Method and apparatus for changing the direction of motion of flat articles

A method for changing the direction without changing the orientation of motion of flat articles being conveyed along a first direction to a third direction which is at a right angle to the first direction, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) feeding a stream of articles along the first direction by a first drive means;
• b) engaging the leading edge of each of said articles by at least two of a plurality of roller pairs, said roller pairs being configured in at least two parallel rows, each of said roller pairs being angled in a second direction which is equal or less than forth-five degrees (45.degree.) from said first direction;
• c) conveying each of the articles by the rollers pairs across a deck in the second direction;
• d) driving said leading edge of the articles against a registration wall after each of the articles have been disengaged by the roller pairs in the second direction, said registration wall being positioned at a right angle to the first direction and downstream of the roller pairs;
• and
• e) conveying each of the articles along the registration wall by a third drive means.

In an inserter, an apparatus for changing the direction of travel of documents without changing the orientation of the documents, the documents including sheets of paper, inserts an envelopes, comprising:

• a deck mounted on a frame, said deck having a first side for receiving a document being fed from a first direction and a second side for conveying the document in a second direction which forms an acute angle equal to or less than forth-five degrees (45.degree.) with the first direction;
• means operatively connected to said deck for conveying the document over said deck in said second direction, said second direction conveying means engaging the leading edge of the document which has been fed to said deck by a means for conveying the document in the first direction, whereby the orientation of the document being conveyed in the first direction is maintained when the document is conveyed in the second direction;
• a registration wall positioned downstream from said second direction conveying means, said registration wall being adjacent a third side of said deck and extending a third direction, wherein said leading edge of the document is driven against said registration wall by momentum after the document is conveyed beyond said second direction driving means;
• and
• means for conveying the document in said third direction after said article has been driven against said registration wall.