US2115805A

US2115805A - Mail sorter

Info

Publication number: US2115805A
Application number: US81986A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick L Fuller
Original assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Current assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Priority date: 1936-05-27
Filing date: 1936-05-27
Publication date: 1938-05-03
Anticipated expiration: 1955-05-03

Description

May 3, 1938. F. 1.. FULLER MAIL SORTER Filed May 2'7, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l myspgyw MW' ATTORNEY May 3, 1938. F. FULLER 2,115,305

MAIL SORTER Filed May 27, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .FIG.4.

INV N O. WXM Sim/ZN I ATTORNEY May 3, 1938.

F. L. FULLER MAIL SORTER Filed May 27, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 F.L.FULLER May 3, 1938.

MAIL SORTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fi 1ed May 27, 1956 ATTORNEY Patented May 3, 1938 2,115,805

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAIL SORTER Frederick L. Fuller, West Orange, N. J., assignor to International Business Machines Corpora- %on, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New ork Application May 27, 1936, Serial No. 81,988

14 Claims. (01. 198-42) This case relates to a machine for sorting mail, Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of part of Fig. particularly letters. 2 showing the manner ofassembly of a gravity The general object is to provide a compact maduct to the front wall of the letter insert cabinet. chine for handling large quantities of mail and Fig. 4 is a side view of the machine, rapidly sorting them into separate batches. Fig. 5 is a section on lines B--5 of Fig. 1, 5 Another object is to interfit the mail guiding Figs. 6 and 7 are sections, respectively, on lines parts of the sorting machine ina manner provid- 8-8 and 'Il of Fig. 4,

ing smooth riding surfaces for the mail by pro- Fig. 8 is a detail of a guide plate, viding Joints between the separate parts of the Fig. 9 is a detail plan view of a guide plate supmail guiding means of such a nature as to preporting and spacing bar, and 0 sent no obstructions, at either side of the guide Fig. 10 is a section on lines I 0Ill of Fig. 5. parts, to the free flow of the mail. The machine frame is made up of vertical sup- It is an object also to provide a mail insert duct ports I ll, each comprising a built-up truss strucfor gravity feeding the mail and shaped to eject ture (see Figs. 4 and 6). At each side, the truss 5 the inserted letter to conveying mechanism withstructures support parallel, horizontally disposed,

out Jamming. channel beams II. The rear support III also car- 'I'he latter object is, further, to shape the exitv ries the front ends of parallel channel beams I2,

end of the gravity feed duct so as to eject the in back of and in line with beams I I. The rear letter substantially in the direction of movement ends of beams I2 are supported by a stairway of the conveying mechanism. II. Beams II and II are bolted to the flanges at 20 The object is, further, to shape the exit end of I the upper ends of supports III. Bolted to the hotthe gravity feed duct so as to elect the letter with tom flanges of beams I I and I! are transverse a less speed than that which is a function of the T-bars H which extend laterally past the beams angle of the upper portion of the duct. I i and on their extended portions carry sections of It is also an object to provide a mail gravity, [the cat-walk I (see Figs. 1. and T he feed duct which is more vertical at the upper, encat-walk is fixed the guard railing I8. trance, end than at the lower, exit, end so that Bolted to the vertical sides of beams II are the the maximum number of such ducts may be opposite'sldes ll of mail insert cabinets C. As placed in series, one behind another, without" shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cabinets C are argravity feeding the letters at too great a speed, ge e e nd a t ere beams II are 30 yet with no sacrifice of compactness. made in lengths, each sufllcient to carry five cab- An object also is to curve the exit end of a inets C. If ten, or any other multiple of the live wall of the gravity duct so as to cam the letter, cabinets C, are to be used, the number of lengths as it encounters the conveying means, completely of beams II is correspondingly increased and a onto the conveying means. 1 suitable number of supports III is provided. The

