Patent ID: 8061526
Filing Date: 2011-11-22
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
1. A sorter bin comprising: a bin sorter frame having an open upper end and an opposite bottom end and spaced apart opposed facing sidewalls members, wherein said frame is sized so as to space apart said sidewall members sufficiently for receiving elongate members being sorted and translating along a flow path across and over said upper end of said frame, a plurality of diverter gates pivotally mounted to said upper end of said frame and actuable between open and closed positions thereby directing the elongate members downwardly into said upper end of said frame when in said open position or allowing the elongate members to flow continuously along the flow path across and over said upper end of said frame when in said closed position, a plurality of flow directors pivotally mounted beneath and adjacent said plurality of diverter gates and to said upper end of said frame so as to depend between said opposed facing sidewall members a free end of each flow director of said plurality of said flow directors downwardly from said upper end into an entrance cavity of said bin defined by said upper end of said frame, said each flow director being elongate and having a base end opposite said free end, said each flow director pivotally mounted to said upper end of said frame at said base end, at least one actuator mounted to said upper end of said frame and cooperating with said plurality of flow directors so as to bias said plurality of flow directors between a first position wherein said each flow director has its corresponding said free end pointing to a first side of and across a bin cavity defined by said frame beneath said entrance cavity, and a second position wherein said each flow director is pointing substantially directly downwardly into said bin cavity to a second side of said bin cavity opposite said first side, and wherein said base ends of said plurality of flow directors are mounted to said upper end on a downstream side of an opening into said upper end downstream relative to the flow path of the elongate members where the flow path crosses over said opening, and wherein said plurality of flow directors are unencumbered when said elongate members are in a lower end of said frame so that said plurality of flow directors are free to wag between said first and second positions during each filling of the frame with the elongate members as the elongate members are diverted, and wherein said actuator wags said plurality of flow directors to each of, so as to oscillate between, said first and second positions during each filling of said frame with the elongate members.