Patent ID: 9637259
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: B65B,B65G

Claim:
1. A racetrack collator comprising: a collator frame defining a racetrack travel path; a first collator drive assembly mounted to the collator frame and including a first endless drive element extending around the racetrack travel path; a second collator drive assembly mounted to the collator frame and including a second endless drive element extending around the racetrack travel path; a first collator carriage releasably connected to the first endless drive element and including a first plurality of dividers, the first plurality of dividers being flexibly connected independently of the first endless drive element; and a second collator carriage releasably connected to the second endless drive element and including a second plurality of dividers, the second plurality of dividers being flexibly connected independently of the second endless drive element; wherein the first collator carriage further includes a first flexible substrate and a first plurality of divider mounting bars, each of the first plurality of divider mounting bars connected to a corresponding one of the first plurality of dividers through the first flexible substrate; and wherein the second collator carriage further includes a second flexible substrate and a second plurality of divider mounting bars, each of the second plurality of divider mounting bars connected to a corresponding one of the second plurality of dividers through the second flexible substrate.