It is a further object to provide a mail guiding rear portion of the machine, comprising beams I 2 and feeding means by which a letter is effectively and stairway It, may be referred to as the stairs and smoothly fed to the receiving pocket while section, and the latter is always attached to the the letter stands on thesame edge. rear end of the machine, regardless of the length 40 Still another object is to feed articles such as of the machine. 40

pieces of mail, by a common conveyor, along par- Horizontal channel bars it, of U-shaped crossallel guide channels to a common exit line and to section are flanged at opposite ends to be bolted transmit the articles from the exit line of the to the sides of the beams II. One such cross bar diflerent channels to receiving means spaced at II is located in front of each cabinet unit C. Verdifferent distances longitudinally from said exit tical guide plates I! are pendently supported by 45 line. the bars II. The plates I! are of a length suited Another object is to feed articles by a common to five cabinet units. The plates I8 are secured conveyor along channels to a common exit line to the bars I8 by means of tabs 20 extending from and to transmit the articles as they leave the the plates and insertable in slots 2| of the bars channels at the exit line to receiving means at (see Figs. 8 and 9). After the tabs 20 are pro- 50 different levels. truded through the slots of bars II, they are bent Other objects will appear from the following over to rigidly secure the guide plates I8 to the parts of the specification and from the drawings. bars. A reinforcing channel bar 22 is then se- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine, cured to bar It to form with the latter a rigid Fig. 2 is a section along lines 2-2 oi Fig. 1, box-section structure.

Each plate i8 has five upwardly formed ears l8a, spaced according to the spacing of the cabinet units, and each ear I extends between the sides ll of one cabinet unit. The front wall 24 of a cabinet unit is bolted to the sides l1 and is fastened to cars l8a by tab and slot connections such as between plates l8 and bar l8. A spacer bar 28 is similarly interlocked with ears I80. at

the sides of the latter opposite the front wall 24.

Above spacer bar 28 are spacer bars 28 and 21. Between bars 28 and 21 and front wall 24 are provided partition plates 28 of a cabinet unit. These plates 28 are interlocked with bars 28 and 21 and front wall 24 by tab and slot connections such as previously described. Each partition 28 is formed at its lower end with an offset portion 2811 (see Fig. 10) To the offset portion is welded an oppositely offset strip 28b, the upper part of which lies within the angle formed at the junction of the partition with its offset end 2841.

Thus, the outer face of the upper part of strip 28b lies substantially within the same plane as the plane of partition 28. The upper edge of strip 28b is smoothly beveled so as to leave no abrupt edge extending outside the planes of the upper part of strip 281) and the adjacent part of partition 28. The upper and lower parts of strip 28 are joined by an inclinedportion. Thus, the face of a letter feeding downwardly along plate 28 will encounter no obstruction but will ride smoothly off the end of the plate and onto the surface of strip 28b.

' Parts 28a and 28b thus form a channel at the lower end of the plate 28 which extends along the entire width of the plate. This channel receives the upper end of an ear No of a guide plate l9, as indicated in Fig. 10. All the guide plates are similarly Jointed to the partitions 28, and this joint is such as to present no obstruction to the smooth travel of a letter as it rides off the partition and onto the surface of the ear l8a of the guide plate. I

Furthermore, the above Joints between partitions 28 and parts l8a of guide plates l8 permit expansion and contraction of these elements upon changes in temperature, without the slightest tendency of either of these elements to buckle.

The side walls l1 of a cabinet unit C are connected to each other by brace rods 88. To the front wall 24 of a cabinet and at the upper end of the wall is attached an angle bar 82. The upper flange of bar 82 removably carries an indicating strip 88, on which are marked suitable indications (see Figs. 1 and 2) for designating destinations of the mail. Each indication on strip 88 is in front of and in line with the-duct formed by two adjacent partitions 28.

Bolted to the side plates ll of a cabinet unit are vertical posts 88 supporting between them, at a distance from the top of the cabinet, a shelf 88 on which boxes of mail may be rested.

Between the cabinet units are cover plates 81 for guide plates l8--l8a, resting freely on the upper edges of the guide plates. Floor plates 38 are also disposed between the cabinet units and rest freely on top of channel bars II and I2 and on top of bars 22. I

Front wall 24 of a cabinet unit C carries a plate 48 rounded at the upper end to receive the concaved left end (Fig. 5) of a sheet metal table 41 on which boxes of mail may be placed. Near their right hand ends, the sides of a table 4| are recessed to receive the upper rod 88 of the cabinet unit behind the table. Thus, the table may he slid along on its opposite supports along the a,11s,sos

width of a cabinet unit. The table may also be freely lifted off its supports and removed.

