| 摘要 |
An automatic mailing machine which is computer controlled and has facilities for feeding envelopes from a stack of envelopes, and separating the envelopes so that they are fed one at a time onto a platform of a weighing scale. The scale platform has belts which feed the envelopes in a second pass in an opposite direction from the scale back into the machine, wherein this indicia, such as representing postage, are applied thereto. The envelopes are then ejected onto to a platform which can hold a standard mail tray into which the ejected envelopes may be placed. Inasmuch as the envelopes make a double pass through the machine, the space occupied by the machine and scale is reduced. The machine has an envelope separating mechanism including a plurality of pulleys having teeth which are journaled on one way clutching bearings on a common shaft. During the feeding of each envelope, the shaft is actuated to turn in opposite directions so that the envelope being fed from the bottom of the stack is engaged by the gear teeth and driven in a direction out of the machine towards the scale platform, while the next envelope in the stack is engaged by the teeth of another of the pulleys which turn in the opposite direction which holds that next envelope back and prevents it from being fed. The separation is also enhanced by pulsing of feed rollers which engage and drive the bottom envelope in the stack into the separating mechanism. The simple and effective separating mechanism separates the envelopes in their first pass through the machine and does not interfere with the second pass in the opposite direction of the envelopes through the machine for printing and ejection into the stack.
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