Patent ID: 8790065

Claim:
A method of transporting mail items, comprising: using a convertible mail container in a horizontal configuration as an output tray of a mail processing machine, the convertible mail container having a bottom, two fixed side walls connected to the bottom, a fixed end wall connected to the side walls and to the bottom, and a movable wall that is movable from a first position where the movable wall forms a second end wall of the convertible mail container, opposite the fixed end wall, to a second position where the movable wall is adjacent to the two fixed side walls and the fixed end wall so that it covers a portion of a top opening of the convertible mail container, wherein the movable wall the movable wall can rotate about a hinge that is configured to travel in slots in the side walls and acts as a wall of the convertible mail container when the convertible mail container is in a first configuration where the movable wall is in the first position and the convertible mail container is in a horizontal orientation, and also when the convertible mail container is in a second configuration where the movable wall is in the second position and the convertible mail container is in a vertical orientation; receiving a plurality of items in the convertible mail container in a horizontal stack; reconfiguring the convertible mail container to a vertical configuration, including moving a wall of the convertible mail container, so that the plurality of items is moved to a vertical orientation; and extracting the plurality of items while the convertible mail container is in the vertical configuration.