Continuous business form or the like adapted for subsequent processing into combination mailing envelopes and return envelopes having a common back ply panel

A method of producing a series of interconnected blanks each suited for subsequent processing into a combination mailing envelope and return envelope having a common back ply panel, comprising the steps of:

• a. continuously advancing a first endless web of material toward an accumulating station;
• b. transversely subdividing said first web into a series of elongate interconnected subdivisions each having the longitudinal direction of said subdivisions corresponding to the transverse direction of said web;
• c. forming foldlines on said web to longitudinally subdivide each of said interconnected transverse subdivisions into at least three panels, said panels extending transversely of said web to span the width thereof, with one panel defining a front ply panel of the mailing envelope, another panel defining a back ply panel common to both the mailing and return envelope, said front and back panels being non-abutting, and a third panel of which forms a discardable panel and connects said front and back panels together;
• d. forming a further foldline on said web to be located on said discardable panel between the edges thereof, said foldline extending longitudinally of said web continuously for essentially the entire length of said web;
• e. selectively applying adhesive to adjacent at least three outer marginal edges of an upper surface of said front and back ply panels;
• f. continuously advancing a second endless web of material of a width approximating the width of said back ply panel toward an accumulating station;
• g. transversely subdividing said second web into a series of interconnected subdivisions, each of which defines a front ply panel of the return envelope;
• h. collating said advancing second web with said advancing first web for disposing three marginal edges of each front ply panel of the return envelope in registered overlying relationship with said three marginal edges of a corresponding back ply panel, generating the series of interconnected blanks;
• i. folding said front panel over into juxtaposed relationship with said discardable panel;
• j. accumulating said series of interconnected blanks for subsequent processing;
• k. moving said front ply panel from juxtaposed relationship with said discardable panel into over-lying relationship with said second web;
• and
• l. removing said discardable panel from said web.