process and apparatus for detaching envelopes and the like from a base. More particularly, the invention relates to detaching envelopes from a continuous web or sheet of paper to which the envelopes are attached at their outermost section to a strip hereinafter called the retained strip, the flap being vheld to said strip by a perforated line or provided with other weakening means, such as scoring, along the edge of that part of the flap adjacent to the retained strip and this strip being adhered to the continuous flexible base. This is only one of several assemblies which can be separated by the process and apparatus "of this invention as will appear hereinafter. This assembly is used to describe the principles involved.

U .8, Patent 2,824,686 describes a continuous sequential assembly of envelopes on a flexible base which envelopes may be addressed or otherwise inscribed manually or mechanically through the use of machines such as accounting machines, addressographs, typewriters, teletype- Writers and similar machines. The essential part of the envelope/flexible base assembly as it relates to the pres ent invention comprising the paper base web to which the retainer strip is adhered is illustrated in FIGURES 1, 7 and '9 of the attached drawings (see

elements

2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Although the patent shows a means for continuous and rapid inscribing of envelopes and the like, there is no teaching of mechanical means for detaching the envelopes from the base after they have been inscribed, and in practice detachment is accomplished by hand, a wasteful and inefiicient operation. This hand operation is slow, often results intearing of the envelopes at points other than at the perforation and Ifrequently gets the detached envelopes out of proper sequence after detachment,

The present invention prov-ides a continuous, simple, inexpensive, efiicient mechanical means for detaching envelopes and the like from the assemblies referred to above, thus eliminating the several disadvantages which characterize the currently practiced hand operation.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a mechanical means for detaching envelopes and the like from a base to which they are attached. Another object is the provision of a continuous means for detaching envelopes from a paper web base. Another object is the provision of a mechanical means for detaching envelopes from a continuous, flexible base whereby the envelopes are maintained in proper sequence. A uiurther object is the provision of a mechanical means for detaching envelopes from a flexible base which means exerts a uniform pulling [force against the envelope perforations, thus avoiding tearing at points other than at the per-forations and avoiding other mutilation of the flap or envelope. A still further object is the provision of a means for detaching envelopes and the like from fiexible bases at a rate many times faster than the hand operation currently used in commercial practice, thus affording many other desirable operating economies.

These and other objects which will become apparent as the description of the invention proceeds are accomplished by means of a mechanical device comprising essentially a two-stage series of rollers arranged to drive a continuous base, generally flexible, carrying on its surface a sequence of envelopes suitably spaced uniformly thereon and adhered to said base by a retainer strip forming an extension of the envelope flap attached thereto by a line of structural weakness at the juncture of the retainer strip and the envelope flap, a means for momentarily arresting the movement of the base concurrently with a tearing force applied by the rotary movement of parallel second-stage rollers against the body of the still moving envelope while the base is momentarily stationary, thereby detaching the envelopes from said base.

Referring now to the drawings,

FIGURE '1 is a perspective with the leading edge of the web or base positioned to enter the apparatus for detaching envelopes from the retainer strips; the arrows on the envelope or near the web show the direction of travel;

FIGURE 2 is a rfront elevational view of the apparatus showing the second stage of the roller assembly where a tearing tforce is applied to detach the envelope from the retainer strip;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus showing a clutch mechanism on certain of the rollers;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3 showing the envelope separating and conveying rollers;

' FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus showing the base having entered the first stage of the roller series;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIGURE 7 showing the second stage of roller functioning with the envelope and retainer strip moving in position for separation of the retainer strip from the envelope flap;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the position of the envelope and second stage roller function and conditions reberred to for FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus taken along lines ti- 8 of FIGURE 9 showing the envelope separated from the retainer strip.

FIGURE 9 is a plan View of the position of the envelope after separation from the retainer stri and FIGURES 10-14 are views of a second embodiment of this invention being a top plan view, a rfront elevational view, a side elevation, a cross-sectional view and a cross-sectional view respectively, as is explained in greater detail following the description below of the embodiment of FIGURES l-9.

