Patent ID: 7878319

Claim:
A switch comprising: an alignment conveyor having a conveying surface extending longitudinally in a conveying direction from an upstream end to a downstream end and laterally in width from a first side edge to a second side edge and including: a carryway having bearing surfaces, at least one conveyor belt advancing along the carryway in the conveying direction and forming the conveying surface, wherein the conveyor belt includes rollers rotatable on axes oblique to the conveying direction, the rollers extending upward through the thickness of the belt into supporting contact with conveyed articles along the carryway and downward into rolling contact with the bearing surfaces in the carryway, wherein the conveying surface is divided into a first region extending laterally inward from the first side edge and a second region extending laterally inward from the second side edge and wherein the rollers in the first region are oriented to rotate to direct conveyed articles in the first region toward the first side edge and the rollers in the second region are oriented to rotate to direct conveyed articles in the second region toward the second side edge; a pre-alignment conveyor advancing articles in the conveying direction and feeding the articles selectively to one or the other of the first and second regions of the conveying surface at the upstream end of the alignment conveyor.