Patent ID: 6907982

Claim:
An automatic tray handling system for use with an article sorter having a plurality of sorter units and a plurality of tray support areas for positioning a tray while the tray is being filled with sorted articles, said automatic tray handling system comprising: at least one conveyor operable to convey empty trays and at least partially filled trays generally adjacent to the tray support areas; and a plurality of tray moving devices positioned adjacent to the tray support areas, said tray moving devices being positioned partially below said at least one conveyor and operable to engage a portion of the empty trays and to push or pull the empty trays generally transverse to said at least one conveyor to move the empty trays from said at least one conveyor to the tray support areas, said tray moving devices being operable to engage an opposite portion of at least partially filled trays at the tray support areas and to push or pull the at least partially filled trays to move the at least partially filled trays from the tray support areas onto said at least one conveyor.