Patent ID: 8096100

Claim:
A system for selectively transferring a series of individual solid consumable products from a two-dimensional arrangement of the three-dimensional products comprising: a cavity containing only a two-dimensional random arrangement of a plurality of the solid consumable products, wherein two substantially parallel side walls define the cavity which are separated from one another by a distance which is slightly larger than a greatest dimension of the solid products in a desired orientation between the side walls; a solid product passageway located beneath the cavity; and a solid consumable product alignment member having two sides defining a shape that gradually increases in width from a location protruding furthest into the cavity toward a portion closest to the solid product passageway, and wherein the solid product alignment member moves upward and downward in the cavity to orient the solid consumable products such that the products pass into the passageway and wherein the solid consumable product alignment member has a thickness which enables the alignment member to freely move into the cavity, the solid consumable product alignment member primarily moving up and down in the cavity without substantial horizontal displacement, and further wherein the solid consumable product alignment member moves up and down between the substantially parallel side walls which define the cavity, wherein each side of the solid consumable product alignment member directs consumable products to a different solid product passageway.