Transport/stacker module for improving sorting throughout of a mail processing system

A transport/stacker module comprising:

• a support frame;
• an endless loop conveyor;
• a plurality of wheeled members mounted by the frame and supporting the conveyor for driven movement past a plurality of sorting sites distributed along at least one horizontal conveyor run;
• a plurality of carriers attached to the conveyor at spaced intervals, each carrier including:
• a floor;
• a pair of opposed, laterally spaced sidewalls in upstanding relation with the floor,
• a pair of opposed, longitudinally spaced end members cooperating with the upstanding sidewalls to confine a mailpiece lying on the floor, at least one of the end members having first and second laterally extending sections,
• a hinge mounting the one end member for swinging movement between open and closed positions, in the closed position, the first section being oriented in upstanding relation to the floor and the second section being oriented as a longitudinal extension of the floor, and, in the open position, the first and second sections assuming positions generally below the floor to expose a laterally extending, trailing edge of the floor, whereby to increase a longitudinal gap between the exposed floor edge and an immediately adjacent one of the carriers;
• at least one bin located at each sorting site;
• and
• a rake mechanism located at each sorting site, each rake mechanism including a sorting rake selectively actuated to rake a mailpiece off the floor and over the exposed floor edge to fall by gravity through the longitudinal gap and into an underlying one of the bins.

A carrier for a mail sorting system having a conveyor for conveying a plurality of the carriers in closely spaced, serial relation along a conveyor path, said carrier comprising:

• a floor;
• a pair of opposed, laterally spaced sidewalls in upstanding relation with the floor;
• a pair of opposed, longitudinally spaced end members cooperating with the upstanding sidewalls to confine a mailpiece lying on the floor, at least one of the end members having first and second laterally extending sections;
• and
• a hinge mounting the one end member for swinging movement between open and closed positions, in the closed position, the first section being oriented in upstanding relation to the floor and the second section being oriented as a longitudinal extension of the floor, and, in the open position, the first and second sections being disposed in positions generally below the floor to expose a laterally extending edge of the floor, whereby to increase a longitudinal gap between the exposed floor edge and an adjacent carrier as the mailpiece is sorted from the carrier by being raked off the floor and over the exposed floor edge to fall by gravity through the gap between the exposed floor edge and the adjacent carrier.