Abstract: A singulation mechanism is provided for use in a handling system for mail or other substantially flat articles, the mechanism having a singulation head with a drive mechanism which, in accordance with a first aspect of the invention, initially moves an article pressed thereagainst with high acceleration, interrupts the drive to the article for a brief instant and then moves the article again at high acceleration, a take-away mechanism removing the article exiting the head. In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, movement at a high acceleration is imparted to the article pressed against the singulation head only when the head is energized and substantially no movement in imparted when the head is not energized.

Abstract: A take-away mechanism is provided from a singulation mechanism in a system for handling substantially flat articles of varying size, weight and thickness, and in particular for handling mixed mail. The take-away mechanism includes at least one and preferably more belts which are preferably driven at a rate higher than the rate at which articles are fed to the take-away mechanism, which belt(s) preferably have surfaces in contact with the article of material having a high coefficient of friction. At least two components are provided for applying pressure to articles as they are passed over the belt, the components preferably being spaced along the belt by a distance less than the shortest length of an article to be handled. One of the components may be two or more independently biased rollers and one of the components may be two or more independently biased fingers, the rear component being the rollers and the forward component being fingers for the preferred embodiment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for resolving doubles on singulated flat articles being passed in a downstream direction to a takeaway mechanism by use of a doubles resolver mechanism ahead of the takeaway mechanism. The doubles resolver mechanism includes a doubles resolver head through which negative pressure may be applied to articles passing thereunder, and a mount for the head which positions the head against such articles with a substantially constant force regardless of the thickness of the article. Negative pressure is applied to the head except when the head is detected as having resolved a double, at which time such pressure is momentarily removed to permit the double to be cleared.