Enveloping device

An enveloping device comprising:

• envelope support means for supporting an upwardly extending stack of envelopes, each envelope having a first and second panel defining an open end, with a flap connected to said second panel on the open end and folded onto the bottom side of the envelope so that the bottom envelope in said stack can be individually stripped therefrom;
• at least one flap opening element supported for rotation below and contiguous to said stack of envelopes and engageable with the flap on said bottom envelope for displacing said flap on said bottom envelope a predetermined amount outwardly from said bottom envelope into substantially the plane of said second panel when said at least one flap opening element is rotated;
• a packing trap disposed in spaced relation to said support means and having a front end, a rear end, and a shape for opening said open end of said envelope when said envelope is at least partially received thereon from said front end;
• a plurality of first rotatable conveyor elements comprising means rotatably mounted on an axis with said flap opening element and proximate said stack of envelopes for receiving said flap on said bottom envelope when displaced said predetermined amount and stripping said bottom envelope from said stack and conveying said stripped envelope in an initial path toward and at least partially onto said packing trap from the front end of said packing trap while maintaining said second panel in the same orientation relative to said first panel and said stack so that said open end of said envelope is opened sufficiently to receive contents therein;
• means for pivotally mounting said packing trap for pivotal movement between an envelope receiving position wherein said front end of said packing trap receives thereon said stripped envelope at the open end thereof when said stripped envelope is travelling in said initial path and an envelope discharging position wherein said front end of said packing trap is displaced from said envelope receiving position in said initial path for discharging said stripped envelope from said front end of said packing trap;
• contents supporting means adjacent said rear end of said packing trap for supporting contents to be inserted in said opened envelope when positioned on said packing trap;
• a contents feeding conveyor engageable with said contents for conveying said contents onto said packing trap and into said envelope thereon through the open end thereof and for displacing said envelope and contents therein from said packing trap at the front end thereof when said packing trap is in said discharging position;
• a hold down roller movably mounted adjacent said front end of said packing trap for movement between an envelope engaging position where said packing trap is in said envelope receiving position for guiding said envelope onto said front end of said packing trap, and a retracted position where said hold down roller is disengaged from said stripped envelope when said packing trap is in said discharging position;
• and
• means for operating said packing trap and hold down roller.