Mechanism and Method of Making an Envelope

The present invention is directed to an improved method and mechanism of making and folding an envelope and more particularly to a mechanism and method of making and folding a personalized envelope, and folding it around a personalized letter.

In various promotions, such as solicitations for subscribers, funds, etc. it is desirable for the envelope and the letter, or other message enclosed within the envelope, to be personalized.

Even if the personalized letter and envelope are both automatically printed by a computer, it is an expensive and a time consuming operation to stuff the personalized letter into the corresponding personalized envelope and to seal it. In addition, it is often desirable to add additional inserts to be sent with the letter.

Present machinery and methods do not provide for automatic printing of personalized letters and envelopes, for automatic wrapping of envelopes around the letters and for automatically adding additional inserts to the envelopes.

The present invention overcomes these difficulties and has for one of its objects the provision of an improved mechanism and machine which will automatically stuff a personalized letter into a personalized envelope, which will permit additional inserts to be automatically added to the envelope and which will automatically seal the contents within the envelopes.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved method and machine which will apply adhesive to the envelopes at some time before the folding operation.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a continuous sheet or web having thereon a personalized printed envelope and a personalized letter which is to be positioned within the envelope.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sealed personalized envelope with the personalized letter and other possible inserts therein.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5A shows the first portion of the improved machine used for performing the improved method of the present invention.

FIG. 5B shows the other portion of the same machine shown in FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the portion of the machine shown in FIG. 5A.

FIG. 7 is a detail showing the letter in position over an envelope.

FIG. 8 is a similar detail showing the letter being placed on the envelope.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10--10 of FIG. 5B.

FIG. 11 is a side view of an adhesive applicator for applying adhesive to the envelope.

FIG. 12 is a detail of the first step in the envelope folding mechanism.

FIG. 13 is a detail showing the second step in the envelope folding mechanism.

FIG. 14 is a detail showing the third step in the envelope folding mechanism.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along line 15--15 of FIG. 5B.

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken along line 16--16 of FIG. 5B.

FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along line 17--17 of FIG. 5B.

FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along line 18--18 of FIG. 5B.

FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along line 19--19 of FIG. 5B.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the web 1 from which the envelope and letter is made is shown in FIG. 1 and comprises a continuous composite sheet having a series of openings 3 along each edge to accommodate pins of a sprocket type feed mechanism (not shown). The web may be stored in a roll or in a fan fold, as may be desired.

The composite sheet is divided by transverse cut lines 2 and 4, which may be perforations, into a dual letter assembly 5, comprising a pair of transversely located letters 5a, and a dual envelope assembly 6, comprising a pair of transversely located envelopes 6a.

Each letter 5a has a message and a personalized address thereon. Each envelope 6a has a front panel 7 which as a personalized address, which corresponds to the personalized address on the letter 5a it is attached to, as well as a return address. Each envelope 6a has a rear panel 8 attached to front panel 7 by a fold line 10 and flap 9 attached by fold line 11 to the front panel 7. The fold lines 10 of each envelope 6a in each envelope assembly 6 are coextensive with each other and the fold lines 11 are also coextensive with each other.

In general, the method and mechanism of the present invention comprises separating the envelope assembly 6 from letter assembly 5, folding the letter assembly 5, and dividing the folded letter assembly 5 along the center to form two letters 5a. The folded letters 5a (as well as any other inserts 45) are placed on the rear panel 8 of the envelopes 6a. The front panel 7 is then folded over the letters 5a along fold 10 and the edges sealed and the flap 9 is folded over and adhered to the rear panel 8 to complete the envelope. The tractor holes 3 are preferably removed before any of the other steps are performed.

A web cutter assembly 20 is provided to separate the letter assembly 5 from the envelope assembly 6. The envelope assembly 6 is deflected downwardly and delivered to a moving first conveyor assembly 40. The letter assembly 5 is deflected upwardly to a folding, slitting and trimming mechanism 50 which folds the letter assembly 5, divides it into letters 5a, trims the letters to size and delivers the letters 5a onto the corresponding envelope 6a of envelope assembly 6 which is moving with the conveyor assembly 40. Thereafter, additional inserts 45 may be positioned on the envelope assembly 6.

The envelope assembly 6 then receives an adhesive to permit the end edges 12 to be sealed. At the appropriate time, the leading edges of the envelope assembly 6 is folded over the previously deposited letters 5a and inserts 45 by a folding assembly 60. Simultaneously, the end edge areas 12 which have previously received adhesive are pressed together to seal the end edges 12 thereof.

