METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING AND DISTRIBUTING MAIL

• US 3,732,978 A
• Filed: 03/16/1972
• Issued: 05/15/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arthur J. Reader
• Original Assignee: Arthur J. Reader
• Inventors: Reader, Arthur J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schacher, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US05/235,267
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 209/122,126 150/14
• US Class Current: 209/702
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 7/02 Compartmented furniture, e.g. pigeon-holes B07C7/005 takes precedence; furniture per se A47B; storage racks B65G
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sorting and distributing mail consisting of a multi-compartment mail bag which is collapsable while being transported or returned from a multi-tenant building. The bag is initally retained in a central postal sorting station where mail for each of the tenants is inserted into each of the individual compartments. The multi-compartment bag is then collapsed and transported to its destination indicated on the outside of the bag. When it is delivered to a multi-tenant building, it is erected and supported within a gang mail box. The gang mail box preferably includes individual mail compartments having inwardly projecting flanges designed to project into each of the compartments. This physically isolates each compartment from the other in order to prevent compartment-to-compartment pilferage. A slide fastener is also provided on the front cover of the multi-compartment bag so that the bag can be locked while it is transported to the addressee'"'"''"'"'s building.

Claims

1. A mail container for insertion into a gang mail box comprising:

a flexIble bag having at least one open side;

a cover for closing the open side of said bag;

a plurality of compartments formed within said bag and having at least one side open to the cover of said bag, said compartments having openings corresponding to each of the boxes of the gang mail boxes;

means for securing the cover over the opening of said bag; and

mounting means formed on at least one surface of said bag for securing said bag within the gang mail box.

2. The mail container as recited in claim 1, wherein said fastening means comprises a slide fastener formed on said cover and said at least one open side of said bag.

3. The mail container as recited in claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises at least one eyelet formed adjacent to the top of said surface of said bag for permitting said bag to be mounted within the gang box.

4. The mail container as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said compartments further comprises a rim formed on the open side of said compartment and extending across a portion thereof.

5. The mail container as recited in claim 4, wherein said rim further comprises identification means for receiving an identifying tag of the addressee of the compartment.

6. The mail container as recited in claim 1 additionally comprising a rigid projection mounted on each box of the gang mail box and extending partially into the open side of each compartment of the mail bag.

7. The mail container as recited in claim 6 wherein each of said rigid projections has an external periphery slightly smaller than the open side of said compartment.

8. Method for sorting and distributing mail comprising the steps of;

setting up a multi-compartment collapsible bag at a central post office sorting station, sorting mail and inserting the mail into selected compartments of the bag, closing and collapsing the bag to enclose the sorted mail, delivering the bag to a multi-tenant building, and expanding and mounting the bag in a gang mail box.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said step of closing the bag further comprises the step of locking the bag before delivery.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said step of expanding and mounting includes securing the bag to hooks inside the gang mail box.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein following said step of expanding and mounting, said method further comprises collapsing said bag after the mail has been removed and returning said bag to the central post office sorting station.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the gang mail box includes a plurality of rigid projections, each corresponding to the opening of each bag compartment and extending partially within each compartment.