APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AN UNSTACKER MAGAZINE WITH MAILPIECES ON EDGE

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. An apparatus for feeding an unstacker magazine with mailpieces on edge, comprising: a first feed conveyor that extends to said unstacker magazine in a certain conveying direction and that is configured to convey trays extending crosswise and loaded with mailpieces placed flat on the bottoms of the trays; tray tipping means interposed between said first feed conveyor and the unstacked magazine, configured to pivot a tray forwards in said conveying direction onto a ramp of the tray tipping means so as to bring the mailpieces on edge from the tray to the unstacker magazine; a second feed conveyor that extends to said unstacker magazine and parallel to the first conveyor in said conveying direction and that is configured to convey trays extending lengthwise and loaded with mailpieces placed on edge on the bottoms of the trays; and tray tipping-over means interposed between said second feed conveyor and said unstacker magazine and that are configured to lay a tray over on its side onto the unstacker magazine transversely to said conveying direction in such a manner as to bring the mailpieces on edge from the tray to the unstacker magazine, and in that said tipping-over means comprises a ramp on a path intersecting the path of the ramp of the tipping means, said ramps being disposed on two adjacent sides of a stack reconstruction zone in which a stack of mailpieces on edge is reconstructed on said unstacker magazine.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a tray removal conveyor for removing trays that extends along the first feed conveyor of said unstacker magazine.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second tipping means is provided with an abutment at the bottom of the ramp and configured to block the base of a tray and to provide leverage for laying a tray over onto said unstacker magazine.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second tipping means is provided with an abutment at the bottom of the ramp and configured to block the base of a tray and to provide leverage for laying a tray over onto said unstacker magazine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The present invention can be better understood and other advantages appear on reading the following detailed description of an embodiment given by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus of the invention for feeding an unstacker magazine;

[0027] FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrammatic perspective views of the apparatus of the invention for feeding an unstacker magazine with mailpieces stacked flat in trays on the first conveyor; and

[0028] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus of the invention for feeding an unstacker magazine with mailpieces stacked on edge in trays on the second conveyor.

[0029] Description of the embodiment The apparatus 1 of the invention as shown in FIG. 1 is particularly adapted for feeding an unstacker magazine 2 with mailpieces 3 in a postal sorting or logistics center.

[0030] The term “unstacker magazine” 2 is used to mean a magazine for temporarily storing mailpieces that feeds an unstacker.

[0031] The mailpieces 3 that feed the unstacker magazine are generally letters, parcels, etc.

[0032] In FIG. 1, the apparatus 1 includes first and second feed conveyors 4, 5 designed to convey trays 6 filled with mailpieces 3 to the unstacker magazine 2 in a certain conveying direction F1.

[0033] The two conveyors 4, 5 converge at a downstream end 7 of the unstacker magazine 2 in order to concentrate the feeding with mailpieces 3 on the stacking magazine 2 at a stack reconstruction zone Z1 delimited by dashed lines in FIG. 1 and in which stacks of mailpieces are reconstructed.

[0034] The stack reconstruction zone Z1 is advantageously situated in the vicinity of a work zone Z2 in which the operative works.

[0035] The first and second conveyors 4, 5 are also terminated respectively by tray tipping means 8 for tipping a tray 6, and tray tipping-over means 9 for tipping a tray 6 over.

[0036] The means 8 and 9 are designed respectively to tip a tray loaded with mailpieces 3 laid flat 3A, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and to tip a tray loaded with mailpieces stood on edge 3B, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0037] The tipping means 8 are designed to pivot a tray 6 forwards in the conveying direction F1 onto a ramp 10 of the tipping means.

[0038] The mailpieces 3 stored flat in the tray 6 are thus tipped and tilted on edge in the tray so as to be unloaded by sliding down to the unstacker magazine 2, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0039] In this example, the ramp 10 of the tipping means is curved so that the sliding of the mailpieces 3 on edge is slowed down naturally.

[0040] The tray tipping-over means 9 are designed to lay a tray 6 over transversely to the conveying direction F1 onto the unstacker magazine 2.

[0041] The mailpieces 3 stored on edge in the tray 6 are thus tilted on edge onto another edge and slide from the tray 6 onto the unstacker magazine 2, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0042] Even though the two conveyors 4, 5 are designed for conveying all types of trays, the orientation of the mailpieces 3 in each tray 6 determines which conveyor should be used for conveying the tray.

[0043] Thus, the mailpieces that are stored flat in the trays are conveyed on the first conveyor 4 so as to be tipped by the tipping means 8 while the mailpieces 3 on edge in the trays are conveyed on the second conveyor 5 so as to be tipped by the tipping-over means 9.

[0044] The tipping means 8 are automated so that each tray 6 arriving at the downstream end of the first feed conveyor 4 is automatically tipped onto the unstacker magazine 2 into an unloading position.

[0045] The tipping means 8 comprise a rectangular yoke 11 designed to come to engage the top edges 12 of a tray 6 and to cause it to pivot via that one of said top edges that faces the unstacker magazine.

[0046] The pivoted tray 6 remains in the unloading position, as shown in FIG. 3, for a time that is predefined so as to enable the operative to retrieve the stack of mailpieces 3 that slides on edge onto the unstacker magazine 2.

[0047] Once the time in the unloading position has elapsed, the empty tray 6 is automatically pivoted in the reverse direction so as to be removed on a removal conveyor 13 of the apparatus of the invention.

[0048] The tray removal conveyor 13, shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, extends, in this example, along the first feed conveyor 4, 5 so as to facilitate removal of the trays 6, as empty of any mailpieces 3, from the unstacker magazine 2 to a tray storage zone Z3, shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1.

[0049] A new tray 6 loaded with mailpieces 3 then arrives at the end of the first conveyor 4 so as to be pivoted in turn, and so on.

[0050] The pitch between each tray 6 on the first conveyor 4 is thus determined as a function of the speed of conveying and as a function of the time for which each tray is tipped into the unloading position.

[0051] The tipping-over means 9 comprise a ramp 14 that extends transversely relative to the conveying direction F1 and that goes down from the second feed conveyor 5 to the unstacker magazine 2.

[0052] This ramp 14 makes it possible to cause a tray 6 to tip and slide transversely relative to the conveying direction F1.

[0053] The second tipping means 9 further comprise a blocking abutment 15 that is situated at the bottom of the ramp 14 and that is designed to prevent the base of a tray 6 from moving transversely on the ramp 14.

[0054] Thus, once the base of the tray is blocked, the operative merely has to pull the tray 6 towards him or her via the side facing him or her, while being assisted by the abutment that serves as a lever, thereby laying the tray 6 over onto the stacking magazine 2.

[0055] It can thus be understood that the laid-over tray 6 continues to bear against the abutment 15 so as to keep the tray in a tilted position in which it is tipped over onto the unstacker magazine 2 in order to facilitate unloading of the mailpieces 3 on edge.

[0056] The empty tray 6 is then retrieved by the operative and placed on the tray removal conveyor 13.

[0057] The ramps 10 and 14 are also on mutually intersecting paths and disposed on two adjacent sides of the stack reconstruction zone Z1 in which a stack of mailpieces on edge is reconstructed on said unstacker magazine.

[0058] This configuration of the ramps improves the working ergonomics for the operative.

[0059] Additionally, a portion Z4 of the second conveyor 5, shown in dashed lines in FIGS. 1 and 4, and adjacent to the ramp 14 is designed to convey the trays 6 towards the ramp 14 transversely to the conveying direction F1.

[0060] Naturally, the present invention is in no way limited to the above-described embodiment, which can undergo modifications without going beyond the ambit of the invention.