After discharge from the first conveyor assembly 40, the envelopes 6a are placed on a moving second conveyor assembly 70 where the flap 9 is folded over the rear panel and sealed thereto to complete the letter.

The continuous web 1 is preferably fed from a fan fold (not shown) storage area, however, it can also be fed from a roll, if desired. It is also within the purview of the present invention that the machine may operate with a previously separated letter assembly and envelope assembly.

The web 1 is first moved past a pair of side knife wheels 21 which remove edge strips 22 which have the feed holes 3 therein. The web 1 is then moved over cutting assembly 20 which comprises a knife edge 23 which separates the letter assembly 6 from the envelope assembly 5.

Immediately in back of the cutter assembly 20 is a pivotally mounted deflecting chute 25 which is adapted to be moved by a moving mechanism 26 from a lower position to deflect the envelope assembly 6 downwardly onto conveyor assembly 40 to a raised position to deflect the letter assembly 5 upwardly for insertion in a folding assembly 50. When the knife 23 cuts the web along cutting line 2 to separate the envelope assembly 6 from its corresponding letter assembly 5, the chute 25 is in its downward position so that the envelope assembly 6 is directed toward and deposited on a conveyor 41. The length of the envelope assembly as shown is long enough for the leading edge to be deposited on the conveyor when the knife cuts. In addition, suitable rollers may be provided to help move the envelope assembly onto the conveyor. When the knife 23 cuts the web along cutting line 4 to separate the letter assembly 5 from the next envelope assembly 6, the chute 25 is in its raised position (shown in broken lines) to direct the letters 5 upwardly to a folding assembly 50. As shown, the letters 5 are long enough for the leading edge to be gripped and pulled by the rolling mechanism when the knife cuts.

The conveyor assembly 40 comprises a continuously moving conveyor 41 driven by a wheel and chain assembly 42-43. The conveyor 41 has a plurality of transversely located upwardly extending longitudinally spaced drive pins 44. A pair of drive pins 44 are located on each side of the center line of the conveyor. When the envelopes are deposited onto the conveyor 41, the pins 44 strike the rear edge of the envelope assembly 6, to move it along with the conveyor 41. The pins 44 are adapted not only to strike and move the envelope assembly 6 but also to cause the letters 5 and the inserts 45, if any, to be deposited onto the envelopes 6a and to move the envelope assembly 6, letters 5a and other inserts 45 along.

The folding mechanism 50 which folds the letter assembly 5 before it is deposited onto the envelope assembly 6 is in the usual form, for example, similar to the one shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,879,990, and comprises a series of rollers 51 which will fold the letter 5 in two or more folds depending on the particular type of folding desired. The folding mechanism 50 is a standard folding mechanism and, hence, will not be described in greater detail.

After the letter assembly 5 is folded, it is moved past a rotary knife 52 which divides the letter assembly 5 longitudinally into two separate letters 5a and past trimming rotary knives 57 which removes excess material to trim the letters to size. The letters 5a are deposited on an inclined chute 53 which overlies the conveyor 41, and which terminates in a toe 54. The two letters 5a slide down the chute 53 until they rest on the toe 54. Rollers similar to rollers on knives 57 may be used to push the letters downwardly. The toe 54 is positioned in close adjacency over the conveyor 41 and is substantially parallel to the conveyor 41. The chute 53 has longitudinal slits 55 therein to permit the pins 44 to move therethrough. Guide rails 56 are provided to prevent the sliding letters 5a from angling when sliding down chute 53.

With the letters 5a resting on toes 54, the pins 44 which are moving the envelope assembly 6 forward, move through the slits 55 and strike the rear edge of the folded letters 5a so as to move them off toe 54 and deposit them on their corresponding personalized envelopes 6a of the envelope assembly 6. Since the letters 5a are moving at about the same speed as the envelope assembly 6, the chute 53 allows letters to move down to toes 54 at least as quickly as it takes the envelopes to be positioned below toes 54 so that each personalized letter 5a will be deposited on its respective personalized envelope 6a.

The envelope assembly 6 with letters 5a thereon is then moved by pins 44 beneath an insert depositing assembly 46 which holds inserts 45. The insert depositing assembly 46 is preferably of the suction type, however, in the drawing, the assembly 46 is shown as comprising a chute 46 which holds the lowermost insert 45 suspended over the moving conveyor 41 on a shoe 46a. The shoe 46a is positioned over the conveyor 41 a distance less than the height of the pins 44. Hence the moving pins 44 strike the insert 45 and push it on the letters 5a.

