Patents by Inventor William M. Saurber, III

William M. Saurber, III has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11634285
    Abstract: A conveyor that includes a conveyor frame, a first guide rail assembly, a divert unit having a switch assembly, and an alignment key is described. In this regard, the first guide rail assembly is positioned on a first portion of the conveyor frame such that rails of the first guide rail assembly extends along a length of the conveyor. In some examples, the first guide rail includes a first guide rail and a second guide rail positioned parallel to the first guide rail. Further, the first guide rail defines a groove along a length of the first guide rail assembly. Furthermore, according to some examples, the switch assembly defines a key slot. The key slot is adapted to enable the alignment key to pass through the key slot and further into the groove of the first guide rail, thereby, aligning the switch assembly on the first guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Roth, Timothy A. Koeninger, William M. Saurber, III, Jacob Wieneke, Anthony J. Turco
  • Patent number: 11242208
    Abstract: A shoe sorter is described. The shoe sorter can include a switch plate that supports movement of a shoe pin of a pusher shoe, a finger, and an actuation arm. In some examples, the finger can be configured to be moved in a first direction in response to a portion of the shoe pin contacting a portion of the finger. The actuation arm can be pivotably engaged to the finger so that a movement of the finger in the first direction can cause a movement of the actuation arm in a second direction. In this regard, the actuation arm in the second direction can cause a change in a signal outputted by the photoelectric sensor coupled to the shoe sorter. This change in the signal can be used by a processor to determine that the shoe pin is misaligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: William M. Saurber, III, Eric Roth, Jacob D. Wieneke, Justin J. Zimmer, John Williams Rugh
  • Publication number: 20210245964
    Abstract: A shoe sorter is described. The shoe sorter can include a switch plate that supports movement of a shoe pin of a pusher shoe, a finger, and an actuation arm. In some examples, the finger can be configured to be moved in a first direction in response to a portion of the shoe pin contacting a portion of the finger. The actuation arm can be pivotably engaged to the finger so that a movement of the finger in the first direction can cause a movement of the actuation arm in a second direction. In this regard, the actuation arm in the second direction can cause a change in a signal outputted by the photoelectric sensor coupled to the shoe sorter. This change in the signal can be used by a processor to determine that the shoe pin is misaligned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: William M. Saurber III, Eric Roth, Jacob D. Wieneke, Justin J. Zimmer, John Williams Rugh
  • Patent number: 11008178
    Abstract: A shoe sorter is described. The shoe sorter can include a switch plate that supports movement of a shoe pin of a pusher shoe, a finger, and an actuation arm. In some examples, the finger can be configured to be moved in a first direction in response to a portion of the shoe pin contacting a portion of the finger. The actuation arm can be pivotably engaged to the finger so that a movement of the finger in the first direction can cause a movement of the actuation arm in a second direction. In this regard, the actuation arm in the second direction can cause a change in a signal outputted by the photoelectric sensor coupled to the shoe sorter. This change in the signal can be used by a processor to determine that the shoe pin is misaligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: William M. Saurber, III, Eric Roth, Jacob D. Wieneke, Justin J. Zimmer, John Williams Rugh
  • Publication number: 20210130108
    Abstract: A conveyor that includes a conveyor frame, a first guide rail assembly, a divert unit having a switch assembly, and an alignment key is described. In this regard, the first guide rail assembly is positioned on a first portion of the conveyor frame such that rails of the first guide rail assembly extends along a length of the conveyor. In some examples, the first guide rail includes a first guide rail and a second guide rail positioned parallel to the first guide rail. Further, the first guide rail defines a groove along a length of the first guide rail assembly. Furthermore, according to some examples, the switch assembly defines a key slot. The key slot is adapted to enable the alignment key to pass through the key slot and further into the groove of the first guide rail, thereby, aligning the switch assembly on the first guide rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Eric Roth, Timothy A. Koeninger, William M. Saurber, III, Jacob Wieneke, Anthony J. Turco
  • Patent number: 10926963
    Abstract: A sortation conveyor is provided that can include a switch assembly that includes a switch plate, a divert plate, and a bridge plate. The switch plate includes a switch member that defines a switch guide path and a switch that can be mounted on the switch member. Further, the divert plate includes a divert member that defines a divert guide path on a first side and a non-divert guide path on a second side of the divert member. Furthermore, the bridge plate includes a bridge member that defines a first bridge guide path and a second bridge guide path. In some examples, the bridge plate is positioned between the switch plate and the divert plate so that the first bridge guide path connects the switch guide path to the divert guide path and the second bridge guide path connects the switch guide path to the non-divert guide path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Intelligrated Headquarters, LLC
    Inventors: William M. Saurber, III, Jacob Wieneke
  • Patent number: 10913617
    Abstract: A conveyor that includes a conveyor frame, a first guide rail assembly, a divert unit having a switch assembly, and an alignment key is described. In this regard, the first guide rail assembly is positioned on a first portion of the conveyor frame such that rails of the first guide rail assembly extends along a length of the conveyor. In some examples, the first guide rail includes a first guide rail and a second guide rail positioned parallel to the first guide rail. Further, the first guide rail defines a groove along a length of the first guide rail assembly. Furthermore, according to some examples, the switch assembly defines a key slot. The key slot is adapted to enable the alignment key to pass through the key slot and further into the groove of the first guide rail, thereby, aligning the switch assembly on the first guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Intelligrated Headquarters, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Roth, Timothy A. Koeninger, William M. Saurber, III, Jacob Wieneke, Anthony J. Turco
