Abstract: A live roller conveyor in which the conveyor path defined by a plurality of rollers is provided with roller drive means normally continually driving all of the rollers for conveying articles, and in which one or more article sensing rollers normally slightly raised above the conveyor path are depressed by articles propelled over the same and when depressed beyond a predetermined time interval serve to operate a combined brake and roller elevating means for arresting the article propelling drive of a group of rollers located upstream from the location of the depressed sensing roller and elevating the arrested group of rollers off of the roller drive means to reduce the drag on the drive means.

Abstract: A roller conveyor having a series of rollers forming a main path of travel for articles, a second series of rollers branching from the main series of rollers and forming a branch path of movement, mechanisms at the junction of the first and second series of rollers for selectively diverting articles to the second series of rollers in a predetermined manner, a flexible drive member having roller engaging passes for both the first and second series of rollers and idle passes out of roller engagement for simultaneously driving the first and second series of article supporting rollers, and a drive for said flexible means for effecting the simultaneous operation of the first and second series of rollers.

Abstract: Article conveying apparatus having a suitably wide conveying surface for receiving articles from a plurality of delivery conveyors, and wherein the articles are directed on the conveying surface by laterally movable pushers carried by the conveying surface to a single discharge conveyor, the pushers being guided along paths which are initially spaced apart adjacent the plurality of delivery conveyors so as to be at the outside of the articles delivered from any of the delivery conveyors and which move laterally on the conveying surface to engage the articles and progressively direct them into alignment with the single discharge conveyor, and guide means cooperating with the pushers for moving the pushers between the initially spaced apart relation and the positions aligned with the discharge conveyor.

Abstract: Conveying apparatus having primary support means of low friction character such as roller means or low friction slide or runner means to carry the weight of articles to be moved from place to place, and endless drag means propelled along the primary support and provided with motion exciting means adapted to engage and propel the articles. When the articles are to be accumulated a stop is imposed on the lead articles and thereafter the exciter means propels successive articles into the accumulation area and in each instance the exciter means passes underneath the articles to follow the path of the endless drag means. The exciter means is constructed to be easily replaced as it is the principal part that takes wear, and the degree of frictional contact with the articles may be selected to match the weight of the articles so as to require the least power and generate the least accumulative pressure.