The combination is then moved by pins 44 beneath an adhesive applicator assembly 47 which applies adhesive to center and end strips of the envelope assembly 6 which will become edges 12 when the envelopes 6a are severed. The adhesive applicator 47 may be any conventional type of applicator, such as a sprayer, a roller or a spotter. In the preferred form of the invention, the adhesive 56 is a hot melt wax which is applied in spots by center nozzle 48 and end nozzles 49 along the center and side strips of envelope assembly 6. Guide rails 57 which guide spaced letters 5a FIG. 10) prevent adhesive 56 from being applied to the letters 5a. However a pre-gummed envelope may also be used if desired.

The combination is then moved to an envelope wrapping assembly 60 which comprises an upwardly inclined ramp 61 and diverting device 62 adapted to divert the leading edge of the envelope assembly 6 unto the ramp 61. The diverting fingers 62 are shown as being lowered by a hydraulic cylinder 63. However any other means, such as a cam, can control the fingers 62.

As the pins 44 move the envelope assembly 6, together and with letters 5a and inserts 45 along, the diverting device 62 is in its raised position so that the leading edge of the envelope assembly 6 embodying flap 9 moves up the ramp 61 until it strikes a stop 64. At that point, the device 62 is lowered to open a gap 65 between lower edge 66 of ramp 61 and feed plate 67. As the pins 44 continue to move the combination forward the envelope assembly 6 buckles along fold along 10 and the envelope assembly 6 is pushed through the gap 65.

Rollers 69 move faster than conveyor 40 so that as soon as the envelope starts moving through gap 65 the rollers 69 pull it through the gap and onto conveyor 70.

As the folded envelope assembly 6 and its contents letters 5a and inserts 45 are moved by rollers 69, a rotary cutting wheel 68 severs the envelope assembly 6 into two envelopes 6a. The rollers 69 also cause the two panels 8 and 7 of each envelope 6a to adhere to each other along edges 12 where the adhesive 56 has been previously applied.

The folded and edge sealed envelopes 6a are then moved onto second conveyor 70 which is moved by drive 73 which is at an angle (preferably at a right angle) to the first conveyor 41. Rollers 71 are mounted on pivotally movable shaft 72 to apply pressure to the envelopes 6a to force them to be moved by conveyor 70. Shaft 72 rocks upwardly to raise the rollers 71 to permit envelopes 6a to be deposited on conveyor 70 and then rocks downwardly to lower rollers 71 to apply pressure to envelopes 6a. The rocking of shaft 72 is timed to the movement of the plate 67.

The second coneyor 70 moves the envelopes past a flap folding shoe 75 which is especially contoured (as shown in FIGS. 15 to 18), to fold the flap 9 as each envelope moves past it. An adhesive is applied to flap 9 by applicator 77 as the envelope 6a moves past it. The shoe 75 has a bend 76 which terminates in a U-shaped configuration to fold the flap 9. The envelopes are then moved past pressure rollers 78 which seals flap 9 and and are then moved off the conveyor 71.

The machine described above was described in connection with a web having a pair of letters 5a and envelopes 6a in side-by-side relationship to each other. It will be understood that the mechanism may be used with a web having a single letter and envelope in which case there is no need to centrally sever the web.

It is also possible for the envelope blank to have an adhesive applied to it at an earlier stage which can then be activated either by moisture or by pressure or any other appropriate means to form the proper sealing of the envelope.

It is also possible to move the envelope on a separate web from the letter. The machine can take that envelope and match it with the appropriate letter at a point in the machine whereupon the envelope would be folded around the cut and folded letter and the other contents to be inserted within the envelope.

After the sealing of the flap of the envelope, the individual letters can be sorted into various categories, such as by weight for different amounts of postage or zip code sorting.

In addition, information gathered from the original letter as it is passed through the machine can be read to add inserts selectively at the insert stations.

In addition, it is possible for the invention to operate with inserts only and without a letter.

It is also possible for the blanks to have a window therein for addresses to show through.

Hence, the present invention provides a machine and method which will automatically stuff a personalized letter into a personalized envelope, which permits additional inserts to be added to the envelope and which automatically seals the contents.

Furthermore the present invention permits the envelope blank to have an adhesive applied to it automatically before the folding operation.

As many and varied modifications of the subject matter of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description given hereinabove, it will be understood that the present invention is limited only as provided in the claims appended hereto.