GB2173010A - Automatic addressing device for use with a photocopier; automatic packaging - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a tape 6 carrying items of information e.g. names and addresses at spaced positions along its length, a motor 2 for intermittent movement of the tape to display the said items successively at a selected point on the exposure surface of a photocopier, and electric circuit means adapted to ensure alternate, automatic operation of the tape moving, and the photocopying. The automatic operational control may be a double "rocking" electric switch (Fig. 2). Means are also described for automatic packaging of paper(s) e.g. for postal despatch wherein an outer cover 17 in flat form is advanced to a station where the papers 19 being packed are deposited thereon whereafter the cover is folded over the contents and sealed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to the preparation of postal packages This invention relates to the preparation of postal packages, and more especially to the addressing and loading of a substantial number of envelopes containing or intended to contain copies of, say, a circular letter, or advertising material, or bank statements or the like, particularly when it is desired or necessary to correspond with the same parties at periodic intervals.

For the aforesaid purpose it is proposed to use a conventional photocopying device and to provide means for exposing therein successively a series of names and addresses to be copied on successive envelopes passed through the device; or upon appropriate blank spaces at the heading of a document such as a circular letter. The names and addresses may be carried by a tape at spaced positions along its length, and means may be provided to draw the tape from a spool (preferably winding it on to another spool) intermittently to present the names and addresses successively to a "window" or the like over a photocopier, from which it can be copied. The tape holder(s) and the driving means, therefore, may be mounted on a platform provided with the display "window" for the names and addresses, and preferably having a removable cover over the tape and driving means.This platform may be adapted to rest upon the usual glass resting surface of the copier, and may have clips, suction caps or the like to keep it steady. The undersurface of the platform should be an uninterrupted white surface, so that the only markings copied therefrom will be the name and address displayed at the window. To allow the platform to be located at different areas of the glass surface of the copier, the platform may be of smaller dimensions than the glass surface, and provided at its edges with flexible, opaque covers in rolled or folded condition adapted to be opened out and stretched taut in order to cover areas of the glass surface not covered by the platform.

These covers should have a white undersurface. The tape drive may comprise an electric motor to which the power supply is controlled by automatic switch means co-operating with the circuit of the photocopier, and arranged so that after one name and address has been copied, the tape motor is automatically operated to advance the tape to display the next desired name and address, and then arrested whereupon the copier is actuated to copy this successive display, before the tape motor is reactuated. The tape may be provided with openings, or code markings or like features to assist these automatic operations.

If desired the system may incorporate a computerised circuit to advance the tape to selected points along its length (rather than stopping the tape one by one at every name and address thereon) when addressed envelopes or letters are desired for only selected parties identified on the tape.

The invention further relates to the automatic packaging of letters and similar matter in envelopes or envelope-type coveverings. In this feature of the invention means are provided to support a pile of the letters, or like sheet material, folded, if necessary, in the manner and to the size suitable to be accommodated in the intended cover, and means to release these letters or sheets one by one from the pile. On conveyor means passing beneath this supported pile are advanced flat, unfolded blanks preferably weakened by foldlines facilitating the folding together of the different areas defined by such lines in order to form an envelope or cover.As each blank reaches the station beneath the said pile, a single letter or package released from the bottom of the pile falls on to the panel of the blank which is to form the front face of the finished cover, and the blank is advanced to successive stations where folding blades and sealing means are provided first to fold in one pair of opposite side strips or panels of the blank, and thereafter the other pair, and to seal them down to form a closed and bonded envelope. The edges of the blank may be provided with adhesive before being fed to the apparatus, or means may be provided to apply adhesive immediately before the folding and sealing operations. The blanks may be advanced separately, or interconnected as a web, and in the latter case cutting means are provided to separate them prior to the loading or sealing stage.The blank may be automatically addressed in the manner described above, on the face which will be underneath at the loading station, or they may be provided with transparent windows in which case the letters or the like being loaded into them will be pre-addressed in like manner, and folded and stacked so that the address on each one dropped will be in register with the transparent window the blank it is to accupy.

In a modified manner of feeding the letters (which term includes other packaged correspondence) to the envelope blanks, the letters are advanced in Indian file, staggered, in par tial overlapping relation, on a conveyor to the side of the track traversed by the envelope blanks. When the front letter reaches a stop, a switch is actuated to arrest the conveyor, and a pusher, or an area with a suction cup, or the like is actuated to transfer the foremost letter sideways on to a second, closely adjacent conveyor. When an envelope blank is located in a receiving position, this second conveyor is actuated to deliver the letter thereon to the blank. In all forms of delivery of letters to blanks the side-panels of the receiving blank may be folded somewhat upwardly to form a trough which assists in centering the letter on the middle panel of the blank.

