US3906844A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for producing envelopes having a closure flap
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL ENVELOPE Ltd
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Filing: 1974-05-28
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Granted: 1975-09-23
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Expires: 1994-05-28
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing envelopes having a closure flap capable of sealing a plurality of times to the main body of the envelope which comprises a conveyor which is adapted for moving the envelopes one by one from one end to the other end of the apparatus, means operative to open the closure flap as the envelope is being moved along by the conveyor, means to cut an opening in the flap, means for fixing on the envelope a band of material having a glossy surface, the band of material being disposed in a position corresponding to the closed flap opposite the opening, and means for fixing an adhesive tape on the flap over the aperture. The invention also relates to a method for producing envelopes having a closure flap capable of adhering a plurality of times to the main body of the envelope which comprises feeding the envelopes one by one to a conveyor, while the envelopes are moving on the conveyor, blowing a jet of air underneath the flap to lift it, thereafter, causing the flap to revolve until it lays flat open on the conveyor, punching an opening in the opened flap, thereafter further moving the envelope on the conveyor, fixing on the envelope a band of material having a glossy surface, the band of material being disposed in a position corresponding to the closed flap opposite the opening, and fixing an adhesive tape on the flap over the opening, finally, closing the flap against the main body of the envelope and removing the envelopes from the conveyor.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Gougeon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:23
CPC Classifications
B; B31; B31B; B31B70/00; B31B70/74; B31B70/81; B31B70/813; B31B2150/00; B31B2160/00; B31B2160/10; B31B50/00; B31B50/74; B31B50/76; B31B50/81; B31B50/814; B31B50/8144; B31B70/60; B31B70/62
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
An apparatus for producing envelopes having a closure flap capable of adhering a plurality of times to the main body of the envelope which comprises: a. a conveyor which is adapted for moving said envelopes one by one from one end to the other end of said apparatus, b. means operative to open said closure flap as said envelope is being moved along by said conveyor, c. means to cut an opening in said flap, d. means for fixing on said envelope a band of material having a glossy surface, said band of material being disposed in a position corresponding to the closed flap opposite said opening, and, e. means for fixing an adhesive tape on said flap over the said aperture.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
122 words
An apparatus for producing envelopes having a closure flap capable of adhering a plurality of times to the main body of the envelope which comprises: a. a conveyor which is adapted for moving said envelopes one by one from one end to the other end of said apparatus, b. means operative to open said closure flap as said envelope is being moved along by said conveyor, c. means to cut an opening in said flap, d. means for fixing on said envelope a band of material having a glossy surface, said band of material being disposed in a position corresponding to the closed flap opposite said opening, and, e. means for fixing an adhesive tape on said flap over the said aperture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises: f. means to close said flap in engagement over said band of material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, which comprises means for simultaneously carrying out fixing of said band of material and of said adhesive tape while said flap is open after which said flap is closed and said envelope is moved towards said other end of said apparatus to be stored away.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, which is so constructed and arranged that fixing of said band of material is first carried out, then said flap is closed, after which said adhesive tape is applied on said oPening.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conveyor comprises spacedly mounted longitudinal top plates and lugs which are disposed between said top plates and project above the surface of said top plate, said lugs being longitudinally movable in the spaces between said top plates.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 which comprises four spacedly mounted said top plates defining three longitudinal channels in which said lugs are adapted move.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, which comprises sprocket chains to carry said lugs said chains being engaged by corresponding roller chain sprockets, said roller chain sprockets operatively connected to a motor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a first shorter portion of said conveyor consists of fabric belts which are movable at a speed slower than said lugs to prevent wobbling of said envelopes as they move forward on said conveyor, said conveyor thereafter consisting of said top plates.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
92 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means operative to open said closure flap comprises a jet of air and means for projecting said jet of air underneath said flap thus causing lifting of said flap, said apparatus also including means for keeping said flap continuously opened when said opening is cut in said flap, said band of material having a glossy surface is fixed on said envelope in a position corresponding to the closed flap opposite said opening and said adhesive tape is fixed on said flap over said aperture.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, which comprises: g. means for individually feeding said envelopes to said conveyor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
78 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, which comprises means for stacking envelopes in a pile in front of said means for individually feeding said envelopes to said conveyor, means for gripping the bottom envelope from said pile and bringing the same forward toward said conveyor and letter engaging feed disc means adapted to engage said bottom envelope and means associated with said feed disc means upon rotation of the latter to carry said bottom envelope to said conveyor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
68 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, which comprises a separator which is insertable at the bottom of said pile of envelopes to separate the bottom envelope from the remainder of the pile of envelopes, said separator mounted at the end of an arm and a cam to actuate said arm and to cause said separator to separate said bottom envelope at each rotation of said feed disc means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, which comprises a suction cup operatively connected to a vacuum device to grip said bottom envelope which has been separated from said pile by said separator and to bend its front edge toward said feed disc means, after which said envelope is engaged by said feed disc means to be forwarded to said conveyor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said feed disc means comprise a pair of rotatable discs each formed with a jaw to engage said bottom envelope, and alternate feed rollers and feed roller spacers arcuately arranged to enable said bottom envelope to be engaged between said discs and said alternate feed rollers and said feed roller spacers and to thereafter be forwarded toward said conveyor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
