GB2069981A

GB2069981A - Sheet folding apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2069981A
Application number: GB8103924A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Hadewe BV
Current assignee: Hadewe BV
Priority date: 1980-02-15
Filing date: 1981-02-09
Publication date: 1981-09-03
Also published as: FR2475989A1; GB2069981B; DE3104226A1; JPS56136758A; NL8000972A

Abstract

An apparatus for folding sheets A, especially letters and enclosures to be inserted in an envelope, comprises two parallel folding pockets, 14, 15 within which there are provided adjustable stops 16, 17, a selectively- operable paper guide 18, 19 at the mouth of each folding pocket to prevent or allow that pocket to be used, and co-acting rollers 18-12 for guiding the sheets. Thus sheets passing between the rollers can receive one two or no folds. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An apparatus for treating correspondence The invention relates to an apparatus for treating correspondence, in particular the folding, respectively the bringing to size of letters and enclosures to be inserted in an envelope.

In most cases use is made of so-called window envelope, which means that the address applied on the letterhead, after insertion of the letter into said envelope, has to be disposed behind the window.

International postal rules prescribe envelopes of the above type which are broad and low. This means that letters and enclosures have to be folded at least once, normally however twice. If this is effected in the same direction, there is produced a so-called standard (letter) fold. During the insertion into the envelope, allowance should be made for the fact that enclosures should be presented behind the letter, in order to keep the address indication disposed thereon free, in order that this can be seen via the window in the envelope.

For the folding to size and the collation of documents for one envelope two methods are employed in principle: 1. Collating and inserting take place on an inserting machine. The required folding is done on free-standing folding machine. Not only on account of the labour cost but also by the increasing personal character of the documents, those operations are more and more integrated.

The folding machine is then directly coupled to the collating path and acts as a feed-station.

Consequently, one folding machine is necessary per each folded document.

2. First collating of letter and enclosures take place and then the superimposed documents are folded collectively.

The latter method, wherein the folding function is always closely integrated with the inserting function, is cheaper in principle, but has the drawback that approximately half of the possible document-size combinations cannot be processed. In each case of different size of address-carrying document and enclosure, in most cases the smallest, e.g. a card, is left behind in the folding-pocket when folding takes place by means of a pocket-folding type machine.

Also other employed folding methods do not provide a satisfactory solution for this problem.

It is the object of the invention to provide an inexpensive flexible solution, allowing to process by means of one folding apparatus yet all possible size combinations, in that the letter and enclosures are conducted one after the other through the folding apparatus.

To this effect the invention provides an apparatus which substantially comprises two folding pockets extending in parallel relationship, within which adjustable stops are provided, an automatically operated paper guide at the mouth of each folding pocket, by means of which this can be rendered accessible or not, under which folding pocket there are provided co-acting roller pairs wherebetween the correspondence to be treated may be conducted.

Often the address-carrying document which has to be conducted as lowermost to the inserting-machine, cannot be transported to the machine in such a way that it is the first to pass the folding apparatus. In order to change the sequence of the documents, it is desirable that the documents which need not be folded can pass underneath the folding apparatus.

For this purpose the invention provides an apparatus of the above-described type wherein at the feeding side there is present an automatically adjustable flap by means of which the documents to be treated can be guided towards the roller pairs, or can pass underneath said roller pairs, while underneath said roller pairs there is provided a passage.

Further particulars of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 diagrammatically shows the arrangement of an apparatus for treating correspondence; Fig. 2 diagrammatically shows the folding unit; and Fig. 3 diagrammatically shows the drive thereof.

In Fig. 1 the inserting machine is represented by 1, which is of a known per se type. Envelopes are kept opened in said machine for receiving the documents therein. The machine is mounted in a frame which is indicated by 2.

In the case represented a folding device 3 is arranged in the frame 2 and two feed-stations 4 and 5 are arranged therebehind in the frame 2.

The device 4 serves e.g. for feeding letters one for one and the device 5 e.g. for feeding enclosures one for one. By 6 is indicated a conveyor which may comprise a conveyor belt or chain, which is driven in a manner not further specified.

The folding device 3 comprises substantially a box 7 wherein rollers 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 are mounted, which rollers may be driven in the arrow direction shown. The foot portion 1 3 of the box 7 constitute a continuous channel for the conveyor 6.

In the box 7 there are provided two substantially parallelly extending folding pockets 14 and 1 5. In the folding pocket 14 there is provided an adjustable stop 16, while the folding pocket 1 5 comprises a corresponding adjustable stop 17.

In front of the mouth of the folding pocket 14 there is a paper guide 18 and in front of the mouth of the folding table 1 5 a paper guide 19. Each paper guide can occupy a position in which a folding table is closed, shown for the folding table 14 or a position wherein the folding table is freely accessible, shown for the folding table 1 5.

In a letter or enclosure A can be made one fold, the location of which is defined by the stop 1 7.

The folding proper is effected here by the rollers 10 and 11. Since the folding pocket 14 is closed by the paper guide 18, the sheet A runs via rollers 8 and 9 towards a collating table 20, without having been folded in the folding pocket 14.

When the paper guide 19 closes the folding pocket 1 5 and the folding pocket 14 is accessible by the release of the mouth by the paper guide 1 8, the sheet A is likewise folded only once.

In case both folding tables 14 and 1 5 are accessible, the sheet A is folded in two places, the location of which is already observed, is defined by the stops 18 and 19.

If both folding tables 14 and 15 are closed, the sheet A will arrive unfolded on the collating table 20. The required setting depends on the size of envelope and sheet A.

The invention furthermore provides the possibility to pass a document underneath the rollers 8-12. To this effect an automatically adjustable flap is provided, in such a way that either it leads the paper to the fold rollers, or it lets the paper bypass the fold unit. The latter position is required when a card carries the address and should be inserted underneath folded documents waiting at the collating table 20. In that case the e.g. magnetically operated flap 21 is set in a position as shown in Fig. 2.

Instead of sheet after sheet, it is also possible according to the invention to collect letters and enclosures in front of the folding device 3 and to apply the folds collectively.

As shown in Fig. 1, the apparatus may have an integral design or be comprised of units.

As regards the drive and operation of the folding device or unit 3, reference is made to Fig.

3. As shown therein, the drive of the folding rollers takes place by a belt or chain 22.

By 23 is shown a gear which forms the input gear. By 24 is indicated a gear which serves for driving a device connected therebehind.

The flap 21 is drawn in Fig. 3 in a position wherein a letter or enclosure is conducted towards the folding rollers. The operation of the flap 21 is effected e.g. by an electric magnet 25 or the like.

Also slides 18 and 1 9 can be automatically operated by an electric magnet, as indicated by 26 and 27.

Claims

1. An apparatus for treating correspondence, in particular the folding, respectively the bringing to size of letters and enclosures to be inserted in an envelope, substantially comprising two parallely extending folding pockets within which there are provided adjustable stops, an automatically operated paper guide at the mouth of each folding pocket, by means of which this can be rendered inaccessible, underneath which folding pocket there are provided co-acting roller pairs, wherebetween the correspondence to be treated can be conducted.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at the feeding side of the apparatus there is provided an automatically adjustable flap by means of which the documents to be treated can be guided or not towards the roller pairs, or can pass underneath said roller pairs, while underneath the roller pairs there is provided a passage.