US 6,766,626 B2 · Floating stripping skis for mailing machine

Abstract

The present invention includes apparatus and methods for guiding a mail piece traversing a mailing machine. A multi-ski guide can include an inner ski with one or more contact bumps positioned to engage a mail piece prior to its edge encountering a stripper blade. The multi-ski guide can be attached to a take away idler shaft located just prior to the stripping blade. A spring can provide a normal force holding the multi-ski guide down onto the top of the stripping blade. The multi-ski guide can contact the stripping blade with a contact bump. In addition, one or more inner skis can include mail piece guiding contact bumps. Idler segments can be interspersed between the skis included in the multi-ski guide such that the idler segments can guide and straighten a mail piece approaching the stripper blade.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A device for processing a mail piece comprising:

a transport deck;
means for feeding the mail piece in a path along the transport deck;
a stripper blade associated with the transport deck for operational engagement with the mail piece the transport deck, the stripper blade including a blade edge having an angle profile with respect to said path for engaging the mail piece to separate a flap from the mail piece;
a ski guide comprising a plurality skis associated with the stripper blade to guide the mail piece into operational engagement with the stripper blade, each ski of the ski guide having a different length that correlates generally with said profile of the blade edge of the stripper blade;
and
at least one spring to provide a normal force to hold the ski guide against the stripper blade.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Floating stripping skis for mailing machine

Life of this patent

Floating stripping skis for mailing machine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24