Abstract: An unstacking apparatus includes a feed conveyor for feeding stacks of items, and a decline unstacking section including at least first and second declined conveyors arranged in series. A stack of items being transferred from the feed conveyor to the first declined conveyor tilts forwardly to cause the items to slide forwardly off one another into a shingle arrangement on the first declined conveyor. The second declined conveyor includes an upstream end which is offset upwardly relative to a downstream end of the first declined conveyor, causing items to travel upwardly in order to pass from the first to the second declined conveyors. The second declined conveyor travels at a faster speed than the first declined conveyor for at least partially de-shingling the items. A transfer conveyor conveys items to an incline unstacking section which includes at least first and second incline conveyors arranged in series.

Abstract: Packages are conveyed in a direction of travel by transferring the packages from an upstream conveying surface to an intermediate conveying surface, conveying the packages along the intermediate conveying surface, and transferring the packages from the intermediate conveyor surface to a downstream conveying surface. A discharge member situated along at least one laterally outer edge of the intermediate conveying surface is driven such that a discharge surface thereof situated above the intermediate conveying surface moves in a direction away from a center line of the intermediate conveyor and pulls wide packages from the intermediate conveying surface, i.e., packages having a width great enough to contact the discharge surface.

Abstract: Coded articles are conveyed through an orienting section which tends to arrange the articles in single-file, spaced apart relationship. The articles are then conveyed through a reader/sensor mechanism where the codes are read and the spatial relationship of the packages is determined. Articles which are both properly scanned and properly spaced are conveyed to respective branch lines of a sorter section in accordance with information gleaned from the codes. Articles which are improperly scanned or improperly spaced are diverted to a recycle conveyor by a recycle diverter device located upstream of the sorter section and are re-routed back to the orienting section.

Abstract: A conveying system includes first and second straight side supports arranged parallel to one another on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis. A plurality of roller structures is provided, each having opposite ends mounted in respective ones of the side supports. An endless web is mounted for travel along the rollers in the direction of the longitudinal axis. Each roller structure is associated with a set of mounting holes formed in the side supports, whereby each set comprises a first series of holes formed in the first side support and a second series of holes formed in the second side support. One end of the roller structure is mounted in a selected one of the holes of the first series, and the other end of the roller structure is mounted in a selected one of the holes of the second series. Each hole of the first series is aligned with a respective hole of the second series to form a pair of aligned holes.

Abstract: Articles are conveyed along a singulator conveyor system by being conveyed upwardly along an inclined first conveyor which is inclined at an angle of at least twenty-five degrees, so that any articles disposed atop other articles will fall off. The articles are discharged onto a second conveyor travelling horizontally at a linear speed at least twice that of the first conveyor in a direction substantially perpendicularly to a direction of travel of the first conveyor. The articles are then discharged from the second conveyor onto a third conveyor travelling generally horizontally at a linear speed at least twice that of the second conveyor in a direction substantially perpendicularly to the second conveyor. The articles are discharged from the third conveyor onto a slide which guides the articles downwardly onto a fourth conveyor which travels in the same direction as the third conveyor at the same speed as the third conveyor.

Abstract: A gravity conveyor is comprised of freely rotatable rollers which include non-displaceable rollers rotatable about stationary axes, and weight-sensitive rollers which are downwardly displaceable under the weight of heavy articles. The non-displaceable rollers are arranged in groups. Upper portions of the non-displaceable rollers of each group define a profile plane. The profile planes of successive groups are mutually parallel and offset downwardly from one another to form a stepped conveying path. When the weight-sensitive rollers are depressed by heavy articles, they will engage, and be braked by, braking rollers disposed therebeneath. An upper portion of each weight-sensitive roller lies in the profile plane of the immediately upstream group of non-displaceable rollers.

Abstract: A diverter blade for displacing articles from a conveying surface includes a motor-driven, torque-transmitting metallic section, and a plastic section integrally molded to the metallic section. Portions of the metallic section are embedded within the plastic section to reinforce the plastic section and transmit torque thereto. The plastic section forms an article-contacting front wall, and includes diagonal reinforcing braces on a rear side of the front wall.

Abstract: A singulator conveyor receives randomly oriented articles and positions those articles in single file. The conveyor includes skewed rollers for driving articles longitudinally and laterally against a side wall. The width of the singulator conveyor becomes gradually stepped-down, and a return conveyor system is provided which includes secondary return conveyors or chutes disposed at respective ones of the steps for receiving excessive articles from the singulator conveyor and delivering them to a main return conveyor which returns the articles to an upstream end of the singulator conveyor.

Abstract: Articles of random length are conveyed in single file while being transferred from a first driven conveyor to a second driven conveyor. The second conveyor is driven faster than the first conveyor so that an initial gap is established between the articles. Front and rear ends of the articles are sensed while traveling along the second conveyor toward a third conveyor. From that sensed information, there is determined an actual front-to-front distance between the front end of each article to the front end of the next article. The speed of the second conveyor is varied, as necessary, to create a desired minimum front-to-front distance between successive articles. Optionally, that minimum front-to-front distance is established while ensuring that a minimum gap is maintained between successive articles.

Abstract: An article removal conveyor includes first and second conveying lanes disposed in parallel alongside one another and driven in a manner imparting mutually divergent conveying forces. The first conveying lane has a conveying surface with a higher coefficient of friction than that of the second conveying lane so that any articles contacting the first conveying lane will be controlled by that lane.