Patent ID: 6260688
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
An apparatus for controlling the flow of articles, comprising:an infeed conveyor driven in a first direction to convey articles therealong in said first direction, and an outfeed conveyor driven in an opposite direction to convey articles therealong in said opposite direction;said infeed and outfeed conveyors spaced apart and generally parallel so as to define a space therebetween;a moveable transport member disposed generally across and moveable along said space, said transport member further comprising a unitary rotatable member drivingly engaged on a common single circumferential drive surface simultaneously by said infeed and outfeed conveyors so that said rotatable member continuously rotates as either of said infeed and outfeed conveyors move and said transport member travels along said space if a relative speed difference exists between said infeed and outfeed conveyors causing said transport member to travel in the direction of the faster of said infeed and outfeed conveyor; anda article transfer member carried by said transport member and operably disposed between said infeed and outfeed conveyors to transfer articles between said infeed conveyor and said outfeed conveyor as said rotatable member rotates relative to said infeed and outfeed conveyors.