  • Patent number: 10265732
    Abstract: A sortation conveyor has an endless apron supported for longitudinal movement on an elongate frame that includes a pair of lateral side frames. An induction conveyor deposits articles on an offset lateral portion of a top conveying run of the apron. A pin guide assembly is coupled between the pair of lateral side frames and is upwardly presented to selectively receive the pin of pushers that laterally move across the apron. An upstream pre-sort section thereof positions articles from the offset lateral portion to an opposite lateral portion of the top conveying run. A downstream divert section of the pin guide assembly selectively diverts the articles to a divert target on the corresponding lateral side to the selected one of offset lateral position and the opposite lateral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Justin J. Zimmer, Jacob D. Wieneke, Anthony J. Turco, William M. Saurber, III, Aaron K. Hunter, John Williams Rugh, Timothy A. Koeninger, Matthew Ryan Otto, Jarl Nicholas Sebastian
  • Patent number: 10150627
    Abstract: A material handling system includes a belted conveyor that longitudinally transports low profile articles. An actuating mechanism selectively positions a counter rotating cylindrical roller brush diagonal across the conveyor surface to divert the low profile articles to a lateral destination off a side of the belted conveyor and can position the cylindrical roller brush away the belted conveyor to allow the low profile articles to transport to a longitudinal destination at a terminal end of the belted conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Intelligrated Headquarters, LLC
    Inventors: Justin J. Zimmer, David E. Franklin, Jacob D. Wieneke, William M. Saurber, III
  • Publication number: 20180118473
    Abstract: A material handling system includes a belted conveyor that longitudinally transports low profile articles. An actuating mechanism selectively positions a counter rotating cylindrical roller brush diagonal across the conveyor surface to divert the low profile articles to a lateral destination off a side of the belted conveyor and can position the cylindrical roller brush away the belted conveyor to allow the low profile articles to transport to a longitudinal destination at a terminal end of the belted conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Justin J. Zimmer, David E. Franklin, Jacob D. Wieneke, William M. Saurber, III
  • Publication number: 20180057277
    Abstract: A material handling system includes a belted conveyor that longitudinally transports low profile articles. An actuating mechanism selectively positions a counter rotating cylindrical roller brush diagonal across the conveyor surface to divert the low profile articles to a lateral destination off a side of the belted conveyor and can position the cylindrical roller brush away the belted conveyor to allow the low profile articles to transport to a longitudinal destination at a terminal end of the belted conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Justin J. Zimmer, David E. Franklin, Jacob D. Wieneke, William M. Saurber, III
  • Patent number: 9902567
    Abstract: A material handling system includes a belted conveyor that longitudinally transports low profile articles. An actuating mechanism selectively positions a counter rotating cylindrical roller brush diagonal across the conveyor surface to divert the low profile articles to a lateral destination off a side of the belted conveyor and can position the cylindrical roller brush away the belted conveyor to allow the low profile articles to transport to a longitudinal destination at a terminal end of the belted conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Intelligrated Headquarters, LLC
    Inventors: Justin J. Zimmer, David E. Franklin, Jacob D. Wieneke, William M. Saurber, III
  • Publication number: 20170368578
    Abstract: A sortation conveyor has an endless apron supported for longitudinal movement on an elongate frame. An induction conveyor deposits articles on an offset lateral portion of a top conveying run of the apron. A pin guide assembly is coupled between the elongate frames and is upwardly presented to selectively receive the pin of pushers that laterally move across the apron. An upstream pre-sort section thereof positions articles from the offset lateral portion to an opposite lateral portion of the top conveying run. A downstream divert section of the pin guide assembly selectively diverts the articles to a divert target on the corresponding lateral side to the selected one of offset lateral position and the opposite lateral position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Justin J. Zimmer, Jacob D. Wieneke, Anthony J. Turco, William M. Saurber, III, Aaron K. Hunter, John Williams Rugh, Timothy A. Koeninger, Matthew Ryan Otto, Jarl Nicholas Sabastian
  • Patent number: 9795995
    Abstract: A sortation conveyor has an endless apron supported for longitudinal movement on an elongate frame. An induction conveyor deposits articles on an offset lateral portion of a top conveying run of the apron. A pin guide assembly is coupled between the elongate frames and is upwardly presented to selectively receive the pin of pushers that laterally move across the apron. An upstream pre-sort section thereof positions articles from the offset lateral portion to an opposite lateral portion of the top conveying run. A downstream divert section of the pin guide assembly selectively diverts the articles to a divert target on the corresponding lateral side to the selected one of offset lateral position and the opposite lateral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Inventors: Justin J. Zimmer, Jacob D. Wieneke, Anthony J. Turco, William M. Saurber, III, Aaron K. Hunter, John Williams Rugh, Timothy A. Koeninger, Matthew Ryan Otto, Jarl Nicholas Sebastian
  • Publication number: 20160325315
    Abstract: A sortation conveyor has an endless apron supported for longitudinal movement on an elongate frame. An induction conveyor deposits articles on an offset lateral portion of a top conveying run of the apron. A pin guide assembly is coupled between the elongate frames and is upwardly presented to selectively receive the pin of pushers that laterally move across the apron. An upstream pre-sort section thereof positions articles from the offset lateral portion to an opposite lateral portion of the top conveying run. A downstream divert section of the pin guide assembly selectively diverts the articles to a divert target on the corresponding lateral side to the selected one of offset lateral position and the opposite lateral position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Justin J. Zimmer, Jacob D. Wieneke, Anthony J. Turco, William M. Saurber, III, Aaron K. Hunter, John Williams Rugh, Timothy A. Koeninger, Matthew Ryan Otto, Jarl Nicholas Sebastian