In front of each cabinet unit is an operator's seat 42, the carrier 48 of which is slotted to seat on the upper cross rod 88 of the cabinet behind the seat. The carrier 48 is provided with a depending bar 44 abutting the lower brace rod 88 of the cabinet in back of the seat. The carrier and seat maybe slid along the width of the cabinet, and may be freely lifted off rod 88.

The stair section, is similarly provided with an operator's seat in front of the rear or right hand cabinet unit C.

The front or left hand ends of guide plates 18 are channeled similarly to the lower ends of partitions 28 and receive in these channels the rear ends of separator plates 48. Plates 48 are in the samevertical planes as the plates IS with which they are interlocked, but within its plane, each plate 48 has its upper and lower edges formed along parallel curves.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the separator plates 48 are arranged in five groups; two end groups, a central group, and two intermediate groups. The plates of the two end groups are the shortest (see Fig. 4), the plates of the intermediate groups are longer and extend further forward and beyond the plates of the end groups, and the plates of the central group are the longest and extend forwardly completely beyond the intermediate group of plates 48.

Each group of plates 48 is secured by tab and slot connections, such as previously described, to top and bottom

curved metal sheets

48 and 41. To stiffen the tab and slot joints, cross bars 48 are provided and the tabs go through the

sheets

48 and 41 and then through the cross bars against the outer face of which they are bent.

Plates 48 are thus held in definite vertical, spaced, planes by their connections with the top and bottom sheets 48 and .41. Together with these sheets, plates 48 form curved end passages, extending horizontally at their upper ends where they join the exits of the horizontal passages between guide plates l8 and gradually curving into vertical lower ends.

As indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, the upper portions of the different groups of end passages are in hori-' zontal alinement and bottom sheets 41 of the different groups of passagesare disposed at their upper ends in a common, substantially horizontal, plane. Across these ends of the bottom sheets is welded anangle bar 88 which rigidly holds all the groups of end chutes together. Thus, the end passage structure is put together to form a rigid unit assembly, the plates 48 of which are to be interlocked simultaneously with the exit ends of the guide plates l8. When thus interlocked, the vertical flange of bar 88 abuts the front of an angle iron 8| secured to the left hand support l8 (Fig. 5). After the end passage assembly has been set in interlocking relation toplates is, the vertical flange of bar 88 is bolted to the abutting flange of angle iron 8|. The end passage unit is thereby rigidly secured to the framework of the machine.

The top sheets 48 of the groups of end passages have covers 82 hinged thereto and which may be in the manner and for the purposes previously described. The blades 55 are vertical along/their upper parts where they join the plates 45 and then gradually curve in a direction transverse to the planes of plates 45, I9, and 28 to provide lower horizontally extending ends. Each blade 55 terminates above and extends slightly past the upper. edge of the vertical rear wall of a plate 55 bent similarly to blades 55.

Plates 55 form the rear and bottom sides of a letter receptacle 51. The receptacles associated with each group of end passage plates 45 are arranged in two series or sets, one series at each side of the associated group of plates 45. The receptacles of each series are vertically disposed, one above another. Blades 55 leading to one series are bent horizontally in an opposite direc-' tion to that in which the blades 55 leading to the other series of receptacles are bent, and since the receptacles of each set are in vertical arrangement, the blades 45 leading thereto are of different lengths.

Blades 55 and receptacle plates 55 are secured by tab and slot connections, such as previously described, to front and

rear side plates

58 and 59. These side plates form the opposite sides of receptacles 51, and together with blades 55 define closed chutes leading to the receptacles.

The uppermost receptacle 51 of each set and the uppermost chute leading thereto are covered by a common cover 50.

