Abstract: An apparatus is provided for processing mail by severing an edge of each envelope in a stack of mail. The apparatus includes an input bin for receiving a stack of mail. An agitator confronting the stack of envelopes in the input bin reciprocally displaces the bottom envelope in the stack of mail to provide separation between the bottom envelope and the remaining envelopes in the stack. A feeder feeds the bottom envelope from the input bin to a transport that conveys the envelope along an envelope path. A cutter positioned along the envelope path severs one edge of the envelopes. The transport discharges the opened envelopes onto a return conveyor that conveys the opened envelopes to a stacking area where the opened envelopes are stacked.

Abstract: An apparatus for the automated processing of bulk mail in a continuous and automatic procedure includes an operative combination of processing stations including an input station for receiving incoming mail in bulk fashion and for separating the pieces of mail for individual delivery to the remainder of the apparatus a station for detecting irregularities in the contents of the envelopes, such as metal items, folded contents, or oversized items; a station for outsorting envelopes rejected in accordance with determinations made at the detection station; a station for opening the envelopes, preferably along multiple edges; a station for removing the contents from the opened envelopes, for subsequent processing of the contents; and a series of stations for handling and orienting the contents for subsequent delivery to a plurality of output stackers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing mail is provided. Mail is placed into an input bin having a conveyor that conveys the mail towards a feeder. The feeder serially feeds the envelopes by engaging the lead envelope in the stack of mail and displacing the lead envelope transverse the stack of mail. The mail is fed into a shuttle that vertically displaces the envelopes to position the envelopes for entering a justifier. The justifier justifies the top edge of the envelopes and conveys the envelopes to a cutter that severs the top edge of the envelopes. A transport conveys the envelopes from the top cutter to an extractor. The extractor opens the edge-severed mail and presents the contents of the envelopes to an operator who manually extracts the contents. The transport conveys the empty envelopes from the extractor to a verifier that verifies that all of the contents have been removed from the envelope before the envelope is discarded.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing mail. In particular a method and apparatus for distinguishing between different types of documents is disclosed. A document is conveyed past a magnetizing device that imparts a magnetic charge onto any magnetic ink markings that may be on the document. Subsequently, a read head scans the document to determine the presence of magnetic markings. The device then determines the document-type for the document in response to the presence and location of magnetic ink markings on the document. The length of the document is also detected, and the document-type determination is verified based on the length of the document.

Abstract: Envelopes with unspecified contents are inspected by a “magnetic imaging” device which operates to identify magnetic indicia associated with the contents of the envelopes in order to identify the orientation of contents within the envelopes and/or to identify magnetic indicia indicative of the magnetic stripe of a credit/debit card or its remnants, in addition to a second detection device (e.g., a thickness measuring device or a metal detecting device) which can then verify whether the indicia indicative of a magnetic stripe signify the presence of a credit/debit card or some other stimulus such as a paper clip or the like. Similar assurances can be provided by employing a thickness measuring device and a metal detecting device, in operative combination (with or without the addition of a magnetic imaging device).

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for jogging elements to settle or align the elements. The apparatus includes a vibrating element and an input bin for receiving the elements to be jogged. The apparatus further includes an elongated element disposed between the vibrating element and the input bin separating the input bin from the vibrating element. Wherein, the elongated element transmits the vibrations from the vibrating element to the input bin such that the vibrations jog the elements in the input bin.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for sorting a group of documents contained with an envelope into selected batches of documents. An envelope feeder feeds a group of envelopes containing documents onto a document transport. A document extractor positioned along the path of movement extracts the documents from the envelopes. A system controller identifies the documents extracted from each respective envelope along with the respective envelope as a single transaction along the path of movement. An orientation detector including a magnetic image reader and an optical image reader determines the orientation of selected documents along the path of movement. A document orientor changes the orientation of documents along the path of movement into a desired orientation. An image acquisition device acquires an image of the envelopes and selected documents conveyed along the path of movement to enable the system controller to assign documents and the envelope from which it was extracted into selected transactions and batches.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for sorting documents. The documents are scanned to determine a characteristic of each document and then sorted in response to the scanned characteristic. In particular, a method is provided for multi-pass processing of documents. In accordance with one method, each document is assigned a logical sort number corresponding to the recipient of the document. The documents are then sorted in sequential order according to the logical sort numbers. A method is also provided that compares data scanned during a pass with data obtained during a previous pass to determine the recipient of the document. In addition a method is provided for marking the documents and sorting the documents so that the markings provide indicators of pre-defined groups of documents.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing mail is provided. Mail is placed into an input bin having a conveyor that conveys the mail towards a feeder. The feeder serially feeds the envelopes by engaging the lead envelope in the stack of mail and displacing the lead envelope transverse the stack of mail. The mail is fed into a shuttle that vertically displaces the envelopes to position the envelopes for entering a justifier. The justifier justifies the top edge of the envelopes and conveys the envelopes to a cutter that severs the top edge of the envelopes. A transport conveys the envelopes from the top cutter to an extractor. The extractor opens the edge-severed mail and presents the contents of the envelopes to an operator who manually extracts the contents. The transport conveys the empty envelopes from the extractor to a verifier that verifies that all of the contents have been removed from the envelope before the envelope is discarded.

