Patent ID: 6582180
Filing Date: 2003-06-24
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
An object-sorting system comprising:a conveyor having a horizontally extending stretch; a plurality of pushers fixed on and spaced along the conveyor and extending upward from the stretch thereof; an upright chute adapted to hold a stack of objects and having an outlet port spaced above an upstream end of the conveyor stretch; an elongated support surface extending horizontally above the stretch and having an upstream end below the outlet port and a downstream end, whereby the stack of objects in the chute can stand on the support surface; drive means for displacing the pushers downstream past the outlet port so that the pushers engage at least a lowermost object of the stack in the chute and move the engaged object downstream along the support surface; and means for pivoting the support surface about an axis at the support-surface downstream end and thereby changing a vertical spacing between the support-surface upstream end and the outlet port.