APPARATUS FOR INSERTING DOCUMENTS INTO ENVELOPES AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

摘要

An apparatus inserts documents into envelopes and includes a document insert station and a document conveyor that conveys documents to be inserted within envelopes to the document insert station. Each envelope has an envelope opening and a flap to close the opening and defines a hinge line. An envelope feeder feeds envelopes upside down on the hinge line with the flap up into the document insert station and angled from the document conveyor. An insert plate is positioned at the document insert station that receives a document conveyed from the document conveyor and includes orifices though which air is blown onto the envelope fed into the document insert station to open the envelope and receive a document conveyed from the document conveyor.

主权项

1. A method of inserting documents into envelopes, comprising:
conveying documents horizontally to be inserted within envelopes along a document conveyor into a document insert station, each envelope having an envelope opening and a flap to close the opening and defining a hinge line at the intersection of the flap and envelope; feeding envelopes upside down with the hinge line facing downward and along an envelope feeder into the document insert station and at an angle away from the document conveyor; forcing the flap open from the envelope opening by engaging the flap of the envelope at a beveled edge of an insert plate located at the document insert station and forcing the flap to extend under the insert plate at its beveled edge and retain the flap open; blowing air into the envelope opening to open the envelope; and inserting a document conveyed from the document conveyor into the envelope.