US5363971A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic carrier sequence bar code sorter
Assignee: United States Postal Service
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Filing: 1992-10-16
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Granted: 1994-11-15
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Expires: 2012-10-16
Abstract
Abstract A machine for sorting documents and, in particular, for carrier sequence bar code sorting of mail has been described. The device uses three passes and 11 vertically disposed top fed stackers. The stackers also have a delivery system from the bottom thereof so that mail selectively dispensed from the bottom of each individual stacker proceeds through a buffer singulator, leveler, and wide area bar code reader which in turn signals the computer so that as the mail piece is transported through a top transport, it will be gated into the proper stacker in the proper sequence. The machine also may be adapted to an overflow situation wherein mail overflowing one stacker is diverted to an overflow stacker for recycling and the mail to be sorted is assigned in predetermined quantities to different stackers to minimize the possibility of overflow.
Inventors
- 👤 Horace W. Weeks
- 👤 James J. Strohmeyer
- 👤 Jeffrey R. Nice
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 13:32
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C3/00; B07C3/02; B07C3/06; G; G09; G09F; G09F23/00; G09F2023/0025; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S209/00; Y10S209/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
258 words
A document sorting machine for sorting documents to at least 1000 different stops and arranging said documents in a predetermined sequence comprising: 11 vertical stacker elements, each element having a top and a bottom and adapted to receive documents through the top, form a stack therein and dispense documents from the bottom either sequentially or simultaneously; feed transport means communicating with the bottom of each stacker for receiving a flow of documents therefrom; singulator and leveler means intercepting said flow for spacing each individual document from adjacent documents to form a singular flow and for orienting each of said documents in a predetermined configuration; reader means for reading indicia on each document and relating the same to the predetermined sequence; and top conveyor means for conveying each document from the reader to the corresponding stacker for admission thereto; and means for cycling said documents a total of three times through said machine until said documents are arranged in said sequence each of said stacker elements mounting a paddle therein which is adapted to support a stack thereon as the stacker fills and to deposit said stack at the bottom of said stacker said paddle having an upper document supporting surface with three coplanar sections disposed at an acute angle to the horizontal with two intermediate substantially horizontal sections to form a zig-zag profile said machine further comprising means for withdrawing said paddle horizontally from said filled vertical stacker and for translating said paddle vertically upwardly and then horizontally into said stacker to receive a new stack of documents.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
258 words
A document sorting machine for sorting documents to at least 1000 different stops and arranging said documents in a predetermined sequence comprising: 11 vertical stacker elements, each element having a top and a bottom and adapted to receive documents through the top, form a stack therein and dispense documents from the bottom either sequentially or simultaneously; feed transport means communicating with the bottom of each stacker for receiving a flow of documents therefrom; singulator and leveler means intercepting said flow for spacing each individual document from adjacent documents to form a singular flow and for orienting each of said documents in a predetermined configuration; reader means for reading indicia on each document and relating the same to the predetermined sequence; and top conveyor means for conveying each document from the reader to the corresponding stacker for admission thereto; and means for cycling said documents a total of three times through said machine until said documents are arranged in said sequence each of said stacker elements mounting a paddle therein which is adapted to support a stack thereon as the stacker fills and to deposit said stack at the bottom of said stacker said paddle having an upper document supporting surface with three coplanar sections disposed at an acute angle to the horizontal with two intermediate substantially horizontal sections to form a zig-zag profile said machine further comprising means for withdrawing said paddle horizontally from said filled vertical stacker and for translating said paddle vertically upwardly and then horizontally into said stacker to receive a new stack of documents.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The machine of claim 1 wherein each stacker further comprises a stacker gate pulley disposed at the top thereof, adapted to rest on a stack retained therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The machine of claim 1 wherein each stacker further has a shingler at the bottom thereof for dispensing a shingled flow of documents from the bottom thereof into the feed transport means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
The machine of claim 1 further comprising overflow means communicating with said top conveyor means for receiving documents in a sequential stack which would normally cause a stacker to overflow for a predetermined period of time and for returning said documents sequentially to said feed transport means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The machine of claim 4 wherein said overflow means includes an additional stacker.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The machine of claim 5 wherein said overflow means includes means for diverting documents which would cause a stacker to overflow to said overflow stacker and for subsequently recycling said documents.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The machine of claim 1 further comprising buffer means upstream of said singulator means coupled to said feed transport means for regulating the flow of documents therefrom into said singulator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The machine of claim 2 further comprising buffer means upstream of said singulator means coupled to said feed transport means for regulating the shingled flow of mail to provide a uniform flow thereof to said singulator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The machine of claim 2 wherein the stacker pulley normally exerts downward pressure on said stack as it fills said stacker, said paddle being coupled to said pulley so that it displaces downwardly responsive to filling pressure on said pulley.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
