Abstract: A mailpiece transfer apparatus uses a transfer box to unload a plurality of mailpieces from an open tray, while maintaining an orientation alignment of the flat items. The tray is placed in the transfer box, after which the transfer box, holding the tray, is rotated to cause the mailpieces to rest against a cover of the transfer box. The tray is then removed, and the transfer box rotated again, allowing the substantially flat items to rest against a bottom of the transfer box, but without the tray. The mailpieces are then guided to a next workstation. The mailpieces may be edged for delivery to the next workstation.

Abstract: A mailpiece transfer apparatus uses a transfer box to unload a plurality of mailpieces from an open tray, while maintaining an orientation alignment of the flat items. The tray is placed in the transfer box, after which the transfer box, holding the tray, is rotated to cause the mailpieces to rest against a cover of the transfer box. The tray is then removed, and the transfer box rotated again, allowing the substantially flat items to rest against a bottom of the transfer box, but without the tray. The mailpieces are then guided to a next workstation. The mailpieces may be edged for delivery to the next workstation.

Abstract: A mailpiece transfer system uses a transfer box to unload a plurality of mailpieces from an open tray, while maintaining an orientation alignment of the flat items. The tray is placed in the transfer box, after which the transfer box, holding the tray, is rotated to cause the mailpieces to rest against a cover of the transfer box. The tray is then removed, and the transfer box rotated again, allowing the substantially flat items to rest against a bottom of the transfer box, but without the tray. The mailpieces are then guided to a next workstation. The mailpieces may be edged for delivery to the next workstation.

Abstract: A mailpiece transfer system uses a transfer box to unload a plurality of mailpieces from an open tray, while maintaining an orientation alignment of the flat items. The tray is placed in the transfer box, after which the transfer box, holding the tray, is rotated to cause the mailpieces to rest against a cover of the transfer box. The tray is then removed, and the transfer box rotated again, allowing the substantially flat items to rest against a bottom of the transfer box, but without the tray. The mailpieces are then guided to a next workstation. The mailpieces may be edged for delivery to the next workstation.

Abstract: A singulator of the friction belt type capable of synchronous or asynchronous modes of operation is described. The singulator includes a buffer assembly for accepting a shingled stream of documents, a feeder pinch belt for extracting the first document from the buffer and a scanner for scanning the document as it passes through the feeder into an accelerator which is also a pinch belt. The accelerator accelerates the document to a constant speed leaving the singulator. A control means is provided which operates coupled to the feeder drive and the scanner so that the next upstream document is extracted a predetermine time after the first document leaves the accelerator.

Abstract: A machine for sorting documents and, in particular, for carrier sequence bar code sorting of mail has been described. The device uses three passes and 11 vertically disposed top fed stackers. The stackers also have a delivery system from the bottom thereof so that mail selectively dispensed from the bottom of each individual stacker proceeds through a buffer singulator, leveler, and wide area bar code reader which in turn signals the computer so that as the mail piece is transported through a top transport, it will be gated into the proper stacker in the proper sequence. The machine also may be adapted to an overflow situation wherein mail overflowing one stacker is diverted to an overflow stacker for recycling and the mail to be sorted is assigned in predetermined quantities to different stackers to minimize the possibility of overflow.