US 5,347,790 A · Automatic traying and automatic sweeping device for letter mail

Abstract

An automatic device for sweeping letter mail or alternatively, stacking and sweeping letter mail, and depositing the resultant stack into a managed mail tray. The sweeping device provides an accumulation platform which receives a stream of mail, the platform having a slidable end plate urged against the accumulating stack of mail which overcomes the urging of the end plate to fill the accumulation platform. A sweep plate is thereafter actuated to pierce the stack and thereafter translate towards the end plate to compress the now captured stack to a specified length. The specified length correspond to trap doors provided in the accumulation platform which thereafter open to vertically drop the stack into a managed mail tray arranged therebelow. A forward plate is provided to pierce the stack with the sweep plate to hold back further accumulated mail while the specified stack is being compressed and deposited. In another embodiment a non-sliding blade is translated upwardly to pierce the accumulating stack at a position corresponding to the length of the trap door. Additionally, a sweeping and stacking device is provided which receives shingled mail pieces onto a conveyor belt which is engaged with an overhead pinch belt which partially wraps around a roller of the conveyor belt. The shingled mail is horizontally carried on the conveyor belt and turned vertically by the pinch belt to a position below the conveyor belt into an accumulation platform. An end plate is slidably held in the accumulation platform to insure a horizontal stack accumulation of the thus turned mail. The accumulation platform has trap doors which deposit a specified length of accumulated mail into a managed mail tray arranged therebelow.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A piece sweeping device for receiving and relocating a stream of pieces, comprising:

an accumulation platform having an open side for receiving a stream of pieces and having an openable floor;
a tray platform arranged below said accumulation platform;
a means for holding said stream of pieces received onto said accumulation platform horizontally stacked, each piece of said stream of pieces held vertically upright, in a horizontal stack of select length;
and
said tray platform sized for holding a tray for receiving said horizontal stack of pieces through said openable floor.

2 more elements

A method for creating a horizontal stack of pieces and segregating those pieces into a package, comprising the steps of:

providing an accumulation platform having a selectively openable floor section and an open receiving end above and at one end of said floor section;
providing a translatable end plate resiliently urged toward said open receiving end and slidable to a stop position at a respective opposite end of said floor, the end support plate being urged towards said open receiving end;
accumulating pieces through said open receiving end and against said end support plate;
causing said accumulation to exert a pressure against said end support plate to translate said end support plate toward said stop position;
piercing said accumulation of pieces with a sweep plate at a position along said accumulation of pieces which defines a number of pieces between said end support plate and said sweep plate which corresponds to a stack length appropriate for a length of said package;
positioning said sweep plate at an end of said floor section opposite said end support plate;
providing an open top package;
positioning said package beneath said floor section;
and
opening said floor section to drop said stack into said package.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatic traying and automatic sweeping device for letter mail

Life of this patent

Automatic traying and automatic sweeping device for letter mail

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22