Patent attributes
A method and an apparatus handle a plurality of articles in an order, particularly flat mail items. This involves the use of an apparatus having a sorting installation, a temporary store and a handling position. Each temporary store has a feeder station and an outward transfer station. Each article passes through the sorting installation. The sorting installation measures what value a prescribed sorting feature assumes for the article. The article is fed into the temporary store. The article is either transported past the outward transfer station and remains on a conveyor track or it is transferred out of the temporary store and is transported to a handling position. The sorting installation sorts the articles and produces an order among the articles. The articles are transported to the feeder station which feeds the articles into the temporary store such that at any time all the articles are arranged in the order.
