APPARATUS FOR DIVERTING A STREAM OF ARTICLES

摘要

Apparatus for diverting a stream of articles from one conveyor to another parallel conveyor moving in an opposite direction in a conveyor bed. A diverter element (44) is attached to a carrier that is driven along a path parallel to the two conveyors by a differential drive mechanism coupled to t he drive mechanisms of the two conveyors. The differential drive mechanism responds to the difference in the speeds of the two conveyor drive mechanism s to drive the carrier and position the diverter element along the parallel conveyors. The diverter element (44) extends at least partway across the widths of the two conveyors to guide articles on one conveyor to the other. In a preferred version, the carrier is an endless conveyor belt (46) to which t he diverter element is attached, and the differential drive mechanism includes a shaft arranged coaxially with drive or idler sprocket shafts of the conveyor belts at each end of the bed. The apparatus is useful in accumulating articl es transported on a main conveyor in a first in, first-out fashion.