Patent ID: 8851267

Claim:
An opposed roller motor assembly for a sorting conveyor for transporting objects and unloading objects at one or more unloading stations adjacent the conveyor, said sorting conveyor including: a conveyor track; and a train of conveyor carts connected end-to-end, each of said conveyor carts having: (i) a trailer frame base, including: a roller structure for engaging said conveyor track, an extended fin driven member responsive to said opposed roller motor assembly, adjacent spaced apart driven members having vertically overlapping edges, and a hitch mechanism for connecting each conveyor cart to an adjacent conveyor cart; (ii) carrying means for holding the objects; and (iii) unloading means for unloading the objects into unloading stations on at least one side of the conveyor, said apparatus comprising: (a) a motor; (b) a support frame attached to said conveyor track for supporting said motor; (c) at least one cantilevered, drive roller connected to said motor and to one pivot block assembly and another pivot block assembly adapted for positioning said drive roller adjacent to one surface of said extended fin driven member, wherein said pivot block assemblies are coupled together with a self-tensioning adjustment assembly comprising: (i) at least one motor adjustment link affixed to one of said pivot block assemblies, (ii) a second link affixed to said other pivot block assembly, and (iii) a connecting roller link coupling said at least one motor adjustment link and said second link; and (d) an opposing surface adjacent to the other surface of said extended fin driven member for offsetting the mechanical load of said drive roller.