182 words
A document sorting machine for sorting documents to up to 1000 different stops and arranging said documents in a predetermined sequence of stops comprising: a plurality of vertical stacker elements, each element having a top and a bottom and adapted to receive documents through the top, form a stack therein and dispense documents from the bottom, sequentially; each stacker having a shingler at the bottom thereof for dispensing a shingled flow of documents from the bottom thereof, feed transport means communicating with the bottom of each stacker for receiving a flow of documents therefrom; singulator and leveler means intercepting said flow for spacing each individual document from adjacent documents to form a singular flow and for orienting each of said documents in a predetermined configuration; buffer means upstream of said singulator means coupled to said feed transport means for regulating the shingled flow of mail to provide a uniform flow thereof to said singulator said buffer means including a pivotal arm adapted to ride on said shingled flow and pivot to displace when said flow changes from a predetermined volume flow rate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
182 words
A document sorting machine for sorting documents to up to 1000 different stops and arranging said documents in a predetermined sequence of stops comprising: a plurality of vertical stacker elements, each element having a top and a bottom and adapted to receive documents through the top, form a stack therein and dispense documents from the bottom, sequentially; each stacker having a shingler at the bottom thereof for dispensing a shingled flow of documents from the bottom thereof, feed transport means communicating with the bottom of each stacker for receiving a flow of documents therefrom; singulator and leveler means intercepting said flow for spacing each individual document from adjacent documents to form a singular flow and for orienting each of said documents in a predetermined configuration; buffer means upstream of said singulator means coupled to said feed transport means for regulating the shingled flow of mail to provide a uniform flow thereof to said singulator said buffer means including a pivotal arm adapted to ride on said shingled flow and pivot to displace when said flow changes from a predetermined volume flow rate.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
216 words
A method for sorting mail to a carrier route sequence of at least 1000 steps by indicia printed thereon comprising the steps of: providing 11 vertical stackers having a top feed entrance and a bottom outlet; providing shingler means at the bottom of each stacker for removing a shingled flow of individual documents therefrom and paddle means within each stacker for supporting a documents entering through the top thereof and subsequently depositing the stack on the shingler means at the bottom thereof; providing a flow of mail documents, orienting each individual document and reading individually the indicia thereon and subsequently conveying each document into a predetermined stacker through the top thereof; removing the mail documents individually from the bottom of each stacker in a predetermined sequence and repeating the steps of orienting, reading, and conveying each document to a predetermined stacker in two subsequent passes until the documents have been sorted to the carrier route sequence, and removing the stacks of documents from the stackers in a predetermined order providing overflow means coupled to said paddle means for depressing said paddle means as documents enter said stacker until said paddle means contacts a stack of documents retained on the shingler means and for subsequently diverting the inflow of documents from said stacker to an overflow stacker.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
216 words
A method for sorting mail to a carrier route sequence of at least 1000 steps by indicia printed thereon comprising the steps of: providing 11 vertical stackers having a top feed entrance and a bottom outlet; providing shingler means at the bottom of each stacker for removing a shingled flow of individual documents therefrom and paddle means within each stacker for supporting a documents entering through the top thereof and subsequently depositing the stack on the shingler means at the bottom thereof; providing a flow of mail documents, orienting each individual document and reading individually the indicia thereon and subsequently conveying each document into a predetermined stacker through the top thereof; removing the mail documents individually from the bottom of each stacker in a predetermined sequence and repeating the steps of orienting, reading, and conveying each document to a predetermined stacker in two subsequent passes until the documents have been sorted to the carrier route sequence, and removing the stacks of documents from the stackers in a predetermined order providing overflow means coupled to said paddle means for depressing said paddle means as documents enter said stacker until said paddle means contacts a stack of documents retained on the shingler means and for subsequently diverting the inflow of documents from said stacker to an overflow stacker.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the indicia is zip code encoded bar codes and the step of reading the indicia is achieved with a wide area bar code reader.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the zip code has 11 digits.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising initially stacking the documents to be sorted in sequence in said stackers to predetermined heights to minimize the likelihood that one of said stackers might be filled to overflowing as said documents are sorted.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 14 wherein 11 stackers are provided and said documents are sorted in three passes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the excess sorting stops provided three passes are used to provide a different level of mail to be sorted in each stacker by allocating said excess stops to predetermined stackers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising orienting said shingled flow by providing a singulator and a leveler and passing said flow through the shingled flow through the singulator to establish a flow of spaced apart documents and then through the leveler to establish a specific angle relative to the horizontal for each singulated document.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising buffering the shingled flow to the singulator so that the volume flow rate thereto will be substantially constant.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the indicia is a bar coded zip code and the step of reading the indicia is carried out by a wide area bar code reader.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising providing a stacker gate pulley disposed at the top of each stacker, operating said pulley to receive each document entering through the top of the stacker onto the stack therein, maintaining the stacked documents in said stacker with a common edge and maintaining a predetermined substantially constant downward pressure on the stack with said pulley.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
