Patent ID: 6253904
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
A sorting apparatus comprising a sorting mechanism including a plurality of sorting units movable in a first direction of travel for conveying items to respective destinations, each sorting unit including a sorting conveyor for moving items transversely of the first direction of travel, and a loading station for loading multiple items onto each of the sorting conveyors, the loading station comprising:a sensing mechanism for sensing destination information regarding each item to establish an order in which multiple items are to be loaded onto a sorting conveyor;a loading section including a loading conveyor for advancing items to the sorting units in a second direction of travel forming an oblique angle with the first direction of travel, anda feeding section for delivering items to the loading section, the feeding section including:a reversing mechanism including a reversing conveyor drivable for advancing items between opposite ends of the reversing conveyor, and a support carrying the reversing conveyor and being displaceable for reversing the opposite ends of the reversing conveyor to reverse the order of multiple items conveyed on the reversing conveyor, to conform the order of the items to an order established by the sensing mechanism, anda transfer conveyor disposed downstream of the reversing conveyor for transferring the multiple items to the loading section, the transfer conveyor defining a third direction of travel oriented non-parallel to the second direction of travel, the transfer conveyor arranged to transfer each item to the loading section with a substantially zero velocity along the third direction of travel.