Between the front and intermediate group of receptacles 51 and between the latter group and the rear group of receptacles are located generally U-shaped bars 52, the shape of one being shown in Fig. '7. The legs of these bars 52 terminate in feet 53 resting on the ground. The bars 52 are welded to the

plates

58 and 59 between which they are located. To the back plate 59 of the rear group of receptacles is similarly welded a bar 52. The bars 52 thus form upright supportsfor the receptacles 51 and the chutes leading thereto and also rigidly connect the groups of receptacles and chutes to each other. The receptacles and chutes are thus built up as a rigid assembly or unit to be removably connected to the end passages by the slip joints between the chute blades 55 and the end passage defining plates 45.

Straps 65 are bolted at one end to the rear upright 52 and at the other end to the cross bar 55 of the front frame support I8. Straps 51 are similarly secured between the legs of this support In and the upper end of the rear upright 52. Thus, straps 65 and 51 removably but rigidly secure the receptacle assembly to the machine frame. 7

The front of each receptacle 51 is partially closed by two flaps 58, one vertically hinged to the outside face of a side 58 and the other similarly hinged to a side 59 of the receptacle. Springs 59 normally hold the flaps against the front edges of receptacle plates 56. Each of the latter plates has a slot 18, permitting the operator to engage his thumb with the bottom of a stack of mail in the receptacle and with the other fingers of the same hand grasp the stack and bring it out through the front of the receptacle. The flaps 58 yield to pressure and swing outwardly to permit the stack to be removed. After the pressure of the flaps has been relieved, the flaps are returned by springs 59 to closing position.

Horizontally pivoted to the

side plates

58 and 59 of the receptacles are buffer plates 12, one for each receptacle or pocket 51 and located inside the receptacle near its front end and behind the flaps 58. Studs 13 provided at each side of plates 12 pass, with clearance, through holes 14 in the side plates. Springs 15 engage studs 13 and normally urge the plates away from the front of the pocket 51 and maintain studs 13 engaged with the back of holes 14. The buffer plate meets a letter thrown off the end of a chute blade 55 and is moved by the force of the striking letter towards the front of the receptacle, against resistance of spring 15.

The buffer plate yields as the letter strikesit so as to prevent injury to the contacting edge of the letter. In removing a stack of mail, in the manner previously explained, the plate 12 may move towards the front of the pocket 51 until its stud 13 encounters the front of the hole 14. This prevents the plate 12 from being moved to the outside of the pocket and to a position in front of the flaps 58, where it would be inoperative.

As indicated in Figs. 4 and 6, the front frame support I0 carries a motor M, the shaft of which, through a chain drive 11 rotates the shaft 18 of a plain pulley 19, extending across the entire distance between the beams l l. Shaft 18 is journaled in hanger blocks 80 bolted to the bottom of the spaced channel beams II at the left hand ends of the latter. At the opposite ends, and past the right hand cabinet unit C, beams l I similarly carry blocks 82 for supporting the shaft of a pulley 83. Passing around pulleys 19 and 83 is a conveyor belt 85. The lower reach of the belt is engaged by tensioning rollers 85. The upper reach of the belt lies on a corrugated plate 81 which is secured to the top of cross bars 14, which, as previously, explained are bolted at opposite ends to beams II. The plate 81 is corrugated to minimize the friction between the belt and the plate as the belt moves across the plate. The rear or right hand end of the upper reach of the belt extends beyond the lower, exit, ends of the gravity ducts of the right hand cabinet unit C. The left hand end of the upper reach of the belt terminates flush with the rear beveled ends of the bottom sheets 41 of the end passage assembly. Sufficient clearance is maintained between the upper reach of the belt and the lower edges of guide plates l9 so as to prevent contact between them.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

An operator is stationed in front of each cabinet unit C and supplies of letters to be sorted are laid on tables 35 and 4| of each cabinet unit. As directed by the indications on the indicator strip 33, each operator inserts the letters lengthwise into the ducts defined by fins 28 and ears I 90.. A letter inserted lengthwise into a duct will first drop down abruptly and smoothly pass from fin 28 to ear l9a. As the edge of the letter meets the curved, less steep, lower section of the front wall 24 of the cabinet unit, the speed of the descent of the letter will be lessened. At the same time, the letter will be turned by the lower curved section of the duct from a position in which its length extends nearly vertically to a position in which its length extends nearly horizontally. Further, the curved lower portion of the duct throws the letter off in substantially the same horizontal direction of movement, from right to left, as that of the upper reach of belt 85. Thus, the force of the belt as it meets the lower corner of the letter turns the letter still more with its length in a horizontal direction, and proceeds to move the letter completely away from the lower end of the duct. Still further, as the letter is turned to a horizontal position and moved to the left by belt 8!, the upper, long, edge of the letter may encounter the curved portion of the cover plate 81 and be cammed thereby into a horizontal position and completely away from the mouth of the cabinet duct. The letter now rests with its lower long edge on top of the upper reach of belt 85.