231 words
A method for sorting mail to a carrier route sequence of up to 1000 stops by indicia printed thereon comprising the steps of: providing at least 10 vertical stackers having a top feed entrance and a bottom outlet providing shingler means at the bottom of each stacker for removing a shingled flow of individual documents therefrom providing paddle means within each stacker for supporting a stack of documents entering through the top thereof and for subsequently depositing the stack on the shingler means at the bottom thereof; providing a flow of main documents sequentially from each stacker, orienting each individual document and reading individually the indicia thereon and subsequently conveying each document into a predetermined stacker through the top thereof in a first pass; removing the mail documents in a shingled stream, from the bottom of each stacker in a predetermined sequence and repeating the steps of orienting, reading, and conveying each document to a predetermined stacker in subsequent passes until the documents have been sorted to the carrier route sequence, and removing the stacks of documents from the stackers in a predetermined order providing overflow means coupled to said paddle means for depressing said paddle means as documents enter said stacker until said paddle means contacts a stack of documents retained on the shingler means and for subsequently diverting the inflow of documents from said stacker to an overflow stacker.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
231 words
A method for sorting mail to a carrier route sequence of up to 1000 stops by indicia printed thereon comprising the steps of: providing at least 10 vertical stackers having a top feed entrance and a bottom outlet providing shingler means at the bottom of each stacker for removing a shingled flow of individual documents therefrom providing paddle means within each stacker for supporting a stack of documents entering through the top thereof and for subsequently depositing the stack on the shingler means at the bottom thereof; providing a flow of main documents sequentially from each stacker, orienting each individual document and reading individually the indicia thereon and subsequently conveying each document into a predetermined stacker through the top thereof in a first pass; removing the mail documents in a shingled stream, from the bottom of each stacker in a predetermined sequence and repeating the steps of orienting, reading, and conveying each document to a predetermined stacker in subsequent passes until the documents have been sorted to the carrier route sequence, and removing the stacks of documents from the stackers in a predetermined order providing overflow means coupled to said paddle means for depressing said paddle means as documents enter said stacker until said paddle means contacts a stack of documents retained on the shingler means and for subsequently diverting the inflow of documents from said stacker to an overflow stacker.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the step of depositing the stack from the paddle means onto the shingler means includes retracting the paddle means from the stacker without disturbing individual documents in the stack.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 21 wherein an additional stacker is provided and the step of diverting includes conveying the overflow documents to said additional stacker.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
221 words
A method for sorting mail to a carrier route sequence of up to 1000 steps by indicia printed thereon comprising the steps of: providing 11 vertical stackers having a top feed entrance and a bottom outlet; providing a flow of mail documents sequentially from each stacker, orienting each individual document and reading individually the indicia thereon and subsequently conveying each document into a predetermined stacker through the top thereof in a first pass; removing the mail documents in a shingled stream, from the bottom of each stacker in a predetermined sequence and twice repeating the steps of orienting, reading, and conveying each document to a predetermined stacker in two subsequent passes for a total of three passes until the documents have been sorted to the carrier route sequence initially stacking the documents to be sorted in sequence in said stackers to predetermined heights to minimize the likelihood that one of said stackers might be filled to overflowing as said documents are sorted the excess sorting stops provided by three passes being used to provide a different level of mail to be sorted in each stacker by allocating said excess stops to predetermined stackers the first stacker to empty during a pass initially containing documents stacked to the greatest height and the stacker to empty containing documents stacked to the lowest height.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
221 words
A method for sorting mail to a carrier route sequence of up to 1000 steps by indicia printed thereon comprising the steps of: providing 11 vertical stackers having a top feed entrance and a bottom outlet; providing a flow of mail documents sequentially from each stacker, orienting each individual document and reading individually the indicia thereon and subsequently conveying each document into a predetermined stacker through the top thereof in a first pass; removing the mail documents in a shingled stream, from the bottom of each stacker in a predetermined sequence and twice repeating the steps of orienting, reading, and conveying each document to a predetermined stacker in two subsequent passes for a total of three passes until the documents have been sorted to the carrier route sequence initially stacking the documents to be sorted in sequence in said stackers to predetermined heights to minimize the likelihood that one of said stackers might be filled to overflowing as said documents are sorted the excess sorting stops provided by three passes being used to provide a different level of mail to be sorted in each stacker by allocating said excess stops to predetermined stackers the first stacker to empty during a pass initially containing documents stacked to the greatest height and the stacker to empty containing documents stacked to the lowest height.
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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) | 1997-11-14 | 1998-05-16 | 1998-11-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-11-14 | 2002-05-16 | 2002-11-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-11-14 | 2006-05-16 | 2006-11-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |