TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a single-part statement formed of a single ply folded to form panels which are adhered together to form a mailer, including an outgoing mailer, a business return envelope, a payment coupon and a statement, as well as to methods for forming such mailer. The present invention also relates to a mailer having a return envelope constructed to locate material inserted into the return envelope spaced from the margins of the return envelope sufficiently to permit the use of automatic high-speed letter openers without cutting or otherwise damaging the inserts. Further, the present invention provides a single-part statement capable of receiving one or more loose inserts within the panels of the mailer.

BACKGROUND

Statements, for example, credit card statements, as well as other types of business forms, are typically produced by printing a statement and inserting the statement, together with a separate return envelope, into an outgoing envelope. Thus, three separate pieces, an outgoing mail envelope, a business return envelope and the statement itself, are used. Personalized information is normally printed on the statement, such as account numbers, payments due, etc., and on the outgoing envelope. Portions of all three parts are also printed with non-personalized generic information, such as advertising information, the name and address of the company forwarding the statement, identifiers for the personalized information and other information. Separate processes and processing are required to print and collate statements of this type and this, of course, involves substantial costs. It has been found highly

desirable to form a single-part statementincorporating into a single-paper ply an outgoing mailing envelope, the statement itself, a payment coupon, if applicable, and a return envelope for the statement. Further, all necessary personalized information may be printed on the various panels of the single ply prior to folding and securing the panels to one another to form an outgoing mailer. Additionally, it is frequently desirable to provide loose inserts in the outgoing mailer for review and use by the recipient.

Still further, one of the many problems when using a return envelope containing a remittance or payment coupon, or both, is that, for high-volume mailers, high-speed letter openers are typically used to open the return envelopes. These openers typically cut off the top and side margins of the envelope in order to open the return envelope on three sides and enable extraction of its contents. Most openers are set to cut or slit at a distance approximately 1/64-inch from the sides and top of the envelope. However, in using the present mailer, the openers are preferably set at 1/4 inch to ensure complete removal of the marginal stubs of the return envelope. Glue systems for mailers and return envelopes, however, are not capable of controlling the width of glue strips or end seams within high tolerances. Ordinarily, the width of the glue on one side will vary substantially, for example, between .06 inches and .18 inches. As a consequence, the inserts, such as a remittance and accompanying payment coupon, frequently tend to orient themselves toward one side of the return envelope and not infrequently are cut during the automatic mail opening process. These inserts, once removed from the envelopes, are normally read automatically by an optical system. Thus, any damage to the insert caused by opening the envelope makes the insert oftentimes unreadable by the optical system, necessitating further processing of the insert by

hand .

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a single- paper ply in web form is divided into a series of panels and foldlines. The web is then folded and the panels adhered to one another by adhesive in alternating steps. Thus, after personalized and non-personalized information are imaged or printed on one or both sides of the ply and the single ply is die-cut, adhesive is applied to one or both (depending upon the nature of the adhesive) of first and second panels which will form a return envelope in each mailer. The continuous ply is subsequently folded to register and adhere those panels to one another, thus forming the return envelope. After the first folding, and in a first embodiment hereof, adhesive is applied to one or both of the second and fifth panels, with the ply being subsequently folded to.register and adhere the second and fifth panels one to the other. Adhesive is then applied to the first and fourth panels. Subsequently, the ply is folded about registering fourth and third foldlines to register the third and fourth panels with the first, second and fifth panels and adhere the first and fourth panels to one another. Adhesive is then applied to the fourth and sixth panels whereupon they are subsequently folded about a fifth foldline and adhered to one another, completing the mailer.

In a second embodiment hereof, the first and second panels are folded to form the return envelope similarly as described above in connection with the first embodiment. At this stage of the mailer forming process, however, the margins of the first and second panels are die-cut substantially parallel to or slightly inset from the locations of the lines of perforations which will form the tear strips in other panels of the complete mailer.

