Opening fingers for envelope inserting apparatus

摘要

Apparatus (20) for opening an envelope (24) having a front panel (116), a back panel (118) and a closing flap (64). The apparatus includes: a device (26) for supporting the envelope in a substantially horizontal plane wherein the back panel is situated above the front panel; a device for holding the closing flap below the back panel; an opening horn (84,86) for separating the back panel from the front panel, the opening horn being pivotable in a vertical plane; and a device for causing the horn to initially contact the closing flap and to pivot the horn into the envelope between the front and back panels, and to raise the horn inside the envelope, whereby the front and back panels are separated. <IMAGE>