Patent name: Mail processing machine drop box and method
Patent # 6,523,697 B1
Date: February 25, 2003
Abstract: A mail processing system drop box assembly. The drop box assembly includes a diverter and a sliding board. The sliding board is positioned below the diverter. A top edge of the sliding board is substantially parallel to the bottom edge of the diverter and extends partially to the interior side of the diverter so that a space is left between the sliding board top edge and the diverter bottom edge. The space is of sufficient size to allow a mail item to pass through edgewise. A slide portion of the sliding board section is at an angle greater than 90.degree. to a front portion of the diverter. Mail items are received into the drop box assembly edgewise at an angle to the diverter front portion such that mail items undergo a substantially abrupt directional change substantially stopping forward momentum and thereby falling into the slide in a substantially controlled manner. Further disclosed are a mail processing system and a mail processing method.