US3837484A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Mail sorting system
Assignee: Licentia Patent Verwaltungs GmbH
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Filing: 1973-10-30
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Granted: 1974-09-24
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Expires: 1993-10-30
Abstract
Abstract In a mail sorting system in which mail items are routed from a number of distributing stations to appropriate, essentially parallel conveying channels, the stations being spaced along the channels and each item being fed to a selected channel on the basis of its destination address, overloading of a channel is indicated by providing an electrical simulation of the distribution at each moment of items along each channel, the simulation being in response to routing signals from the stations, and by producing an alarm signal when the simulation shows that more than a predetermined number of items are present in a selected length of any one channel upstream of its junction with at least the last station, taken in the direction of conveyance along the channels.
Inventors
- 👤 W Ruckebier
- 👤 H Schorpp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:26
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C1/00; B07C1/02; B07C3/00; B07C3/003; B07C3/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
307 words
In a mail sorting system composed of: a collecting conveying path constituted by a plurality of distributing channels; a plurality of distributing stations disposed along the collecting conveying path and having outlet conveying paths arranged transversely across the collecting conveying path; switches disposed to connect each outlet path to any distributing channel; each station including a keyboard for supplying destination information derived from the address on each mail item supplied to that station, and a collator for forming from such information a setting signal for the switch associated with the channel which corresponds to the address on each item, the improvement comprising, for each said distributing channel: electrical simulation circuit means for providing an electrical representation of the distribution of items supplied to its associated distributing channel; input means connected to said circuit means for supplying thereto simulation signals in a manner to cause said circuit means to contain an indication of the time of delivery of each item to said channel and the location along said channel of each such delivery; control means associated with said circuit means for causing said circuit means to continuously indicate the location of each such item as it travels along said distributing channel; monitoring means associated with at least the last of said stations, in the direction of conveyance of items along said path, and connected to said circuit means for deriving a representation of the number of such items indicated by said circuit means to be present in a selected length of said channel upstream, relative to the direction of item conveyance, of the junction between said channel and the switch connecting said channel and said last of said stations; and comparator means connected to said monitoring means for emitting an alarm signal when said monitoring means derives a representation corresponding to more than a predetermined number of items.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
307 words
In a mail sorting system composed of: a collecting conveying path constituted by a plurality of distributing channels; a plurality of distributing stations disposed along the collecting conveying path and having outlet conveying paths arranged transversely across the collecting conveying path; switches disposed to connect each outlet path to any distributing channel; each station including a keyboard for supplying destination information derived from the address on each mail item supplied to that station, and a collator for forming from such information a setting signal for the switch associated with the channel which corresponds to the address on each item, the improvement comprising, for each said distributing channel: electrical simulation circuit means for providing an electrical representation of the distribution of items supplied to its associated distributing channel; input means connected to said circuit means for supplying thereto simulation signals in a manner to cause said circuit means to contain an indication of the time of delivery of each item to said channel and the location along said channel of each such delivery; control means associated with said circuit means for causing said circuit means to continuously indicate the location of each such item as it travels along said distributing channel; monitoring means associated with at least the last of said stations, in the direction of conveyance of items along said path, and connected to said circuit means for deriving a representation of the number of such items indicated by said circuit means to be present in a selected length of said channel upstream, relative to the direction of item conveyance, of the junction between said channel and the switch connecting said channel and said last of said stations; and comparator means connected to said monitoring means for emitting an alarm signal when said monitoring means derives a representation corresponding to more than a predetermined number of items.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1 further comprising an indicator device connected to be actuated by such alarm signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 2 further comprising a prolongation device connected in the alarm signal path between said comparator means and said indicator device for prolonging the actuation thereof for a given period of time after the alarm signal has disappeared.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 2 further comprising mail storage containers at an input location, and means delivering mail therefrom to said distributing stations, and wherein said indicator device is disposed in the region of such input location.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 2 wherein there are monitoring means comparator means associated with a plurality of said stations and said indicator device includes an indicator element connected to receive the alarm signals from all comparators associated with one distributing channel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 2 wherein there are monitoring means and comparator means associated with a plurality of said stations and said indicator devices comprises a plurality of indicator elements each associated with a respective channel and station, said indicator elements being arranged in rows and columns corresponding to the disposition of the distributing channels and the locations of said distributing stations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1 further comprising a blocking circuit connected to said comparator means for receiving alarm signals for blocking, during the duration of such an alarm signal, delivery of a setting signal to the switch disposed between the respective distributing channel and said station.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 7 further comprising means for delivering to a separate collecting point those items prevented from reaching said distributing channel by the action of said blocking circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
87 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 8 wherein each said distributing station comprises a printer for printing a coded guide indication on each item corresponding to printing information which is also formed in said collator from the destination information therefor; and a logic circuit connected to provide an output signal which effects the discharge of an item to the outlet conveying path of said station without actuation of the printer whenever delivery of the setting signal has been blocked due to the presence of an alarm signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said station comprises a logic circuit connected to said comparator means for preventing the transfer of an item to the outlet conveying path of said station during emission of an alarm signal by said comparator means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said input means are connected to supply to said circuit means signals derived from the setting signals formed by said collator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
69 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said simulation circuit means comprises a plurality of shift registers each associated with a respective one of said stations disposed ahead of said last station with respect to the direction of conveyance along said path, with the number of bit locations of each said register being proportional to the distance, along said path, between its associated station and said last station.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein, for all of said channels, said simulation circuits, said monitoring means, and said comparator means are constituted by a programmed process computer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 13 wherein said process computer also constitutes said collator.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-09-23 | 1978-03-25 | 1978-09-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-23 | 1982-03-25 | 1982-09-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-23 | 1986-03-25 | 1986-09-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |