Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for sorting sheets or the like

US5990438A · kind A · utility

12Cited by
8References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 26, 1998
Grant dateNov 23, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 26, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S209/90
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Apparatus for sorting and distributing sheet-like items, such as postal matter. A feeder successively feeds the sheet-like items with the front surfaces of all the items facing in the same direction. A stacker is positioned above the feeder for stacking the sheet-like items in an upright position. As the sheet-like items are conveyed from the feeder to the stacker, a selector activates either a first reader or a second reader to read address codes applied to the front surfaces or the back surfaces of the sheet-like items. The selector selects the one of the first reader and the second reader to be activated based on which of the front surfaces and the back surfaces of the sheet like items have address codes thereon.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.