Patent ID: 6373013
Filing Date: 2002-04-16
Classification: B07C,Y10S

Abstract:
An apparatus for sorting and distributing sheet-like items having address codes thereon, said apparatus comprising:a feeder unit for feeding a plurality of the sheet-like items in standing positions; a separator unit for separating and taking up the sheet-like items in the feeder unit; an address code reader for reading the address codes on the sheet-like items within the separator unit; a stacker unit arranged above the feeder unit and including a plurality of sorting sections in which the sheet-like items are stacked in the standing positions, the stacker unit further including a bottom surface; a conveyor unit for the sheet-like items, the conveyor unit connecting the separator unit and the stacker unit; and a distributor unit for sorting the sheet-like items into selected ones of the sorting sections in accordance with the address codes which have been read by the address code reader; wherein the stacker unit includes a bottom surface moving mechanism movable between a first position in which the sheet-like items can be stacked in the sorting sections and a second position in which the bottom surface of the stacker unit is retracted as one piece to thereby allow the sheet-like items in the stacker unit to fall down into the feeder unit.