High density mail sorting cart

1. A mail cart for use in manual sorting of mail pieces, comprising:

a generally rectangular frame;

wheels mounted on the frame for rolling support of the cart on a floor;

a bottom, substantially horizontal shelf secured to the frame;

a first inclined shelf secured to the frame above the bottom shelf and spaced from the bottom shelf in a vertical direction, which first inclined shelf extends forwardly and upwardly at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane;

a second inclined shelf secured to the frame above the first inclined shelf and spaced from the first inclined shelf in a vertical direction, which second inclined shelf extends forwardly and upwardly at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane; and

a holding mechanism configured to secure bags placed on the first and second inclined shelves and to releasably hold open mouths of the bags so that the mouths of the bags open in a frontward direction of the cart and are oriented depthwise.

2. The mail cart of claim 1 , wherein the first and second shelves are open in both frontward and rearward directions enough to permit removal of bags from the front or back of the cart.

3. The mail cart of claim 1 , wherein the first and second inclined shelves are secured to the frame by pivots, and further comprising a mechanism for setting the angle at which the first and second inclined shelves extend, which angle changes by movement of the first and second inclined shelves about the pivots.

4. The mail cart of claim 3 , wherein the mechanism for setting the angle holds the first and second inclined shelves at the same acute angle.

5. A mail cart for use in manual sorting of mail pieces, comprising:

a generally rectangular frame;

wheels mounted on the frame for rolling support of the cart on a floor;

a bottom, substantially horizontal shelf secured to the frame;

a first inclined shelf secured to the frame above the bottom shelf an spaced from the bottom shelf in a vertical direction, which first inclined shelf extends forwardly and upwardly at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane;

a second inclined shelf secured to the frame above the first inclined shelf and spaced from the first inclined shelf in a vertical direction, which second inclined shelf extends forwardly and upwardly at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane, wherein the first and second inclined shelves are secured to the frame by pivots;

a mechanism for setting the angle at which the first and second inclined shelves extend, which angle changes by movement of the first and second inclined shelves about the pivots, wherein the mechanism for setting the mole holds the first and second inclined shelves at the same acute angle and wherein the mechanism for setting the angle comprises a tether connected at points of attachment to side edges of the first and second inclined shelves and to the frame;

a holding mechanism for releasably holding open bags placed on the first and second inclined shelves so that mouths of the bags open in a frontward direction of the cart and are oriented depth-wise.

6. The mail cart of claim 5 , wherein the tether extends at a forwardly inclined angle.

7. A mail cart for use in manual sorting of mail pieces, comprising:

a generally rectangular frame;

wheels mounted on the frame for rolling support of the cart on a floor;

a bottom, substantially horizontal shelf secured to the frame;

a first inclined shelf secured to the frame above the bottom shelf and from the bottom shelf in a vertical direction, which first inclined shelf extends forwardly and upwardly at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane;

a second inclined shelf secured to the frame above the first inclined shelf and spaced from the first inclined shelf in a vertical direction, which second inclined shelf extends forwardly and upwardly at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane;

a holding mechanism for releasably holding open bags placed on the first and second inclined shelves so that mouths of the bags open in a frontward direction of the cart and are oriented depthwise;

a first pair of bags supported side by side on the first inclined shelf with mouths of the bags facing frontwardly, and a second pair of bags supported side by side on the second inclined shelf with mouths of the second bags facing frontwardly, the first and second bags defining vertically offset rows of bags oriented at the inclination of the first and second shelves; and

a row of upwardly opening tubs side by side on the bottom shelf.

8. The mail cart of claim 7 , wherein the aspect ratio (width:depth) of each bag mouth is at least 2:1 when held by the holding mechanism.

9. A work cell configured for manual sorting of flats and parcels, comprising a pair of mail carts for use in manual sorting of mail pieces, each cart comprising:

a generally rectangular frame;

wheels mounted on the frame for rolling support of the cart on a floor;

a bottom, substantially horizontal shelf secured to the frame;

a first inclined shelf secured to the frame above the bottom shelf and spaced from the bottom shelf in a vertical direction, which first inclined shelf extends forwardly and upwardly at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane;

a second inclined shelf secured to the frame above the first inclined shelf and spaced from the first inclined shelf in a vertical direction, which second inclined shelf extends forwardly and upwardly at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane;

a first pair of bags supported side by side on the first inclined shelf with mouths of the bags facing frontwardly;

a second pair of bags supported side by side on the second inclined shelf with mouths of the second bags facing frontwardly, the first and second bags defining vertically offset rows of bags oriented at the inclination of the first and second shelves;

a row of upwardly opening tubs side by side on the bottom shelf;

a mechanism for releasably holding open bags placed on the first and second inclined shelves so that mouths of the bags open in a frontward direction of the cart and are oriented depthwise; and

wherein the first cart is positioned beneath a discharge chute of a sorting machine with the rows of bags opening forwardly, and the second cart is positioned in an opposing position to the first cart spaced in a horizontal direction therefrom forming an aisle between the first and second carts so that a human worker standing in the aisle can unload items from the chute to any of the bags and tubs of the first and second carts.

10. The work cell of claim 9 , wherein the work cell includes a row of first carts side by side beneath the discharge chute and a row of second carts facing the row of first carts with the aisle between the rows of carts.

11. The work cell of claim 9 , wherein the second cart has a top rack on which additional tubs for receiving mail items are positioned, the second cart being taller than the first cart.