Mail sorting apparatus

• US 4,641,753 A
• Filed: 12/26/1984
• Issued: 02/10/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Tamada, Masuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wacyra, Edward M.
• Application Number:
  US06/686,402
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 209/3.1-3.3, 209/546, 209/547, 209/569, 209/583, 209/584, 209/900, 101/2, 382/57, 382/1, 340/825.3, 364/146, 364/181, 364/188, 364/189, 364/478, 235/462, 235/463, 400/103, 414/136, 358/903
• US Class Current: 209/546
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/06 Linear sorting machines in which articles are removed from a stream at selected points
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/20 Arrangements for facilitating the visual reading of addresses, e.g. display arrangements coding stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 5/00 Methods or arrangements for verifying the correctness of markings on a record carrier; Column detection devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

An apparatus for sorting mail is disclosed. In the apparatus, a readout section reads out destination data on mail. A discriminating section discriminates the destination data on the basis of the result of readout by the readout section. A plurality of coding desks each include a display section for displaying the readout result by the readout section when the discriminating section fails to discriminate the destination data, and a keyboard for enabling the destination data corresponding to the contents of display by the display section to be input. The plurality of coding desks are assigned to regions or cities. A distributing section distributes the readout result by the readout section to coding desks corresponding to regions or cities as recognized from part of the address data when the discriminating section fails to discriminate the destination data. A sorting data assigning section assigns to the mail the sorting data according to the result of discriminating operation by the discriminating section or the destination data by the keyboards of the coding desks. A sorting/collecting section sorts and collects the mail into predetermined sorting sections according to the sorting data applied by the sorting data assigning section.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sorting mail, comprising:

readout means for reading out destination data on mail;

discriminating means for discriminating the destination data based on the result of the readout operation of the readout means such that an upper order address data and a lower order address data contained in the destination data are discriminated separately;

first control means receiving the output signals of the discriminating means and the readout means so as to generate a first sorting data corresponding to the destination data when both upper and lower order address data have been discriminated and to produce the upper order address data and the readout result when the upper order address data only has been discriminated;

a plurality of video coding desks each including display means and a keyboard, and assigned to predetermined regions or cities;

distributing means for distributing the destination data from the readout means to the corresponding video coding desk according to the discriminated upper order address data so as to display the destination data on the display means of the video coding desk and to enable the keyboard of the video coding desk to input correct lower order address data based on the display;

second control means for generating a second sorting data corresponding to the upper order address data distributed to the corresponding video coding desk, and the lower order address data inputted from the keyboard of said video coding desk;

sorting data assigning means for assigning to the mail the first or second sorting data generated from the first or second control means; and

sorting/collecting means for sorting and collecting said mail into predetermined sorting sections according to the sorting data applied by said sorting data assigning means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second sorting data are in the form of a bar code.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said keyboards of the plurality of video coding desks permits the names of buildings and companies to be input as the lower order address data.