In the drawings, FIGURE 1 represents a perspective view of the apparatus showing part of thegear train and the roller series stages .for the operation in which 1 is the metal base plate for supporting the continuous web 2, such as a web of paper, carrying a train of envelopes 3. As shown in FIGURE 8, plate -1 is curved downwardly both at the inlet end for the assembly and atthe exit end. These curvatures assist in the guiding of the web and the envelopes. These envelopes are adhered to the can rier web only at the flap extension or retainer strip 4 which is joined to the envelope flap *5 at perforation 6. The particular envelope/web arrangement shown is illustrated and described in further detail in US. Patent 2,824,686.

A thin metal or plastic sheet 7 held in place by bar 8 holds the carrier web against the base plate and aids in guiding the web through the rollers. The platform 1 is connected to or may be integral with

side walls

1A and 1B which act as supporting means for the various parts of the device of this invention such as guide 7, bar 8 and the various gears and rollers as 'will be seen below.

The web/envelope assembly in the position shown in FIGURE 1 is moved forward manually to thread up the device. The assembly is pushed under guide 7 by sliding it forward on floor 1 of the device and when it reaches the

first stage rollers

15, 16 the web portion is bent downwardly to pass into the nip of

rollers

15, 16 and the envelope 3 is moved forward (see arrow) until it is gripped by the nip of the

second stage rollers

17, 19; 17A, 20; and 18, 21. A small hand crank 9 attached to shaft 10, shown in phantom view in FIGURE 1 and in full in FIGURE 2, is then used to actuate gear trains on both sides of the apparatus as shown in FIGURE 3, causing the said rollers to move the web downwardly and the envelopes forward with subsequent separation or detachment of the envelopes from the carrier web as hereinafter more fully described. Spur gear 11 which is attached directly to the driving means 9 is meshed with gear 12, and gear 12 is in turn meshed with gear 13.

Attached and centered on the horizontal shaft 14 carrying gear 13 is first stage roller 15. On a similar shaft 14A, shown in FIGURE 3, for example, is roller 16, which is also a first stage roller.

Rollers

15 and 16 assist in drawing the continuous carried web through the apparatus and direct the web downwardly, the envelopes being detached from the moving web.

Rollers

17, 17A and 18 work in cooperation with

rollers

19, and 21, respectively, and the

pairs

17, 19; 17A, 20; and 18, 21 represent the second stage of the roller system.

Rollers

17, 17A and 18 are turned by shaft 10 which in turn is actuated by the turning of handle 9, manually or electrically.

Rollers

19, 20 and 21 are simultaneously actuated on shaft 10A by 9 through

gears

11 and 12. These three pairs of rollers function to separate or detach the envelopes from the carrier web along the perforation 6 and move the detached envelopes out of the apparatus to a collection bin (not shown) placed just beyond and below these rollers.

Generally, the rollers in the two-stage roller system are provided with narrow rubber tires, see 21A in FIG URE 3, to reduce slippage in conveying the carrier web through the apparatus and to facilitate separation or detachment of the envelope from the retainer strip at the perforation referred to above. Conveniently, the rollers may be pulley-like or grooved members with the tires or bands 21A fitted in the grooves. The roller can, of course, be constructed entirely of rubber or a plastic, but it is preferred to make these roller elements disk or wheel like, being very narrow and then by using even smaller tires thereon to gain the advantages of substantially point or line contact with the moving webs and envelopes.

