Patent US5324209A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0169145A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Envelope sorting apparatus
Assignee: Opex Corp
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Filing: 1985-07-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-07-16
Abstract
Abstract A sorting apparatus sequentially delivers envelopes to a staging area for transfer past a device for sensing specified characteristics of each envelope and/or its contents, and incorporates a deflector mechanism which is capable of selectively delivering envelopes to any of a plurality of receiving areas in accordance with signals received from the sensing device. The apparatus is capable of use as a stand alone unit, or as an integral portion of a mail extraction device. In either case, the area into which envelopes of a specified characteristic are deflected may be secured, so that the diverted envelopes may be safely retained for subsequent access only by authorized personnel.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert F. Stevens
- 👤 Paul E. Haley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 06:59
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C1/00; B43; B43M; B43M7/00; B43M7/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus for sorting a series of envelopes containing materials, in accordance with a desired characteristic of said materials, said apparatus comprising: means for sequentially delivering said envelopes to a staging area; sensor means operatively associated with said staging area, for sensing envelopes containing materials having said desired characteristic, and for providing a signal when an envelope in said series contains materials. having said desired characteristic; means for delivering envelopes from said staging area to an output of said apparatus; and means for diverting envelopes containing materials having said desired characteristic from said output to a holding area, responsive to said signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus for sorting a series of envelopes containing materials, in accordance with a desired characteristic of said materials, said apparatus comprising: means for sequentially delivering said envelopes to a staging area; sensor means operatively associated with said staging area, for sensing envelopes containing materials having said desired characteristic, and for providing a signal when an envelope in said series contains materials. having said desired characteristic; means for delivering envelopes from said staging area to an output of said apparatus; and means for diverting envelopes containing materials having said desired characteristic from said output to a holding area, responsive to said signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said envelopes are mail containing envelopes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said desired characteristic is either the number of materials contained in said envelope or the thickness of the materials contained in said envelope.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said delivering means comprises a conveyor for receiving said series of envelopes in bulk, said series of envelopes being preferably located on said conveyor in shingled fashion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said delivering means further comprises a reciprocating arm capable of picking up an envelope from said series of envelopes for conveyance to said staging area and wherein, preferably, said reciprocating arm engages said envelope by means of vacuum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said arm is reciprocated by means of vacuum, said vacuum being preferably applied to said reciprocating arm responsive to sensor means for detecting when the apparatus is to sort an envelope in said series and wherein, preferably ; said detecting means is associated with the output of said apparatus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said diverting means is a reciprocating door, preferably positioned to direct envelopes to said output, and is moved to a position to direct envelopes to said holding area responsive to said signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said holding area is an enclosure positioned adjacent to said staging area.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said holding area is located generally beneath said delivering means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said enclosure is secured from entry by a lockable accessing port.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said enclosure includes means for stacking received envelopes and wherein, preferably,said stacking means is a shingling conveyor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising means for sensing the number of envelopes stacked on said shingling conveyor, and preferably too, means for providing a signal when a selected number of envelopes are stacked on said shingling conveyor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said desired characteristic is envelope thickness.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said sensor means comprises: a first bearing surface for unyieldingly receiving an envelope in said series and a second bearing surface for yieldingly receiving said envelope, wherein said bearing surfaces are initially facing one another so as to receive said envelope therebetween; and switching means in operative association with said second bearing surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said first bearing surface is a wheel journaled for rotation in fixed relation to, and extending through an aperture in, a facing plate associated with said apparatus, and said facing plate preferably forming part of said staging area, said apparatus preferably further comprising means for rotating said wheel to advance an envelope through said sensor means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 15 having a plurality of rotatable wheels extending through said facing plate at spaced intervals.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said second bearing surface is a roller positioned adjacent to said first bearing surface, and adapted for movement with respect to said first bearing surface by means of a pivoted connecting arm and wherein, preferably, said switching means is associated with said connecting arm.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
113 words
An apparatus for opening and extracting materials from a series of envelopes sorted in accordance with a desired characteristic, said apparatus comprising: means for sequentially delivering said envelopes to a staging area; sensor means operatively associated with said staging area, for identifying envelopes containing materials having said desired characteristic, and for providing a signal when an envelope in said series contains materials having said desired characteristic; means for delivering envelopes from said staging area to means for opening said envelopes, for subsequent extraction of the materials contained in said envelopes; and means for diverting envelopes containing materials having said desired characteristic from said opening means to a holding area, responsive to said signal.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
113 words
An apparatus for opening and extracting materials from a series of envelopes sorted in accordance with a desired characteristic, said apparatus comprising: means for sequentially delivering said envelopes to a staging area; sensor means operatively associated with said staging area, for identifying envelopes containing materials having said desired characteristic, and for providing a signal when an envelope in said series contains materials having said desired characteristic; means for delivering envelopes from said staging area to means for opening said envelopes, for subsequent extraction of the materials contained in said envelopes; and means for diverting envelopes containing materials having said desired characteristic from said opening means to a holding area, responsive to said signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said staging area is in direct communication with said opening and extraction means and preferably wherein said delivering means, said sensing means and said diverting means form an integral part of said opening and extraction means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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