Abstract: A conveyor assembly that includes a conveyor belt driven by a pinch roller drive assembly. The pinch roller drive assembly includes a pair of pinch rollers that are each rotatably mounted to a support housing. The pinch rollers are supported by a swing arm urged into a bias position by one or more bias springs. The pinch rollers and bias springs are part of a belt tension assembly mounted to the side rails of the conveyor assembly through mounting plates. The belt tension assembly can be pivoted to move the pinch rollers away from the drive roller as desired. In one embodiment, the roller drive assembly is mounted at or near the center of the conveyor assembly and can also support the drive motor. In an alternate embodiment, the pinch roller drive assembly is mounted to one end of the conveyor frame.

Abstract: A conveyor assembly that includes a conveyor belt driven by a pinch roller drive assembly. The pinch roller drive assembly includes a pair of pinch rollers that are each rotatably mounted to a support housing. The pinch rollers are supported by a swing arm urged into a bias position by one or more bias springs. The pinch rollers and bias springs are part of a belt tension assembly mounted to the side rails of the conveyor assembly through mounting plates. The belt tension assembly can be pivoted to move the pinch rollers away from the drive roller as desired. In one embodiment, the roller drive assembly is mounted at or near the center of the conveyor assembly and can also support the drive motor. In an alternate embodiment, the pinch roller drive assembly is mounted to one end of the conveyor frame.

Abstract: An inductor station for a sortation conveying system is able to accommodate an assortment of substantially rectangular items which in general each have unique dimensions. A worker loads the inductor station with a charge of items each standing upright on edge and side-by-side. The charges are loaded in sequence to a feeder tray, and a programmably controlled feeding assembly feeds the charges along the feeder tray to a loading mechanism. The loading mechanism loads the endmost item from a discharge end of the feeder tray onto a takeaway conveyor. The items are loaded on the takeaway standing upright and on edge. An indexing motion stripping conveyor is used to time the loading of the items onto the takeaway conveyor so that the items are conveyed to an appropriate pocket on the core conveyor for the sortation conveying system.

Abstract: An inductor station for a sortation conveying system is able to accommodate an assortment of substantially rectangular items which in general each have unique dimensions. A worker loads the inductor station with a charge of items each standing upright on edge and side-by-side. The charges are loaded in sequence to a feeder tray, and a programmably controlled feeding assembly feeds the charges along the feeder tray to a loading mechanism. The loading mechanism loads the endmost item from a discharge end of the feeder tray onto a takeaway conveyor. The items are loaded on the takeaway standing upright and on edge. An indexing motion stripping conveyor is used to time the loading of the items onto the takeaway conveyor so that the items are conveyed to an appropriate pocket on the core conveyor for the sortation conveying system.

Abstract: A retractable arm serves as a combined pushing mechanism and dead plate for holding and moving articles that have been stacked onto an accumulation tray for a stacking station in an article sortation conveying system. The stacking station stacks articles sequentially onto the accumulation tray standing upright on edge and in series side-by-side. While the articles are being stacked, the retractable arm is positioned in the down position and positioned so that a first side of the arm holds the articles on edge without tipping, much like a bookend. A linear motion actuator, preferably a pneumatic cylinder, moves the retractable arm along the length of the elongated accumulation tray. During the stacking procedure, the pneumatic cylinder is deactivated (i.e. a dead cylinder), and the stacked articles push the retractable arm incrementally along the accumulation tray towards an unloading area.

Abstract: A discharge stacking station for a sortation conveying system uses a reciprocating stacking member to stack orders of articles onto an accumulation tray for the station in an aligned series. Articles are provided in singular fashion from a core conveyor for the sortation conveying system onto the reciprocating stacking member via an inclined chute. The reciprocating stacking member preferably has a floor and a backstop wall which are mounted for reciprocating sliding motion along a small portion of the accumulation tray for the stacking station at a loading end of the tray. A stationary stop member is disposed above the floor of the reciprocating stacking member. When a photoelectric eye senses the passing of an article onto the reciprocating stacking member, a computer controlled actuator pulls the reciprocating stacking member towards the stationary stop member to a retracted position.

Abstract: An inductor station for a sortation conveying system is able to accommodate an assortment of substantially rectangular items which in general each have unique dimensions. A worker loads the inductor station with a charge of items each standing upright on edge and side-by-side. The charges are loaded in sequence to a feeder tray, and a programmably controlled feeding assembly feeds the charges along the feeder tray to a loading mechanism. The loading mechanism loads the endmost item from a discharge end of the feeder tray onto a takeaway conveyor. The items are loaded on the takeaway standing upright and on edge. An indexing motion stripping conveyor is used to time the loading of the items onto the takeaway conveyor so that the items are conveyed to an appropriate pocket on the core conveyor for the sortation conveying system.