Also, it has been found preferable for best performance to construct the second-stage rollers so that one pair of these rollers is slightly larger in diameter, for example, about .0020" larger, than the others to afford a slight bias or shear action in the force exerted by this second stage roller system in detaching the envelope, thus facilitating this part of the operation. However, the invention may be operated satisfactorily with rollers of equal diameter. With

rollers

18, 21 being of slightly larger diameter, for example, their peripheries will be moving faster than those on

rollers

17, 19 and 17A, 20 since all are rotated by the same source. This means that the section of a given envelope that is going through the nip of 18, 21 Will go through it faster than the sections of the envelope going through 17, 19 and 17A, 20. This cocks the envelope and starts the tearing at one end of strip 4 and progressively the tear goes to the other end of strip 4. If desired, the diameters of 17A, 20 can be intermediate of those of 18, 21 and 17, 19 to assist in the progressive tear. The action simulates the holding of the web by one hand and pulling on the envelope, toward one, with the other hand. With this action effected in the apparatus, a smooth, efficient separation is gained.

In FIGURE 2, a frontal view of the second stage rollers, hand crank 9 is more clearly shown as is the position of roller 15 behind roller 20. This view shows again the second stage rollers, and one will appreciate that if he were standing in position to view the device as shown in FIGURE 2 the detached envelopes would be coming directly toward him through the nip of pairs of

second stage rollers

17, 19; 17A, 20; and 18, 21.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus with the plate 1 broken away and showing several other elements such as the gears on the side opposite the crank 9. These gears are shown as

elements

13A, 22, 23 and 24. On the same shaft 10 with gear 13, which shaft drives roller 15, is gear 13A. This meshes with gear 22 that is on shaft 14A and rotates first-stage roller 16. At the same time gear 22 meshes with gear 23, an idle gear mounted on shaft 23A. This gear 23 meshes with gear 24 mountedon shaft 25. This arrangement effects the rotation of shaft 24A in the same direction as shaft 14A, a preferred arrangement, but not essential. Rotating shaft 25 causes cams to be actuated, as explained below, and therein causes the flexible spring straps or arms 26 and 27 each carrying a pin on its top surface, which functions as later described to stop the forward movement of the web momentarily. Since the envelope 3 continues to move forward by the positive pull on it by

rollers

17, 19; 17A, 20 and 18, 21 gripping it, the detachment of the envelopes from the web is effected.

Rollers

15 and 16 are provided with spring clutches 28 and 29, respectively, see FIGURE 3, to permit momentary stoppage or slippage in their rotation when the paper web is stopped in its forward movement by the vertical pins 31 (see FIGURES 6 and 8) on the top surface of spring straps 26 and 27.

In addition to showing the positions of part of the two-stage roller system previously described in detail, FIGURES 3, 5, 6 and 8 illustrate the position and action of the cams, one of which is shown as 30 attached to shaft 25 beneath spring arm 27. A similar cam 30A is also attached to shaft 25 beneath spring arm 26. The spring arms 26 and 27 are provided with vertically positioned rubber capped pins 31. With the rotation of the

cams

30 and 30A against the spring arms 27 and 26, the pins 31, one on each arm, are pushed upward through holes 31A in the thin metal sheet 1 against the moving web base and pushing it against the underside of guide 7 or against the bar 8 to cause momentary stoppage of the web to permit detaching of the envelope by the action of moving

second stage rollers

17, 19; 17A, 20; and 18, 21. Bar 8 can have recesses 8A to afford better gripping of the web by the pins 31, see FIGURE 1. FIGURE 5 shows a pin 31 in the inoperative position; in FIGURE 6 the cam 30 is in an intermediate position; and in FIG- URE 8 the cam is in position so that the pin 31 grips and stops the web. In FIGURE '5 an envelope has just been separated and ejected. In FIGURE 6 an envelope 3 has just entered the

nipof rollers

17A and 20. In FIGURE 8 the envelope has just been separated from the web and is about to be ejected, being followed, of course, by the next envelope.

First stage rollers

15 and 16 function importantly in the operation of the apparatus not only in providing means for causing the web to move forward through the apparatus but as a pivoting, straightening and general guidance means to correct for any deviation or imperfection in the alignment of the paper web base. This tracking of a web,

:below and adjacent to these rollers. can be readily mounted such as on table 1C in FIGURE 1.

is a very important contribution of this invention. The

web 2 is in effect pulled on essentially at a point near the center of the web, and the tail of the web is left free to move sideways to the right or to the left. Actually, with the single point or substantially single point pull on the web centrally as described, the tail does oscillate but wherever it is, to the right of center or to the left, it is pulled back into line by the central single spot pull at the nip of

rollers

15 and 16.

