Mail transport assembly for mail sorting system

A mail transport assembly for a mail sorting system having means for classifying individual items of mail into preselected categories including a plurality of receiving bins for selectively holding individual items of mail in their separate categories, said assembly comprising a transport surface, a plurality of sets of drive units disposed adjacent each other on said support surface, each of said drive units having a pivotally mounted diverter for being pivoted to a first and a second position, an inner belt mounted for rotational movement around spaced rollers, said inner belt being disposed generally in line with said diverter when said diverter is in said first position, a drive belt mounted around spaced rollers opposite said inner belt, said drive belt and said inner belt having runs in contact with each other to drive an item of mail in a downstream direction, an intermediate belt rotatably mounted around spaced rollers, said intermediate belt and said inner belt having runs in contact with each other whereby rotation of one of said belts causes rotation of the other of said belts, said intermediate belt having a second run disposed generally in line with said diverter when said diverter is in said second position, a side belt rotatably mounted around spaced rollers, said side belt being in contact with said second run of said intermediate belt to drive an item of mail in a downstream direction and then direct the item of mail into a bin at least partially downstream from said intermediate belt, and one of said rollers of the group of belts formed by said inner belt and said intermediate belt and said side belt being a drive roller whereby the driving of said drive roller causes all of said group of belts to rotate.