Unisys Corporation

Jess Nadel

S James Lazzarotti

Edward A Wojtowicz

Eugene T Mullin

An apparatus (10) for producing a singulated flow of correctly oriented flats (100 or 160) includes an input conveyor (12), a plurality of singulating conveyors (14, 16, and 18), and a skew correction station (20). A stack of flats (100 or 160) is deposited onto an inclined surface (42) of the input conveyor (12). The input conveyor (12) produced a running shingle of flats by frictionally engaging and pulling the bottom most flat in the stack. The plurality of singulating conveyors (14, 16, and 18) convert the running shingle into a singulated flow using frictional, inertial, and gravitational forces. By advancing conveyor (16) while halting conveyor (14), a flat (102) is pulled from underneath flat (108) with flat (108) remaining stationary. By operating conveyor (16) in a pulsed acceleration mode, passenger flat (122) is separated from underlying flat (120). By angling the conveyors (14, 16, and 18) in an upward direction, rearward gravitational force passenger flats (134 and 136) down conveyor (14). Halting the conveyors (202, 204, 206, 208, and 210) of the skew orientation station (20) can achieve forward gravitational separation of passenger flat (150). The skewed orientation of mail piece (200) is adjusted by selectively lifting the belts (202 and 206) and driving the belts (202 and 206) in opposite directions.

Growing community of inventors

Downingtown, PA, United States of America

Jess Nadel