Side walls

1A and 1B and similar elements can be used to assist the tracking but the chief tracking element comprises the

first stage rollers

15 and 16.

retainer strip 4 at the flap perforation 6 by the tearing action of the pair of nip

rollers

17, 19; 17A, 20; and '18, 21 shown in FIGURE 1. representing one of the pairs of rollers in the second

Only rollers

17A and 20 stage of the operation appear in FIGURE 4; these also carry the detached envelopes forward and deposit them in proper and continuous sequence in a convenient receptacle which is not shown and which may be located The entire device FIGURES 7 and 9 are plan views of the apparatus and clearly depict the forward movement of the continuous web bearing the envelopes and the Zone or stage where the envelope is detached from the retainer strip 4 which remains on the web base while the envelope is carried forward through the second stage detaching rollers which include

rollers

17, 17A and 18 as shown in these figures. This view also shows how the envelope 3 passes over the

first stage rollers

15 and 16. In FIGURE 7 an envelope is just about to be separated; in FIGURE 9 it has been detached from strip 4 and web 2.

In operating the process, the leading edge of the paper Web 2 bearing the envelopes adhered thereto by retainer strip 4 is crimped and inserted beneath the thin metal sheet 7. The apparatus is then set in motion by application of manual or electrical power applied to gear 11 which, being a part of a connected gear power train as shown, transmits movement to all of the other movable elements of the apparatus. Thus,

rollers

15 and 16 draw the web forward and due to the pivotal action on the web caused by these rollers also maintain the web in a proper channel by straightening any deviations arising from imperfections in the dimensions or other mechanical faults in the web base.

These rollers also cause web 2 to follow a downward course, the crimp or fold being downward with respect to floor 1 so that when the web comes to the end of floor 1 the crimp automatically goes downwardly toward the nip of 15, 16 being helped in this by the downward end of floor 1. Since the envelopes are not adhered to the web base in their frontal portion but only at the envelope flap extension or retainer strip 4, the envelope does not follow the direction of the web base but passes over the top surfaces of

rollers

15 and 16 and are caught between

rollers

17, 19; 17A, 20; and .18, .21. The strip 4 stays on the web and passes downwardly to 15, 16 with the web, FIGURE 9 showing a strip ,4 just about doing so.

In the roller system handling the envelopes generally

rollers

18, 21 are preferably of a diameter slightly larger than the companion sets as previously described to provide a shearing or bias tearing action between the envelope body 3 and the retainer strip 4 and thus cause a separation or detachment of these components along the perforation 6. This detachment action is facilitated or augmented by the rubber capped pins 31 which are caused to press against and momentarily stop the web base in its travel by the repeated alternating contact and release of the pins against the web base by the rotation of the earns 30 and 30A which function through their movement against the spring arms as shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 8. The cams receive their rotation by gear 24 which obtains its movement as transmitted through the gear train as illustrated, the original power being initiated by application of manual or electrical power at gear 11.

For convenience, the rotations are characterized as follows: shaft 10, crank 9 and

rollers

17, 17A and 18, counterclockwise; shaft 10A and

rollers

19, 20, and 21, clockwise; shaft 14, gear 13 and roller 15, counterclockwise; shaft 14A, gear 22 and roller 16, clockwise; shaft 23A and gear 23, counterclockwise; and shaft 25 and gear 24, clockwise. It is, of course, apparent that crank 9 can be turned in the reverse direction, thus reversing the web movement. Also, the timing of the web stoppage with the movement forwardly of the envelope could be effected by means other than the gear train described. For example, a single crank simultaneously driving shafts '10 and 25 can be used.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGURES 10-14 of the attached drawings. Although the basic elements of the device shown here are identical or similar to those described above, the essential variation is concerned with the means for arresting the movement of the paper web, this means working in a cooperative manner with the other elements of the apparatus in a simplified manner so as to permit substantial reduction in the number of gears required for efficient operation of the apparatus.

