United States Postal Service

Robert E Hume

Edward F Houston

William P McConnell

Juan A Roman

Leung Man Shiu

Matthew Gene Good

John W Brown

Thomas Anthony Hillerich, Jr

Darin Dickey

Riley H Mayhall

Jacob L Timm

Robert L Schlender

Christopher D Austin

Long Ha

Reza Badri

Riley Houston Mayhall, Iii

Thomas A Hillerich

Long K Ha

Embodiments of a system and method for unloading articles from a container of items for use in an automatic stack feeder are disclosed. The automatic stack feeder may comprise a belt, a moveable lower paddle, and a moveable upper paddle, wherein the lower paddle is configured to partially extend through a belt of the automatic stack feeder. The movement of the belt, the lower paddle, and the upper paddle are coordinated such that there is no need to interrupt the operation of the automatic stack feeder to unload the container.

System and method of unloading a container of items

Embodiments of a system and method for singulating articles in an automatic stack feeder are disclosed. The automatic stack feeder may comprise a pressure sensor on a perforated drive belt assembly configured to sense the pressure exerted by a stack of articles. The sensed pressure may be used to control various portions of the automatic stack feeder, such as a belt or a paddle.

System and method of automatic feeder stack management

An automatic stack feeder having a moveable stack or product guide is disclosed. The automatic stack feeder may be configured to receive a stack of articles and a container enclosing a stack of articles. To ensure the stack of articles is properly supported following unloading from the container, the stack guide is moveable between a first and a second position, wherein the stack guide is in contact with the stack of articles while in the first position, and not in contact with the stack when in the second position.

Article feeder with a retractable product guide

Growing community of inventors

Woodstock, MD, United States of America

Robert E Hume