Sealing assembly attachment and method

A sealing assembly attachment, for use in preparing envelopes which will apply a gum to a top flap, place a piece of release paper over the gummed flap, fold and crease the top flap and deliver the envelope to be stacked and counted, comprising:

• a transfer cylinder to transfer envelopes into the sealing assembly attachment, the transfer cylinder being a cylinder and having a cylindrical surface with an arrangement of vacuum holes, the vacuum holes attracting and holding an envelope to the cylindrical surface of the transfer cylinder as the transfer cylinder rotates, an vacuum valve controlling the application of the vacuum to the respective vacuum holes;
• a vacuum cylinder within the sealing assembly attachment to transfer envelopes from the transfer cylinder and through the sealing assembly attachment, the vacuum cylinder being a cylinder and having a cylindrical surface with an arrangement of vacuum holes, the vacuum holes attracting and holding an envelope to the cylindrical surface of the vacuum cylinder as the vacuum cylinder rotates relative to the vacuum valve;
• a gum pattern application means to apply gum to a top flap of the envelopes while being transferred by the vacuum cylinder;
• a release paper application means after the gum pattern application means to place release paper over the gum applied to the top flap;
• a flap fold cylinder in cooperation with the vacuum cylinder to fold and crease the top flap, the flap fold cylinder being a cylinder and having a cylindrical surface with an arrangement of vacuum holes, the vacuum holes attracting and holding an envelope to the cylindrical surface of the flap fold cylinder as the flap fold cylinder rotates relative to the vacuum valve;
• a delivery means to transfer the envelope from the sealing assembly attachment;
• and
• a drive means, the drive means controlling speed and direction of rotation of the transfer cylinder, vacuum cylinder, gun pattern application means, release paper application means, and flap fold cylinder.

A method for preparing envelopes which will apply a gum to a top flap, place a piece of release paper over the gummed flap, fold and crease the top flap and deliver the envelope to be stacked and counted, comprising:

• transferring envelopes into a sealing assembly attachment by use of a transfer cylinder;
• transporting envelopes from the transfer cylinder and through the sealing assembly attachment with a vacuum cylinder;
• applying gum to a top flap of the envelopes while being transported by the vacuum cylinder with a gum application means;
• applying release paper to the gummed flap of the envelope after the gum application means with a release paper application means;
• folding and creasing the top flap of the envelope with a flap fold cylinder in cooperation with the vacuum cylinder;
• and
• transferring the envelope from the sealing assembly attachment with a delivery means.