In the drawings, FIGURE 10 is a top plan view of the modified apparatus with the metal support base removed, showing the positions of the several co-operating elements including the first stage two rollers equipped with spring clutches, the top three rollers of the second stage of the roller system and the arms which with friction top caps provide momentary arresting of the movement of the paper web.

FIGURE 11 is a front elevational view of the apparatus illustrating the co-operating positions of the second stage rollers.

FIGURE 12 is a side elevational view showing the gear train arrangement on one side of the apparatus which train functions to operate both the two-stage roller system and the arresting means.

FIGURE 13 is a cross-sectional View of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 10 taken on line 13-13 of FIG- URE 10 and showing detail of the arresting means comprising essentially a rotating cam which controls the movement of a rocker arm connected on a pivot position to a horizontal, fixed shaft and having at its end, opposite the contacting cam, a spiral spring attached to its lower section and a friction topped cap, for example, rubber capped, at its top section. In the particular positions of the cam and rocker arm shown in FIGURE 13 the continuous paper web is free to move.

FIGURE 14 is also a cross-sectional view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 10 taken along lines 13-13 and differing from FIGURE 13 showing the positions of the cam, rocker arm and friction topped cap in position to cause momentary arresting of the movement of the continuous web.

Referring to FIGURE 10 in the drawings, 32 is a horizontal, non-rotatable shaft upon which are mounted

rocker arms

33 and 34 held in a fixed lateral position by means of

collars

35 and 36. These arms, 33 and 34, have holes providing a close fit on shaft 32 so that they can slide on shaft 32 to desired positions. The arm 33 is shown in FIGURES 13 and 14 to depict this mounting of 33 on the shaft 32. The friction topped caps 37 and 38 at the ends of

arms

33 and 34, respectively, function 'to press against the continuous flexible base at intervals for momentarily arresting its movement. The

arms

33 and 34 floating on shaft 32 are controlled by the movement of earns 61, see FIGURES 13 and 14. Framing support members through which shaft 32 passes are shown by 39 and 40. These serve also to support the floor or platform 1 which is shown in FIGURE 1 but not here for convenience.

First stage rollers

41 and 42 fitted with spring clutches 43 and 44 serve to draw'the continuous flexible paper web base forward with the advantages ascribed to this construction as previosuly stated with the clutches functioning as in the earlier described embodiment to permit momentary stoppage of the web at intervals through functioning of the cam/rocker arm assembly so that the envelopesmay be detached by the action of the second stage roller series part of which is represented by 45, 46 and 47. These clutches 43 .and 44, like clutches 28 and 29 in FIGURE 3, are used to prevent the first stage rollers from turning when the web 2 is stopped. The spring load is adjusted to the necessary level of force to do this and will, of course, vary with the type of web being processed. The stopping of the rollers prevents them from wearing out and prevents the forward movement of the web. It is appreciated that the first stage rollers float on their respective shafts.

Rollers

48 and 49 help guide the web portion of the continuous web/envelope train downwardly to the floor or bin. A gear train for operating the mechanism includes meshed gears 50, 51 and 52 which are powered, for example, by crank 53 through shaft 54.

FIGURE 11 illustrates the second stage roller series comprising two oppositely disposed groups of three rollers each mounted on horizontal shafts and rotated through a meshing gear train as shown.

Rollers

45, 46 and 47 fitted with rubber tires are in contact with rollers 55, 56 and 57 respectively, also fitted with rubber tires, and serve to detach the envelopes from the paper web base and to carry them on through the roller system and deposit them in proper sequence in a receptacle located adjacent to this point. Roller 47 is preferably slightly larger than its companion rollers in this roller stage thus serving to provide a bias tear force against the perforation 6 between the retainer strip 4 and the envelope flap and insuring a clean detachment of the envelope from the paper web base. Gear 58, which meshes with gear 52, serves to rotate the horizontal shaft carrying rollers 55, 56 and 57. FIGURE 12, a side view, illustrates the gear train assembly for powering the several functional elements of the apparatus, with the numbering of each gear corresponding to the numbering shown in FIG- URES and 11.

