of articles in the cartridge;
determining when the cartridge should be removed from the output compartment;
discontinuing the movement of articles into the cartridge when the cartridge is to be removed from an output compartment;
closing a door of the cartridge while supporting the stack in an upright position; and
removing the cartridge from the output compartment.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for transferring flat articles from an article processing machine to a cartridge in an output compartment includes:
a transport for moving articles toward an open end of a cartridge docked at an output compartment, said cartridge having a longitudinally slidable rear stack support paddle;
an article guide for guiding articles into the cartridge in a stack of articles in the cartridge;
a sensor for determining when a cartridgeshould be removed from the output compartment;
a controller for discontinuing the movement of articles to the cartridge when the cartridge is to be removed from an output compartment;
an actuator for closing a door to the cartridge while supporting flat articles in the stack in an upright condition; and
a drive for removing said cartridge from said output compartment.
Further in accordance with the present invention, an apparatus for transferring flat articles from an article processing machine to a cartridge in an output compartment includes:
a drive for moving articles toward an open end of a cartridge docked at an output compartment, said cartridge having a longitudinally slidable rear stack support paddle;
a sweep gate for guiding articles into the cartridge in a stack of articles in the cartridge;
a sensor for determining when