Additionally, the next or second foldline is located between the return envelope flap and the top of the first panel. In the formation of the mailer of this second embodiment, the registering first and second panels are folded about the second foldline into registration with the third panel, i.e., the payment coupon. At this stage, all edges of the first, second, third and seventh panels are either parallel with or inset from the lines of perforations forming the tear strips in the completed mailer. The registering first, second, third and seventh panels are then folded over a third foldline to overlie the fourth panel Adhesive is then applied to one of the fourth and fifth panels in the margins thereof to secure the fourth and fifth panels to one another when the first through fourth and seventh panels are folded about a fourth foldline into registration with the fifth panel. Adhesive is then applied to the margins of the fourth or sixth panel and the panels folded about a fifth foldline to form the completed mailer.

In this second embodiment, it will be appreciated that the edges of the return envelope do not carry tear strips and that they are perfectly formed in the production of the mailer. Thus, frayed or ragged edges resulting from inadequate tearing of the tear strips by the recipient of the mailer are avoided, thereby facilitating alignment of the return envelope in automatic mail opening machinery. Also, by locating the second foldline between the top of the return envelope and the return envelope flap, there is provided a scoreline about which the return envelope flap may be folded. This avoids skewing of the flap during sealing and facilitates proper sealing thereby also affording proper alignment of the return envelope in the automatic mail opening machinery.

In the foregoing process, the adhesive is preferably a cold glue applied in spots to one of the panels to be

adhered together, although it will be appreciated that other types of adhesive, for example, hot melts, and other types of adhesive configurations, such as continuous lines of glue, may be used. Also, with the exception of a rewettable adhesive applied along a return envelope flap, the adhesive is applied, preferably in spots, to the continuous web in areas of the panels which will form end tear strips for the outgoing mailer in final assembly. Thus, as used herein, the term glue "line" or "lines" embraces both a continuous line of glue or a line of glue spots spaced from one another.

Further, one or more loose inserts having both personalized and non-personalized information may be inserted into the mailer during its formation as described above. For example, in the first embodiment, loose inserts may be disposed on top of the first panel after the panels are folded about its second foldline. The subsequent foldines and adhesive applications are such as to maintain the inserts within the mailer after final assembly.

To ensure that the return statement is not damaged or cut by automatic mail opening equipment, fugitive glue lines or dots of adhesive are provided between the panels forming the return envelope. These are preferably provided adjacent the bottom of the envelope, and inset from the marginal lines of adhesive forming the side edges of the return envelope. By locating the fugitive glue in this manner, the insert or payment coupon, when located within the return envelope, resides between the fugitive glue spots on the opposite sides of the envelope and hence is spaced from the side margins of the envelope, which will be cut by the automatic mail opening equipment. This ensures that the envelope may be opened without damaging or cutting the insert.

In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a mailer comprising a single ply having longitudinally and transversely extending edges, first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth panels, and first, second, third, fourth and fifth foldlines transversely spaced one from the other and extending in a longitudinal direction, a pair of marginal lines of perforations extending transversely along the ply generally parallel to the transversely extending edges and inset therefrom, respectively, defining marginal tear strips for the mailer in the first, second, fifth and sixth panels and at least one of the third and fourth panels, the first and second panels being folded about the first foldline to register the first and second panels with one another and the marginal tear strips thereof with one another, adhesive along the registering marginal tear strips of the first and second panels to secure the registering marginal tear strips to one another, and adhesive along portions of the first and second panels inset from the marginal lines of perforations to secure the first and second panels to one another, respectively, to form a return envelope. The third, first and second panels are folded about the second foldline such that the third panel registers with the fourth panel and the first and second panels register with the fifth panel, the marginal tear strips of the second and fifth panels lying in opposition to one another and the third and fourth foldlines lying in registry with one another, adhesive along the registering marginal tear strips of the fifth and second panels to secure the fifth and second panels to one another, the registering third and fourth panels being folded about registering third and fourth foldlines to register with the registering first, second and fifth panels, adhesive along the marginal tear strips of the first panel and the one of the third and fourth panels to secure the first panel and the one panel to one another, the sixth panel being folded about the fifth foldline to overlie the fourth panel and

adhesive between the sixth and fourth panels to secure the sixth and fourth panels to one another.

