The invention is directed to an apparatus and method for making an envelope from ordinary size, readily available, writing paper. Preferably, the apparatus is a compact desk-top size machine that can be combined with any common office printer, such as a laser printer, or even be incorporated thereinto to form a single machine. The apparatus enables the provision of a system for integrating and simplifying office computerized printing of letters and addressing of envelopes, by using a single paper tray whereby, for example, following the printing of a letter on one or more sheets of paper, the subsequently fed final sheet of paper from the paper tray is routed to the envelope making apparatus, perhaps after the printing of an address on the final sheet, whereby an envelope is created. The envelope is created by the apparatus by appropriate scoring or creasing of fold lines, as well as cutting the sides of the sheet of paper to form side flaps, for example, and the application of a suitable adhesive for sealing the bottom flap to the side flaps, for example, as well as the application of an adhesive on the sealing flap for subsequent sealing by the user, for example, following the insertion of the typed letter, for example, into the thus created envelope. Thus, by means of the apparatus, a method is devised for integrating the letter and envelope addressing and graphics, such as a logo to be impressed or printed on the envelope, with the same computer program at the same time and with the same printing means. Thus there is a significant economic saving in producing envelopes oneself from relatively inexpensive writing paper. With the apparatus according to the invention, it is also possible to make mailers from ordinary sheets of paper already carrying a message, thus saving the cost and bother of using and handling both a letter and an envelope.
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