Method and apparatus for inserting a bundle of newspaper inserts into a hopper

Claim 1

Apparatus for inserting a bundle of newspaper inserts into a hopper comprising: A. a frame; B. an upwardly open, vertically disposed hopper for a first bundle of newspaper inserts supported at a lower point in said frame and including: i. drive means for removing individual inserts from the bottom of said first bundle; ii. a sensor positioned in the bottom of said hopper, C. a horizontally disposed shovel platform positioned for a horizontal reciprocation in said frame above said hopper and in horizontal alignment with a belt conveyor, so as to support a second bundle of newspaper inserts vertically above said hopper in a first position; said shovel platform having a plurality of vertical heads extending vertically from the top surface of said platform, said shovel platform being horizontally reciprocable to a second platform position outside of said hopper to thereby drop said second bundle, as said sensor within said hopper senses a critical low number of inserts remaining in said first bundle in said hopper; D. bundle vertical guide means supported in said frame above said hopper and adjacent and extending above said shovel platform top surface, so as to retain said second bundle for dropping downwardly into said hopper during a horizontal reciprocation of said shovel platform to said second position; E. means responsive to said sensor for horizontally reciprocating said platform with respect to said hopper; and F. said endless belt conveyor supported adjacent said platform, so as to advance a replenishment bundle of newspaper inserts onto said shovel platform as said shovel platform is reciprocated back to said first position above said hopper.