Patent ID: 8123023

Claim:
A system for processing mailpieces along a feed path, comprising: a registration plate having a contact surface for registering a first surface of each of the mailpieces; a plurality of rolling elements having at least one drive roller; at least one conveyor belt opposing the contact surface of the registration plate and disposed about the rolling elements, the conveyor belt driven by the drive roller of the rolling elements and having a drive surface for engaging a second surface of each of the mailpieces for conveyance along the feed path; and a compliant deck disposed beneath and supporting an underside surface of the at least one conveyor belt and including: a surface layer and a support layer disposed beneath and supporting the surface layer, the surface and support layer each having a characteristic yield strength and a characteristic elongation property, the surface layer having a higher characteristic elongation property than the characteristic elongation property of the support layer, and the support layer having a higher characteristic yield strength than the characteristic yield strength of the surface layer; and a spring biasing device operative to bias the compliant deck and the at least one conveyor belt toward the contact surface of the registration plate such that the second surface of each of the mailpieces is urged into engagement with the contact surface during processing.