Abstract: A positive displacement sorter apparatus and method includes providing a plurality of interconnected slats defining an endless web, an upper run of the web defining a conveying surface. A plurality of pusher shoes are provided, each moving along at least one of the plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface. Each of the pusher shoes includes a diverting portion extending above the conveying surface. The diverting portion includes a diverting surface and a stop surface. The diverting surface contacts an article and laterally displaces that article. A lifting force is applied by the diverting surface to a portion of the article being diverted. The stop surface limits movement of the article relative to the pusher shoe.

Abstract: A positive displacement sorter apparatus and method includes providing a plurality of interconnected slats defining an endless web, an upper run of the web defining a conveying surface. A plurality of pusher shoes are provided, each moving along at least one of the plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface. Each of the pusher shoes includes a diverting portion extending above the conveying surface. The diverting portion includes a diverting surface and a stop surface. The diverting surface contacts an article and laterally displaces that article. A lifting force is applied by the diverting surface to a portion of the article being diverted. The stop surface limits movement of the article relative to the pusher shoe.

Abstract: An unscrambler conveyor including a frame, a plurality of tapered rollers rotatably supported by the frame for unscrambling packages, and means for driving the rollers. Each of the rollers has a longitudinal axis and a polyurethane body that extends along the longitudinal axis to form a tapered outer surface. The tapered outer surfaces of the rollers define a conveying surface and have variations in concentricity of less than 0.01 inches.

Abstract: An extendable conveying system for either loading product to or unloading product from a trailer includes an extendable section which defines a conveying surface. The system further includes a pullout section that defines a support surface. The pullout section has an extended position and a retracted position. When the pull-out section is in its extended position, its support surface at least partially extends from the conveying surface. The system further includes an energy-storing device connected with the pullout section and the extendable section. The energy-storing device stores energy as the pullout section is moved from either the extended or retracted position to the other of the extended or retracted positions. The energy storing device then delivers energy to the pull-out section as the pull-out section is moved from the other of the extended or retracted positions to the initial of the extended or retracted positions.

Abstract: An extendable conveying system for either loading product to or unloading product from a trailer includes an extendable section which defines a conveying surface. The system further includes a pullout section that defines a support surface. The pullout section has an extended position and a retracted position. When the pull-out section is in its extended position, its support surface at least partially extends from the conveying surface. The system further includes an energy-storing device connected with the pullout section and the extendable section. The energy-storing device stores energy as the pullout section is moved from either the extended or retracted position to the other of the extended or retracted positions. The energy storing device then delivers energy to the pull-out section as the pull-out section is moved from the other of the extended or retracted positions to the initial of the extended or retracted positions.

Abstract: An accumulation conveyor of the present invention includes a frame, which comprises spaced apart side frame members, and a plurality of rollers that are rotatably supported between the side frame members. The conveyor includes a stop member and an actuator that selectively moves the stop member between an extended position wherein at least a portion of the stop member is extended above the conveying surface for stopping one or more articles conveyed on the conveying surface and a retracted position wherein the stop member is below said conveying surface. The actuator and the stop member are supported and positioned between said side frame members when the stop member is moved between its retracted position whereby the stop member and the actuator comprise a low-profile stop assembly.

Abstract: An unscrambler conveyor including a frame, a plurality of tapered rollers rotatably supported by the frame for unscrambling packages, and means for driving the rollers. Each of the rollers has a longitudinal axis and a polyurethane body that extends along the longitudinal axis to form a tapered outer surface. The tapered outer surfaces of the rollers define a conveying surface and have variations in concentricity of less than 0.01 inches.

Abstract: A gravity conveyor includes one or more zones with each zone having at least one brake associated therewith. A controller turns the brakes on for each zone according to various programmable conditions. The downstream-most zone may have its brakes turned on whenever a package is present at the end of the conveyor. Any of the zones may have their brakes turned on in a pulsed manner. The zones may also have their brakes turned on in other situations, such as simultaneous blockage of that zone with another zone, the initial sensing of the leading edge of an article, as well as in other situations.

Abstract: An accumulation conveyor of the present invention includes a frame, which comprises spaced apart side frame members, and a plurality of rollers that are rotatably supported between the side frame members. The conveyor includes a stop member and an actuator that selectively moves the stop member between an extended position wherein at least a portion of the stop member is extended above the conveying surface for stopping one or more articles conveyed on the conveying surface and a retracted position wherein the stop member is below said conveying surface. The actuator and the stop member are supported and positioned between said side frame members when the stop member is moved between its retracted position whereby the stop member and the actuator comprise a low-profile stop assembly.

Abstract: An article separation conveyor system includes a plurality of conveyors which are independently and/or collectively operable to destack, separate and/or align articles being conveyed along the article separation conveyor. The conveyor system includes a destacking conveyor, a side by side eliminating conveyor and/or an aligning conveyor. The destacking conveyor includes a plurality of conveying portions, which are inclined to convey articles up and then drop or guide them onto the next adjacent conveyor. The side-by-side eliminating conveyor includes a pair of diverting members and is operable to redirect articles from one side of the conveyor to the other to destack and separate articles as they are continuously conveyed along the conveyor. The aligning conveyor is operable to align articles along one side of the discharge conveyor so the articles are arranged for identification at a downstream scanning device and induction onto a sortation system.

