Method and device for stacking flat items of mail in a stack holder

Abstract

According to the invention, the items to be posted are held by a stacking support which can be displaced in a stacking direction and is coupled to a flush-mounted strip on which the stack is arranged, and by a parallel stacking wall which is located in a vertical position on the stacking spot, oriented towards an abutment wall. Said items to be posted are supplied and stacked by means of stacking belts and a stacking roll which projects from the stacking wall and is located at the entrance to the stack receiving installation, close to the abutment wall, said stacking roll being mounted in a deflectable manner. A connecting element is used to connect the stacking roll housing to the force transducer of a device for measuring the stacking pressure perpendicularly to the resulting belt force exerted on the stacking roll.

1 . A method for stacking flat items of mail in a stack holder, the stack holder comprising a stack support, stacking point, stacking wall arranged parallel to the stacking point, stop wall, and an underfloor belt on which the stack stands, comprising the steps of: 
 holding the mail items with the stack support within the stack holder, the stack support arranged to be moved in a stacking direction and, coupled to the underfloor belt,    aligning the mail items in an upright position on the stop wall,    individually supplying and stacking the items of mail, one after another, by stacking belts of a covering belt system and a stacking roller, which is located at an entry to the stack holder and in the vicinity of the stop wall and protrudes from the stack wall, over which stacking roller one of the stacking belts is deflected,    leading the items of mail at an acute angle in a longitudinal direction to the stack support on the latter or the last item of mail already stacked as far as the stop wall,    controlling stacking pressure of the items of mail with a force measuring device for measuring the stacking pressure at the stacking point, the force measuring device connected to a device which is connected to the drive of the underfloor belt, for controlling the stacking pressure, the stacking pressure being measured directly on the stacking roller approximately perpendicular to the direction of the resultant belt force on the stacking roller, via a deflection of the stacking roller.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the deflection of the stacking roller is transmitted to a bending beam having strain gages, whose deformation approximately perpendicular to a resultant force is used as a measure of the stacking pressure.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the stacking roller can be deflected only approximately perpendicular to the direction of the resultant belt force.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the force is transmitted from the deflectable stacking roller to the bending beam of the force measuring device by a connecting element, the connecting element being designed to be stiff in the force transmission direction approximately perpendicular to the resultant belt force and compliant at right angles thereto.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the stacking pressure is measured only when there is as yet no following item of mail between stacking belt and a deflection roller for an other stacking belt, located upstream of the stacking roller in the transport direction.  
   
   
       6 . A device for stacking flat items of mail in an upright position, comprising: 
 a stack holder for accommodating the mail at a stacking point, the stack holder comprising:    an underfloor belt upon which the stack is positioned upright, the belt arranged to be moved in a stacking direction,    a stop wall to which the stack is aligned;    a stack support coupled to the underfloor belt;    a stacking wall arranged parallel thereto at the stacking point,    stacking belts of a covering belt system and a stacking roller located at an entry to the stack holder in the vicinity of the stop wall and protruding from the stack wall, and over which one of the stacking belts is deflected in order to supply and stack the items of mail so that the items of mail are led at an acute angle in a longitudinal direction to the stack support on the latter or the last item of mail already stacked as far as the stop wall,    a force measuring device arranged to the stacking pressure at the stacking point, the measuring device being connected to a device which is connected to a drive of the underfloor belt, the measuring device further arranged to control the stacking pressure such that the stacking roller is mounted such that it can be deflected and the stacking roller mounting is connected by a connecting element to the force sensor belonging to the force measuring device in order to measure the stacking pressure perpendicular to the direction of the resultant belt force on the stacking roller.    
   
   
       7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the force sensor provided in the force measuring device is a bending beam having strain gages, whose deflection approximately perpendicular to the resultant belt force on the stacking roller is arranged so as to be used as a measure of the stacking pressure.  
   
   
       8 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the stacking roller can be deflected only approximately perpendicular to the direction of the resultant belt force on the stacking roller.  
   
   
       9 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein the mounting of the deflectable stacking roller is coupled by a connecting element to the bending beam of the force measuring device, the connecting element being designed to be stiff in the force transmission direction approximately perpendicular to the resultant belt force on the stacking roller and compliant at right angles thereto.  
   
   
       10 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the force measuring device is arranged to be adjustable.  
   
   
       11 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the stacking roller bearing is fixed to a movable swinging arm, which is connected to the connecting element.