Mail decelerating device

A mail decelerating device wherein a straight channel with a V-shaped cross section is supplied by a conveyor channel with a number of mail items; the mail item is intercepted and directed by a deflecting element towards an inclined wall of the V-section channel, along which it slides and is arrested on striking a kinetic energy dissipating device at one end of the V-section channel; following stoppage of the item, a bottom opening in the V-section channel is opened, and through which the mail item drops out by force of gravity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a mail decelerating device. 
Mail sorting devices are known which provide for withdrawing flat 
rectangular mail items one at a time from a stack of superimposed items. 
European Patent Application EP-A-582.869 by FINMECCANICA S.p.A., for 
example, relates to a sorting device comprising an inclined rectangular 
surface for supporting a stack of mail items, which is pushed by a slide 
along the inclined surface to a stop device fitted to the upper end edge 
of the surface. 
Sorting devices of the above type feed the mail items to a conveyor channel 
along which they travel separately. 
The mail items are fed along the conveyor channel at substantially constant 
speed (e.g. about 2.8-3 meters/second) by devices, e.g. pinch rollers, 
engaging lateral portions of the item. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for receiving 
the moving mail items from the conveyor channel, and for decelerating and 
arresting them. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device for 
withdrawing each arrested mail item one at a time, and feeding it to a 
known external conveyor device (e.g. presenting a number of carriages, 
each comprising a number of side by side, prismatic containers). 
According to the present invention, there is provided a mail decelerating 
device, characterized in that it comprises: 
a straight channel presenting a substantially V-shaped cross section, and 
defined, among other things, by at least one lateral wall inclined in 
relation to an opposite side wall, 
said V-section channel presenting an input communicating with conveyor 
means for supplying the V-section channel with a number of mail items; 
deflecting means for directing the mail items fed into said V-section 
channel towards said inclined lateral wall; and 
energy dissipating means located at the opposite end of said V-section 
channel to said input, and for dissipating at least part of the kinetic 
energy of the items fed by said conveyor means into said V-section 
channel. 
The present invention also relates to a device wherein said V-section 
channel presents a bottom opening fitted with shutter means; 
paid shutter means being movable between an idle position wherein said 
opening is inaccessible, and an activating position wherein said bottom 
opening is accessible and permits said mail items to drop by force of 
gravity out of said V-section channel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Number 1 in FIG. 1 indicates a mail decelerating device communicating with 
the output of a straight conveyor channel 3 extending from a known sorting 
device 5 (shown schematically). 
Sorting device 5 provides for supplying channel 3 one at a time with a 
number of flat rectangular mail items 12, such as letters, envelopes, 
magazines, newspapers, etc. 
Sorting device 5 may, for example, be of the type described in European 
Patent Application EP-A-582.869 by FINMECCANICA S.p.A., and may comprise 
(FIG. 5) an inclined rectangular surface 6 for supporting a stack of flat 
rectangular mail items 12, which is pushed by a slide 7 along inclined 
surface 6 to a stop device S fitted to the upper end edge 6a of surface 6. 
Sorting device 5 also comprises a gripping head 9 movable in crank and 
slotted link manner to and from inclined surface 6, and for withdrawing 
mail items 12 one at a time from the stack, and feeding them to conveyor 
channel 3. More specifically, gripping head 9 conveniently comprises a 
number of suction cups for engaging the front surface 12' of the item 12 
contacting stop device 8. 
As shown particularly in FIG. 1, channel 3 presents a rectangular cross 
section, and comprises a rectangular bottom wall 20 and two rectangular 
lateral walls 21, 22. 
Conveyor channel 3 comprises a number of known pinch roller devices 23 
located along walls 21, 22, and which provide for engaging opposite 
lateral portions of items 12, and feeding items 12 towards device 1. 
Decelerating device 1 comprises a straight channel 30 presenting an input 
30a communicating with the output of conveyor channel 3. 
Channel 30 presents a substantially V-shaped cross section, and is 
supported on a horizontal supporting surface 31 fitted to a bed (not 
shown). 
More specifically, channel 30 is defined by a first rectangular lateral 
wall 32 continuing from wall 21 and perpendicular to surface 31; by a 
second rectangular lateral wall 33 inclined roughly 15.degree. in relation 
to wall 32; by a trapezoidal wall 35 from which channel 3 extends; and by 
a trapezoidal wall 36 opposite and parallel to wall 35. At the bottom, 
channel 30 presents a rectangular opening 37 (FIGS. 1, 3) extending 
substantially the full length of channel 30, and which is closed by a 
movable bottom wall 38, and is located at a through opening 40 in 
supporting surface 31 (FIG. 3). 