Abstract: An automatic tray-handling system for use with a mail sorter (26) having a plurality of tray supporters, comprises a transporter (50) having a conveying surface (56) and an insertion/extraction assembly (58); and respective feed (44a, 44b) and discharge conveyors (46a, 46b) adapted to feed empty trays (38) to the transporter conveying surface (56) and receiving at least partially full trays (38) from the transporter conveying surface. The insertion/extraction assembly (58) is adapted to insert empty trays (38) to tray support areas and remove at least partially full trays (38) from tray support areas. The conveying surface operational is adapted to receive empty trays (38) from the feed conveyor (44a, 44b) and at least partially full trays (38) from the insertion/extraction assembly (58). Moreover from the conveying surface empty trays are dischargeable to the insertion/extraction assembly (58) and to the discharge conveyor (46a, 46b).

Abstract: A freestanding conveyor personnel gate includes a support or base portion and a conveyor portion, which is pivotable and movable relative to the support between a closed position and an open position. The gate includes a latch mechanism which is operable to latch the gate in both the open and close positions. The latch mechanism is operable via a handle which is movable in either direction to disengage the latch mechanism and to raise or lower the conveyor portion toward its open or closed position. The conveyor portion is balanced and supported via a strut member which is pivotally mounted at the conveyor portion and the support portion. A biasing member is provided to bias the conveyor portion toward its closed position when the conveyor portion is moved past a neutral point between the open and close position. The biasing member is further operable to bias the conveyor portion toward its opened position when the conveyor portion is moved past the neutral position toward the open position of the gate.

Abstract: A gravity conveyor includes one or more zones with each zone having at least one brake associated therewith. A controller turns the brakes on for each zone according to various programmable conditions. The downstream-most zone may have its brakes turned on whenever a package is present at the end of the conveyor. Any of the zones may have their brakes turned on in a pulsed manner. The zones may also have their brakes turned on in other situations, such as simultaneous blockage of that zone with another zone, the initial sensing of the leading edge of an article, as well as in other situations.

Abstract: An article separation conveyor system includes a plurality of conveyors which are independently and/or collectively operable to destack, separate and/or align articles being conveyed along the article separation conveyor. The conveyor system includes a destacking conveyor, a side by side eliminating conveyor and/or an aligning conveyor. The destacking conveyor includes a plurality of conveying portions, which are inclined to convey articles up and then drop or guide them onto the next adjacent conveyor. The side-by-side eliminating conveyor includes a pair of diverting members and is operable to redirect articles from one side of the conveyor to the other to destack and separate articles as they are continuously conveyed along the conveyor. The aligning conveyor is operable to align articles along one side of the discharge conveyor so the articles are arranged for identification at a downstream scanning device and induction onto a sortation system.

Abstract: An article sensor for use with a conveyor having an article conveying surface includes a sensing member, a pivot which pivotally mounts the sensing member to pivot about a horizontal axis, and a bias which biases the sensing member above the conveying surface. The pivot is defined by a shaftless bearing which operates with an exceptionally small amount of friction which is substantially unaffected by side-loading placed on the bearing.

Abstract: A conveyor diverter system comprising one or more conveyors, components for diverter systems having friction-enhancing outer surfaces, friction-enhancing layers and compositions that provide such surfaces are disclosed. In addition, methods of reducing the frequency or occurrence of articles being misdiverted by use of such systems, components, layers and compositions are described. The preferred embodiment of the friction-enhancing layer and composition disposed on the outer periphery of the diverter components comprises grit materials dispersed in a metallic material such that a particular grit surface density is achieved and grit particles protrude above the uppermost surface of the metallic layer within a range of particular distances.

Abstract: A conveyor diverter system comprising one or more conveyors, components for diverter systems having friction-enhancing outer surfaces, friction-enhancing layers and compositions that provide such surfaces are disclosed. In addition, methods of reducing the frequency or occurrence of articles being misdiverted by use of such systems, components, layers and compositions are described. The preferred embodiment of the friction-enhancing layer and composition disposed on the outer periphery of the diverter components comprises grit materials dispersed in a metallic material such that a particular grit surface density is achieved and grit particles protrude above the uppermost surface of the metallic layer within a range of particular distances.

Abstract: An article unscrambler and aligner is disclosed which receives articles of different sizes in random order and position, and using plural side-by-side lanes each of which lanes has driven article transport rollers at different speeds, which speeds are uniform for the length of the lane, but are progressively higher in each lane toward one side of the unscrambler in order to provide a lateral linear speed increase. This speed increase causes separation and rotation of the articles and also causes them to arrange in single file along one side of the unscrambler's surface and so discharge them onto a conveyor at the end of the unscrambler remote from that at which the articles were received. One or more lanes are composed of rollers of tapered diameter in order to make the lateral speed increase more uniform.

Abstract: The specification discloses a split-cam conveyor roller assembly including a pair of eccentric rollers rotatable relative one another between transportation and accumulation positions. A pin fixed in one roller is received within a circumferential slot in the other roller. A magnet is fixed at one end of the slot, and the pin is made of a ferrous material to aid in retaining the rollers in the transportation position.

Abstract: The operating characteristics of a diverter having a driven article conveying surface of parallel tubes on which article diverting shoes are caused to move across progressively because of contract between a depending drive pin on each shoe and a laterally inclined rail beneath the conveying surface by changing the shape of the rail contacting roller on the pin so that a downward force vector is created tending to hold the shoe down. Also, the shoe is supported on three rollers instead of two to prevent the tendency of the shoe to pivot about one tube due to article resistance to lateral movement. The design of the openings in the shoe through which the tubes pass are such that the shoe will not become bound between two tubes which are not entirely straight.