In FIGURE 13, the cam/ rocker arm mechanism which serves the important function of momentarily arresting the forward movement of the continuous paper web base carrying the envelopes is shown in detail. In this FIG- URE 13 rocker arm 33 is shown resting on shaft 32 held there by collar 35. The lower portion of the rocker arm is notched at 60 to allow the follower section 63 on the rocker arm to stay in contact with cam 61. Cam 61 is mounted on shaft 54 and rotates with it and with the first stage roller 41, thus effecting synchronization. The rotation of cam 61 and tension of spring 62 work cooperatively to raise and lower the friction cap 37 (rubber tipped) so that when the cap is at its highest elevation it presses against the continuous paper web 65 and the horizontal bar 64 located above the web and directly opposite the cap and thereby momentarily arresting the farward movement of the web 65. In this FIGURE 13 the continuous paper web 65 bearing the envelopes, the metal support base 66 for the web, and the attached envelopes 67 are shown with the cam/rocker arm assembly being shown in a non-arresting position so that the con tinuous web moves forward freely, the envelope 67 not yet being detached.

FIGURE 14 is similar to FIGURE 13, except that it shows the cam/rocker arm assembly in the raised position where the forward movement of the continuous web base is momentarily arrested. In this instance cam 61 has depressed the cam contacting end of the rocker arm 33 causing it to rise at its other end and bringing friction cap 37 directly in contact with the paper web 65 and pressing it against stationary horizontal bar 64, thus arresting the forward movement of the paper web base. As the cam continues to rotate the high points of the cam and rocker arm are no longer in contact and the spring 62 under tension pulls the friction cap end of the rocker arm down and away from direct contact with the paper web thus releasing it for continued forward movement. In FIGURE 14, the envelope 67 is shown detached from the web 65. i

The procedure for operating this embodiment of the invention follows that described for the apparatus illustrated in FIGURES l to 9. The various elements in both variations including the two-stage roller system, the gear train and the paper web arresting means function in a similar manner and the efficiency in detaching the envelopes in both cases is excellent. However, the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 10-14 offers a simplified and less expensive version in that 3 gears in the gear train have been eliminated. This is effected by the floating arrangement of the rocker arms on shaft 32 permitting the pivoting of the arms and by the'mounting of the cam up front on the shaft of the nearest first stage roller 41.

The apparatus and process of this invention provides a highly useful practical and commercial means for detaching envelopes, cards and the like from flexible continuous bases where they are joined thereto by retainer strips with perforations or other relatively weak means provided at the point of juncture of the retainer strip and the main body of the envelopes, cards or similar element.

The apparatus of this invention and its operation afford numerous important advantages. It is simple and inexpensive to construct and operate. Manual labor is substantially eliminated, since once the leading edge of the continuous web base is threaded into the machine its operation then may become entirely automatic, and the operation is readily run with an electric motor as a source of power. Its operation is highly eflicient in providing a speed of separation of the envelopes as much as 10 to 20 times and more of that available in the hand separation heretofore practiced. Little attention on the part of the operator is required in the use of this invention. Maintenance is very low since there is very little wear on any of the elements of the apparatus. Detachment of the envelopes by this invention is characterized by a clean tear at the perforations which join the envelope flap with the retainer strip. By this invention the envelopes are maintained in proper sequence in the collecting receptacle after their detachment. In the presently practiced hand procedures the tears at the perforations are not always clean resulting in some cases in the mutilation or the destruction of an envelope. In addition, with the hand separation, proper sequence of envelope collection is frequently not maintained.

