Patent ID: 7963086

Claim:
A package sorting system receiving a plurality of bundled packages destined for different areas by a delivery system which may include manual delivery to a postal customer's address, said sorting system including: a loading station for receiving bundles of preaddressed articles such as magazines, catalogs, brochures, or flyers, each carrying a readable address identifying a location to which the article is to be delivered, wherein said bundles are formed of a group of such articles held together by one of banding members and wrapping material; an input conveyor for moving the bundles along a path of travel; a package unbundling station positioned in communication with said input conveyor for receiving bundles enclosed with at least one of wrapping and banding; at least a pair of spaced-apart movable cutter assemblies that cut said at least one wrapping and banding on at least two sides of bundles in said unbundling station, wherein each of said movable cutter assemblies includes a cutting member which is moved to engage a side of a bundle while in said unbundling station, and wherein said cutter assemblies include: a support beam positioned along said unbundling station; a carriage movable along said support beam; a drive for moving said carriage along said beam; and a first pivot mechanism for pivoting said carriage toward and away from a bundle in said unbundling station, and wherein said cutting member is coupled to said carriage for movement into and out of engagement with a bundle, and wherein said cutting member includes a shoe for engaging at least one of said wrapping and banding on a bundle and a cutting element positioned in association with said shoe to cut said one of wrapping and banding, and wherein said shoe comprises a double ended elongated member having rounded opposed curved ends and one of a center slot and trough aligned with a longitudinal axis of said shoe; a second pivot mechanism for tilting said shoe toward and away from a bundle as said carriage is moved along said beam; an output conveyor for receiving unbundled articles; and a work station for receiving unbundled articles from said output conveyor.