Sorter
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A conveyor for use in the sortation of articles, comprising:
- a conveyor frame defining a first path over which articles may be conveyed;
a plurality of chain-driven pushers for pushing articles along said first path;
a plurality of diverting idler wheels which can be directed at an angle to said path; and
a steering mechanism for steering said diverting idler wheels from a first position, directing the articles along said first path, to a second position, directing the articles at an angle to said first path;
such that, when said pushers push articles along said first path, and said articles contact said diverting idler wheels directed at an angle to said path, said diverting idler wheels direct said articles off of said first path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sorter uses pushers to push products over angled idler wheels in order to sort the products off of the main conveyor path.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A conveyor for use in the sortation of articles, comprising:
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a conveyor frame defining a first path over which articles may be conveyed; a plurality of chain-driven pushers for pushing articles along said first path; a plurality of diverting idler wheels which can be directed at an angle to said path; and a steering mechanism for steering said diverting idler wheels from a first position, directing the articles along said first path, to a second position, directing the articles at an angle to said first path;
such that, when said pushers push articles along said first path, and said articles contact said diverting idler wheels directed at an angle to said path, said diverting idler wheels direct said articles off of said first path.
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2. A conveyor for use in the sortation of articles, comprising:
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a conveyor frame defining a first path over which articles may be conveyed; a plurality of chain-driven pushers for pushing articles along said first path; and a plurality of diverting idler wheels which can be directed at an angle to said path such that, when said pushers push articles along said first path, and said articles contact said diverting idler wheels directed at an angle to said path, said diverting idler wheels direct said articles off of said first path, wherein said chain-driven pushers comprise; a plurality of parallel chains; and a plurality of carrier attachments mounted on their respective chains, said carrier attachments being movable from an "up" position at a height above said diverting idler wheels to a "down" position at a height below said diverting idler wheels, such that, when said carrier attachments are in the "up" position, they can carry articles over said diverting idler wheels without said diverting idler wheels contacting the articles, and, when some of said carrier attachments drop to the "down" position, they lower the articles onto the diverting idler wheels, so that others of said carrier attachments in the "up" position behind the articles serve as pushers to push the articles along the diverting idler wheels. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4)
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5. A conveyor for use in the sortation of articles, comprising:
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a conveyor frame defining a first path over which articles may be conveyed; a plurality of chain-driven pushers for pushing articles along said first path; and a plurality of diverting idler wheels which can be directed at an angle to said path such that, when said pushers push articles along said first path, and said articles contact said diverting idler wheels directed at an angle to said path, said diverting idler wheels direct said articles off of said first path, wherein said pushers are mounted across two parallel chains. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A conveyor for use in the sortation of articles, comprising:
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a conveyor frame defining a first path over which articles may be conveyed; a plurality of chain-driven pushers for pushing articles along said first path; a plurality of first idler wheels, directed along said first path; and a plurality of diverting idler wheels directed at an angle to said first path such that, when said pushers push articles along said first path, said articles travel in the direction of the first idler wheels or in the direction of the second idler wheels, depending upon which idler wheels the products contact. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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Specification