196 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, which comprises a first horizontal bar which is angularly disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of said conveyor and is spaced from the top surface thereof to enable said envelope to pass underneath said first horizontal bar, said first bar extending outwardly from a first location near said jet of air to a second location before said means to cut said opening, said bar engaging over said closure flap after the same has been lifted by said jet of air to completely open said flap and to cause the same to revolve 180* and to lay flat open against the top face of said conveyor, and a first longitudinal flat covering strip provided in the continuation of said first hoRizontal bar and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said conveyor to a third location immediately before said envelope reaches said means to cut said opening in said flap, said first longitudinal flat covering strip to retain said closure flap flat open against the top of said conveyor, while said envelope travels on said conveyor between said third location and said means to cut said opening in said flap.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
119 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said means to cut said opening in said flap comprise a rotatable cutter wheel in which the outer boundary lies in the same plane as the top surface of said conveyor, a rotatable cutter housing mounted above said rotatable cutter wheel and arranged to rotate in a direction which is opposite that of said rotatable cutter wheel, said rotatable cutter housing having a cutter mounted thereon and projecting outwardly therefrom, said cutter engageable upon rotation of said cutter housing with said outer boundary of said rotatable cutter wheel to cut said opening in said closure flap, and means to cause rotation of said rotatable cutter housing and of said rotatable cutter wheel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
205 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, which comprises a second horizontal bar which is angularly disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of said conveyor and is spaced from the top surface thereof to enable said envelope to pass underneath said second horizontal bar, said second bar extending outwardly from a fourth location past said cutter and said cutter wheel to a fifth location intermediate said cutter and said means for fixing on said envelope a band of material having a glossy surface, said second horizontal bar engaging over said closure flap after an opening has been cut therein and said closure flap has been slightly lifted by its own inherent energy, said second horizontal bar to cause said closure flap to return to said revolved flat open position against the top face of said conveyor after which said closure flap is retained in said flat open position while travelling on said conveyor by means of a second logitudinal flat covering strip provided in the continuation of said second horizontal bar and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said conveyor to a fifth location immediately before said envelope reaches said means for fixing on said envelope a band of material having a glossy surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
178 words
An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said means for fixing on said envelope a band of material having a glossy surface comprise a dispenser for a continuous band of adhesive material having a glossy surface, a rotatable applicator wheel to receive the glossy surface of the continuous band of adhesive material against its outer boundary, said outer boundary capable of sliding relative to said glossy surface a rotatable band cutter in which the axis is in the same horizontal plane as the axis of the applicator wheel, said rotatable band cutter adapted to rotate in opposite direction to said applicator wheel and to be engaged therewith, to transversely cut said continuous band of adhesive material, feed control means delivering to said rotatable applicator wheel a length of said continuous band of adhesive only sufficient to overlap the outer periphery of said opening, whereby upon rotation of said rotatable applicator said length of said continuous band of adhesive will be applied on said main body of said envelope opposite said opening in the closed position of said flap.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, which comprises suction means associated with said applicator wheel to retain said piece in adhering contact with said applicator wheel until said piece is applied on said main body.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, which comprises a rotatable lubricator which is engageable upon rotation with said band cutter to lubricate the same.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
66 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said means for fixing said adhesive tape on said flap over said aperture is identical to said meanS for fixing on said envelope a band of material having a glossy surface except that it is mounted at a level below said top surface of said conveyor and is arranged to affix a piece of adhesive tape over said opening.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
104 words
An apparatus according to claim 21, which comprises a third horizontal bar which is angularly disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of said conveyor and is spaced from the top surface thereof to enable said envelope to pass underneath said third horizontal bar after said closure flap has been closed, said third horizontal bar extending inwardly from a sixth location past said applicator wheels to a seventh location where said envelope is fed out of said apparatus, said third horizontal bar shaped to engage over said flap after said envelope has passed said applicator wheels, to fold said flap over said main body.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for producing envelopes having a closure flap capable of adhering a plurality of times to the main body of the envelope which comprises feeding the envelopes one by one to a conveyor, while the envelopes are moving on the conveyor, blowing a jet of air underneath the flap to lift it, thereafter, causing the flap to revolve until it lays flat open on the conveyor, punching an opening in the opened flap, thereafter further moving the envelope on the conveyor, fixing on the envelope a band of material having a glossy surface, the band of material being disposed in a position corresponding to the closed flap opposite the opening, and fixing an adhesive tape on the flap over the opening, finally, closing the flap against the main body of the envelope and removing the envelopes from the conveyor.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for producing envelopes having a closure flap capable of adhering a plurality of times to the main body of the envelope which comprises feeding the envelopes one by one to a conveyor, while the envelopes are moving on the conveyor, blowing a jet of air underneath the flap to lift it, thereafter, causing the flap to revolve until it lays flat open on the conveyor, punching an opening in the opened flap, thereafter further moving the envelope on the conveyor, fixing on the envelope a band of material having a glossy surface, the band of material being disposed in a position corresponding to the closed flap opposite the opening, and fixing an adhesive tape on the flap over the opening, finally, closing the flap against the main body of the envelope and removing the envelopes from the conveyor.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-22 | 1979-03-24 | 1979-09-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-22 | 1983-03-24 | 1983-09-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-22 | 1987-03-24 | 1987-09-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |