Diverter for sorter and method of diverting

摘要

A positive displacement sorter and method of diverting articles includes providing a plurality of interconnected parallel slats defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, an upper surface of which defines an article-conveying surface and a plurality of pusher shoes. Each of the shoes travels along at least one of the slats in order to laterally divert articles on the conveying surface. Each of the shoes has a diverting member extending below the conveying surface. A plurality of diverting rails (42) below the conveying surface are each capable of engaging the diverting member to cause the associated shoe to travel laterally to divert an article. A plurality of diverters (43) are provided for selectively diverting at least one of the diverting members from a non-diverting path extending longitudinally along the sorter to one of said diverting rails in a diverting state. At least one of the diverters (43) has a gate (72) having a diverting surface. An actuator (76) moves the gate (72) between a non-diverting state and a diverting state.