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 sorts items for each stop group into separate lanes. Each lane can then be sorted into output bins in delivery sequence order.

A system of mitigating force in a mechanical system, the system comprising a frame member, a first rail connected to the frame member, a second rail connected to the frame member and extending along the frame member in parallel to the first rail, an assembly movably engaging the first and second rails, and a first bracket located between the first and second rails, with at least one first bracket attachment secured to the frame member, the first bracket sharing an upper edge with a lower edge of the first rail, such that a downward force applied on the first rail is distributed to the first bracket and the frame member via the at least one first bracket attachment.

A system of mitigating force in a mechanical system, the system comprising a frame member, a first rail connected to the frame member, a second rail connected to the frame member and extending along the frame member in parallel to the first rail, an assembly movably engaging the first and second rails, and a first bracket located between the first and second rails, with at least one first bracket attachment secured to the frame member, the first bracket sharing an upper edge with a lower edge of the first rail, such that a downward force applied on the first rail is distributed to the first bracket and the frame member via the at least one first bracket attachment.

The present invention provides automated systems and methods of loading finished mail within the trays for subsequent processing. The systems and methods of the present invention result in economic and operational efficiency to increase the process of loading the mail in the trays.

In order, e.g., to provide a line sorter in which acoustic noise resulting from the polygon effect is reduced, there is disclosed a sorter (102) for sorting items of various shapes, sizes and weights, such as postal parcels or airport baggage. The sorter includes a closed loop comprising a plurality of sorting carts (302) for moving along an upper track section, a lower track section and end track sections in a moving direction. The plurality of carts are coupled at couplings (312), which enable the carts to pivot relatively to each other in at least one plane when in operation. Each cart is able to pivot relatively to an adjacent cart at two or more pivot points (404, 414, 1002) where the two or more pivot points are positioned a pivot point distance greater than zero apart in the moving direction of the carts.

A method for decreasing the time spent on inserting postal objects in and discharging them from a parcel terminal and a parcel terminal comprising at least one storage space with multiple compartments within the parcel terminal for loading and storing postal objects on movable trays; an insertion and discharge area with one or more insertion and discharge slots equipped with a door, and a control unit; a loading mechanism for transporting postal objects from the insertion and discharge area to the storage space of postal objects and from the storage space to the insertion and discharge area. For performing the method, the parcel terminal is provided with a stack of movable trays, an area for storing the stack of movable trays and a stacker of movable trays, the terminal includes a user zone and an internal zone and the method comprises the cycles of inserting and discharging a postal object in the user zone, a cycle parallel with the insertion and/or discharge cycle which is performed in the internal zone of the parcel terminal, a cycle of stacking and/or emptying the stack of trays in the user zone, and gathering and analysing statistical data on the use of the terminal by means of the control unit.

A mail singulator system determines a position of an optical panel to automatically adjust a loading conveyor speed to prevent stacked and overlapped mailpieces in the singulator and large gaps between mailpieces. The optical panel is configured between the front mailpiece of a mail stack on the loading conveyor and the optical sensor. The optical panel changes position with the pressure exerted by the mail stack and provides signals to the controller to adjust the conveyor speed. An optical sensor may detect a far threshold position or limit distance to increase the speed of the conveyor and may detect a near threshold position of limit distance to reduce the speed of the conveyor. The optical panel may have a low friction surface to allow the mail to slide into the conveyor and an optical surface to allow reliable optical sensor detection of the optical panel position.

A method for processing core wheels is disclosed. Images of known wheels having unique identifying numbers and other wheel information is received from third party providers and are processed to determine the features of the known wheels. These images, features and other wheel information are stored in a database for future reference. A supply of core wheels is then provided and sorted in order to separate at least a first portion of the wheels conforming to a first set of criteria from the supply of wheels and are transported to second location.

A method for processing core wheels is disclosed. Images of known wheels having unique identifying numbers and other wheel information is received from third party providers and are processed to determine the features of the known wheels. These images, features and other wheel information are stored in a database for future reference. A supply of core wheels is then provided and sorted in order to separate at least a first portion of the wheels conforming to a first set of criteria from the supply of wheels and are transported to second location.

An automated system for transferring articles from a container. An item transfer system includes a rotatable tray rotary assembly, a translatable and rotatable intermediate rotary assembly, and a translatable and rotatable output rotary assembly. The system is configured to transfer articles from the tray to processing equipment by an automated process including rotationally transferring the articles from the tray to the intermediate rotary assembly and rotationally transferring the articles from the intermediate rotary assembly to the output rotary assembly. The output rotary assembly can move to align with a shelf or other input of the processing equipment and a paddle assembly can slide the items from the output rotary assembly onto the shelf or other input of the processing equipment.