Physical delay buffer for paper items

US5324025A · kind A · utility

Inventors

• Charles Chadwick · Ridgewood, US
• Peter Hotkowski · Chester, US
• Michael W. Raymond · Bolton, US
• Michael D. Strange · Cheshire, US
• Frank A. Todaro · Clinton, US
• William Wheeler · Sand Springs, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 18, 1992
• Grant date: Jun 28, 1994
• Expiry date: Sep 18, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S271/903
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A mechanical buffer for imparting a substantial delay to paper items, such as envelopes which are being individually and sequentially conveyed in a high-speed paper transport system, maintains physical separation between the conveyed items and does not require termination of item movement or item encoding. The buffer employs a directional translation of item motion, i.e., envelope motion in the length-wise direction is changed to motion in the direction of thickness, to achieve a velocity-distance compression. The buffer apparatus includes a continuous loop of item carriers which are individually positioned to have incoming items sequentially and individually inserted therein, the carriers imposing a retarding frictional force proportional to item thickness and mass to arrest item motion in the longitudinal direction as the direction of item motion undergoes the translation.