Abstract: An apparatus for conveying articles supported on hooked members has a helical member which has a varying pitch and outer diameter for conveying the articles at different speeds along its length. The helical member is coupled on one end to a constant speed motor which rotates the helical member to convey the hooked members forward. The helical member is supported within a tube which includes an entrance portion shaped to rotate the hooked members in conjunction with an spring guide from a first position into a second position. A slot is formed within the support tube for receiving the hooked members from the entrance portion and maintaining the hooked members in the second position upon being conveyed by the helical member.

Abstract: An apparatus loads hooked members supporting articles onto a conveyor. The conveyor has a plurality of latches, wherein each latch is adapted to receive and support a respective hooked member. A loading member is adapted to successively receive the hooked members and, in turn, load the hooked members one after another into the latches. The free end of a piston is coupled to the loading member and is operated to drive the loading member between a first position for receiving a hooked member, and a second position for loading the hooked member into a latch. A scanning device is adapted to scan coded labels on articles supported on the hooked members and, in turn, generate output signals indicative of the identifying information coded on the labels. A computer is coupled to the scanning device and to the conveyor, and is adapted to store the output signals and, in turn, sort the articles loaded onto the conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying articles supported on hooked members has a conveying shaft including a helical groove formed within the shaft. The helical groove is adapted to receive the hooked members and to convey the hooked members upon rotation of the shaft. A helical member is coupled on one end to the conveying shaft, and is adapted to receive the hooked members from the conveying shaft and to convey the hooked members upon rotation thereof. The helical member is supported within a support tube which includes an entrance portion formed on the end adjacent to the conveying shaft. The entrance portion is shaped to rotate the hooked members from a first position into a second position by contact therewith, upon the hooked members being conveyed through the entrance portion by the helical member. A slot is formed within the support tube and is adapted to receive the hooked member from the entrance portion. The slot maintains the hooked members in the second position upon being conveyed by the helical member.