After the letter passes the mouth of the duct, the conveyor belt 85 moves it along the horizontal extending channels defined by guide plates IS. The letter is thus moved past the left, exit. end

of the horizontally extending channels and into the rear end of the connected end passage formed by a pair of adjacent plates 45 and top and

bottom sheets

48 and 41. The letter then drops down the herein.

end passage with the same long edge which engaged the belt also riding on the curved lower sheet 41. The end passage turns the letter from a horizontally extending position to a vertical position such as it had when dropped down the cabinet duct. As the letter leaves the lower terminus of the end passage, it rides onto a chute blade 55. As the letter coasts down the chute blade, it is turned from a vertical to a horizontal plane and ejected into the pocket 51 below the chute blade. The letter leaves the chute blade with sufllcient momentum to strike its front edge against the buffer plate 12 of the pocket and is kicked back by the buffer plate onto the top of the stack already in the receptacle. The letter now lies flat in the pocket.

Letters to the same destination inserted in the corresponding ducts of several of the cabinet units may be simultaneously fed by belt 85 along the same horizontally extending channel between plates Iii and will drop one after another down the connected end passageway and onto the same chute blade 55 to be ejected into the same receptacle.-

Thus, letters may be rapidly sorted to the destinations selected by the several operators at the cabinet units C arranged one behind another above the common conveyor belt 85.

It is understood that not only letters but post cards and other cards or similarartlcles may be sorted by the illustrated machine described While the invention has been disclosed in the form herein shown and described, it is understood that variations, departures, and changes may be made in the form or details of the disclosed apparatus, without departing from the principles of the invention. It is, therefore, desired to be limited in accordance with the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine to sortarticles such as cards or pieces of mail, comprising channels disposed side by side with a common channel-defining and separating wall between them along opposite faces of which articles are fed, each channel to guide articles to a different destination, said defining wall including a pair of plates arranged one in continuation of another along the channel and having adjoining ends, an interlocking joint between the adjoining ends of said plates provided with gradually bulging portions extending out- 2. A machine to sort articles such as cards or pieces of mail, comprising adjacent channels with a commonchannel-defining and separating wall between them along opposite faces of which articles are fed in the same direction, said deiining wall including a pair of sections disposed one in continuation of the other and having adjoining ends, an interlocking joint between the adjoining ends of said pair of wall sections provided with portions bulging outwardly in the direction of feed of the articles beyond opposite faces of both sections at their adjoining ends to thereby deflect the articles as they leave opposite faces of one section outwardly beyond the opposite faces of adjoining section until the articles pass said joint, and separate receiving devices to selectively receive the articles from the diiierent channels.

3. An article sorting machine having a group of adjacent guide walls forming a group of adjacent parallel horizontally extending article guiding channels arranged side by side for guiding articles for travel in a horizontal direction and having their exit ends at substantially the same level and terminating in substantial alinement,

a series of receiving pockets arranged one above another, and downwardly directed guide elements adjoining the exit ends of the channels and terminating remote from said exit ends one above another, each above a different pocket, to gravityfeed articles from the channels to the pockets.

4. An article sorting machine having horizontally extending guide walls occupying parallel vertical planes to form adjacent parallel article guiding channels lying side by side for guiding articles for travel in a horizontal direction, a series of vertically spaced article receiving pockets arranged one above another, andchute blades having their upper ends in the same planes as and adjoining the exit ends of the channel walls, the chute blades extending downwardly and transversely from their adjoining channel walls to provide substantially horizontally extending lower ends, the chute blades being of progressively increasing length to dispose their lower, horizontally extending ends one above another, with each lower end adjoining one of the vertically spaced receiving pockets, to thereby direct articles from the guide channels to the pockets.