Channel 30 is longer than the maximum length of the items 12 conveyed along 
channel 3. 
Channel 30 presents a deflecting element 39 located close to input 30a and 
comprising a rectangular appendix made of flexible plastic material and 
extending from wall 32 towards wall 33. 
As shown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 3, bottom wall 38 is substantially 
rectangular, and is integral with a shaft 41 extending along a long edge 
38a of wall 38, and presenting end portions supported on bearings 43, 44 
(FIG. 2) fitted to walls 35, 36. 
Shaft 41 also extends parallel to and a short distance from the straight 
bottom edge 32a of wall 32, and is movable angularly by an actuating 
device 46 (FIG. 4) fitted to horizontal supporting surface 31. 
More specifically, bottom wall 38 is movable between an idle position 
(shown by the continuous line in FIG. 3) wherein it closes opening 37 with 
a long straight edge 38b contacting the bottom edge 33a of wall 33, and an 
activating position (shown by the dotted line in FIG. 4) wherein wall 38 
is substantially coplanar with wall 32, and opening 37 is accessible. 
As shown particularly in FIG. 4, actuating device 46 comprises an 
electromagnetic actuator 51 fitted to a vertical support 52 extending 
upwards from supporting surface 31; and electromagnetic actuator 51 
presents an output shaft 53 movable back and forth along an axis 54 
perpendicular to surface 31, and connected to a T-shaped element 56 hinged 
to support 52. 
More specifically, T-shaped element 56 comprises a straight element 57 with 
a free end 57a hinged to wall 52a of support 52; and a substantially 
trapezoidal element 58 crosswise to straight element 57; and straight 
element 57 presents a central portion 57b hinged to the bottom end portion 
53a of shaft 53. 
The opposite end portions of trapezoidal element 58 are fitted with the 
first ends of cables 60, 61, the second ends (not shown) of which are 
fitted to respective pulleys 63, 64 (FIG. 2) fitted to the free end of 
shaft 41. Cables 60, 61 are wound oppositely about pulleys 63, 64, and 
provide for transmitting the rotation of element 56 to shaft 41. 
As shown particularly in FIG. 3, device 1 also comprises a guide device 70 
for defining the path of items 12 falling by force of gravity through 
opening 37. 
Device 70 comprises a roughly vertical, fixed first deflector 71 extending 
beneath supporting surface 31 in a straight direction parallel to bottom 
edge 32a of wall 32. 
Deflector 71 comprises a substantially flat, rectangular, metal upper 
portion 72 presenting a top edge 72a fitted to supporting surface 31, and 
a bottom edge 72b fitted by screws 73 to a shaped bottom portion 74 made 
of pliable fabric. 
Device 70 also comprises a movable second deflector 75 facing first 
deflector 71 and extending beneath supporting surface 31. 
Second deflector 75 comprises a metal upper portion 76 presenting a bottom 
edge 76b fitted by screws 77 to a shaped bottom portion 78 made of pliable 
fabric. 
Upper portion 76 is roughly rectangular, and is supported on a straight 
shaft 79 which is fitted to the face of portion 76 facing deflector 71, 
and which extends parallel to edge 33a and beneath supporting surface 31. 
Shaft 79 also presents end portions (not shown) supported on bearings (not 
shown) fitted to appendixes (not shown) of supporting surface 31. 
Upper portion 76 also presents a top edge 76a above surface 31 and hinged 
to a first end 80a of a rod 80, the second end 80b of which is hinged 
eccentrically to a pulley 81 fitted to a supporting structure 82 in turn 
fitted to supporting surface 31 and located to one side of wall 33. By 
means of a belt drive 83, pulley 81 is driven by an electric motor 85 
fitted to structure 82; pulley 81 in turn activates rod 80; and, by virtue 
of the connection defined by shaft 79, the rotation of pulley 81 rotates 
deflector 75 back and forth about shaft 79 and hence to and from deflector 
71. 
Deflectors 71, 75 define a drop channel 87 presenting a substantially 
V-shaped cross section and decreasing in width downwards from opening 37 
to bottom fabric portions 74, 78. 
As shown particularly in FIG. 2, device comprises a kinetic energy 
dissipating device 90 for decelerating items 12 fed from conveyor channel 
3 to V-section channel 30. 