In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a mailer formed of a single ply having longitudinally and transversely extending edges, first, second, third,' fourth, fifth and sixth panels, and first, second, third, fourth and fifth foldlines transversely spaced one from the other and extending in a longitudinal direction, comprising the steps of providing a single ply of web material, imaging information on at least one side of the web, applying first and second transverse adhesive lines along transversely extending marginal areas of the first and second panels, the first adhesive line being inset from the second adhesive line, folding the first and second panels of the web into overlying relationship with one another, with the first and second adhesive lines adhering the first and second panels to one another and said first lines of adhesive adhering said first and second panels to one another to form a return envelope, subsequently applying transverse adhesive lines along marginal areas of one of the second and fifth panels, respectively, folding the first and second panels and the fifth panel into overlying relationship with one another, and folding the third panel and the fourth panel about the third foldline into overlying relationship with one another whereby the adhesive lines applied to one of the second and fifth panels adhere the second and fifth panels to one another, subsequently applying transverse adhesive lines along marginal areas of one of the first panel and the fourth panel, folding the third and fourth panels into an overlying relationship with the first, second and fifth panels whereby the adhesive lines applied along one of the first and fourth panels adhere the first and fourth panels to one another, subsequently applying adhesive lines to marginal areas of one of the fourth and sixth panels,

folding the sixth panel and the first through fifth panels into overlying relationship with one another so that the sixth panel is in juxtaposition with the fourth panel whereby the adhesive lines applied to one of said fourth and sixth panels adheres said fourth and fifth panels to one another to form a single-part statement, and severing each of the single-part statements from the web of material.

In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a mailer comprising a single ply having longitudinally and transversely extending edges, first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth panels, and first, second, third, fourth and fifth foldlines transversely spaced one from the other and extending in a longitudinal direction, a pair of marginal lines of perforations extending transversely along the ply generally parallel to the transversely extending edges and inset therefrom, respectively, defining marginal tear strips for the mailer in the fourth, fifth and sixth panels, the first and second panels being folded about the first foldline to register the first and second panels with one another with the transversely extending marginal edges thereof in transverse alignment with or inset from the marginal lines of perforations, adhesive portions along the first and second panels inset from the marginal edges thereof to secure the first and second panels to one another, respectively, to form a return envelope, the first and second panels being folded about the second foldline such that the third panel and the first and second panels register with one another, the registering first, second and third panels being folded about the third foldline to register with the fourth panel, the registering first, second, third and fourth panels being folded about the fourth foldline to register with the fifth panel, adhesive along the marginal tear strips of one of the fourth and

fifth panels to secure the fourth panel and the fifth panel to one another, with the first, second and third panels within the fourth and fifth panels with transverse marginal edges thereof in transverse alignment with or inset from the marginal lines of perforations, the fourth and sixth panels being folded about the fifth foldline to register with one another and adhesive between the sixth and fourth panels to secure the sixth and fourth panels to one another.

In a still further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a mailer formed of a single ply having longitudinally and transversely extending edges, first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth panels, and first, second, third, fourth and fifth foldlines transversely spaced one from the other and extending in a longitudinal direction, comprising the steps of providing a single ply of web material, imaging information on at least one side of the web, forming transversely extending edges along the first, second and third panels inset from the transversely extending edges of the fourth, fifth and sixth panels, applying transverse adhesive lines along transversely extending marginal areas of the first and second panels of the web, folding the first and second panels of the web about a first foldline into registration with one another, with the transverse adhesive lines adhering the first and second panels to one another to form a return envelope, forming a return envelope flap in the third panel, folding the first and second panels and the third panel of the web into registration with one another about a second foldline between the flap and the first panel, folding the first, second and third panels into registration with the fourth panel about a third foldline, subsequently applying transverse adhesive lines to one of the fourth and fifth panels along marginal areas thereof, folding the registering first, second, third and fourth panels about a fourth

foldline into registration with the fifth panel with the adhesive securing the fourth and fifth panels to one another, subsequently applying transverse adhesive lines to marginal areas of one of the sixth and fourth panels of the web, folding the sixth panel and the first through fifth panels into registration with one another so that the sixth panel is in juxtaposition with the fourth panel whereby the adhesive lines applied to one of the fourth and sixth panels adheres the fourth and fifth panels to one another to form a single-part statement and after adhering the fourth and fifth panels to one another, severing each of the single- part statements from the web of material.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved single-part statement in the form of a mailer and formed of a single ply having an outgoing mailing envelope, a return business envelope, a statement and a payment coupon, all forming part of the single ply, together with novel and improved insert, e.g., payment coupon and remittance, locating glue spots along the return envelope to preclude damage to, or cutting of, the insert.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a portion of a web illustrating a single-part statement mailer and portions of adjoining mailers as part of the web, with foldlines and lines of perforation superposed onto the web to illustrate their respective locations, all in accordance with the present invention,-