A diagrammatic representation of the above described features of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 represents in perspective a device in accordance with the invention for automatic copying of addresses or other matter upon envelopes, letters or the like for postal despatch.

Figure 2 represents an enlarged view of part of a tape for use in the device shown in Fig.

1: and Figure 3 represents a manner in accordance with the invention for encasing intended contents in an envelope or like postal cover.

The device shown in Fig. 1 comprises a rigid base or platform 1 of suitable thin material, e.g. plastics or wood, adapted to be rested on the glass display surface of any conventional photocopier. This base should be of comparatively small dimensions in relation to the copier display surface, so that it can be located therein in different positions and orientations, as desired. The base is opaque and additional cover means, e.g. of flexible material attached to the edges of the bse, are provided, so that when the device is ready for use on a photocopier, the glass supporting surface of the copier will be screened against entry of light. When positioned the undersurfaces of the cover means should be flat, and they are entirely white.

Suitably supported on the base 1 is a small electric motor 2 adapted through suitable gearing to drive at the same speed two spindles 3 mounted on suitably spaced supports. Two spools 4 and 5 are removably mounted on the spindles 3, with splining or like attachment for rotating the spools from the motor. A tape 6 wound upon one of the spools e.g. spool 4, can be connected to the other spool, so that when the motor is running the tape is drawn from one spool to the other, and, as will appear below, this operation is intermittent. If desired the spools may be enclosed in a cassette. In moving from one spool to the other the tape 6 passes over an aperture or transparent window 7 in the base 1. Releasable spring or like pressure means (not shown) may be provided on the base 1 to press down temporarily into aperture or onto the window 7 the length of tape in that position.

An enlarged view of a short length of the tape 6 is shown in Fig. 2. As there seen, it is provided at one edge of the tape with spaced "pockets" 8 having open mouths at the tape edge to allow rectangular portions of paper or flexible card to be inserted therein. Each such insert may, for example display through the open wall of its pocket a name and address, so that the tape will carry a permanent record of such data. It will be appreciated that the face of the tape shown in Fig. 2 would be the undersurface, when the tape is at rest at the window or aperture 7, and the outer surface of the tape when would upon the spools. The mechanism on the base 1 may be protected by a cover 9, resting on and/or detachably secured to the base 1.

The device described above is mounted on the display surface of a photocopier, and intermittently operated so that the various items displayed in the windows 8 are arrested, one by one, at the station 7, and after each such arrest the copier is actuated to copy the data, e.g. a name and address, upon a blank envelope or like cover, or at the heading of a circular letter etc.

If necessary the copier will be provided with guide means or the like to ensure that the blank envelopes or the like advanced, imprinted and discharged, shall follow a correct prearranged path below the aperture or window 7.

A diagrammatic representation of automatic operational control of the device is shown as a double, "rocking" electric switch in Fig. 2.

A rocker arm 10 connected at its mid-point to a supply lead 11 carries at opposite ends contacts 12 and 13 respectively, adapted to cooperate with fixed contacts 14, 15 respectively. The edge of the tape 6 is provided with holes 16 at spaced intervals, one for each window 8, and the fixed contact 14 is located in or on the base 1 at such a position that the tape holes 16 will pass over it as the tape is advanced. The rocker arm 10 may be spring-loaded to urge the contact 12 towards the fixed contact 14, and the contact 12 may comprise a ball or roller so that the tape can easily pass under it when advanced.

Over the contact 13 may be provided an electromagnetic plunger (not shown) adapted, when energised, to press the contact 13 temporarily into engagement with the contact of line 15.

