Method and tool for the separation of a pile of recipients

Abstract From the Canadian patent

The separation tool allows separation of a horizontal pile of recipients into sub-piles of recipients the first or last recipient of each sub-pile have been previously marked with ultra-violet detectable ink. The tool comprises a frame; a sensor mounted to the frame for detecting the last recipient of a current sub-pile or the first recipient of the next sub-pile upstream therefrom which ever has been previously marked, and a manipulator arm provided with a fixed finger assembly for holding the recipients upstream from the last recipient of the current sub-pile and a separation finger for creating a gap between the held recipients and those from the current sub-pile.