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating a first application of adhesive to the web;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the web being folded

about a first foldline to form a return envelope for each mailer in the web;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, with the return envelope formed and additional adhesive lines applied to the web;

FIGURE 5 is a view of the web of Figure 4, with the panels folded about a second foldline,-

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 illustrating the panels folded about registering third and fourth foldlines and with additional adhesive lines applied subsequent thereto;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the sixth panel being folded about the fifth foldline and into registration with the registering first through fifth panels,-

FIGURE 8 illustrates the web being severed along transverse outlines to form the discrete mailers hereof;

FIGURE 9 is a front elevational view of the return envelope, with the outer dashed lines illustrating potential outlines for automatic mail openers and the interior dashed lines illustrating the insert within the return envelope;

FIGURE 10 illustrates a return envelope cut by an automatic mail opener with the envelope sides separated, exposing the insert for removal,-

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view taken along a line 11-11 in Figure 8 and extending in the direction of web travel illustrating the various adhesive attachments between the tear strips of the various panels,- and

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic illustration of a method of forming the mailer hereof,-

FIGURE 13 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating a further embodiment of a single-part statement mailer according to the present invention,-

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 13 illustrating the return envelope fully formed, with the tear strips removed, and being folded over onto the next-adjacent panel;

FIGURE 15 is a view similar to Figure 14 illustrating a further folding of the web;

FIGURE 16 is a view similar to Figure 15 illustrating the application of additional glue spots and the registering panels being folded over a further foldline,- and

FIGURE 17 is a perspective view illustrating the final application of glue and folding of the mailer to form the complete mailer of the embodiment of Figure 13 hereof.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to a present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly to Figure 1, there is illustrated a single-ply paper web, designated , for movement in a longitudinal direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. Single-part statement mailers M are formed continuously from web W. As seen in Figure 1, each mailer, prior to folding and gluing, comprises a single laid-out flat sheet which includes transversely and

longitudinally extending edges 3 and 5, respectively, relative to the direction of web travel. Edges 3 extend in the transverse direction a distance greater than longitudinal edges 5 extend in the longitudinal direction. In final assembly, each mailer is die-cut, printed, folded, glued, perforated and severed along outlines C.L. to form discrete mailers. It will be appreciated in Figure 1 that the dashed lines extending in the transverse direction illustrate various perforation lines applied to the mailer, as will become clear, subsequent to its folding about foldlines illustrated by the dot-dashed lines extending in the longitudinal direction, i.e., the direction of web travel. The longitudinally extending dashed lines represent lines of perforations formed in the web prior to any folding.

The web W comprises a continuous single ply of paper from which is formed a plurality of mailers M, a portion of an adjacent leading mailer Ml in the direction of web travel and a portion of a trailing mailer M2 in the direction opposite the direction of web travel being illustrated in Figure 1. Each mailer is divided into a plurality of panels. For clarity of the following description of this first embodiment, the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh panels are designated 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, respectively. When the mailer is completed as illustrated in Figure 8, the single ply forming mailer M will be folded about first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth foldlines which, for clarity of the following description, are designated 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26, respectively. As will be appreciated from the following description, the panels, either singly or in combination, form portions of a return envelope, a forwarding mailing envelope, a statement and a return payment coupon.