Device 90 comprises a mechanism 91 fitted to wall 36; and a pneumatic 
damper 92 fitted to mechanism 91. 
More specifically, mechanism 91 comprises a straight arm 93 hinged at the 
top to an appendix 94 extending perpendicularly outwards of channel 30 
from wall 36. Arm 93 presents a free bottom portion 93a; and an 
intermediate portion hinged, by means of two consecutive, straight, 
articulated arms 95, 96, to a vertical support 97 extending 
perpendicularly from surface 31 on one side of wall 36, and fitted at the 
top with an electromechanical actuator 98 presenting a vertical output 
shaft 99 hinged to the hinge connecting arms 95, 96. Arm 93 is movable by 
actuator 98 between an idle position (FIG. 2) wherein it is substantially 
vertical and parallel to wall 36, and arms 95, 96 are aligned with each 
other and perpendicular to arm 93, and an activating position (not shown) 
wherein arm 93 is inclined away from wall 36, and arms 95, 96 are bent in 
the form of a V. 
Damper 92 is supported on arm 93, and comprises a cylindrical casing 100 
screwed to arm 93 and engaging an opening 101 in wall 36; and an output 
shaft 103 extending from the end of casing 100 facing channel 30, and 
which is connected to a shaped plate 105 hinged to arm 93. More 
specifically, plate 105 comprises a straight bottom portion 105a fitted 
perpendicularly to shaft 103; an intermediate portion 105b perpendicular 
to portion 105a; and a top portion 105c parallel to portion 105a and 
presenting a top end 105d hinged to arm 93. In the idle position, plate 
105 is located inside channel 30, with portion 105a perpendicular to 
bottom wall 38; and, in the activating position, plate 105 is located 
outside channel 30. 
Device 1 is controlled by a central electronic unit 120 (FIG. 1) which 
controls actuator 51, electromagnetic actuator 98 and electric motor 85. 
Central unit 120 is supplied with electric signals from a number of 
optoelectronic sensors 125 fitted to deflector 71 at the connection of 
portions 72 and 74, and facing deflector 75. 
In actual use, mail item 12 from conveyor channel 3 reaches V-section 
channel 30 at a speed of roughly 2.8 meters/second, and, on entering 
channel 30, is intercepted and directed by deflecting element 39 towards 
inclined wall 33; item 12 therefore comes to rest on inclined wall 33 
along which it slides towards energy dissipating device 90 in the idle 
position; the vertical front edge of item 12 contacts bottom portion 105a 
of plate 105 which rotates about the top hinge and compresses pneumatic 
damper 92, so that item 12 dissipates most of its kinetic energy in the 
impact, and is slowed down to substantially zero speed; and, at the end of 
its deceleration, item 12 is positioned with its straight bottom edge 
resting on bottom wall 38. 
In the event of it bouncing, item 12 slides along wall 33 in the opposite 
direction to insertion, and contacts wall 35 which prevents it from being 
expelled from channel 30. 
Electronic central unit 120 then activates electromagnetic actuator 98 to 
rapidly reset dissipator 90 to the idle position. 
Subsequently, on receiving an enabling signal from an external device (not 
shown), central unit 120 provides for shifting bottom wall 38 to enable 
access to opening 37; actuating device 46 is therefore activated to shift 
bottom wall 38 from the idle to the activating position; and item 12, by 
now stationary, drops by force of gravity through opening 37, without 
rotating and without contacting plate 105 which is positioned outside 
channel 30. 
Item 12 drops down between deflectors 71 and 75 which define its path and 
direct it towards the opening 130 (shown schematically) of a container 135 
(also shown schematically) located beneath channel 30 and traveling at 
constant speed in relation to device 1 in the direction shown by the arrow 
in FIG. 3. 
More specifically, container 135 presents lateral walls inclined to the 
horizontal, and is connected to other adjacent containers to form a 
movable carriage. 
Upon the top edge of item 12 moving past the optical paths of sensors 125, 
motor 85 is activated to move deflector 75. 
More specifically, movable deflector 75 is moved towards fixed deflector 71 
to follow the movement of container 135 and ensure correct insertion of 
item 12 inside the container, which insertion is effected rapidly (in 
roughly 450 milliseconds). 
Device 1 thus provides for decelerating and arresting the mail items from 
conveyor channel 3, and for withdrawing the arrested items one by one from 
channel 30. 
Deflectors 71, 75 also provide for inserting items 12 into moving 
containers. 
Clearly, changes may be made to device 1 as described and illustrated 
herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present 
invention.