Apparatus and methods for forming a mailer with contained document from a single web

A method for forming a mailer with a document contained therein from a single web of paper advancing in a longitudinal direction, comprising the steps of:

• imaging indicia in side-by-side relation along the web representing respective document and envelope information;
• providing marks on said respective sides of the web for identifying matching documents and envelope portions on the web;
• slitting the web in the longitudinal direction to form document and envelope webs, respectively, with the envelope web carrying the envelope portions;
• cutting the document-forming web into discrete documents;
• folding said documents;
• rotating each folded document prior to registering the documents with the envelope portions of the envelope web;
• registering the documents and envelope web with one another;
• determining a match between marks on the envelope portions of said envelope web and said documents to ensure matching registration of documents and envelope portions of the envelope web;
• folding a first envelope flap of the envelope web about a foldline extending in the longitudinal direction of envelope web travel and adjacent one side of a document to contain the document within the folded envelope web with the first envelope flap having opposite ends in registration with other portions of the envelope web;
• folding a second envelope flap from the envelope web about a foldline extending in the longitudinal direction of envelope web travel and adjacent an opposite side of each document over the document and a portion of the first envelope flap;
• adhering the second envelope flap to a portion of the first envelope flap;
• securing the opposite ends of the first envelope flap and the registering other portions of the envelope web;
• and
• cutting the envelope web containing the documents to form discrete envelopes each containing a document.