Bagging machine with breaking element and flattener assembly

A bagging machine for loading envelopes, comprising:

• a web restraint configured to engage a web at a restrained area thereon proximate a region of weakness in the web that extends transversely and divides the web between a remainder portion and an envelope and that is configured to promote tearing along the region of weakness to separate the envelope from the remainder portion;
• and
• a wall handling device configured to engage at a pulling location a first wall of the envelope that is overlayed on a second wall of the envelope in a first position, the wall handling device being associated with the web restraint to move in an opening direction away from the restrained area to pull the engaged first wall away from the second wall and from the restrained remainder portion to form an opening in the first envelope through which an item can be inserted into an interior pocket of the envelope between the first and second walls;
• wherein the restrained area is sufficiently near the region of weakness in a longitudinal direction along the web to restrain the remainder portion against movement in the opening direction as the wall handling device pulls the first wall in the opening direction, thereby causing the second wall to tear progressively from the remainder portion as the wall handling device pulls the first wall in the opening direction.

A bagging machine for loading envelopes, comprising:

• first and second web restraint portions configured to engage a web at first and second contact points on the web disposed proximate transverse edges of a region of weakness in the web that extends transversely and divides the web between a remainder portion and an envelope and that is configured to promote tearing along the region of weakness to separate the envelope from the remainder portion;
• and
• a wall handling device configured to engage at a pulling location a first wall of the envelope that is overlayed on a second wall of the envelope in a first position, the wall handling device being associated with the web restraint to move in an opening direction away from the restrained to pull the engaged first wall away from the second wall and from the restrained remainder portion to form an opening in the first envelope through which an item can be inserted into an interior pocket of the envelope between the first and second walls;
• wherein the first and second contact points are sufficiently near the region of weakness in a longitudinal direction along the web to restrain the remainder portion against movement in the opening direction as the wall handling device pulls the first wall in the opening direction, thereby causing the second wall to tear from the remainder portion progressively transversely from opposed edges of the web as the wall handling device pulls the first wall in the opening direction.