Importance

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Abstract

A reciprocator sleeve for use in a printing machine having an envelope feeder is disclosed which enables the feeder to convey windowed envelopes from a stack and into a pair of pinch rollers without marking the windows of the envelopes. The sleeve is adapted for use with the feeder reciprocator upon which the bottommost envelope in the stack is retained for its conveyance therefrom and into a pair of pinch rollers. The reciprocator has a cylindrical head which is reciprocatingly rotated about its longitudinal axis to provide a generally arcuate feed and return stroke between the stack and the pinch rollers, and a shaft extending from an end of the head to a drive assembly. The head is in fluid communication with a vacuum source and has at least one vacuum port for applying a negative pressure differential to the front face of the bottommost envelope in the stack to retain that envelope for its conveyance on the feed stroke from the envelope stack and into the pinch rollers. The sleeve is formed of a tubular member which receives the reciprocator head and has an outer surface with at least one fenestration therethrough in registration with a corresponding vacuum port of the head. The tubular member is formed of a polymeric material effective to allow the windowed opening of each envelope in the stack to travel unmarked over its outer surface as each envelope is drawn from the reciprocator head on the return stroke thereof.

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First Claim