Inserting machine with interchangeable modules

A mail inserter for mass mailing having an insertion station for inserting mailing material into an envelope, said inserter comprising:

• a sheet provider module for providing sheets of the mailing material;
• an exit module for conveying the mailing material to the insertion station;
• and
• an intermediate module, disposed between the sheet provider module and the exit module for performing a predetermined intermediate task;
• wherein
• the sheet provider module can be a cut sheet feeder for providing the sheets of the mailing material, or a burster module for separating a continuous web of printed documents into the sheets of the mailing material;
• the intermediate module can be a folder module adapted to receive the sheets provided by either the sheet feeder or the burster module for folding the sheets into folded pieces, or a sheet transport module adapted to receive the sheets provided by either the sheet feeder or the burster module and relaying the sheets to the exit module;
• and
• the exit module is adapted to receive the folded pieces from the folder module when the predetermined task is to fold the sheets into the folded pieces, or to receive the sheets from the sheet transport module when the predetermined task is to relay the sheets from the sheet provider module to the insertion station.