Patent ID: 7222723

Claim:
Apparatus for diverting a stream of articles, comprising a framework; a first conveyor supported in the framework and conveying stream of articles along a first conveying surface; a second conveyor supported in the framework parallel to the first conveyor and having a second conveying surface; a first drive mechanism for driving the first conveyor at a first speed in a first direction; a second drive mechanism for driving the second conveyor at a second speed in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a carrier arranged to travel along a path parallel to the first and second conveyors; a diverter element affixed to the carrier and extending across at least a portion of the conveying surfaces of the first and second conveyors to divert articles in the stream on the first conveyor to the second conveyor; a carrier drive mechanism operatively configured to drive the carrier along the path at a speed and in a direction that depends on the first speed and the second speed the carrier drive mechanism disposed in a stationary position with reference to the framework; and a controller for calculating a differential speed corresponding to the difference in first and second speeds of the first and second conveyors respectively, and for controlling the carrier drive mechanism for driving the carrier at the differential speed.