Method and device for unloading a postal container that has an open top

Process for unloading a mail piece container open at the top with side walls slanting toward the outside, loaded with mail pieces that stand on edge next to one another, and exhibiting gripping recesses in its opposite smaller sides, characterized by the following steps:

• mail piece container is taken up by a holding and positioning device that can be tilted;
• compression of the mail piece stack within the horizontally aligned mail piece container having pressing elements that are movable horizontally through the gripping recesses;
• engagement of the tilting and movable holding supports next to the pressing elements from above, in order to hold the mail piece stack in compressed form, with the conveyor bands of the holding supports being driven in such a way that the segments of the conveyor band in contact with the mail pieces are motionless with respect to the mail pieces;
• removal of the pressing elements from the mail piece container;
• tilting of the full mail piece container with the holding supports by more than 90° around a longitudinal axis to the point that the mail piece stack can rest on the now lower side of the mail piece container;
• tilting back of the mail piece container to the point that a movable and tiltable base plate can be inserted between the mail piece container and the mail piece stack;
• insertion of the base plate between the mail piece container and the mail piece stack;
• tilting back of the mail piece container, the base plate, and the mail piece stack to a horizontal position of the mail piece stack, while maintaining the positions of these elements with respect to one another;
• and
• detaching of the mail piece container from the holding and positioning device and removal of the mail piece container.