Automatic mail sorter

Claim 2

An automatic mail sorter for grouping mail carried on conveyor means: the mail is addressed and labeled for delivery according to codes on labels attached to the mail; said mail sorter comprising label-scanning means for scanning said labels to detect said codes; said codes being the relative position of the zip code on the label whereby a different zip code position indicates a new group; means responsive to the code being in a usual position for generating a first number of pulses; means responsive to said different zip code position for generating a second number of pulses; means for discerning between said first number of pulses and said second number of pulses to thereby detect said second number of pulses; control signal generator means synchronized with the conveyor means and operated responsive to the detection of said second number of pulses for generating a control signal; and means responsive to the generation of a control signal for accomplishing said grouping.

Claim 3

The automatic mail sorter of claim 1, wherein said means for scanning said labels comprises mark light source means mounted adjacent to said conveyor means: mark photoelectric cell means associated with said mark light source for generating mark pulses responsive to said code on any of said labels; means for normally generating the first number of pulses; and means responsive to said mark pulses for inhibiting said means for normally generating the first number of pulses to generate said second number of pulses.

Claim 4

An automatic mail sorter for grouping mail carried on conveyor means labeled for delivery according to codes on the labels, said mail sorter comprising: label scanning means for scanning said label labels to detect said codes; said scanning means comprising mark light source means mounted adjacent to said conveyor means, mark photo electric cell means associated with said mark light source for generating mark pulses responsive to said code on any of said labels; control signal generating means synchronized with the conveyor means and operated responsive to the detection of said codes for generating a code signal; said control signal generating means comprising means for generating a set of counting pulses during the period of scanning each label, counter means for counting said counting pulses; means responsive to the number of said counting pulses being less than a predetermined amount or providing a control signal; means operated responsive to said mark signal for stopping the count of said counting pulses prior to reaching said predetermined amount, and thereby providing the control signal; and means responsive to the control signal for accomplishing said Grouping.

Claim 5

An automatic mail sorter for grouping mail carried on conveyor means labeled for delivery according to codes on the labels, said mail sorter comprising: label scanning means for scanning said label labels to detect said codes; said scanning means comprising mark light source means mounted adjacent to said conveyor means, mark photo electric cell means associated with said mark light source for generating mark pulses responsive to said code on any of said labels; control signal generating means synchronized with the conveyor means and operated responsive to the detection of said codes for generating a code signal; said control signal generating means comprising means for generating a set of counting pulses during the period of scanning each label, counter means for counting said counting pulses; means responsive to the number of said counting pulses being less than a predetermined amount or providing a control signal; means operated responsive to said mark signal for stopping the count of said counting pulses prior to reaching said predetermined amount, and thereby providing the control signal; and means responsive to the control signal for accomplishing said Grouping.

Claim 6

The automatic mail sorter of claim 3, wherein means are provided for reading and resetting said counting means after each label is scanned.

Claim 7

The automatic sorter of claim 4 wherein said reading and resetting means comprises means for generating a reset signal after each label is scanned by said scanning means, reading means operated responsive to said reset signal for reading said counting means, and delay means operated responsive to said reset signal for resetting said counting means.

Claim 8

The automatic sorter of claim 5, wherein said counting means comprises a plurality of bistable circuits: said bistable circuits comprising set inputs and reset inputs; said reading means comprises first gate means operated responsive to simultaneously receiving outputs from at least one of said bistable circuits and said reset signal thereby providing gate output signals from said gate means; wherein said delay means comprises monostable circuit means operated responsive to said reset signal; and means for coupling the output of said monostable circuit means to said reset inputs to reset said counting means.

Claim 9

The automatic mail sorter of claim 6, wherein course delay means are provided to delay said gate output signal until said mail for sorting is adjacent to said means for accomplishing said grouping.

Claim 10

The automatic mail sorter of claim 7, wherein said course delay means comprises shift register means, and wherein vernier delay means are provided to delay said control signal until the article of mail bearing a label initiating a new group is substantially centered adjacent to said means for accomplishing said grouping.

Claim 11

The automatic mail sorter of claim 8, wherein tachometer signal-generating means are provided to generate a fixed number of tachometer signals during the period of scanning of each label: wherein said vernier delay means comprises predetermined counter means; said predetermined counter means providing the control signal responsive to the receipt of a predetermined number of signals, and means responsive to the simultaneous receipt of said delayed control signal received from said shift register means and said tachometer pulses for transmitting said tachometer pulses to said predetermined counter means to obtain said output control signal.

Claim 12

The automatic mail sorter of claim 9, wherein said means for accomplishing said grouping comprises solenoid means operated responsive to said output control signal for forcing the article of mail bearing a label initiating a new group out of alignment with the articles of mail-bearing labels that do not initiate a new group.

Claim 13

The automatic mail sorter of claim 10 wherein said means for generating said counting pulses, said reset signals and said tachometer signals comprises encoding wheel means: means for synchronizing the speed of rotation of said encoding wheel means with said conveyor means; said encoding wheel means comprising a set of tachometer windows; a set of gate windows and a reset window; light source means individually associated with said set of tachometer windows, said set of gate windows and said reset window; tachometer photoelectric cell means associated with said set of tachometer windows to generate said tachometer signals responsive to receiving light from said tachometer windows; gate photoelectric cell means associated with said set of gate windows to generate said counting pulses responsive to receiving light from said gate windows; and reset photoelectric cell means associated with said reset window to generate said reset signal responsive to receiving light from said reset window.

Claim 14

The automatic sorter of claim 11, wherein said means for preventing said counting means from counting said counting pulses comprises gate amplifier means coupled in series between the output of said gate photoelectric cell means and said counting means: logic means coupled to the output of said mark phoToelectric cell for providing a steady signal output responsive to the receipt of one of said mark pulses; means for coupling the said output of said logic means to said gate amplifier means to block said gate amplifier and thereby prevent the said count of said counting pulses.

Claim 15

The automatic sorter of claim 12, wherein said logic means comprises logic monostable circuit means operated responsive to the receipt of said mark pulses to produce an output from said logic monostable circuit means to produce a blocking output signal that is coupled to said gate amplifier means, and means for coupling the reset signal to the reset input of said logic bistable circuit to reset said logic bistable circuit and thereby unblock said gate amplifier responsive to said reset signal.

Claim 16

The automatic sorter of claim 13, including clock means for providing a clock signal causing said shift register to shift after each label is scanned: shift register output AND gate means; switch means for selecting and coupling the shift register output to said shift register output AND gate means; means for coupling said clock signal to said shift register output AND gate means to thereby operate said shift register output AND gate means responsive to the simultaneous receipt of said shift register output signal and said clock signal to provide an output signal; output bistable means operated responsive to said shift register output AND gate signal to provide an operating signal; tachometer AND gate means operated responsive to simultaneously receiving said operating signal and said output control signal to provide said control signal; and means for coupling the output control signal to reset said output bistable means.

Claim 17

The automatic sorter of claim 14, wherein a shift in the zip code position is the code that indicates the initiation of a new group, and wherein said mark scanner provides a pulse for every figure of the zip code.

Claim 18

The automatic sorter of claim 15, wherein means are provided for setting said encoding wheel to generate a certain number of said counting pulses, before said counting pulses are blocked by said mark signal provided by the first figure of said shifted zip code, and wherein said first gate means is operated only if said counting means receives said certain number of counting pulses.

Claim 19

The automatic sorter of claim 11, wherein said windows are reflecting surfaces.

Claim 20

The automatic sorter of claim 11, wherein said windows are transparent.

Claim 21

An automatic mail sorter for grouping mail having labels with common address portions: said sorter comprising label conveyor means; means for scanning the labels to detect codes indicating new common address portions; means for generating a set of counting pulses during the period of scanning of each label; means responsive to detecting said codes for blocking said counting pulses; first counting means for determining the number of counting pulses received prior to the blocking of said counting pulses; means responsive to the receipt of a certain number of counting pulses for generating a control pulse; and means responsive to said control pulse for distinguishing sequential groups of different address portions.

Claim 22

An automatic mail sorter for grouping mail having labels with common address portions: said sorter comprising label conveyor means; means for scanning the labels to detect codes indicating new common address portions; means for generating a set of counting pulses during the period of scanning of each label; means responsive to detecting said codes for blocking said counting pulses; first counting means for determining the number of counting pulses received prior to the blocking of said counting pulses; means responsive to the receipt of a certain number of counting pulses for generating a control pulse; and means responsive to said control pulse for distinguishing sequential groups of different address portions.