Embodiments of a system and method for sorting and sequencing articles in a processing facility are disclosed. Delivery endpoints are divided and grouped into stop groups. A first sorter sorts items according to stop group and outputs the items to trays. The output trays from the first sorter are loaded to a second sorter in stop group order. The second sorter can then sort the items into output bins in delivery sequence order.

A system is provided for processing documents. In particular, the system is incorporates a feeder for feeding documents to a device for further processing of the documents. For instance, the system finds particular application in the field of document imaging in which a variety of documents of varying sizes and orientation are to be fed to an imaging system, such as a document scanner. The system may provide an input mechanism for easily identifying a characteristic of one of the documents and the system may include features for handling packets of documents.

A method for unloading packages from a container, in particular a roller container. The method requires relatively little space, and the method involves a container guide and a conveyor belt, in which the containers are moved successively along a container path by the container guide. At least in some section or sections, the conveyor belt extends to the side of and at least substantially parallel to the container path. The containers are tipped sideways in the direction of the conveyor belt during the movement along the container guide and along the conveyor belt predetermined by the container path. The packages slide out of the tipped containers onto the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt conveys the packages that have slid out of the container onwards, and the emptied tipped containers are righted again during the movement along the container guide predetermined by the container path.

A storage and retrieval system including a storage structure having storage shelves, each storage shelf having slats for supporting stored items where the slats are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, an autonomous transport vehicle including at least one sensor configured to sense each of the slats and output a signal indicating when a slat is sensed, and a controller for verifying a location of the autonomous transport vehicle within the storage structure based on at least the output signal.

The invention relates to apparatus (1) for feeding an unstacker magazine (2) with mailpieces (3) on edge. The apparatus comprises a conveyor bed (4) designed to convey the mailpieces on edge to the unstacker magazine in a first conveying direction, a feed conveyor (5) designed to convey trays (6) loaded with mailpieces to the conveyor bed in a second conveying direction (F2) and tray tipper means (7) interposed between the feed conveyor and the conveyor bed, which means are designed to tip a tray (6) over onto one side from the feed conveyor onto the conveyor bed in such a manner as to bring the mailpieces on edge from the tray to the unstacker magazine.

The invention relates to apparatus (1) for feeding an unstacker magazine (2) with mailpieces (3) on edge. The apparatus comprises a conveyor bed (4) designed to convey the mailpieces on edge to the unstacker magazine in a first conveying direction, a feed conveyor (5) designed to convey trays (6) loaded with mailpieces to the conveyor bed in a second conveying direction (F2) and tray tipper means (7) interposed between the feed conveyor and the conveyor bed, which means are designed to tip a tray (6) over onto one side from the feed conveyor onto the conveyor bed in such a manner as to bring the mailpieces on edge from the tray to the unstacker magazine.

A transfer apparatus contains a conveying unit, a sorting unit, which is configured for receiving and sorting articles from the conveying unit, and a transfer unit with a feeding unit. The transfer unit forms a transporting connection between the conveying unit and the sorting unit. A discharging unit is positioned on a portion of the conveying unit and is configured to discharge an article onto the transfer unit only when the article is at a predefined minimum distance from a previously discharged article.

A transfer apparatus contains a conveying unit, a sorting unit, which is configured for receiving and sorting articles from the conveying unit, and a transfer unit with a feeding unit. The transfer unit forms a transporting connection between the conveying unit and the sorting unit. A discharging unit is positioned on a portion of the conveying unit and is configured to discharge an article onto the transfer unit only when the article is at a predefined minimum distance from a previously discharged article.

Apparatus (1) for feeding an unstacker magazine (2) with mailpieces (3) on edge, which apparatus includes a first feed conveyor (4) for conveying trays (6) extending crosswise and loaded with mailpieces placed flat on the bottoms of the trays, and tray tipping means (8) for pivoting a tray forwards onto a ramp of the tray tipping means so as to bring the mailpieces on edge from the tray to the unstacker magazine. The apparatus includes a second feed conveyor (5) for conveying trays (6) extending lengthwise and loaded with mailpieces (3) placed on edge on the bottoms of the trays, and tray tipping-over means (9) designed for laying a tray over on its side onto the unstacker magazine.

Apparatus (1) for feeding an unstacker magazine (2) with mailpieces (3) on edge, which apparatus includes a first feed conveyor (4) for conveying trays (6) extending crosswise and loaded with mailpieces placed flat on the bottoms of the trays, and tray tipping means (8) for pivoting a tray forwards onto a ramp of the tray tipping means so as to bring the mailpieces on edge from the tray to the unstacker magazine. The apparatus includes a second feed conveyor (5) for conveying trays (6) extending lengthwise and loaded with mailpieces (3) placed on edge on the bottoms of the trays, and tray tipping-over means (9) designed for laying a tray over on its side onto the unstacker magazine.