Slidable, lowerable, and removable bin tray

• US 5,284,336 A
• Filed: 08/28/1992
• Issued: 02/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bowe Bell & Howell Company
• Original Assignee: Bell & Howell Phillipsburg Company
• Inventors: Ricciardi, Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHACHER, RICHARD
• Application Number:
  US07/935,777
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 271/207, 271/213, 271/214, 271/215
• US Class Current: 271/213
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/60 Coupling, adapter or locking means
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2407/10 Safety means, e.g. for preventing injuries or illegal operations
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1916 Envelopes and articles of mail
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/06 the articles being piled on edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/22 removable or interchangeable

Abstract

A bin tray is provided for supporting a mail bin which receives documents from a document processing machine. The bin tray is slidable so that it may be stored underneath the table when not in use and is lowerable and removable so as to facilitate access to the underside of the document processing machine. This is accomplished by use of a tray assembly which is removably and rotably attached to two support rods running underneath the table in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the documents as they enter the bin. The support rods are generally vertically oriented with respect to each other and provide support for a housing containing a slidable bin tray.

Claims

1. A sliding tray assembly for receiving documents fed by a document processing means, comprising:

a receiving bin for receiving documents from said document processing means;

a housing comprising a rigid frame and a slide means attached thereto;

a bin tray for supporting said receiving bin, said bin tray being slidably attached to said housing by said slide means, said slide means being operable to allow said bin tray to be recessed into said housing; and

,

an upper support member extending below said document processing means for supporting said housing at a first location on said housing;

2. The tray assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a support leg attached to the underside of said housing for supporting said housing at a second location.

3. The tray assembly according to claim 2, wherein said support leg extends between said second location on said housing and a lower support member, said lower support member extending below said upper support member in a direction generally perpendicular to said upper support member.

4. The tray assembly according to claim 1, wherein said housing is removably attached to said upper support member by means of at least one notch in said housing, said notch being shaped so as to accept said upper support member.

5. The tray assembly according to claim 4, wherein said housing is retained in position on said upper support member by at least one retaining tab mounted to said housing.

13. The tray assembly according to claim 4 further comprising at least one retaining tab on said housing for retaining said housing on said upper support.

6. A tray assembly for receiving documents fed by a document processing means, comprising:

a receiving bin for receiving documents from said document processing means;

a housing comprising a rigid frame;

a bin tray attached to said housing for supporting said receiving bin;

an upper support member extending below said document processing means in a direction substantially perpendicular to a feeding direction of said documents for supporting said housing at a first location on said housing; and

a support leg attached to the underside of said housing for providing support at a second location on said housing.

7. The tray assembly according to claim 6, wherein said housing is removably attached to said upper support member.

8. The tray assembly according to claim 7, further comprising at least one retaining tab on said housing for retaining said housing on said upper support.

9. The tray assembly according to claim 6, wherein said housing is rotatably attached to said upper support so as to allow said housing to be lowered to a stored position.

14. The tray assembly according to claim 6 wherein said support leg extends between said second location on said housing and a lower support member extending below said upper support member in a direction generally perpendicular to said upper support member.

10. A slidable, lowerable, and removable tray assembly for receiving documents fed by a document processing means, said tray assembly comprising:

a receiving bin for receiving documents from said document processing means;

a housing comprising a rigid frame and a slide means attached thereto;

a bin tray for supporting said receiving bin, said bin tray being slidably attached to said housing by said slide means, said slide means being operable to allow said bin tray to be recessed into said housing.

an upper support member extending below said document processing means in a direction perpendicular to a feeding direction of said documents for supporting a housing at a first location on said housing, said housing being rotatably and removably attached to said upper support member so as to allow said housing to be lowered or removed; and

a support leg attached to the underside of said housing for providing support at a second location on said housing.

11. The tray assembly according to claim 10, wherein said support leg extends between said second location on said housing and a lower support member extending below said upper support member in a direction generally perpendicular to said upper support member.

12. A machine for processing flat documents, comprising:

a document processing means;

a diverter table for accepting said flat documents;

a slidable, lowerable, and removable tray assembly for receiving documents fed by said diverter table, said tray assembly further comprising;

a receiving bin for receiving documents from said document processing means;

a housing comprising a rigid frame and a slide means attached thereto;

a bin tray for supporting said receiving bin, said bin tray being slidably attached to said housing by said slide means, said slide means being operable to allow said bin tray to be recessed into said housing.

an upper support member extending below said document processing means in a direction perpendicular to a feeding direction of said documents for supporting a housing at a first location on said housing, said housing being rotatably and removably attached to said upper support member so as to allow said housing to be lowered or removed; and

a support leg attached to the underside of said housing for providing support at a second location on said housing.