Multiple envelope gripping and transfer apparatus and method

摘要

An envelope processing system includes a multiple envelope gripping and transfer apparatus. The system uses a conventional envelope delivery spider which has been adapted to deliver envelopes to an accumulating surface, such as a belt conveyor, in a position with the folded envelope seal flaps facing upward. A rotary guide is positioned with radially extending guide members extending just above the conveyor belt to guide envelopes onto the conveyor in an upright orientation. The conveyor moves the envelopes toward a series of three separately movable, vertically oriented finger supports. The three supports are cooperatively driven to accumulate, batch and compress horizontal stacks of predetermined numbers of envelopes which are then positioned beneath a gripper assembly with a pair of opposed gripper arms. The gripper assembly is lowered into a position in which the gripper arms are inserted on either side of the compressed envelope stack, pulled together and pivoted inward at the bottoms to squeeze the stack from the bottom edges. The gripper arms include spaced fingers which are arranged to mesh with corresponding fingers in the finger supports. A bowed top support supports the top of the envelope stack as it is gripped. The gripper assembly is then lifted to pick up the stack from the conveyor.