Abstract: Apparatus and methods for conveying products to be wrapped. In one embodiment, a conveying section is located upstream of a product infeed and wrapping mechanism. The conveying section includes rollers for conveying the products. The roller shafts are controlled in three different groups by an electronic controller. In one embodiment the first group comprises slippable rollers, and the two downstream conveying sections include fixed rollers. The fixed rollers are electronically controlled to substantially the same speed, but with slight phase or positional differences therebetween. In another embodiment of the present invention, a conveyor includes a right side drive on the right side of the conveying path, and a left side drive on the left side of the conveying path. The conveyor includes a plurality of roller shafts which have a single driving wheel on one end.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for diverting objects to a second path from a first path. Some embodiments include an articulatable diverting member coupled to an endless loop placed at an oblique angle above the first path of the conveyor. The diverting members are selectively placed in either a retracted position or an extended position based on sensory knowledge of the particular objects passing underneath the endless member. In the extended position, the diverting members contact the particular objects and slide them to the second path. In the retracted position, the conveyed objects pass underneath the diverting member.