Abstract: A series of documents to be processed are optically inspected, and compared with a reference standard to identify the relative orientation of each document. To this end, an image acquired from the document (preferably from each side of the document) is focused on an array of picture elements (pixels) for electronically converting the acquired image to digital form. This produces a digitally encoded image, which can be enhanced if desired, defined by an array of pixels corresponding to the acquired image. For each acquired image, two reference areas, which are preferably symmetrically located on the document, are inspected for the presence of a pre-selected reference mark. Location of the reference mark in one of the two reference areas operates to determine the orientation of the document.

Abstract: A thickness detector is provided for detecting the thickness of envelopes containing documents. The thickness detector detects the thickness of the envelopes at a plurality of points along the length of the envelopes as the envelopes are conveyed along a transport path. The thickness detector includes a fixed roller and a follower roller forming a nip. The follower roller is rotatably mounted on a follower arm that is pivotable relative to the fixed roller. A semi-rigid connecting rod connects the follower arm to a damper that dampens the reciprocal movement of the follower arm.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for sorting a group of documents contained with an envelope into selected batches of documents. An envelope feeder feeds a group of envelopes containing documents onto a document transport. A document extractor positioned along the path of movement extracts the documents from the envelopes. A system controller identifies the documents extracted from each respective envelope along with the respective envelope as a single transaction along the path of movement. An orientation detector including a magnetic image reader and an optical image reader determines the orientation of selected documents along the path of movement. A document orientor changes the orientation of documents along the path of movement into a desired orientation. An image acquisition device acquires an image of the envelopes and selected documents conveyed along the path of movement to enable the system controller to assign documents and the envelope from which it was extracted into selected transactions and batches.

Abstract: A ferrous object detection circuit for use with automated document processing devices is provided for detecting and sorting documents affixed with ferrous objects such as staples and paper clips. A static magnetic field is positioned to intersect a document path. At least one inductive transducer is positioned relative to the magnetic field to detect changes in the magnetic field resulting from documents traveling along the document path. The movement of ferrous objects through the static magnetic field produces a detection signal in the inductive transducer, identifying the document as having a ferrous object.

Abstract: An apparatus for the automated processing of bulk mail in a continuous and automatic procedure includes an operative combination of processing stations including an input station for receiving incoming mail in bulk fashion and for separating the pieces of mail for individual delivery to the remainder of the apparatus; a station for detecting irregularities in the contents of the envelopes, such as metal items, folded contents, or oversized items; a station for out-sorting envelopes rejected in accordance with determinations made at the detection station; a station for opening the envelopes, preferably along multiple edges; a station for removing the contents from the opened envelopes, for subsequent processing of the contents; and a series of stations for handling and orienting the contents for subsequent delivery to a plurality of output stackers.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for processing a batch of remittance transactions in the form of an invoice and an accompanying check. A feeder receives a stacked batch of transactional pairs of documents and serially feeds the documents along a selected path of movement. Scanning cameras scan the front and back of each document to provide front and back images of the documents. A magnetic imager is employed for reading the magnetic markings of each check to detect the orientation of each check. From the magnetic imager, the documents are fed to a document-reordering device that functions to selectively change the sequential order of selected pairs of documents along the path of movement. A document orientor is also provided for selectively changing the orientation of any selected document along the path of movement. The document orientor includes a document reverser for reversing the orientation of selected documents from back to front along the path of movement.

Abstract: Machine and method for extracting the contents from envelopes for presentation to an operator. The envelopes are stacked at an input station and fed one at a time from the input station to a cutting station. At the cutting station, the envelopes are severed along their edge portions to provide access to the contents. From the cutting station, the envelopes are transported to a separating station, where the contents are separated from the envelopes. The contents from one envelope at a time are conveyed to a pick-up station for presentation to an operator at a work station. When the operator removes the contents of one envelope from the pick-up station, the contents of another envelope are conveyed to that station and presented to the operator. As each envelope leaves the separating station, it is checked to verify that the contents have been removed.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for sorting a group of documents contained with an envelope into selected batches of documents. An envelope feeder feeds a group of envelopes containing documents onto a document transport. A document extractor positioned along the path of movement extracts the documents from the envelopes. A system controller identifies the documents extracted from each respective envelope as a single transaction along the path of movement. An orientation detector including a magnetic image reader and an optical image reader determines the orientation of selected documents along the path of movement. A document orientor changes the orientation of documents along the path of movement into a desired orientation. A document feeder is positioned downstream from the envelope feeder to selectively feed batch identification pieces into the path of movement.

Abstract: In a method for the automated processing of bulk mail, envelopes are transferred to a receiving apparatus in bulk fashion (from incoming mail trays or the like) for the extraction of documents contained by the envelopes, and the extracted documents are delivered to a remittance processing device, preferably both automatically and without the need for human intervention. Subsequent processing of the extracted documents within the remittance processing device then proceeds in usual fashion, completing the acquisition of information which is necessary to ready such documents for deposit into the banking system. Also disclosed are various presorting functions so that only envelopes containing documents of a specified type will be fully processed, other sorting functions such as the identification of specific types of documents (invoices or checks) for separate processing, and the use of a single extraction device to deliver extracted documents to either one, or a series of remittance processing devices.