Method and apparatus for processing envelopes containing contents

摘要

A method and apparatus for processing mail is provided. A feeder serially feeds envelope from a stack of mail. Two cutters at a cutting station cuts one or two edges of the envelopes. As the envelopes travel from the feeder to the cutters the envelope is jogged on two edges to justify the contents with the envelopes. Additionally, an improved feeder is provided to reduce the number of jams created when feeding the envelopes from the stack.

主权项

1. An apparatus for processing envelopes containing contents, comprising:
an input bin for receiving a plurality of envelopes containing contents; a feeder for feeding an envelope from the input bin comprising an envelope conveyor having a discharge nip; a first jogging element spaced apart from the discharge nip by a gap, wherein the envelope conveyor drives the envelope across the gap to impact the first jogging element; a first cutter operable to cut a first edge of the envelope, wherein the first cutter is vertically spaced from the first jogging element so that after the envelope impacts the first jogging element the envelop falls through the gap and toward the first cutting element; a second jogging element vertically spaced from the first cutter so that envelopes leaving the first cutter fall toward the second jogging element and impact the second jogging element; a second cutter operable to cut a second edge of the envelope; and an extractor for opening the envelope after the envelope is edge-severed by at least one of the first and second cutters.