'
firstofall,lettersandpacketsarecollectedinbagsfrompillarboxes,postofficesandfirms,inpostofficevans.theyarethentakentothesortingoffice,wherethebagsareemptiedandthelettersseparatedfromthepackets.
followingthisstep,thelettersareputthroughmachinessothatthestampscanbecancelled(盖销).inthisprocessthedateandplaceofsortingareputoverthestampsoneachenvelop.inthenextstage,thesortingoftheletterstakesplace,accordingtothe
countrytheyareaddressedto.thisisdonebyplacingthemintheappropriatepigeonhole(鸽笼式分类架).sebsequently,thelettersaretakenfromthepigeonholeandplacedinbaskets,whicharethenputontoaconveyorbelt.whileonthisconveyorbelt,thebasketsaredirectedtotheappropriatesecondarysortingsectionbymeansofcodingpegs.
atthesecondarysortingframes,thelettersareputintotownsinthecountrylater,thelettersaretiedinbundlesandalabelisputonshowingthetownstheyareaddressedto.finally,theletterbundlesareplacedinbags,whichhavethepostofficeseal,postofficerailwaynumberanddestinationcodenumberonthem,andthenthesearesenttotherailwaystation.