Also, the mailer has preprinted information on one or

both sides and on one or more of the panels. The preprinted information can be information of a non-personalized general or generic nature applicable to all recipients of the mailer, as well as intelligent or personalized information which may be computer-generated and contain information specific to a particular addressee. For example, the present single-part statement may be used as a bank credit card statement. In that preferred form, the return envelope, which comprises panels 11 and 12 in mailer M, may have information common to the entire mailing by the issuer of the credit card statement. Thus, the return address of the sender, as well as other information informing the user how to use the envelope, as well as postal barcode areas, stamp areas, and return address areas may be preprinted on and common of panels 11 and 12. The account statement itself, which may comprise combined areas of panels 14, 15 and 16, as well as a portion of panel 13, may have both non- personalized and personalized intelligent computer-generated information. For example, the non-personalized information may include standard identifiers for the personalized intelligent information, such as an account number, payment due date, total credit line, cash advance limit, new balance, available credit line, available cash limit, sales date, posting date, reference number, activity since last statement, amount, account summaries and other items which would be common to all account statements. Additionally, these account statement areas of panels 14, 15 and 16 and 13 may also include personalized intelligent information specific to that account, for example, the actual posting date, the identity of the retailer through which the charge was incurred, the actual amount, the actual interest amount, finance charges, charges to date and other information specific to that account. Preferably, such intelligent information is printed on the side of the single ply which will be sealed within the mailer, ensuring the privacy of the information, i.e., the side of the ply facing upwardly

in Figure 1. Additionally, a portion of the panels, for example, panel 14, may comprise marketing or advertising materials and this likewise can be either non-personalized generic information for all addressees or personalized intelligent information based on computerized information concerning the specific addressee, i.e., the account holder. Further, a payment coupon may also form part of the mailer M. Thus, for example, the inset portion of panel 13 may comprise a payment coupon having both non-personalized generic and personalized intelligent information on the coupon. Such generic information might include a change of address information block or a block labelled amount due. Other types of non-personalized information which can be printed on one or both sides of the single ply and in the various panels will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art, particularly by reference to current standard account statements, payment coupons and return envelopes. The specific personalized intelligent information may include, for example, the account balance, minimum payment due, and due date for that particular month and statement and this likewise will be apparent to those of skill in that art.

The opposite side of the mailer M from that illustrated in Figure 1, may likewise contain both non-personalized generic and personalized intelligent information. For example, the name and address of the recipient of the mailer may be printed on the back side of panel 15 which forms the mailing address of the outgoing mailer upon final assembly. Mailer opening information may be disposed on the back side of any one or more of the panels. For those back panels which will be wholly enclosed within the mailer when forwarded, the terms and conditions of the account statement may be preprinted. Likewise, on the back side of the payment coupon panel 13, various information may be requested from the particular recipient, for example, in the

cn

are formed in the web. For example, and referring to Figure

1, a die-cut window 38 for the return mailer is formed at station 37 in panel 11. Further, a portion of panel 13 is die cut to form transversely extending edges 40 inset from transverse outlines C.L., as well as inset from transversely extending perforation lines 42 later formed in the mailer after folding and gluing, as will become apparent from the ensuing description. Also, panel 17 is die cut to form edges 44 inset from the corresponding lines of perforations 42. The die cutting about the bang-tail panel 17 and the remittance coupon portion of panel 13 cuts those portions of the mailer to an appropriate size so that neither the bang¬ tail nor the coupon have to be folded to be inserted into the return envelope. As will be appreciated, the lines of perforations form with the outlines C.L. tear strips T.S. in the transverse margins of the completed mailer. For identification herein, the tear strips are labelled T.S. preceded by the number of the panel of which the tear strips are a part. It will also be appreciated that the panel 17, when die cut to form inset edges 44, forms a bang-tail panel which is provided in the preferred form the mailer. The bang-tail panel, however, is not necessary to the mailer and the mailer may be provided without such panel.

