Sorting apparatus
First Claim
1. Mail sorting apparatus which comprises a plurality of collection bins each for a different category of mail item, said collection bins being spaced from each other along a closed path, a plurality of sorting bins moveable along said path, said sorting bins being disposed vertically above said collection bins, means for feeding said mail items separately into successive ones of said sorting bins, each of said sorting bins carrying an individual item of mail which can be of random category in successive ones of said sorting bins, means operative upon movement of each of said sorting bins into vertical alignment with the ones of said collection bins for the category of mail items therein for enabling said items to drop into said collection bins thereby to sort said mail items by category in said collection bins, a loading station past which said sorting bins move, a hopper at said station spaced vertically above a path of said sorting bins, said feeding means including means for feeding said items into said hopper one at a time, and means operated when said sorting bins move into alignment with said hopper at said station for enabling the mail item in said hopper to drop into the one of said sorting bins at said station.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Mail sorting apparatus feeds mail items past a printing postage meter into a hopper from which the items are dropped successively into sorting bins which revolve along a circular path. Collection bins, also disposed along the circular path below the sorting bins, for different categories of mail are open at the top to receive the mail from the sorting bins. When a sorting bin carrying a mail item revolves to a position where it is in alignment with the collection bin for that item, the sorting bin is opened and the item dropped into its collection bin. The size of the item is measured at an input station. The opening of the sorting bin is carried out under computer control in response to data entered at the input station. The postage meter is movable mounted and located in response to the size of the item so that the postal indicia are printed in the proper location on the item in the course of feeding thereof into the hopper.
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Citations
15 Claims
- 1. Mail sorting apparatus which comprises a plurality of collection bins each for a different category of mail item, said collection bins being spaced from each other along a closed path, a plurality of sorting bins moveable along said path, said sorting bins being disposed vertically above said collection bins, means for feeding said mail items separately into successive ones of said sorting bins, each of said sorting bins carrying an individual item of mail which can be of random category in successive ones of said sorting bins, means operative upon movement of each of said sorting bins into vertical alignment with the ones of said collection bins for the category of mail items therein for enabling said items to drop into said collection bins thereby to sort said mail items by category in said collection bins, a loading station past which said sorting bins move, a hopper at said station spaced vertically above a path of said sorting bins, said feeding means including means for feeding said items into said hopper one at a time, and means operated when said sorting bins move into alignment with said hopper at said station for enabling the mail item in said hopper to drop into the one of said sorting bins at said station.
- 4. Mail sorting apparatus which comprises a plurality of collection bins each for a different category of mail item, said collection bins being spaced from each other along a closed path, a plurality of sorting bins moveable along said path, said sorting bins being disposed vertically above said collection bins, means for feeding said mail items separately into successive ones of said sorting bins, each of said sorting bins carrying an individual item of mail which can be of random category in successive ones of said sorting bins, means operative upon movement of each of said sorting bins into vertical alignment with the ones of said collection bins for the category of mail items therein for enabling said items to drop into said collection bins thereby to sort said mail items by category in said collection bins, a loading station past which said sorting bins move, a printing postage meter, said feeding means also including means for feeding said mail items successively into and out of printing relationship with said meter to present mail items for printing of postage indicia thereon, means responsive to at least one dimension of each of said mail items for moving said mail items and postage meter in a direction along a verticla edge of said items with respect to each other to locate said postage indicia on said mail items.
- 7. Sorting apparatus which comprises a plurality of collection bins each for a different category of items to be sorted, said collection bins being disposed spaced from each other along an endless path in a generally horizontal plane, a plurality of sorting bins mounted for movement in unison along said path past a station, said sorting bins being disposed in a generally horizontal plane above said collection bins, a hopper disposed vertically above said station, means for feeding items to be sorted into said hopper one at a time, means for enabling said items to drop from said hopper into successive ones of said sorting bins as they pass said station, and means operative upon movement of each of said sorting bins into vertical alignment with a collection bin for the category of items carried in said sorting bins for enabling said items to drop into said collection bins for the category of said item.
Specification