SORTER BELT CONVEYOR

摘要

Apparatus and methods using conveyor belts (12, 14) with activated diverting rollers (28, 28' ) to maintain the leading edge of a conveyed article (10) while changing the conveyance direction. A first conveyor belt (12) advancing in a first direction (22) abuts a second conveyor belt (14) advancing in a second transverse direction (23). Both belts (12, 14) have diverting rollers (28, 28' ) that rotate on axes oblique (30, 30' ) to the conveyance direction. The diverting rollers (28, 28' ) are activated by rolling on underlying bearing surfaces in the vicinity of the junction of the two belts. The diverting rollers (28) in the first belt (12) direct the article (10) toward the second belt (14). The rollers (28) in the second belt (14) direct the article toward a side of the second belt (14). An article lying on both belts simultaneously rotates by the action of the two sets of diverting rollers acting on opposite ends of the article. The orientation of the rollers and their rotation maintain the leading edge of the article.