After die-cut station 37, the web is advanced and a cold glue is applied to the web, at a subsequent cold glue station 50 by glue nozzles, to those portions of the panels which will be immediately subsequently folded and adhered to one another. Thus, at cold glue station 50 (Figure 12) , cold glue 47 is applied in the regions of the marginal tear strips 12T.S. of panel 12 on both sides of subsequently formed outlines C.L. Particularly, and referring to Figure

2, the cold glue is applied to areas between subsequently applied perforation lines 42 such that the cold glue lies along adjoining tear strips of adjoining mailers in the direction of web travel. A cold glue line 51 is

oo

to the tear strips 12T.S. forming part of panel 12 and a portion of the tear strip 11T.S. of panel 11. Web W is advanced to a further plow-fold station 60 where the panels 13, 11 and 12 are folded about foldline 22 such that panel 13 lies in registration with panel 14 and registering panels 11 and 12 register with panel 15, as illustrated in Figure 5. Consequently, the tear strips 15T.S. of panel 15 adhere to the tear strips 12T.S. of panel 12 and the portion of the tear strips 11T.S. of panel 11 to which glue was applied.

With the web folded about foldline 22 as illustrated in Figure 5 and prior to the next adhesive application, one or more inserts may be disposed within the mailer in loose fashion such that when the recipient opens the mailer, the inserts fall out or can be individually removed. To accomplish this, an intelligent inserter 62 (Figure 12) is provided. Inserter 62 cooperates with the web line to provide one or more inserts 63 (Figure 11) on the web as the web passes the discharge end of the inserter (sixteen insert stations being illustrated for inserting sixteen different types of inserts) . The inserts may contain personalized intelligent information preprogrammed in conjunction with the printers 30, 32 and 34 such that designated inserts may be provided mailers addressed to certain addressees based on computer-generated information, e.g., demographic information. Of course, non-personalized inserts may also be inserted into the mailers as they are formed. The inserts, when employed in the mailer, are located on top of the mailing address side of the return envelope, i.e., on top of panel 11.

With or without one or more inserts, web W advances to a third cold glue station 70. At station 70, cold glue lines 73 are applied to the portions of tear strips 14T.S. of panel 14 exposed by the inset edges 40 of panel 13. Glue lines 73 also extend along overlying tear strip portions 74

of panel 13. When the registering panels 13 and 14 are folded at fold station 80 (Figure 12) about registering foldlines 23 and 24 into registration with registered panels 11, 12 and 15, as well as the bang-tail panel 17 when used, the adhesive line 73 secures tear strip portions 74 of panel 13 along the tear strip 11T.S., as well as the portions of tear strip 14T.S. of panel 14 to the registering portion of tear strip 11T.S. of panel 11 as illustrated in Figure 6.

The web is then advanced to a cold glue station 82 (Figure 12) where cold glue lines 83 are applied along the tear strips 16T.S. of panel 16. Additionally, cold glue is applied along the longitudinally extending edge 5 of panel 16. The web is then advanced to a folding station 88 where panel 16 and panels 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, as well as panel 17 if a bang-tail panel is used, are folded into registry with one another. The glue seals the mailer along the tear strip margins.

The web is then advanced to a perforation station 90 (Figure 12) where the perforation lines 42 are applied along the opposite margins of the mailer inset from transverse edges 3 and through the multiple panels. The web is then passed through a cutoff unit 92 where the mailers are cut from the web along outlines C.L. to form discrete mailers M. As illustrated in Figure 8, the web with the discrete mailers folded and glued advance in the direction of web travel, i.e., in the direction of the arrow in Figure 8. The slitters slit the web along cutlines C.L., bisecting the transversely extending lines of perforations 42, forming the mailer M. Note in Figure 8 that the mailer M has marginal tear strips T.S. along its opposite ends defined by the lines of perforations 42.

To facilitate a further understanding of the mailer of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 11, which

is a schematic view through a mailer looking along the .lines 11-11 in Figure 8. The juxtaposed panels are illustrated in the order of their appearance in the mailer and the glue lines between the tear strips of the mailer are illustrated. Additionally, the bang-tail panel 17 is disposed between panels 12 and 15 and the inserts 63 are illustrated by the dashed lines disposed between panels 11 and 13. Note that the glue lines extend between the tear strips of panels 11 and 14 whereby the inserts are prevented from slipping from the mailer through the opposite ends of the mailer. In Figure 11, the panel 13 is illustrated with its end edges 40 inset from the lines of perforations 42. The margin 74 in the background portion of the panel 13 is not illustrated.