In a- non-operative condition of the device, contact 12 rests in a tape-hole 16 (where it provides a mechanical arrest and locator for the tape) in engagement with the contact of line 14. This engagement closes the circuit of a relay which breaks the supply circuit to the motor 2. To set the device in operation contact 13 is pressed down to engage the contact of line 15 which actuates a relay closing the circuit of motor 2. Since contact 12 has been lifted out of a tape-hole 16 the tape is advanced by the motor, and the contact 12 is held out of engagement with contact 14 by the tape passing between them. When the next tape-hole 16 reaches contact 12, the arm 10 is rocked by its spring to close the circuit by way of contact 12 and line 14, which operates the relay to stop the motor, so that the tape is arrested with another data-display pocket over the windows 8. This closure of the circuit from contact 12 also actuates an electromagnetic plunger mounted, e.g. by suc tion-cup means, over the press button starter of the photocopier on which the device is mounted, and the copier immediately operates to record on a blank cover or letter heading the data shown in the pocket. The discharge of the cover or letter with the imprinted data, from the copier actuates switch means, or interrupts light to a photocell, in the circuit of the electromagnetic plunger associated with contact 13, which is thereby depressed to initiate repetition of the above described cycle.

In this way a large number of envelopes or circular letters can be addressed, or can receive other data, in respect of each of the records in the pockets 8 of a complete tape.

If it is desired to imprint covers or letters with only selected entries in the tape records, the control circuit may be adapted to be controlled by computerised instructions to select which of the pockets to be arrested at the window 7, and for this purpose the pockets may be numbered and/or provided with code markings to enable sensor means to identify pockets specified in the computer instructions.

Means may be provided for driving the spools in reverse, if and when desired.

In the preparation for despatch of a large number of circular letters or the like another problem, in addition to addressing the covers, is to encase the contents in each cover, and another feature of this invention consists in a manner of carrying out this operation automatically. The basis of the proposed procedure is to associate intended contents in a substantially flat-folded condition to a blank intended as the cover, before the panels and flaps of the blank are folded over and sealed to form an enclosure. In this way the blank is formed into an enclosure with the contents already inside, in contrast to being formed as an empty enclosure into which contents are to be inserted before final sealing.

A diagrammatic representation of this procedure is shown in Fig. 3. Flat blanks of covers, e.g. envelope blanks 17 are fed, individually or as a web from which separate blanks are cut, to a position beneath a chute, hopper 18 or like means for holding, and delivering one by one a group of flat-folded circular letters, advertising leaflets or the like 19 being packaged for despatch.

The blanks may be pre-addressed, e.g. by the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 on their undersurface as seen in Fig. 3, or may be of the kind having a transparent window, in which case the folded contents will be addressed. When a blank comes to temporary rest beneath the hopper 19, release means are actuated to allow one of said folded packets 19 to be delivered to, and centered in, the mid-panel of the blank 17. The blank and its load are then advanced to successive stations where one pair of opposite panels of the blank 20 is folded in, and thereafter the other pair of opposite panels or flaps 21 are likewise folded in, and the cover sealed, e.g. by a pressure block. Prior to sealing operations, means may be provided to apply adhesive to the blank edges about to be sealed, or to moisten dry adhesive already carried at such edges, but if the cover is of plastics, or plastics-coated material, heat-sealing by a suitable pressure block may be effected without applied adhesive.

In the above described packaging procedure the means for advancing the blanks, the means for holding and separately delivering packets of contents, and the means for folding and sealing the cover panels and flaps may all be of such conventional forms as are suitable for these purposes.

Claims (9)

1. A device for use with a photocopier comprising a base support adapted to be located on the exposure surface of a photocopier, means for successive display on said exposure surface of separate items of information, e.g. names and addresses, and electric circuit means adapted to ensure automatic alternate actuation of means for changing the item of information displayed, and the drive means of the photocopier.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said items of information are carried at spaced positions by flexible strip material e.g. a tape.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said strip material is carried in a cassette-type holder.

4. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said electric circuit comprises means actuated when a change of the item of information on display has been completed, to initiate operation of the photocopier.

5. A device as claimed in Claim 4 including strip means for carrying items of information, wherein said strip means is adapted, upon reaching a point of advancement where a succeeding item of information is on display, to actuate means whereby the photocopier drive is activated.

6. A device as claimed in any preceding claims wherein means to initiate change-over of an item of information are caused to operate upon discharge of a duplicated copy of a displayed item of information from the photocopier.

7. Means for automatic packaging of paper(s) e.g. for postal despatch wherein an outer cover in flat form, e.g. an unfolded envelope blank upon which the destination has been copied by means such as claimed in any of Claims 1-6, is advanced to a station where the paper(s) being packed are deposited thereon, whereafter the cover is folded over said contents and sealed.

8. A device for use with a photocopier substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. Means for automatic enclosure of pa per(s) in an outer cover e.g. for postal despatch substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.