Mail extracting and sorting desk

Abstract

Apparatus is disclosed for extracting and sorting mail from envelopes which had one edge thereof already severed. The plurality of envelopes with their edges already severed are placed into a hopper and fed from the hopper to a pair of conveyor belts operating along a vacuum manifold through which a vacuum is drawn. The conveyor is indexed to move the envelope to a work station at which two opposed vacuum cups pull the sides of the envelope into an open position to facilitate quick removal of the contents. While the operator is sorting the contents of the envelope into sorting compartments, the conveyor is again indexed to bring the next envelope into place whereupon it is drawn into an open position. An inspection device, such as a photocell arrangement, is positioned at an inspection station to check that the contents have been completely removed.

I claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus facilitating extracting and sorting of the contents from envelopes which have been opened on one edge only comprising: a feed hopper into which a plurality of envelopes to be processed are placed;   fully exposed conveyor means having a feed station and an opening station.[.;.]..Iadd., .Iaddend.and of configuration to convey an envelope with the opened edge positioned generally upwardly fully exposed along the length of the conveyor means;   a substantially flat and continuous work surface extending along and above the conveyor means between the feed station and the .[.work.]. .Iadd.opening .Iaddend.station;   feed means for feeding mail from the feed hopper to the feed station of the conveyor means at .[.predetermined times.]. .Iadd.the start of each of a plurality of operating cycles of the apparatus.Iaddend.;   Conveyor indexing means operating the conveyor means to convey mail from the feed station to the .[.work.]. .Iadd.opening .Iaddend.station at predetermined times .Iadd.in relation to each said cycle.Iaddend.; and   separating means at the opening station only for drawing the side panels of the envelope apart to expose the contents thereof for ease of removal.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the separating means includes opposed suction members disposed on each side of the envelope which sequentially extend into engagement with the envelope and retract therefrom to draw the sides of the envelope apart. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the conveyor means includes an elongate vacuum manifold including a plurality of suction holes therein and at least one continuous conveyor belt positioned adjacent the plurality of holes whereupon an envelope positioned on the belt will be held into conveying engagement with the belt by the suction drawn through the plurality of holes. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the feed means is a suction member and is positioned within the elongate manifold and is operable to extend from the manifold to pick up an envelope and retract into the manifold to position the envelope against the conveyor belt. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the conveyor means further includes an inspection station and further including inspection means at the inspection station for determining whether the entire contents of the envelope have been removed. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a plurality of sorting compartments positioned adjacent the work station to receive the sorted mail. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the conveyor indexing means is actuated immediately upon the removal of the contents of the envelope to position the following enevelope for extraction while sorting of the previously removed contents occurs. .[.8. Apparatus facilitating extracting and sorting of the contents from envelopes which have been opened on one edge comprising: a feed hopper into which a plurality of envelopes to be processed are placed;   Conveyor means including an elongate vacuum manifold having a plurality of suction holes therin and at least one continuous conveyor belt positioned adjacent the plurality of holes such that an envelope positioned on the belt will be held into conveying engagement with the belt by the suction drawn through the plurality of holes.   feed means for feeding mail from the feed hopper to the feed station of the conveyor means at predetermined times;   conveyor indexing means operating the conveyor means to convey mail from the feed station to the work station at predetermined times; and   separating means at the work station for drawing the side panels of the   
     
     
        envelope apart to expose the contents therof for ease of removal..]. 9. The apparatus of claim .[.8.]. .Iadd.14 .Iaddend.wherin the feed means is a suction member and is positioned within the elongate manifold and is operable to extend from the manifold to pick up an envelope and retract into the manifold to position the envelope against the conveyor belt. .Iadd.10. Apparatus facilitating extracting and sorting of the contents from envelopes which have been opened on one edge comprising: a feed hopper into which a plurality of envelopes to be processed are placed;   conveyor means having a feed station and a work station;   a substantially flat work surface extending along the conveyor means in the vicinity of the work station;   said conveyor means being of configuration to convey an envelope with the opened edge generally toward the work surface along the length of the conveyor means;   feed means for feeding mail from the feed hopper to the feed station of the conveyor means at operator-determined times;   conveyor indexing means operating the conveyor means to convey mail from the feed station to the work station at predetermined times relative to the operator-determined times; and   separating means at the work station only for drawing the side panels of the envelope apart to expose the contents thereof for ease of removal,   the separating means being constructed to maintain the envelope at the work station opened and generally upwardly fully exposed and with the drawn-apart side panel nearest the conveyor means inclined upwardly at an angle to the flat work surface and with the panel farthest from the conveyor means inclined upwardly at a greater angle to the flat working   
     
     
        surface. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11.  The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising means supplementing the force of gravity for retaining each envelope against the conveyor means while being conveyed between the feed station and the work station. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. Apparatus facilitating extracting and sorting by an operator of the contents from envelopes which have been opened on one edge comprising: a feed hopper into which a plurality of envelopes to be processed are placed;   fully exposed conveyor means having a feed station and an opening station, and of configuration to convey an envelope fully exposed along the length of the conveyor means and with the one opened edge of the envelope positioned so that it faces generally upwardly;   a substantially flat and continuous work surface extending along and above the conveyor means between the feed station and the opening station;   feed means for feeding mail from the feed hopper to the feed station of the conveyor means at operator-determined times;   conveyor indexing means operating the conveyor means to convey mail from the feed station to the opening station at predetermined times relative to the operator-determined times; and   separating means at the opening station only for drawing the side panels of the envelope apart to expose the contents thereof for ease of removal.   
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.13.  Apparatus facilitating extracting and sorting by an operator of the contents from envelopes which have been opened on one edge comprising: a feed hopper into which a plurality of envelopes to be processed are placed;   conveyor means including an elongate vacuum manifold having a plurality of suction holes therein and at least one continuous conveyor belt positioned adjacent the plurality of holes such that an envelope positioned on the belt will be held into conveying engagement with the belt by the suction drawn through the plurality of holes;   feed means for feeding mail from the feed hopper to a feed station of the conveyor means at operator-determined times;   conveyor indexing means operating the conveyor means to convey mail from the feed station to a work station at predetermined times relative to the operator-determined times; and   separating means at the work station for drawing the side panels of the envelope apart to expose the contents thereof for ease of removal.   
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.14.  Apparatus facilitating extracting and sorting by an operator of the contents from envelopes which have been opened on one edge comprising: a feed hopper into which a plurality of envelopes to be processed are placed;   a conveyor means having a feed station and an opening station;   a substantially flat work surface extending along the conveyor means in the vicinity of the opening station;   said conveyor means being of configuration to convey an envelope with the one opened edge generally toward the work surface along the length of the conveyor means;   feed means for feeding mail from the feed hopper to the feed station of the conveyor means at operator-determined times;   conveyor indexing means operating the conveyor means to convey mail from the feed station to the opening station at predetermined times relative to the operator-determined times; and   separating means at the opening station only for drawing the side panels of the envelope apart to expose the contents thereof for ease of removal;   the separating means being constructed to maintain the envelope at the opening station with the opened edge generally upwardly fully exposed and with the drawn-apart side panel nearest the conveyor means inclined upwardly at an angle to the flat work surface. .Iaddend.