While a variety of elements have been described, it is to be understood that each of these may be replaced by equivalent members. For example, the clutch mechanism for stopping the first stage rollers when the web is stopped may be any slip-drive arrangement or, if desired, the means actuating the stoppage of the web may be electrically driven to stop at the same time the turning of the first stage rollers. Thus, while coil springs are shown on the clutch mechanisms, washer springs may be used, or springs can be entirely eliminated if electrical driving is used. Further, the various rolls that are narrow to provide line or continuous point contact may be solid rubber or plastic rolls. Proper grippage is readily attainable by adjusting the position of the rolls. The amount of the pinch between the rolls will be adjusted to hold whatever the web or whatever the element is that is to be detached. With heavier webs than paper, such as cardboard or board papers and/or with elements heavier than envelopes, such ascards, the driving load, the amount of pressure, and/ or ,the widths at the nip, the load on the clutches and the like can all be varied readily to get the settings needed to handle the given elements. Similarly, the distance between the first stage rollers and the second stage rollers will be set so that the element, whether it is an envelope, a card, a sheet or the like, will span the gap properly so that it is siezed by the second stage rollers at the right instance. Also, in the second stage rollers, one can use as many sets of rollers as desired. The differential in roller size to get the desired swing or cocking of the element to get tearing may be from a .001 inch or a fewthousandths to a difference of 0.5 inch or more, and the shafts bearing the upper and lower second stage rollers may be parallel 'or may be canted in respect to each other as desired. Also, instead of arresting the movement of the web, the movement of the element attached to it may be arrested, the separating being eflected with the continued movement of the web. Further, the means for stopping the movement of the assembly may be positioned as shown and described or it may be positioned at a location beyond the deflection point of the part deflected. In this event, the stopping means acts on a portion of the initial assembly, as is obvious. Still further, it is to be understood that While

side walls

1A and 1B assist in the proper tracking of the continuous web, be it of paper, plastic films, cardboard, wood, cloth and so on, the main tracking stems from the bight of the centrally located rollers moving the web. For very light, thin or easy to move papers the pressure between the drive rollers will be such to form a line or continuous point contact with the moving pellicle or web. For heavier bases, bight is increased in width and may be as much as a quarter or even one-half an inch. But in any event the process and apparatus of this invention controls the oscillation of the sheet approaching the drive roller nip to within about 0.002 inch to about 0.003 inch. From the above it can be seen that the desired synchronization of the cam movement or web stoppage with the feed speed or detaching can be effected not only by various means but can be adjusted to handle a variety of assemblies with excellent tracking of the continuous base.

While the invention has been described herein in connection with certain embodiments and certain structural and procedural details, it is clear that changes, modifications or equivalents can be used by those skilled in the art; accordingly, such changes within the principles of this invention are intended to be included within the scope of the claims below.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for detaching elements, such as envelopes, from a base to which they are adhered which apparatus comprises means for moving an assembly comprising said elements and said base in the same path; means for deflecting the path of one from the path of the other; means for stopping the movement of one part of the assembly while continuing the movement of the other part, thereby pulling the two apart; and means for keeping the sep arated elements and the separated base apart from each other following separation.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the said deflecting means comprises a set of drive rollers forming a nip through which only one part of the assembly passes.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the said stopping means comprises a nip formed at intervals between a stationary member and a reciprocating member, the material to be stopped passing between the said members when the reciprocating member is in the remote position in respect to the stationary member and said ma- 1 0 terial being stopped by and held in the said nip when the reciprocating member is in the closed position.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 which includes means for stopping the deflecting means while the said stopping means is holding the said material being stopped.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 which includes means for synchronizing the continued movement of the one part of the assembly with the stoppage of the other assembly portion.

6. Apparatus for handling an assembly containing detachable elements and for detaching the elements,-such .as envelopes, from a base to which they are adhered which apparatus comprises a pair of drive rollers for moving said base and any adherent thereon in a predetermined path; a second pairof drive rollers for moving the said elements in a path different from said path of said base; means for momentarily arresting the movement of one part of the assembly while continuing the movement of the other part of the assembly; means for continuing the movement of the said other part affording separation of the parts; and means for collecting the separated parts in separate locations.

