Mailpiece stacking system and method

Abstract

In a mailpiece stacking system, a pressure pad is used to direct incoming mailpieces from a mailing machine used with the system onto a feed deck, where the mailpieces are stacked against a stacking wall in the system. To properly handle mailpieces including window envelopes, the length of the pressure pad is selected in accordance with the invention such that it effectively deflects each mailpiece to land beyond the window part of any window envelope preceding thereto on the feed deck. Advantageously, the risk of having the mailpiece getting caught by an edge of the window part, resulting in a congestion, is avoided. In addition, among other things, a catch nub is included in the pressure pad for hooking onto a stub shaft mounted on the frame of the system. The nub hooks onto the stub shaft when the pressure pad is raised to allow it to stay in the raised position. Moreover, to effectively attach the stacking system to the mailing machine, the stacking system provides thereunder a hook having a C-shaped opening. The hook is used to be slidably engaged with a support knob underneath the mailing machine through the opening. The resulting engagement aligns the mailing machine with the stacking system to allow proper feeding of the mailpieces from the mailing machine to the stacking system, notwithstanding the vibrations occasioned by the operation of the mailing machine and the stacking system.