Envelope or other elongate element processing

A process for performing a plurality of operations on an element having a leading and a trailing edge, which operations are performed at respective spaced apart locations, including the steps of:

• (a) feeding a said element towards a first said location;
• (b) sensing the passage of the element towards the first said location;
• (c) sensing when the trailing edge of the element passes a datum point a predetermined distance from the first said location;
• (d) driving the element whereby its trailing edge is moved said predetermined distance to said first location after it is sensed, and performing the operation associated with the first location on the element;
• and
• (f) driving the element to a second said location at which its trailing edge is a respective predetermined distance from said datum point, and performing a respective operation at the second location;
• and wherein for movement of any element between the first and second locations, and irrespective of the length of the element, the trailing edges of said elements are driven the same distance.

A process for performing a plurality of operations on an elongate element, which operations are performed at respective spaced-apart locations, comprising the steps of:

• (a) feeding a said elongate element towards a first said location;
• (b) sensing the passage of the elongate element towards the first said location and stopping said elongate element when its trailing edge has been sensed, the stopped position of the trailing edge comprising a datum position therefor;
• (c) moving the elongate element by respective drive means such that the trailing edge is disposed at a second location and at a respective distance from the datum position and performing a respective operation on the elongate element;
• (d) moving the elongate element by respective drive means such that the trailing edge is disposed at a third location and at a respective distance from the datum position and performing a respective operation on the elongate element, and so on until the plurality of operations has been performed;
• and wherein for movement of any elongate element between two successive locations, and irrespective of the length of the elongate element, the respective drive means is actuated identically.

A process for performing a plurality of operations on an envelope having a flap and a body with a crease line therebetween, which operations are performed at respective spaced-apart locations and are associated with the crease line, comprising the steps of

• (a) feeding the envelope unflapped, with the crease line trailing, towards a first said location;
• (b) sensing the passage of the envelope towards the first said location and stopping the envelope when the crease line has been sensed, the stopped position of the crease line comprising a datum position therefor;
• (c) moving the envelope by respective drive means such that the crease line is disposed at a second location and at a respective distance from the datum position and performing a respective operations on the envelope;
• (d) moving the envelope by respective drive means such that the crease line is disposed at a third location and at a respective distance from the datum position and performing a respective operation on the envelope, and so on until the plurality of operations has been performed;
• and wherein for movement of any envelope between two successive locations, and irrespective of the length of the elongate element, the respective drive means is actuated identically.