Abstract: The invention relates to a feeder device (1) for feeding mailpieces (2) to a postal sorting conveyor (3), the feeder device comprising an unstacker head (4) designed to put the mailpieces in series and on edge on the sorting conveyor, an unstacker plate (5) designed to unstack the mailpieces one-by-one towards the unstacker head, and a mailpiece feed conveyor (6) designed to convey the mailpieces in a stack and on edge against the unstacker plate. The unstacker plate comprises a stationary portion (5a) that extends from the unstacker head, and a moving portion (5b) that extends the stationary portion, said moving portion being mounted to pivot from the stationary portion between a first position in which the stationary portion and the moving portion are aligned with each other, and a second position in which the stationary portion and the moving portion are angularly offset relative to each other.

Abstract: An installation for sorting articles comprises a carousel sorting conveyor having transport bins, an article feed magazine in which articles stored loosely are put into series and then injected one-by-one into the transport bins of the conveyor by an injection device, and a monitoring and control unit that acts on the bins so as to open each of them over a receptacle that corresponds to a delivery address of the article, the injection device comprising piston pushers and a system of sensors being provided to generate data representative of an outline of the article seen in plan so as to enable the data processing unit to detect inappropriate positioning of the article before it is injected into a bin, and, in such a situation, direct the improperly positioned article towards a reject receptacle.

Abstract: An installation for sorting articles comprises a carousel sorting conveyor having transport bins, an article feed magazine in which articles stored loosely are put into series and then injected one-by-one into the transport bins of the conveyor by an injection device, and a monitoring and control unit that acts on the bins so as to open each of them over a receptacle that corresponds to a delivery address of the article, the injection device comprising piston pushers and a system of sensors being provided to generate data representative of an outline of the article seen in plan so as to enable the data processing unit to detect inappropriate positioning of the article before it is injected into a bin, and, in such a situation, direct the improperly positioned article towards a reject receptacle.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the stiffness of mail articles on the principle of measuring deflection of a beam in bending comprises a rectilinear conveying portion for conveying the mail articles, a deflection roller disposed in a staggered offset manner between two wheels having deformable rims in such a manner as to form a substantially triangular peak on the rectilinear conveying portion, and an inlet ramp that is disposed upstream from the peak and that follows the upward slope of the peak.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the stiffness of mail articles on the principle of measuring deflection of a beam in bending comprises a rectilinear conveying portion for conveying the mail articles, a deflection roller disposed in a staggered offset manner between two wheels having deformable rims in such a manner as to form a substantially triangular peak on the rectilinear conveying portion, and an inlet ramp that is disposed upstream from the peak and that follows the upward slope of the peak.

Abstract: An adjustment method for adjusting the heights of the nipping belts in a transport conveyor that moves flat articles in series and on edge, so that a transport height is substantially constant for the flat articles. The method causes the conveyor to operate empty in such a manner that the nipping belts of heights that are to be adjusted run without any flat article in the conveyor, emits two parallel and superposed light beams towards a belt of height to be adjusted, spaced apart by a certain distance equal to the width of the belt between the two opposite edges of the belt to be adjusted, the light beams emitted from a portable tool, and manipulate a tensioner adjusting the belt so as to move the belt heightwise while it is running empty until the two light beams intersect respective ones of the two opposite edges of the belt.

Abstract: An adjustment method for adjusting the heights of the nipping belts in a transport conveyor that moves flat articles in series and on edge, so that a transport height is substantially constant for the flat articles. The method causes the conveyor to operate empty in such a manner that the nipping belts of heights that are to be adjusted run without any flat article in the conveyor, emits two parallel and superposed light beams towards a belt of height to be adjusted, spaced apart by a certain distance equal to the width of the belt between the two opposite edges of the belt to be adjusted, the light beams emitted from a portable tool, and manipulate a tensioner adjusting the belt so as to move the belt heightwise while it is running empty until the two light beams intersect respective ones of the two opposite edges of the belt.

Abstract: A sorting machine (1) for sorting flat articles (100, 101) having non-uniform physical characteristics, the sorting machine having sorting outlets equipped with stackers (3) controlled by a monitoring and control unit in compliance with a plurality of programs, each of which is assigned to a predefined type of flat article (100, 101) having predetermined physical characteristics and setting predetermined operating parameters such as, in particular, the pitch between said flat articles (100, 101), and the speed at which said flat articles (100, 101) are conveyed, the sorting machine (1) having means for determining the predetermined physical characteristics of each incoming flat article (101) arriving in said stacker (3), said monitoring and control unit being arranged to act after said determination to assign a predefined type of flat article to said flat article (101) arriving in said stacker (3) and to activate the corresponding unstacking program so as to apply predetermined operating parameters while said

Abstract: A sorting machine (1) for sorting flat articles (100, 101) having non-uniform physical characteristics, the sorting machine having sorting outlets equipped with stackers (3) controlled by a monitoring and control unit in compliance with a plurality of programs, each of which is assigned to a predefined type of flat article (100, 101) having predetermined physical characteristics and setting predetermined operating parameters such as, in particular, the pitch between said flat articles (100, 101), and the speed at which said flat articles (100, 101) are conveyed, the sorting machine (1) having means for determining the predetermined physical characteristics of each incoming flat article (101) arriving in said stacker (3), said monitoring and control unit being arranged to act after said determination to assign a predefined type of flat article to said flat article (101) arriving in said stacker (3) and to activate the corresponding unstacking program so as to apply predetermined operating parameters while said

Abstract: The method of detecting overlapping postal items in a postal sorting installation (1) consists in detecting variation in the length of each item by causing each item to go past a plurality of proximity detectors (4, 5, 6, 7). The proximity detectors are situated at different points of the sorting installation (1) and they are configured to evaluate the length of each item. As they pass through the sorting installation, overlapping items shift progressively relative to one another due, in particular, to friction. Thus, the total length of a set of overlapping items tends to vary, such that evaluating variation in the length of each potential item serves to provide information that is reliable for detecting overlaps. Since it is relatively easy to evaluate the length of an item, the performance of the installation is improved at low cost.

Abstract: The device comprises a conveyor (1) for displacing the envelope, in a displacement direction (D), along a path including a bend, and a member (12) disposed on the outside of the bend and downstream therefrom in said displacement direction, said member (12) cooperating with the conveyor (1) to cause the envelope to curve around the bend, and being movably mounted relative to the conveyor, so as to move a certain distance away from the conveyor depending on the thickness of the envelope and on its stiffness. A sensor (30) is provided to detect said certain distance minus the thickness of the envelope exceeding a predetermined threshold, thereby detecting that a hard object is present inside the envelope. The present invention applies to the processing of mail items.