Thompson Manufactoring Company T-100 envelope feeder

We have a Thompson Manufactoring Company T-100 envelope feeder purchased new 7 or 8 years ago. Four different press operators have struggled with it, in an attempt to make it feed envelopes. None of them can make it feed. In the time we have had it we haven't used it for possibly 25,000 envelopes. Usually struggling with it so much we just put it away and finish printing the envelope job.

It is fairly simple and there is little to adjust. The separator finger is set at about 1/4 inch and then adjusted ever so slightly up and down. No matter what adjustment I cannot make it stream envelopes evenly. It usually puts them in groups of 5-6 and then will break the stream, which will jam the feeder. Does anyone out there who is operating this envelope feeder have any suggestions as far as adjustment. The back roller under the belt is just off the back of the envelope. The side guides are not too tight. Neither the feed belt nor anything else on the machine is worn.

The company gave me limited suggestions but nothing has worked to date.

Thanks

 

Hey Tim,
I Use this feeder everyday and they are touchy. Lets start with stock, are you running #10s or A size? For A size I use 70# instead of 60#, they cost a little more but you will have less waste by the end of job.
As for the back wheel I usually have right behind or a bit under, the front rails that hold envelope i leave loose and stack the envelopes as high as possible, seems the weight actually helps, and I use the back rails to "square"the stock.
You will get 5-6 when you first start but after that you should run pretty smooth.
Also I start with the finger all the way down then back it up 2-3 turns
Hope this helps some

 

Inkie, thanks for the reply. That is all general information that I had tried many times in the past. I did take the envelope separator "finger" out of the machine and with the help of a 12 inch adjustable wrench changed the angle. It took about 4 tries but I changed the angle abut 2 degrees and hit a spot where it will run well. I fed 7,000 #10 envelopes thru it with only a couple of jams.

Thanks for your help, Tim