초록 ▼

A method and apparatus are disclosed for sequentially feeding pieces of stationery such as envelopes from a supply hopper to a conventional printer mechanism for printing addresses or the like thereon, and for sequentially transporting printed pieces to a storage hopper. The system of the invention

A method and apparatus are disclosed for sequentially feeding pieces of stationery such as envelopes from a supply hopper to a conventional printer mechanism for printing addresses or the like thereon, and for sequentially transporting printed pieces to a storage hopper. The system of the invention utilizes a dispensing mechanism for feeding one piece of stationery at a time from the supply hopper, a positioning mechanism for receiving a piece of stationery and positioning it along the path of travel of a pair of transport belts, and a transport mechanism for belt-feeding pieces of stationery around a printing platen for printing.

대표청구항 ▼

A stationery feeder for serially transporting discrete pieces of stationery such as envelopes to and from the printing station on a platen-roll-type printer comprising: (a) a transport mechanism including: (i) platen roll means for replacing a platen roll normally used by a printer; (ii) transport b

A stationery feeder for serially transporting discrete pieces of stationery such as envelopes to and from the printing station on a platen-roll-type printer comprising: (a) a transport mechanism including: (i) platen roll means for replacing a platen roll normally used by a printer; (ii) transport belt means reeved around the platen roll means and defining a path of travel along which pieces of stationery may be serially fed to and from a printing station defined by the printer; (iii) formation means carried on the transport belt means for engaging the trailing edges of pieces of stationery and for pushing the pieces of stationery along the travel path to and from the printing station; (b) a positioning mechanism including: (i) platform means movable between a receiving position for receiving thereon in substantially unconfined supported relation one face of a piece of stationery to be fed to the printer, said platform means supporting the piece of stationery by engaging with one face thereof and configured to provide a substantially unobstructed face of said stationery opposite from said supported face adjacent said platform means, and a delivery position wherein said platform means positions said piece of stationery in substantially planar relation in said travel path with said unobstructed stationery face confronting said transport belt means for engagement by the formation means; (ii) foot means cooperatively associated with said platform means to engage an edge of a piece of stationery delivered to said platform means when said platform means is in said receiving position to retain the stationery piece thereon, and to be retracted from proximity to said platform means when said platform means is in said delivery position thereby to permit ready removal of the stationery piece from the platform means by said transport belt means; (iii) first power-operated means for moving the platform means between its receiving and delivery positions; and (c) a dispensing mechanism including: (i) feeding means for dispensing pieces of stationery one at a time to the platform means; and (ii) second power-operated means for selectively operating the feeding means.