Apparatus for ejecting stacks of articles from containers

Claim 1

Sorting apparatus for mail, cards, or like flat articles, including a magazine for holding a stack of said articles, said magazine having a generally vertically movable platform on which the stack of articles is built up, means including a resilient spring device for controlling the vertical movements of said platform, said resilient spring device having a rate characteristic so related to the average density of the articles in the stack that the top article in the stack is maintained at a subStantially constant level, a laterally movable pusher of substantial height arranged to transfer a stack off said platform, a gate device attached to said magazine and arranged to retain in the magazine any articles in excess of a predetermined stack height, and a horizontal supporting surface connected to said pusher to support said excess articles temporarily in the magazine, and wherein said sorting apparatus includes drive means for actuating said pusher comprising a power drive member clutch means for connecting said pusher to said drive member for ejector operations, and spring means for returning said pusher when the clutch is dis-engaged, and automatic control means for operating said platform and its pusher in a cycle wherein the platform descends under the weight of the stack to a predetermined level, the pusher moves horizontally to eject the stack off the platform, the said platform returns upwardly to its starting position below said magazine, and the said pusher returns horizontally to its original position.