US3584869A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mail handling machine
Assignee: HANLEY POSTAL SUPPLY Inc
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Filing: 1969-01-02
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Granted: 1971-06-15
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Expires: 1989-01-02
Abstract
Abstract A stacking device for letters, to be used with a mail cancelling machine, made up of a base plate, a guide plate supported over said base plate, a stop plate at one end of said base plate, a star wheel adjacent one end of said guide plate and a backing plate slidably supported over said base plate and adapted to engage a stack of letters. A pair of fingers are supported below said base plate. The fingers are operated by a mechanism by which they are moved up through the base plate then toward said backing plate. The fingers then move down so that the upper ends of the fingers clear and move past the bottom of the letters as they move toward the guide plate for another engagement of the letters. Thus the letters on the stack are kept out of the line of flow of letters from the cancelling machine.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter A Traphagen
- 👤 Karol T Dyczynski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 04:40
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H29/00; B65H29/38; B65H29/46
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A document handling device for letters of various lengths comprising means to feed said letters in sequence to said device, a frame including a plate for supporting letters on their lower longitudinal edges, an end stop in the path of leading edges of said letters, continuously rotating means having fingers engageable with the back surface of each letter to urge a part of the letter out of the way of the next succeeding letter, and spaced fingers, means to move said fingers in a path generally perpendicular to said plate, means to intermittently move said fingers to bring an end portion of said fingers upward through a slot in said plate, then horizontally toward said plate and into engagement with said letters, then downwardly through said plate, then horizontally away from said plate and to move successive said letters out of the path of incoming letters and for urging said letters into stacked position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
A document handling device for letters of various lengths comprising means to feed said letters in sequence to said device, a frame including a plate for supporting letters on their lower longitudinal edges, an end stop in the path of leading edges of said letters, continuously rotating means having fingers engageable with the back surface of each letter to urge a part of the letter out of the way of the next succeeding letter, and spaced fingers, means to move said fingers in a path generally perpendicular to said plate, means to intermittently move said fingers to bring an end portion of said fingers upward through a slot in said plate, then horizontally toward said plate and into engagement with said letters, then downwardly through said plate, then horizontally away from said plate and to move successive said letters out of the path of incoming letters and for urging said letters into stacked position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The device recited in claim 1 wherein a stacker plate is disposed on said machine, means for supporting said backing plate for movement in a direction generally at right angles to the direction of travel of said letters.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
The device recited in claim 1 wherein a guide plate is disposed on said machine for maintaining said letters in upright position as said letters move between said fingers and said rotating means, said guide plate having a bent end substantially parallel to said stacking plate and a trailing end substantially out of the way of the next succeeding letter.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
141 words
A device for handling letters comprising a frame for supporting letters on their longitudinal edges, means for advancing letters one at time edgewise along a determined path to a stacking position on said frame, a backing plate angularly converging in the direction of and toward the path of travel of said letters, means for pushing said letters a few at a time away from said determinate path of travel and toward said backing plate, an end stop against which the leading edges of said letters engage, and fingers supported below said frame, means connected to said fingers to move said fingers up through said frame and into engagement with said letter at a position adjacent said path and to move toward said backing plate a substantial distance and then to retract below said frame whereby letters are urged toward said stack.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
141 words
A device for handling letters comprising a frame for supporting letters on their longitudinal edges, means for advancing letters one at time edgewise along a determined path to a stacking position on said frame, a backing plate angularly converging in the direction of and toward the path of travel of said letters, means for pushing said letters a few at a time away from said determinate path of travel and toward said backing plate, an end stop against which the leading edges of said letters engage, and fingers supported below said frame, means connected to said fingers to move said fingers up through said frame and into engagement with said letter at a position adjacent said path and to move toward said backing plate a substantial distance and then to retract below said frame whereby letters are urged toward said stack.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
100 words
A device for handling letters comprising a plate having a vertically extending stop at one end, means to feed said letters a few at a time edgewise through a determinate path over said plate into engagement with said stop, and means to urge said letters into a stack out of said determinate path with one end of each said letter in engagement with said stop, said means comprising a plurality of fingers, means to urge said fingers in sequence up through said frame into engagement with a said letter, then toward said stack, then down and toward said determinate path.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
100 words
A device for handling letters comprising a plate having a vertically extending stop at one end, means to feed said letters a few at a time edgewise through a determinate path over said plate into engagement with said stop, and means to urge said letters into a stack out of said determinate path with one end of each said letter in engagement with said stop, said means comprising a plurality of fingers, means to urge said fingers in sequence up through said frame into engagement with a said letter, then toward said stack, then down and toward said determinate path.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device recited in claim 5 wherein a star wheel is disposed adjacent said stop, said star wheel has recesses to receive the ends of said letters and is adapted to move the leading edges of said letters out of said determinate path.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-06-14 | 1974-12-14 | 1975-06-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-06-14 | 1978-12-14 | 1979-06-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-06-14 | 1982-12-14 | 1983-06-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |