Patent ID: 7304260

Claim:
A method for filling, removing, and transporting a receiving container for sorted items, a number of which are filled along a sorting path with sorted items at individual destination points, the sorting items being of the same type, and alter filling are transported away from the destination points by way of a transport facility, comprising the steps of: placing an empty receiving container on an upper surface of a holder; inserting the empty receiving container and the holder on a guide beneath a destination point; withdrawing the receiving container and the holder at least once for filling with sorted items so that the receiving container is removed from beneath the destination point during filling, a withdrawing direction being crosswise with respect to a sorting path direction and opposite to an insertion direction; reinserting the container and holder after the filling so that the container is positioned beneath the destination point; raising the container from the holder in response to a control command, the raising being performed by a lift; withdrawing the holder in an opposite direction to an insertion direction; lowering the receiving container via the lift onto the transport facility situated beneath the destination point; transporting the receiving container away from the destination point via the transport facility; and moving the lift into an idle position.