Swing gate

Details Swing gate Swing gate

2002-01-31

2003-12-23

Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)

Sheet feeding or delivering

Delivering

To receiver for pack of sheets

C414S793400, C209S900000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06666450

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to flat mail conveying, handling, sorting, and stacking systems, and more particularly to a new and improved implement for use in connection with flat mail conveying, handling, sorting, and stacking systems wherein, when flat mail articles, pieces, or units, such as, for example, envelopes, letters, newspapers, catalogs, magazines, greeting cards, post cards, fliers, and the like, are delivered to a predetermined sorting or storage container, bin, or tub destination, the implement will be activated or moved toward, or be disposed in, a particular orientation so as to effectively prevent an erroneous or misdirected discharge of the flat mail articles, units, or pieces from the system conveying structure such that jamming of the system occurs, or alternatively, the conveyed mail articles, pieces, or units are no longer in their original predetermined sorted order which is indispensable in connection with current automatic processing and sequenced delivery of mail pieces or units to recipients.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In automatic flat mail conveying, handling, sorting, and stacking systems, flat mail articles, pieces, or units, such as, for example, envelopes, letters, newspapers, catalogs, magazines, greeting cards, post cards, fliers, and the like, are initially conveyed by means of a suitable conveyor belt system, they are subsequently scanned, such as, for example, by means of a suitable bar code reader (BCR) or an optical character recognition (OCR) reader so as to be sorted, such as, for example, by means of destination address information, and conveyed further toward predetermined sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs. In accordance with current automatic processing and sequenced delivery systems for delivering mail pieces or units to recipients in accordance with the serial order of street delivery addresses, it is imperative that the particular flat mail articles, pieces, or units of mail are not only conveyed to and deposited within the correct sorting or storage container, bin, or tub, but in addition, that the flat mail articles, pieces, or units disposed within a particular sorting or storage container, bin, or tub be disposed and retained in a particular order corresponding to the delivery address sequence.
In connection with one type of system used in connection with the deposition of flat mail articles, pieces, or units into predetermined sorting or storage containers, bins, or tubs, the containers, bins, or tubs are disposed beneath a drop-box which has a movable platen member operatively associated therewith and upon which a plurality of flat mail articles, pieces, or units are initially collected or accumulated in preparation for preparing a stack of the flat mail articles, pieces, or units for subsequent deposition within the particular sorting or storage container, bin, or tub. When a predetermined amount or number of flat mail articles, pieces, or units have been collected or accumulated upon the movable platen of the drop-box, the platen is actuated so as to be effectively withdrawn from its position beneath the collected or accumulated articles, units, or pieces of flat mail piled or stacked upon the platen whereby the pile or stack of collected or accumulated articles, pieces or units of mail drops vertically downwardly in effect as a single entity into the sorting or storage container, bin, or tub so as to be disposed in a stacked or piled array within the particular sorting or storage container, bin, or tub.
Sometimes, during the course of the high-speed processing and conveyance of the various flat mail articles, pieces, or units, it is necessary or more efficient for the overall operation of the conveying and sorting system to deposit a particular article, piece, or unit of flat mail directly into the sorting or storage container without first collecting or accumulating the flat mail articles, pieces, or units upon the movable platen operatively associated with the drop-box. In other words, the particular article, piece, or unit of flat mail will be conveyed directly from the conveying mechanism, through the drop-box, and into the particular sorting or storage container, bin, or tub, thereby in effect, bypassing the drop-box. Under such circumstances, however, it has been experienced that one or more of the flat mail articles, pieces, or units, in lieu of actually being deposited into the sorting or storage container, bin, or tub, will sometimes become jammed within the track or slot defined within the drop-box framework and along which the platen moves when the same is being moved from its OPENED position to its CLOSED position, or alternatively, the particular article, piece, or unit or flat mail will sometimes be discharged through the slot or space defined between the bottom of the drop-box framework and the upper end of the sorting or storage container, bin, or tub. In either case, the efficient, orderly conveyance and stacking of the flat articles, pieces, or units of mail is operationally disrupted. In the first case, if the particular article, unit, or piece of flat mail becomes jammed, then operation of the conveying and handling system must be shut down until the jammed flat mail article, piece, or unit is able to be removed and placed in its proper order within the stack of flat mail articles, pieces, or units disposed within the sorting or storage container, bin, or tub. In the second case, operation of the conveying and handling system must likewise be shut down, and the particular article, piece, or unit of flat mail must be retrieved and likewise placed in its proper order within the stack of flat mail articles, units, or pieces disposed within the sorting or storage container, bin, or tub. In either case, the efficiency of the conveying and handling system, and the continuous operation of the same, has been compromised.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved implement for use in connection with a drop-box framework mechanism which is adapted to be mounted or disposed above a flat mail sorting or storage container, bin, or tub wherein, in connection with those instances in which the platen operatively associated with the drop-box is disposed at its OPENED position so as to permit flat mail articles, pieces, or units to be directly conveyed through the drop-box and into sorting or storage container, bin, or tub, without the flat mail articles, pieces, or units being initially collected or accumulated in a stack or pile upon the platen above the sorting or storage container, bin, or tub, some means must be provided in order to effectively prevent the conveyed flat mail articles, pieces, or units from becoming jammed within the slot defined within the drop-box framework along which the platen is movable between its OPENED and CLOSED positions, as well as to effectively prevent the conveyed flat mail articles, pieces, or units from being conveyed through the slot or opening defined between the bottom of the drop-box framework and the upper end of the sorting or storage container, bin, or tub.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved movable structure which is operatively associated with a drop-box framework mechanism or system, and a sorting or storage container, bin, or tub, so as to operatively cooperate with the drop-box framework mechanism and system, and the movable platen member thereof, such that flat mail articles, pieces, or units can be conveyed and deposited within a predetermined flat mail sorting or storage container, bin, or tub without encountering any operational difficulties.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved movable structure which is operatively associated with a drop-box framework mechanism or system, and a sorting or storage container, bin, or tub, so as to operatively cooperate with the drop-box framework mechanism and system, and the movable platen member thereof, such that flat mail articles, pieces, or units can be co

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Swing gate does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Swing gate, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Swing gate will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3182786