5. An article sorting machine comprising parallel walls forming article guiding channels arranged side by side and having curved article guiding and supporting bottoms extending sub-- tantially horizontally at their upper ends and curving to substantially vertical disposition at their lower ends, the channels being arranged in groups terminating one in front of another, the channels of any one group terminating in alinement, sets of receptacles arranged side by side and extending transversely to the lengths of the channels, one set being disposed adjacent the front group of the channels and the other adjacent the other group of channels, and chute blades extending transversely to the lengths of the channels and leading from the lower-termini of said channels downwardly to the interior of said receptacles for directing articles from each group of channels to the adjacent set of receptacles.

6. A sorting machine comprising article guiding channels arranged side by side and running horizontally, each channel having a receiving mouth at the upper level thereof, a conveyor web underlying the channels to feed articles therealong in one direction, and an article' insert cabinet above the channels and having article receiving gravity feed ducts arranged side by side,

2,115,805 each duct in line with one oi said channels and having its lower or exit end comprised of front and rear article confining and guiding walls directly joining the mouth of the channel, said ducts having said front and rear walls of the exit ends disposed at a greater horizontal inclination, in the direction 01' movement ofothe conveyor web, than the duct portions above the exit ends to eject the articles into the channels substantially in the same direction as the direction of movement of the conveyor web.

'7; A sorting machine comprising article guiding channels arranged side by side and running horizontally and defined by separating walls, each having an upwardly extending fin, a conveyor web underlying the channels for feeding the articles therealong in one direction, and an article insert cabinet above the channels and having article receiving gravity feed ducts arranged side by side, each having an exit end in line with one of said channels and including front and rear walls terminating at the top of the alined channel and having as its side walls the pair of fins extending from the adjacent channel-defining walls, whereby said exit end comprises a four-sided article guiding and confining chute, and said cabinet having duct-defining side partitions the lower ends of which join the upper ends of the fins to form upwardly but separable continuations thereof, said ducts being more nearly vertical at their upper than at their lower, exit ends, to ejectthe articles in a more nearly horizontal direction into the connected channel and onto the conveyor web.

8. An article sorting machine comprising article guiding channels arranged side by side and running horizontally, a conveyor web underlying the channels for feeding the articles therealong in one direction, and an article insert cabinet having parallel walls to form the sides of gravity feed ducts for articles inserted therein and having a front wall common to all said ducts and connected to the side walls of the ducts to secure the side walls in definite spaced parallel planes,

each duct having its lower exit end or portion defined by a section of said front wall and a substantially parallel rear wall section, said front and rear wall sections confining and guiding the articles as they drop down the duct, the exit portion of each duct opening on a different one of said channels to eject articles thereinto, and said exit portions having their front and rear article guiding wall sections inclined more horizontally, in the direction of movement of the conveyor web, than the remainder of the ducts above the exit end to direct the articles as they leave the ducts more nearly in the direction of movement of the conveyor web and the front wall being continuous at its lower end with the top of the channels.

9. A sorting machine comprising article guiding channels arranged side by side and running horizontally, a conveyor web underlying the channels for feeding the articles therealong in one direction, an article insert cabinet having a series of ducts arranged side by side each in line with one of the channels for gravity feeding inserted articles to the channels, and a cam surface provided at the exit end of each duct and inclined,

' relatively to the portion of the duct above the 10. A sorting machine comprising a narrow guide channel guiding substantially fiat articles such as cards or pieces of mail while the articles are vertically disposed, a conveyor web forming a moving bottom of the channel, engaging an edge of the article in the channel and moving in a direction to feed the articles along the channel to the discharge end of the latter, a narrow gravity chute to receive the articles in vertical disposition and having its lower exit portion adjoining the channel to lead the articles, dropped into the chute, from the chute and into the channel and onto the conveyor web, said exit portion being inclined relatively to the upper portion of the chute and relatively to the conveyor in the direction of movement of the web to discharge the articles into the channel in a direction sub-'- stantially but not entirely the same as the direction of movement of the conveyor web, said exit portion being defined by front and rear inclined walls having their lower termini at thesame level as the top of the channel whereby the articles are guided and confined by the front and rear walls of the exit portion until after they have intruded into the channel.

