Patent ID: 6220422
Filing Date: 2001-04-24
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
For use with an elongate conveyor belt designed to transport articles from one location to another, a pusher device mounted adjacent one long side of the belt, said pusher device utilizing an elongate, rotatably mounted arm having first and second ends, said first end being pivotally affixed at a location relatively close to the long side edge of the belt, with said arm being arranged to rotate about said fixed pivot for less than 90.degree., said arm normally residing in an inactive position extending along the long side of the belt, said second end of said arm being arranged to move outwardly, on occasion, from said inactive position and across at least a portion of the belt when an article is to be deflected off of the belt, an article-engaging paddle pivotally mounted on said second end of said arm, with said paddle being able to rotate with respect to said arm for a limited extent, a link having first and second ends, with a first end pivotally attached at said location relatively close to the long side edge of the belt, said second end of said link being pivotally attached to said paddle at a location adjacent one end of said paddle, with said link serving to control and limit the motion of said paddle during rotation with respect to said rotatable mounted arm, and actuating means for causing selected rotation of said arm about said fixed pivot, such that upon said actuating means being activated to cause said arm to undertake rotation about said fixed pivot, said paddle will move in an arc across the conveyor belt in a direction consistent with the direction of belt travel to briefly but continuously contact the selected article, and cause such article to be deflected off of the belt, said actuating means thereafter causing said arm to undertake a return stroke and to resume its inactive position.