Abstract: A mail separating device has a conveyor channel, an input of which is connected to a sorting device for successively supplying the channel with flat mail items. The separating device includes a sensor which is located along the channel for generating a double-withdrawal signal on detecting a pair of at least partly superimposed mail items. The double-withdrawal signal activates a stop device, which is located along the channel and moves an appendix from an idle position to an activating position. A stop portion of the appendix contacts the vertical end edge of a first item in the pair. The impact of the stop portion on the vertical end edge arrests the first item while the second item in the pair continues traveling along the channel and is detached from the first item.

Abstract: A mail decelerating device wherein a straight channel with a V-shaped cross section is supplied by a conveyor channel with a number of mail items; the mail item is intercepted and directed by a deflecting element towards an inclined wall of the V-section channel, along which it slides and is arrested on striking a kinetic energy dissipating device at one end of the V-section channel; following stoppage of the item, a bottom opening in the V-section channel is opened, and through which the mail item drops out by force of gravity.

Abstract: A mail sorting device wherein an inclined supporting surface cooperates with a guide device presenting a number of push surfaces spaced along the supporting surface and movable from a back stop towards a front stop adjacent to the upper end edge of the supporting surface. The supporting surface supports a number of flat rectangular mail items grouped into stacks interposed between adjacent push surfaces; and the sorting device presents a grip-and-carry device facing the end edge of the supporting surface, and in turn presenting a gripping head movable to and from the supporting surface to withdraw one mail item at a time from the stack and feed it to a conveyor device. The guide device provides for feeding the push surfaces back from the front stop to the back stop.

Abstract: A device whereby a pile of rectangular items is placed on an inclined surface and pushed towards the straight front edge thereof by a push unit. The surface presents two pairs of conveyor belts parallel to each other and coplanar with the surface; and the pile is arrested upon a bottom portion of the first item in the pile activating a first or second limit stop sensor, which activates a respective pair of belts so as to move the bottom left or right portion of the item and so orient the item in relation to a gripping plane. A gripping unit with two suction cups movable along a three-dimensional trajectory grips the oriented item and feeds it to a follow-up conveyor belt.

Abstract: A system for stacking into containers flat articles received in a shingled stream, the flat articles being disposed essentially normal to the bottoms of the containers into which they are stacked; mechanism is provided for rapidly diverting the shingled stream of flat articles from the rear of a just filled container to the front of the next empty container in a line of moving containers to feed flat articles into successive containers without interruption; containers having elongated slots in the ends are provided to facilitate the rapid shifting of the article stream from container to container in a line of containers; there also is provided a mechanism to generate a gap in the shingled stream of flat articles to facilitate transfer of the stream from a filled container to an empty container; there further is provided mechanism for diverting the shingled stream of flat articles before it reaches the containers to sample the flat articles or to reject the flat articles should they be defective; also provided