Patent ID: 8443957

Claim:
A package stream indexer device for indexing a stream of packages along first and second portion paths thereof with displacement thereon within respective first and second stream planes being substantially parallel to one another, said device comprising first and second indexing mechanisms mounting on a movable intermediate conveyor and including a respective series of live rollers mounted on first and second articulated tracks each track defining a shaped package path having an articulation line substantially within the corresponding stream plane each said first and second track being formed of a plurality of interconnected links frictionally engaged together and adapted for dynamic movement for the purpose of altering the orientation of the respective shaped package path, for each said indexing mechanisms, each said link of the plurality of links pivotally interconnecting to an adjacent said link about an articulation axis generally perpendicular to the corresponding stream plane, opposite respective first and second package retainer mechanisms mounted on the intermediate conveyor and being disposed adjacent and in spaced relation to the first and second articulated tracks, respectively, in a direction perpendicular to the corresponding stream plane for keeping packages in abutment contact with the corresponding rollers within the stream plane, the first and second articulated tracks respectively registering upstream and downstream of the moveable intermediate conveyor, the intermediate conveyor bridging an input conveyor and a reception conveyor with the respective indexing mechanisms being positionable to establish the requisite first and second stream paths.