Abstract: A discharge stacking station for a sortation conveying system uses a reciprocating stacking member to stack orders of articles onto an accumulation tray for the station in an aligned series. Articles are provided in singular fashion from a core conveyor for the sortation conveying system onto the reciprocating stacking member via an inclined chute. The reciprocating stacking member preferably has a floor and a backstop wall which are mounted for reciprocating sliding motion along a small portion of the accumulation tray for the stacking station at a loading end of the tray. A stationary stop member is disposed above the floor of the reciprocating stacking member. When a photoelectric eye senses the passing of an article onto the reciprocating stacking member, a computer controlled actuator pulls the reciprocating stacking member towards the stationary stop member to a retracted position.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing articles from a stack onto a moving conveyor. The apparatus includes a supporting structure or frame that supports a stack of articles and the supporting structure is canted at an angle of about 15.degree. to 25.degree. from the vertical. The supporting structure is generally L-shaped in cross section, having a pair of walls located generally normal to each other, while the opposite sides of the supporting structure are open so that the articles can be loaded into the supporting structure through the open sides. The lowermost article in the stack is supported on an L-shaped base, so that only peripheral portions of adjacent side edges of the lowermost article are supported. A pusher plate is mounted for sliding movement relative to the supporting structure and acts to push the lowermost article from the stack and the dispensed article will then fall onto the moving conveyor below.