When a recipient receives the mailer, both marginal tear strips T.S. comprised of strips 11T.S., 12T.S., 13T.S., 14T.S., 15T.S. and 16T.S. at the opposite ends of the mailer may be removed along the lines of perforations 42. In removing those tear strips, it will be appreciated that the mailer can be unfolded to a single-ply form with panels 11 and 12 remaining secured to one another by the glue lines 51 and fugitive glue lines 52 to form the return envelope. The account statement information, for example, may be read by the recipient from panels 16, 15 and 14, and the payment coupon in panel 13. If all is in order, the recipient may remove the account statement from the payment coupon portion of the panel 13 by detaching the account statement along longitudinally extending line of perforations 8. Additionally, the coupon statement itself may be detached from the return envelope flap along line of perforations 6. The payment coupon, because its edges 40 are inset, may be inserted into the return envelope, together with a remittance, and within the fugitive glue lines 51. The return flap is then moistened, folded over a foldline and sealed to the outer face of panel 12. If the bang-tail panel 17 forms part of the mailer, it is removed before the

return envelope is sealed by tearing along the line of perforations 9.

When the return envelope is received by the payee, automatic openers may be used to remove margins of the return envelope. For example, automatic slitters may slit off an eighth to a quarter inch of the top margin, as well as end margins of the return envelope, to enable suction devices to pull the panels apart, exposing the contents of the return envelope for extraction. It will be appreciated that the contents, including the payment coupon and payment, lie within the fugitive glue lines and thus are out of the way of the automatic mail opening cutters whereby the payment coupon and payment are free of damage and mutilation.

Referring now to the embodiments hereof illustrated in Figures 13-17, wherein like reference numerals are applied to like parts, followed by the suffix "a", there is illustrated a mailer Ma formed of six panels 11a, 12a, 13a, 14a, 15a and 16a. A seventh panel 17a is also included when a bang-tail is provided the return envelope. As illustrated in Figure 13, adjacent mailers are shown in the web Wa, with each mailer being defined by transverse and longitudinally extending edges 3a and 5a. Web Wa is printed as previously described with respect to the printers 30, 32 and 34 and is also passed through the die-cut station 37 and the following hot glue station 46, where the rewettable adhesive is applied to the return envelope flap.

In this embodiment, however, the foldlines, sequence of gluing and the folding of the panels is different than in the prior embodiment, with the exception of foldlines 21a and 26a. Thus, the return envelope comprised of panels 11a and 12a is formed similarly as in the previous embodiment, but with glue lines applied to one of the panels 11a and 12a

only in the areas inset from the lines of perforations 42a such that, upon folding the panels 11a and 12a about foldline 21a, panels 11a and 12a form a return envelope. After the return envelope is formed, or before it is folded to form the return envelope, and as illustrated in 108 at Figure 12, the web is passed through a cut-off station 108 where the marginal portions of panels 11a and 12a, which would otherwise form the tear strips as in the previous embodiment, are cut from the web. Consequently, the marginal edges of the return envelope formed in the web Wa are aligned with or slightly inset from the lines of perforations 42a.

With the return envelope thus formed, it will be seen that panel 17a overlies panel 13a and foldlines 9a and 101 register one with the other. In that configura ion, the web Wa is advanced to a second folding station where the return envelope is folded about the registering foldlines 9a and 101 to register panels 11a, 12a and 17a with panel 13a. Note that the foldline 21a registers with the foldline 102 and that none of the edges of panels 11a, 12a, 17a and 13a lie outside the lines of perforations 42a. The web Wa is then advanced to a third folding station where the registering panels 13a, 17a, 11a and 12a are folded about foldline 10 and registered with panel 14a. The web is then advanced to a gluing station where glue is applied to the margins of one of panels 14a and 15a. Upon advancement of the web through a subsequent folding station, the registering panels 14a, 11a, 12a, 17a and 13a are registered with panel 15a, with the glue lines in the marginal tear strips adhering panels 14a and 15a to one another, thus sealing off the opposite inset ends of panels 11a, 12a, 17a and 13a. Web Wa is subsequently advanced to a final glue station where glue is applied to the tear strips of one of panels 16a and 14a, glue being applied to panel 16a as illustrated in Figure 17. A subsequent folding station

made which nevertheless remain within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims which follow.