Mechanism for feeding similar flat items in succession from a stack thereof
US4585218A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 26, 1985 |
| Grant date | Apr 29, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 26, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65H2403/72
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Improvements result from using a feed roller always rotating at a constant surface speed to feed mail items successively with gaps between them from a stack to a franking machine without undue variations in the gap lengths when there are variations in the mail item lengths in respective stacks. A cam rocks a cradle about an input roller axis to bring a feed roller against the stack at a frequency to feed the items forward one by one. Gearing between rollers drives a two speed transmission to a cam via one way clutches. For envelopes shorter than a predetermined limit, the higher speed drive operates. When a rear mail guide member engages envelopes longer than the limit, a lever allows a pawl to disengage a wrap spring clutch disabling the higher speed drive and rendering the lower speed drive effective.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.