Abstract: A conveyor system of units that move blocks of wood and while moving align them in single file along one or more paths of travel. First in the system is a conventional vibrating conveyor unit followed by a vibrating type conveyor unit having an undulating upper surface defining parallel flow paths. Next is a combination vibrating and belt conveyor unit having an undulating upper surface followed by deeper spaced apart parallel channels. The upper flight of an endless belt travels along the bottom of each of respective ones of the deeper channels. The last unit is a multi-lane article accumulator, cueing and gated dispensing unit.

Abstract: A system of conveyors and conveyor units for moving and aligning articles in single file in one or more paths of travel as the articles are moved forward by the conveyors. The articles are blocks of wood of random length and of common thickness. The first conveyor in the system is a conventional vibrating conveyor and this is followed by a conveyor of the vibrating type provided with an undulating upper surface that defines parallel flow paths of a first article alignment section. Next is a combination vibrating and belt conveyor in which a first portion of the conveyor is a second alignment section provided by an undulating upper surface followed by a second section having deeper spaced apart parallel channels. The upper flight of an endless belt travels along the bottom of each of respective ones of the deeper channels. The articles, as they are moving forward, become aligned in single file in the respective flow paths of the alignment sections and the deeper channels.