Transport mechanism for a mailing machine
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorWalter J. Kulpa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention includes apparatus and methods for feeding a mailpiece along a feed path in a mailing machine. An endless drive belt has a lower belt run adapted to feed a mailpiece in a downstream direction. A plurality of pivot arms are mounted in a sequence below the lower belt run. Each pivot arm has a respective roller mounted on a free end of the pivot arm. A respective bias mechanism associated with each pivot arm biases the pivot arm in an upward direction such that the roller contacts the lower belt run. A first pivot arm actuates a second pivot arm in a downward direction when the first pivot arm is actuated in a downward direction by a mailpiece fed by the endless belt.
Claims31
A device for processing a mailpiece comprising:
- an endless belt having a lower belt run that extends in a generally horizontal direction and is adapted to feed the mailpiece in a downstream direction;
- and
- a plurality of pivot arms mounted in a sequence below the lower belt run of the endless belt, each pivot arm having a respective roller mounted on a free end of the pivot arm and a having a respective bias means associated with the pivot arm for biasing the pivot arm in an upward direction such that the roller contacts the lower belt run of the endless belt;
- wherein the plurality of pivot arms includes a first pivot arm and a second pivot arm positioned downstream from the first pivot arm and adjacent to the first pivot arm in the sequence of pivot arms, the first and second pivot arms being configured such that the first pivot arm actuates the second pivot arm in a downward direction when the first pivot arm is actuated in a downward direction by the mailpiece fed by the endless belt.
A device for processing a mailpiece comprising:
- a base;
- and
- feed means mounted on the base for feeding the mailpiece along a feed path in a downstream direction, the feed means including:
- a first nip positioned at a first point along the feed path and formed by a first upper roller and a first lower roller;
- a second nip positioned at a second point along the feed path that is downstream from the first nip, the second nip being formed by a second upper roller and a second lower roller;
- and
- pre-opening means for opening the second nip in response to the mailpiece being fed through the first nip and before the mailpiece reaches the second nip.
A roller assembly comprising:
- a primary arm having a proximal end adapted to be mounted to a support and a distal end opposite to the proximal end;
- a primary roller mounted for rotation at the distal end of the primary arm;
- a secondary arm having a proximal end pivotally mounted to the distal end of the primary arm;
- and
- a secondary roller mounted for rotation on the secondary arm.
A device for processing a mailpiece comprising:
- feed means for feeding the mailpiece along a feed path;
- a support extending parallel to and below the feed path;
- and
- a roller assembly including:
- a primary arm having a proximal end mounted to the support and a distal end opposite to the proximal end;
- a primary roller mounted for rotation at the distal end of the primary arm;
- a secondary arm having a proximal end pivotally mounted to the distal end of the primary arm;
- and
- a secondary roller mounted for rotation on the secondary arm.
A method for feeding a mailpiece along a feed path, the method comprising:
- feeding the mailpiece through a first nip, thereby opening the first nip;
- and
- opening a second nip downstream from the first nip in response to the opening of the first nip, the opening of the second nip occurring before the mailpiece reaches the second nip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.