Patent ID: 8727344

Claim:
A system for improving stacking of flat items stacked on edge and forming a batch of items in a sort bin ( 200 a , 200 b . . . 200 n ), comprising: a stacking deck ( 210 ) for supporting the batch of items; at least a first and a second set of endless belts ( 230 , 240 ) which are drivingly mounted around upstream and downstream pulleys ( 232 , 234 , 242 , 244 ) carried respectively by common upstream and downstream shafts ( 236 , 238 ), said first set of endless belts comprises two outer series of round belts ( 230 a , 230 b ) on which the flat items rest and said second set of endless belts comprises at least two belts, at least one of the two belts including an inner timing toothed belt ( 240 ), the round belts running around outer pulleys ( 232 a , 232 b , 234 a , 234 b ) the diameters of which are greater than those of the inner pulleys ( 242 , 244 ) around which the at least one inner timing toothed belt is mounted; a paddle ( 220 ) movably connected to a shaft ( 224 ) mounted on the stacking deck for registering the flat items accumulated into said batch of items, said paddle having at least a lug ( 222 ) that is received in a notch formed between two teeth of the at least one inner timing toothed belt for cooperating with said shaft so as to apply a first stacking pressure to said batch of items; a driving device ( 228 ) for applying at least another adjustable pressure to said batch of items for refining their registering against the paddle; and a movement control module ( 229 ) for controlling the driving device so as to adjust pressure in the batch of items, the batch of items and the paddle being driven synchronously and separately; wherein one ( 242 ) of the inner pulleys is rigidly fixed to a driving shaft ( 236 ) while the corresponding outer pulleys ( 232 a , 232 b ) are driven by the driving via a one-way bearing ( 233 a , 233 b ), the other driven inner and outer pulleys ( 234 ; 244 a , 244 b ) being rotatably mounted on the other shaft ( 238 ).