David B Wiley

US Patent:

51432250, Sep 1, 1992

Filed:

Mar 27, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/500408

Inventors:

K. George Rabindran - Morton Grove IL
Thomas Faber - Skokie IL
David Filicicchia - Schaumburg IL
Kenneth L. Guenther - Park Ridge IL
Joseph Kalika - Niles IL
Melvin T. Kerstein - Lincolnwood IL
Girish B. Shah - Schaumburg IL
David Wiley - Palatine IL

Assignee:

Bell & Howell Company - Skokie IL

International Classification:

B07C 536
B65H 8500

US Classification:

209584

Abstract:

A multi-pass sorting machine includes a housing or supporting structure which has the configuration of an A-Frame. The A-Frame structure has a slanting front side supporting several individually functional devices and a slanting back side supporting other individually functional devices. The devices of the front side include an input feeder first transporting mechanisms, a singulating device, an accelerating mechanism, second transporting mechanisms, a bar code reader and associated electronic and computer equipment, a plurality of first sorting devices in the form of diverting vanes, an equal number of first pass stacker buffers, and a reversing member for transporting letters from the front side to the back side while at the same time retaining the same orientation of the letters to the planar surface as the letters go around the corner. The slanting back side supports a plurality of second sorting devices in the form of diverting vanes, an equal number of second pass stacker buffers, and an automatic mail tray loader.

US Patent:

51902826, Mar 2, 1993

Filed:

Jul 17, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/731513

Inventors:

K. George Rabindran - Morton Grove IL
Thomas Faber - Skokie IL
David Filicicchia - Schaumburg IL
Kenneth L. Guenther - Park Ridge IL
Joseph Kalika - Niles IL
Melvin T. Kerstein - Lincolnwood IL
Girish B. Shah - Schaumburg IL
David Wiley - Palatine IL

Assignee:

Bell & Howell Company - Skokie IL

International Classification:

B65H 502

US Classification:

271272

Abstract:

The multi-pass sorting machine of this disclosure includes a supporting structure which has the configuration of an A-Frame. The A-Frame structure has a slanting front side supporting several individually functional devices and a slanting back side supporting other individually functional devices. The devices of the front side include an input feeding means, a first transporting means, a singulating means, an accelerating means, a second transporting means, a bar code reader and associated electronic and computer means, a plurality of first sorting means in the form of diverting vanes, an equal number of first pass stacker buffer means, and a reversing member for transporting letters from the front side to the back side while at the same time retaining the same orientation of the letters to the planar surface as the letters go around the corner. The slanting back side supports a plurality of second sorting means in the form of diverting vanes, an equal number of second pass stacker buffer means, and an automatic mail tray loader means. The singulation means includes a powered belt means, and a singulation roller overlying and adapted to contact the belt means, with the roller being mounted on one end of a pivotable arm.