Envelope transport turn module and ramp for an output portion of an inserter system

An apparatus for changing the orientation and direction of envelopes conveyed in a transport path in a mail piece processing system, the apparatus comprising:

• a ramp transport for raising an elevation of transported envelopes as they travel in a first direction in a horizontal orientation;
• a twisted belt transport downstream of the ramp transport receiving envelopes from the ramp transport, the twisted belt transport conveying envelopes in the first direction and reorienting the envelopes from the horizontal orientation to an upright vertical orientation;
• a turning arrangement downstream of the twisted belt transport, receiving vertically oriented envelopes from the twisted belt transport, the turning arrangement substantially altering the transport path to a second direction, the turning arrangement further comprising:
• a horizontal wheel and a vertical belt, a length of the vertical belt being urged against an outer radius surface of the horizontal wheel to cooperatively form the transport path, for gripping a lower portion of vertically oriented envelopes, between the outer radius surface of the wheel and the length of vertical belt;
• and
• a turning guide comprising a stationary curved vertical surface located substantially over, the outer radius surface of the horizontal wheel, the surface of the turning guide providing vertical support for an upper portion of vertically oriented envelopes as they move through the turning arrangements;
• wherein the twisted belt transport and turning arrangement comprise a right angle turn module for transporting envelopes to an envelope sorting output module, the envelope sorting output module Including a sorting transport having an envelope sorting transport direction opposite to the second direction.

A method of handling mail pieces in an inserter system, the method comprising:

• transporting envelopes in a horizontal position in a first direction;
• reorienting the envelopes from the horizontal position to a vertical position;
• redirecting and transporting the vertically oriented envelopes in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;
• raising an elevation of the vertically oriented envelopes by transporting them on a ramp in the second direction;
• redirecting and transporting the elevated and vertically oriented envelopes in a third direction that is substantially in the opposite direction as the second direction;
• sorting the envelopes into sorting bins as they travel in the third direction.

A method of handling mail pieces in an inserter system, the method comprising:

• transporting envelopes in a horizontal position In a first direction;
• raising an elevation of the horizontally oriented envelopes by transporting them on a ramp in the first direction;
• reorienting the envelopes from the horizontal position to a vertical position;
• redirecting and transporting the vertically oriented envelopes in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;
• redirecting and transporting the elevated and vertically oriented envelopes in a third direction that is substantially in the opposite direction as the second direction;
• sorting the envelopes into sorting bins as they travel in the third direction.