High speed envelope flap opener

Claim 1

In a device for handling articles each of which has a bent-over flap, apparatus for conditioning the flap, comprising: a transfer roller rotatably driven mounted on a frame; a first rotatably mounted pressure roller abuttingly disposed against said transfer roller and providing between itself and said transfer roller a first nip for receiving an article having a bent-over flap; a second pressure roller abuttingly disposed against said transfer roller, said second pressure roller being spaced from said first pressure roller about the periphery of said transfer roller and providing between itself and said transfer roller a second nip for receiving the article; and a pivotable flap-opening means for receiving the article from the first nip, said pivotable flap-opening means being arcuately shaped and having a flap-engaging lip thereon, said pivotably flap-opening means being dynamically pivotable between a first position for receiving the article between itself and the transfer roller and a second positon for guiding the article about said transfer roller to the second nip, wherein the first pressure roller is arranged with respect to said flap-opening means such that the article flexes in a direction opposite from the curvature of the transfer roller as the article exits the first nip and is guided to the second nip, and wherein the flap-engaging lip on said pivotable flap-opening means is arranged for engaging the flap of said article as said pivotable flap-opening means is guiding the article about said transfer roller whereby the flap is opened and bent back by the engagement of the flap with the lip as the article is guided past the lip through the second nip.