Patent ID: 8267243

Claim:
A postal sorting machine ( 1 ) comprising an automatic feed station ( 8 ) with an unstacker device ( 2 ), a manual feed station ( 9 ), and a sorting conveyor ( 3 ) adapted to move mailpieces in series one behind another in a conveying direction ( 31 ), the automatic feed station ( 8 ) being designed to feed the conveyor ( 3 ) automatically with mailpieces from a stack of mailpieces, the manual feed station ( 9 ) being adapted to receive mailpieces inserted individually and to place them in the conveyor, said postal sorting machine being characterized in that the manual feed station ( 9 ) comprises a protective cover ( 25 ) forming a sort of tunnel over the conveyor, and an insertion slot ( 26 ) provided in the protective cover and through which a mailpiece can be inserted into the tunnel, said slot being in vertical alignment with a mailpiece receiving and handling space ( 34 ) for receiving and handling a mailpiece in the conveyor, which space is funnel-shaped.