Method and apparatus for mailpiece stacking

An apparatus for stacking mailpieces received from an output device in consecutive order, the apparatus comprising:

• a. a frame;
• b. a plurality of conveying sections, the plurality of conveying sections comprising a receiving conveying section having an upstream portion and a downstream portion and a stacking conveying section having an upstream portion and a downstream portion, the receiving conveying section is positioned at a first height and adjacently to a mail processing machine at the upstream portion and orthogonal to the stacking conveying section at the downstream portion, the stacking conveying section is at a second height, the first height is greater than the second height;
• c. a ramp extending from the downstream portion of the stacking conveying section;
• d. a first continuous belt extending along the receiving conveying section in a first direction and positioned centrally along a second direction of the conveying section, and having a top surface that extends above the receiving conveying section and which contacts the mailpieces;
• e. a second continuous belt extending along the stacking conveying section in the second direction and positioned along the first direction of the stacking conveying section, the continuous belt having a top surface which extends above the stacking conveying section and which contacts the mailpieces received from the mail processing machine;
• f. means for driving the continuous belt at a first speed on the receiving conveying section in the first direction and for driving the belt at a second speed on the stacking conveying section in the second direction, the second speed of the plurality of belts is slower than the first speed of the continuous belt on the receiving conveying section;
• and,
• g. a positioning and guiding means positioned at the downstream portion of the receiving conveying section, the positioning and guiding down means comprising normal force rollers that contact the receiving conveying belt to align the mailpieces at the receiving conveying section and guide the mailpieces onto the stacking conveying belt.

A method of stacking mailpieces received from a mail processing device, wherein the mailpiece has a long leading edge, a long trailing edge, a short leading edge and a short trailing edge, said method comprising the steps of:

• a. receiving a first mailpiece from the mail processing device in a first direction with the short edge leading;
• b. deflecting the mailpiece onto a moving conveying belt with the long edge leading, the moving conveying belt is moving in a second direction, the second direction is at a right angle to the first direction;
• c. receiving a second mailpiece from the mail processing device in the first direction with the short edge leading;
• d. deflecting the second mailpiece onto the moving conveying belt with the long edge leading while the conveying belt is moving in a second direction, the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction;
• e. continuing the movement of the first mailpiece on the moving conveying belt under an adjustable hold down assembly, the hold down assembly comprising a plurality of normal force rollers;
• f. moving the first mailpiece from the receiving conveying belt traveling at a first speed and positioned at a first height to the stacking conveying belt positioned at a second speed and a second height, the first speed is faster than the second speed, the first height is higher than the second height;
• g. guiding the second mailpiece onto the long edge trailing of the first mailpiece;
• and
• h. continuing the movement of the mailpiece toward the vertically sloped stacking ramp until the mailpiece interfaces with the sloped stacking ramp.