Abstract:
This disclosure relates to a transport and sorting mechanism for an automatic conveyor system for mail pieces and the like wherein the articles to be sorted are moved along a smooth surface by means of a transport belt or linkage having pairs of studs or arms to impart a horizontal motion to the articles. The smooth surface along which the articles are conveyed is formed of the top surfaces of partitions between various destination receptacles and rotatable gates over the respective receptacles which gates when closed are in alignment with the top surfaces of the partitions. Letters and other pieces of mail of various sizes are placed in the conveyor system by the operator who records the destination of each article so inserted and the article is conveyed along the smooth surface until it reaches its destination receptacle at which time the rotatable gate is opened to allow the article to be received by the corresponding receptacle. Two or more receptacles can be served by a single belt or linkage and means are provided to merge the contents of such pairs of receptacles and place them on a separate conveying transport for further processing.