Patent ID: 7510363

Claim:
A mail bundle handling device, comprising: a frame; a body, rotatably mounted to the frame, including: a first opening through which a plurality of mail bundles are loaded, and a second opening through which mail bundles are discharged; a scoop, rotatably mounted to the body, to cover a first portion of the second opening; a ramp, rotatably mounted to the body, to cover a second portion of the second opening, the second portion being smaller than the first portion; a plurality of actuators for rotating the body relative to the frame and at least one of the scoop and the ramp relative to the body; a plurality of sensors for measuring the orientation of the body and the position of at least one of the scoop and the ramp, and for detecting mail bundles being discharged from the second opening; and a controller, coupled to the plurality of actuators and the plurality of sensors, to control the operation of the body, scoop and ramp to discharge a metered portion of mail bundles through the second opening of the body.