Process and apparatus for making a postcard

Claim 2

A process for making a postcard, for use in mailing sheet-form articles, the process comprising the steps of: (i) continuously supplying a first, elongate, sheet-member strip including a first layer of adhesive on one side thereof; (ii) continuously supplying a second, elongate strip of a transparent sheet including a second layer of generally transparent adhesive on one side thereof; (iii) continuously mounting a third, elongate strip of a protective sheet between said first and second strips so as to leave opposed edge regions of the first and second adhesive layers bonded to one another, with the remainder of the first and second adhesive layers separated by the protective sheet, thereby forming a fourth, composite strip; and (iv) cutting the fourth, composite strip trans­versely to form individual postcards.

Claim 3

A process as claimed in claim 1, which includes, prior to step (i), the additional step of continuously coat­ing the first elongate strip with a first layer of adhesive as the first elongate strip is supplied.

Claim 4

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first elongate strip is supplied as said first elongate strip bearing said first layer of adhesive and an intermediate protective sheet having the same dimensions as the first elongate strip and covering the first layer of adhesive, and wherein the intermediate protective sheet is removed prior to step (iii).

Claim 5

A process as claimed in claim 1, 2, or 3, which in­cludes the additional step of printing on the other side of the first, elongate strip.

Claim 6

A process as claimed in claim 1, 2, or 3, which in­cludes the additional step of printing on the other side of the first, elongate strip prior to step (iii), and synchro­nizing the printing with step (iv), to ensure that printed matter occurs at desired locations on the individual post­cards.

Claim 7

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second elongate strip is provided with a height equal to the height of the first, elongate, sheet-form strip in the individual postcards plus the height of a tab of the protective sheet stock.

Claim 8

A process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second and third elongate strips have the same height and are provided as a single composite strip, and wherein one edge strip of the third elongate strip is separated from a main body thereof by a slit, which edge strip is removed prior to step (iii), to permit said opposed edge regions of the adhe­sive layers to be bonded together.

Claim 9

A process as claimed in claim 7, wherein, after step (iii), the other edge of the second elongate strip, remote from said opposed edge regions, is cut, to separate a transparent edge trim from a main body thereof, which transparent edge trim together with a corresponding part of the second adhesive layer is removed, to leave one side of an edge portion of the protective sheet exposed as a tab.

Claim 10

A process as claimed in claim 8, which includes, after step (iii), the additional step of cutting through the edge of the first elongate strip remote from said opposed edge regions to separate a sheet-member edge trim from a main body thereof, and removing the sheet-member edge trim together with a corresponding part of the first layer of adhesive, to leave another side of said tab of the protect­ive sheet stock exposed.

Claim 11

A process as claimed in claim 9, wherein after step (iii), one edge of the first and second elongate strips is trimmed adjacent said opposed edge regions, and a resultant composite edge trim removed.

Claim 12

A process as claimed in claim 7, 9 or 10 which in­cludes the following additional steps, prior to step (ii): (a) printing on the other side of the first, elongate strip and synchronizing the printing with step (iv) to ensure that printed matter occurs at desired locations on the individual postcards; (b) drying the printed other side of the first, elongate strip; and (c) reversing the orientation of the sheet-form member stock.

