a cartridge should be removed from the output compartment;
an actuator for discontinuing the movement of articles to the cartridge when the cartridge is to be removed from an output compartment;
a cam on the output compartment for closing the cartridge door by means of relative movement between the cam and the door; and
a mechanical arm for removing the cartridge from the output compartment.
Jogger
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for aligning the bottom edges of flat articles includes: a plurality of spaced apart, generally vertical fingers, forwardly translatable while supporting groups of flat articles, each finger being rockable back and forth through a vertical centerline as the fingers are forwardly translated to jostle the articles to align the bottom edges thereof.
Also in accordance with the presentof a plurality of output compartments, each of the output compartments having a cartridge contained therein;
moving articles into a selected cartridge in one of said plurality of compartments and as a stack in the cartridge;
sensing when the cartridge should be removed from an output compartment; and
discontinuing movement of articles into the cartridge when the cartridge is to be removed from an output compartment.
In accordance with this embodiment, the method further comprises:
moving the cartridge from the output compartment to a buffer shelf for temporary storage.
Further in accordance with the present invention, an apparatus for sorting and feeding flat articles includes: a cartridge receiving dock receiving a cartridge holding a stack of flat articles;
a pusher for removing articles as a group from the cartridge;
a transport for moving groups of articles