Abstract: A separation conveyor using a roller belt whose rollers are already rotating before receiving an article to provide immediate pull-away from an infeed conveyor. The rollers of a roller belt extend through the thickness of the belt and into contact with a bearing surface in a reversing segment of a belt path between the returnway and the carryway of the separation conveyor. The rollers are already rotating on the bearing surface in the reversing segment at the infeed end before they contact articles to avoid delays in pulling articles away from the infeed conveyor and onto the separation conveyor.

Abstract: An accumulation-and-release conveyor using a roller belt with rollers arranged to rotate in the direction of belt travel. The rollers extend through the thickness of the belt to support conveyed articles. The belt continuously advances along a conveyor carryway from an upstream end to a downstream end. A movable stop divides the carryway into an upstream article-accumulation zone and a downstream article-acceleration zone. In the accumulation zone, the rollers are freely rotatable; in the acceleration zone, the rollers roll on a bearing surface underlying the belt. The stop is selectively moved between a blocking position preventing articles from passing and accumulating them with low back line pressure on the freely rotatable rollers in the upstream accumulation zone and a release position allowing articles to pass to the accumulation zone where they are propelled forward and separated from each other by the rotation of the rollers rolling on the bearing surface.