Claim 13

A process for making a postcard, for use in mailing sheet-form articles, the process comprising the steps of: (i) continuously supplying a first, elongate strip of a sheet-form member stock comprising a sheet-form member strip, a first layer of adhesive on one side thereof, and an intermediate protective sheet covering the first adhesive layer; (ii) printing on the other side of the sheet-form member strip; (iii) drying the printed other side of the sheet-form member strip; (iv) removing the intermediate protective sheet from the first, elongate strip; (v) continuously supplying a second, elongate transparent sheet stock comprising a strip of a transparent sheet, a second layer of generally transparent adhesive on one side thereof, and a strip of a main protective sheet covering the second layer of adhesive; (vi) removing one edge of the main, protective sheet to expose one edge region of the second layer of adhe­sive; (vii) laminating the first and second elongate strips together, with said one edge region of the second layer of adhesive being bonded to one, corresponding edge region of the first layer of adhesive, and with the remain­der of the first and second layers of adhesive separated by the main, protective sheet, thereby forming a third, compo­site strip; (viii) along the other edge of the transparent strip, cutting the transparent strip to separate a trans­parent edge trim from a main body thereof, and removing that transparent edge trim together with a corresponding part of the second adhesive layer; (ix) along the other edge of the sheet-form member strip, cutting through the sheet-form member strip to sepa­rate a sheet-form member edge trim from a main body thereof, and removing the sheet-form member edge trim together with a corresponding part of the first adhesive layer, to leave a tab of the main protective sheet exposed along said other edge; (x) trimming the composite strip along said one edge; (xi) cutting the composite strip, in synchronism with the printing of step (ii), to form individual postcards.

Claim 14

A process for making a postcard, for use in mailing sheet-form articles, the process comprising the steps of: (i) continuously supplying a first, elongate strip of a sheet-form member stock comprising a sheet-form member strip, a first layer of adhesive on one side thereof, and an intermediate protective sheet covering the first adhesive layer; (ii) printing on the other side of the sheet-form member strip; (iii) drying the printed other side of the sheet-form member strip; (iv) removing the intermediate protective sheet from the first, elongate strip; (v) continuously supplying a second, elongate transparent sheet stock comprising a strip of a transparent sheet, a second layer of generally transparent adhesive on one side thereof, and a strip of a main protective sheet covering the second layer of adhesive; (vi) removing one edge of the main, protective sheet to expose one edge region of the second layer of adhe­sive; (vii) laminating the first and second elongate strips together, with said one edge region of the second layer of adhesive being bonded to one, corresponding edge region of the first layer of adhesive, and with the remain­der of the first and second layers of adhesive separated by the main, protective sheet, thereby forming a third, compo­site strip; (viii) along the other edge of the transparent strip, cutting the transparent strip to separate a trans­parent edge trim from a main body thereof, and removing that transparent edge trim together with a corresponding part of the second adhesive layer; (ix) along the other edge of the sheet-form member strip, cutting through the sheet-form member strip to sepa­rate a sheet-form member edge trim from a main body thereof, and removing the sheet-form member edge trim together with a corresponding part of the first adhesive layer, to leave a tab of the main protective sheet exposed along said other edge; (x) trimming the composite strip along said one edge; (xi) cutting the composite strip, in synchronism with the printing of step (ii), to form individual postcards.

Claim 17

An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, which in­cludes, in the strip path, a printing station, downstream from the first supply unit.

Claim 18

An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, which includes a dryer in the strip path, downstream from the printing station.

Claim 19

An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, 14 or 15, which includes a turn bar unit in the strip path downstream from the first supply unit and before the second supply unit, for turning the first, elongate strip.

Claim 20

An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, which includes an intermediate protective sheet rewind unit, provided be­tween the first and second supply units, for removing and rewinding an intermediate protective sheet provided on the first, elongate strip.

Claim 21

An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, which includes a removing device, for removing an edge strip of a main, protective sheet covering a second layer of adhesive on the second, elongate strip.

Claim 22

An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, which includes in the strip path downstream from the laminating station, a first trim station, for separating a transparent edge trim from the composite, elongate strip, and a transparent edge trim rewind unit for removing the transparent edge trim.

Claim 23

An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, which in­ cludes, in the strip path downstream from the first trimming station, a second trimming station for separating an edge trim of the sheet-form member, and a sheet-form member edge trim rewind unit for removing that edge trim.

Claim 24

An apparatus as claimed in claim 20 including, in the strip path downstream from the second trimming station, a third trimming station for trimming an edge of the compo­site strip, and a composite edge trim rewind unit for remov­ing that composite edge trim.