11. A sorting machine comprising a narrow guide channel provided with an upper receiving mouth for receiving vertically disposed flat articles such as cards or pieces of mail, a conveyor web forming a moving bottom of the channel and on which an edge of an article in the channel rests while the conveyor is moving the article in one direction along the channel, a narrow gravity chute open at the upper end to insertably receive the articles and gravity feed them while the articles are disposed in a vertical plane, said gravity chute having an exit end joining the channel mouth and inclined, relatively to the rest of the chute, in the direction of movement of the web to eject the articles into the channel substantially in said direction of movement of the web, said exit end being defined by front and rear walls engaging opposite edges of the article in the chute and terminating at the same level as the top of the channel at either side of the channel mouth, with the front wall also serving as a portion of the top cover of the channel, whereby the front and rear walls of the exit end guide and confine an article dropped down the chute in a vertical plane until after the article has intruded into the channel and an edge thereof dropped onto the conveyor web.

12. A machine to sort fiat articles such as pieces of mail or cards, comprising substantially horizontal, parallel guide channels to maintain the articles in vertical position while guiding the articles, each channel having an upper, receiving mouth, a conveyor web forming a common moving bottom for the channels and feeding the articles in the channels while the articles have one edge resting on the web, and an article insert cabinet having narrow ducts to gravity-feed the articles while the latter are in vertical planes into the channels, said ducts having their lower, exit ends directly joining the mouths of alined channels to confine and guide the articles until after they enter the channels, and each exit end being inclined more nearly horizontally than the remainder of the duct and comprising a curved camming wall for engaging the upper edge of an article while the article is in inclined position within the channel with a lower corner resting on the conveyor web and being moved by the web towards the said wall, to cam the moving, inclined article downwardly into the channel and turn the article into substantially horizontal position in which its lower edge is resting completely on the conveyor belt. i

13. A machine to sort flat articles such as cards or pieces of mail, comprising a group of adjacent, substantially horizontal parallel and narrow channels to guide articles for horizontal travel whlledlsposed in vertical planes along said channels, a conveyor forming a commonrmoving bottom for said channels and supporting the articles on their lower edges while feeding them along said channels, said group 01' channels having discharge oriiices in transverse alinement and located in a common plane substantially coextensive with the leading end oi the conveyor lap whereby said conveyor positively feeds the articles through and out of the discharge orifices of said channels, a group of adjacent downwardly inclined article directing and guiding devices having upper ends alined with the channels and adjoining and continuous with the discharge oriflces oi the horizontal channels to receive articles leaving the channels. said devices including directing elements disposed in substantially the same direction, with at least their terminal porcles from the different channels to vertically spaced locations.

a,11s,sos

14. A machine to sort flat articles such'ls cards or pieces of mail, comprising a plurality of groups oi adjacent, substantially horizontal parallel and narrow channelhto guide articles vertically disposed within the channels, a conveyor lap forming a moving bottom ior all the channels of said groups to support articles on their lower edges while feeding them along said channels, said groups of channels having discharge orifices terminating in a common transverse plane in substantial'alinement with the leading end of the conveyor lap whereby the latter positively feeds the articles out of the discharge o'rlilces oi all said channels, and groups of downwardly inclined chutes, all with their upper ends ad- Joining the discharge orifices 01' said channels,

each group 01' chutes to receive articles from a different group of said channels, said groups of chutes being of different length, terminating at their lower ends one in front or another to feed the articles received from the corresponding channel groups different distances longitudinally away from the alined discharge orifices 01' said channels to emit the articles from the different channel groups at longitudinally spaced locations.

FREDERICK L. FULLER.

Patent No. 2,115,805.

May 5 195B FREDERICK L, FULLER.

It is hereby certified that error appears in .the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, first column, line 29, claim], for the word "upwardly" read upward; page 6, first column, line 15, claim 15, strike out the word "lap"; and that the said Letters Patent should be readwith these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 5th day of 'July, A. D. 1938.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdiale, Acting Commissioner of Patents.