Patent ID: 8764367

Claim:
An apparatus for separating articles of laundry, the apparatus comprising: a first clamp positioned to clamp at least one of the articles of laundry from a first bin, lift the at least one article of laundry, and release the at least one article of laundry; and a first conveyor, the first conveyor comprising an endless belt conveyor, the first conveyor tiltable from (1) a first position at a first angle above horizontal and blocking the first clamp from the first bin to (2) a second position at a second angle above horizontal and spacing the first conveyor away from blocking the first clamp from the first bin, the first and second angles on opposite sides of vertical, the first conveyor rotating the endless belt in opposite directions in the first and second positions; the first clamp positioned to clamp the at least one article while the first conveyor is in the second position and positioned to release the at least one article above the first conveyor while the first conveyor is in the first position.