Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for providing multiple loading sites or entry sites for a single conveyor belt. This apparatus and method is particularly adapted to handling of pieces of flat mail. For each such loading site, another conveyor belt feeds mail flats to a transfer-buffer station measuring their sizes in the process. The feeder belt does not place a mail flat in the transfer-buffer station unless that station is sensed to be empty. The transfer-buffer station provides individual mail flats, one at a time, to an inclined conveyor belt, which serves as an inserter belt system. After a mail flat is moved by the transfer-buffer station onto the inserter belt system, the inserter belt system moves the mail flat to an intermediate "ready-to-load" park position and then stops. When a gap appears on the main conveyor belt, the inserter belt moves the mail flat onto that gap.

Abstract: An apparatus for the transfer of DIP devices to or from DIP delivery tubes is shown to include a hopper for the storage of several tubes, an elevator member for removing individual tubes from the hopper and depositing such tubes into a hopper, an orienting member which positions the tube in a predetermined radial orientation and which moves the tube axially in response to a control signal to a head member which receives the radially oriented tube and guides it to a predetermined second orientation for the transfer of DIP devices and which ejects such tubes upon completion and a computer control member for generating the necessary actuation signals to coordinate the transfer of DIP devices and tube ejection. The head member may also be provided with an extracation member to remove any pin or plug which may seal the tube.