Angled conveyor for document packages

Claim 1

A mailing machine including an angled conveyor device for document packages comprising: first feed means for in-feeding of said document packages in seriatim; a transition conveyor belt including a downstream transition end; an output conveyor belt for seriatim outfeeding of said document packages, said output conveyor belt including an upstream output end; a frame on which said belts are driveably mounted; a transition gap disposed between said downstream transition end and said upstream output end; turn post means extending substantially vertically upwardly through said transition gap and protruding above the upper surfaces of said transition and output conveyor belts, said turn post means serving to intercept and guide said document packages therearound so that said document packages become substantially aligned angularly and transversely on said output conveyor belt; said transition conveyor belt having an angled direction of motion relative to the direction of motion of said document packages during in-feeding; and, said output conveyor belt having a direction of motion generally in line with the direction of motion of said transition conveyor belt.

Claim 8

A method of operating a mailing machine including the conveying of document packages in seriatim along a generally horizontal transport path so that said document packages become aligned angularly and transversely with respect to said transport path, said method comprising the steps of: a. feeding said document packages, while having an edge thereof approximately in line with the direction of feed motion, onto a drive conveyor surface that is substantially horizontal and that has a general direction of motion that is normal to said feed motion; b. transporting said document packages that have been fed onto said driven conveyor surface, by said driven conveyor surface toward an output transport conveyor that is substantially in line with said driven conveyor surface and that is separated therefrom by a gap; c. intercepting said document packages by a vertical post located in said gap and protruding above both said driven conveyor surface and the surface of said output transport conveyor; d. guiding said document packages around and along said vertical post onto said output transport conveyor so that said document packages become substantially aligned angularly and transversely with respect to and on said output transport conveyor in dependence on the position of said vertical post along the length of said gap; and, e. using said output transport conveyor to convey said document packages onward.

Claim 9

A method of operating a mailing machine including the conveying of document packages in seriatim along a generally horizontal transport path so that said document packages become aligned angularly and transversely with respect to said transport path, said method comprising the steps of: a. feeding said document packages, while having an edge thereof approximately in line with the direction of feed motion, onto a drive conveyor surface that is substantially horizontal and that has a general direction of motion that is normal to said feed motion; b. transporting said document packages that have been fed onto said driven conveyor surface, by said driven conveyor surface toward an output transport conveyor that is substantially in line with said driven conveyor surface and that is separated therefrom by a gap; c. intercepting said document packages by a vertical post located in said gap and protruding above both said driven conveyor surface and the surface of said output transport conveyor; d. guiding said document packages around and along said vertical post onto said output transport conveyor so that said document packages become substantially aligned angularly and transversely with respect to and on said output transport conveyor in dependence on the position of said vertical post along the length of said gap; and, e. using said output transport conveyor to convey said document packages onward.