7. Apparatus of claim 6 in which the arresting means comprises two cam-operated, friction-capped bodies.

8. Apparatus of claim 6 which includes means for stopping the drive rollers moving the part being stopped which means become activated upon the stopping action of said stopping means.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 in which means for stopping the said drive rollers comprise clutches.

10. An apparatus for detaching envelopes and the like from a continuously moving base wherein said envelopes are adhered to said base which apparatus comprises a pair of rollers to move said base; a means for momentarily arresting the movement of the said base; clutch mechanisms on said rollers to stop said rollers when the arresting means stops said base, said rollers being in direct contact with each other to provide a pivoting and straightening means for directing the said base; and means for moving the said envelopes comprising a plurality of pairs of rollers positioned to receive, detach and forward each envelope detached to a collection receptacle.

11. Apparatus of claim 10 in which the means for momentarily arresting the movement of the base comprises two friction surfaced, reciprocating bodies mounted vertically on spring arms, said arms being activated by rotation of cams positioned beneath the spring arms, said bodies being in their operative position in pressure contact with the base, thereby momentarily arresting its movement.

12. Apparatus of claim 10 in which the rollers are equipped on their outer surfaces with narrow rubber tires.

13. Apparatus of claim 10 in which one pair of the rollers in said moving means for the envelopes have slightly larger diameters than the other pairs of rollers in said means.

14. A process for detaching adherents, such as envelopes and the like, from a continuous moving base which process comprises drawing said base through a pair of rollers; momentarily arresting the movement of the base while an adherent is within the nip of a second pair of rollers, said second pair being provided with bias tearing facility; momentarily stopping the said first rollers simul taneously with the momentary arresting of the movement of the said base; continuing the movement of the adherent to effect its detachment from the base; and collecting the resultant detached elements at a location separate from the place where the said base is collected.

15. A process in accordance with claim 14 in which said base is made of paper.

16. Apparatus for detaching elements in an assembly, such as envelopes from a base to which they are adhered, which apparatus comprises a pair of drive rollers for moving said assembly in a predetermined path; means for momentarily arresting the movement of said assembly References Cited by the Examiner while continuing the movement of a portion of the ele UNITED STATES PATENTS ment part of said assembly which means comprises a reciprocating body alternately contacting and breaking con- 1998528 f 225.96 tact with said assembly andin arresting relationship with 5 7 4/2 89,1655 226' 8 said assembly during said contact; clutch mechanisms on 2508083 5/50 Winkle. X the said drive rollers to stop said rollers when said arrest- 2612075 9/52 Kellogg et ing means stops said assembly; means for continuing the 2800180 7/57 Jensen 2254 movement of the said portion of the element part which 2803304 8/57 Kessler 2254 2,824,686 2/58 Hamilton 229--69 is not arrested which means comprises a plurality of pairs 10 of drive rollers forming nips through which said element FOREIGN PATENTS part moves, at least one pair of said drive rollers having slightly larger diameters than the others aflording a bias 638355 3/62 Canada tear of the said moving element from the said arrested assembly, and means for collecting the resultant separated 15 WILLIAM DYER Prmmry Exammer' parts in separate locations. ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Examiner.

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR DETACHING ELEMENTS, SUCH AS EVELOPES, FROM A BASE TO WHICH THEY ARE ADHERED WHICH APPARATUS COMPRISED MEANS FOR MOVING AN ASSEMBLY COMPRISING SAID ELEMENTS AND SAID BASE IN THE SAME PATH; MEANS FOR DEFLECTING THE PATH OF ONE FROM THE PATH OF THE OTHER; MEANS FOR STOPPING THE MOVEMENT OF ONE PART OF THE ASSEMBLY WHILE CONTINUING THE MOVEMENT OF THE OTHER PART, THEREBY