Patent ID: 6634483
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: A21C,B65G

Abstract:
A tortilla stack indexer comprising:an exit conveyor which comprises an exit conveyor motor engageably attached thereto; a plurality of transverse conveyors in a side-by-side parallel configuration, the transverse conveyors in a perpendicular position to the exit conveyor positioned at a rear distal end adjacent thereto; a drive interrupter engaged with at least one transverse conveyor; a stack position sensor operatively engaged with the drive interrupter, the stack position sensor adapted and arranged to prevent stacks of tortillas on the exit conveyor from colliding with stacks of tortillas on the at least one of the transverse conveyors; the transverse conveyors each including a transverse conveyor roller positioned at a front end; a stacker conveyor positioned adjacent to the front end of each transverse conveyor; the stacker conveyor including a stacker conveyor roller positioned at a rear end, with the stacker conveyor in driving relationship to its adjacent transverse conveyor; the drive interrupter engageably positioned between the transverse conveyor roller and the stacker conveyor roller; the drive interrupter adapted and arranged to selectively effect the driving relationship between the transverse conveyor roller and the stacker conveyor roller; and the drive interrupter including a drive interrupter housing having an interrupter top member and an interrupter bottom member extending outwardly therefrom, a drive interrupter actuator securely attached at a bottom end to the drive interrupter bottom member and pivotally attached at a top end to a proximal end of a drive arm by a drive interrupter actuator pivot pin, the drive arm rotatably attached at a distal end to a drive interrupter roller by a drive arm pivot pin, the drive arm pivotally attached in a middle to the drive interrupter top member by a drive interrupter top member pivot pin.