Patent ID: 8002263

Claim:
A pickoff system for removal of mail pieces one at a time from the end of a stack, comprising: a pickoff belt mechanism positioned to frictionally engage an outer surface of a mail piece at the end of the stack and transport it transversely to a thickness direction of the stack, which mechanism includes one or more belts mounted on rollers and driven by a drive motor; a sensor positioned to determine mail piece movement speed as the mail piece is being transported by the pickoff belt mechanism; a measurement device for determining belt movement speed during operation of the pickoff belt mechanism; actuatable means for stopping slipping of the mail piece relative to the belt during transport by the belt pickoff mechanism by temporarily increasing friction between the mail piece and the belt, comprising a controller function that transmits a signal to the drive motor to temporarily reduce or stop acceleration of the belt; and a controller connected to the sensor and the belt movement speed measurement device, which controller is configured to compare the belt movement speed and the mail piece movement speed during operation, and when mail piece movement speed is slower than belt movement speed, indicating slipping of the mail piece relative to the belt of the pickoff belt mechanism, the controller actuating the means for stopping slipping of the mail piece relative to the belt.