Automated induction systems and methods for mail and/or other objects

A system for automated loading of a side-by-side stack of thin objects to a thin-object feeder, comprising:

• a) a transporter having a transport surface upon which a side-by-side stack of thin objects can be conveyed;
• b) a carrier, configured to carry a side-by-side stack of thin objects, supported above said transport surface, said carrier being in the form of a generally rectangular container comprising four walls, a floor (160FL), a left pivot (160P) and a right pivot (160P), said four walls including a front wall (160FR) extending along a first end of the floor, a back wall (160B) opposite the front wall and extending along a second end of the floor, a right wall (160R) extending along a first side of the floor, and a left wall (160L) opposite the right wall and extending along a second side of the floor, wherein said four walls and said floor define a space for receiving said stack of thin objects, and wherein said front wall, at least a portion of the left wall and a portion of the right wall are moveable together about said pivots and are movable relative to said floor;
• c) a pusher supported above said transport surface;
• d) said pusher and said carrier being movable relative to one another between a first position in which said pusher is inside said carrier behind a side-by-side stack of thin objects on said carrier and a second position in which said pusher is laterally displaced from said carrier, such that the side-by-side stack of thin objects on said carrier is laterally slidable off of said carrier by said pusher.