Abstract: A positive displacement sorter apparatus and method includes providing a plurality of slats being interconnected in an endless web, an upper run of the web defining a conveying surface, and a plurality of pusher shoes gliding along at least some of the slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface. A linear motor system is provided to propel the web and includes a plurality of linear motor secondaries at the slats and at least one primary for propelling the secondaries. A control system controls the primaries.

Abstract: A positive displacement sorter, preferably of the parallel displacement type, includes a conveying surface, a plurality of pusher shoes capable of travelling laterally of the conveying surface, a plurality of diverting rails extending diagonally under the conveying surface and a plurality of electromagnetic actuators associated with the diverting rails. The pusher shoes include a transfer assembly below the conveying surface including a pilot member made of a magnetically permeable material. A pusher shoe is diverted to one of the diverting rails by the actuator associated with the diverting rail magnetically attracting the pilot member associated with that pusher shoe to magnetically initiate a divert. The transfer member associated with the pusher shoe mechanically completes the divert that is initiated magnetically. This allows actuators to be positioned at a pitch that is no greater than the shoe pitch.

Abstract: A method and device in a conveyor for preventing the collision of guide pins on a transversely moving diverting shoe with the side of the conveyor in a conveyor having an endless conveying surface comprised of a plurality of surface members on which diverting shoes are slidably mounted to permit transverse movement thereon with respect to the direction of conveyance. The diverting shoes each have a downwardly depending guide pin which engages a rail network underlying the conveying surface. Magnets are positioned near the end of a diagonally oriented rail to attract the guide pins so as to prevent the transverse momentum of the guide pins and diverting shoes from carrying them into a collision with a stopping surface of the conveyor. The magnets are so positioned that non-diverted guide pins traveling adjacent the side of the conveyor are not substantially altered from their course of travel by the magnets.

Abstract: A non-powered, self-position-adjusting track intersection pin guide, or switch, is provided having a plate member that pivots in the plane of the crossing guide tracks that move article diverter shoes of a positive displacement sortation conveyor in a predetermined manner relative to the supporting surface of the conveyor. The plate member pivots between a first position guiding the diverter shoe guide elements along a first path and a second position guiding the diverter shoe guide elements along a second path. The plate member includes first and second cam members defining first and second cam surfaces. First and second guiding surfaces are additionally defined on the plate member, whereby the cam surfaces are selectively positioned in the first and second paths for actuations by a guide element moving along the respective path in order to rotate the cam surfaces and the guiding surfaces about a common pivot in order to guide movement of the guide elements.