Patent ID: 7708135

Claim:
A system for transporting food items comprising a) a conveyor having a closed-loop element defining a closed-loop pathway having at least a generally upwardly extending portion and a generally downwardly extending portion; b) at least one carrier having an article-supporting carrier rack, the carrier rack comprising a plurality of spaced-apart support members and the carrier pivotally mounted to the closed-loop element to maintain the carrier rack in a horizontal position as the carrier travels around the closed-loop pathway and the carrier rack being pivotally mounted with respect to the closed-loop element to allow the carrier rack to pivot upwardly about an axis generally perpendicular to the carrier support members so as to allow the carrier support members to pivot towards a generally vertical orientation when the downward path of the carrier rack is obstructed; c) a pick-up station associated with the generally upwardly extending portion of the conveyor and having an article-supporting pick-up rack, the pick-up rack comprising a plurality of spaced-apart support members positioned so that at least a portion of the carrier support members pass between at least a portion of the pick-up support members in the upward direction as the carrier travels past the pick-up rack, the at least a portion of the pick-up support members defining a pick-up area; and d) a drop-off station associated with the generally downwardly extending portion of the conveyor and having an article-supporting drop-off rack, the drop-off rack comprising a plurality of spaced-apart support members positioned so that at least a portion of the carrier support members pass between at least a portion of the drop-off support members in the downward direction in a carrier drop-off pass, the at least a portion of the drop-off support members defining a drop-off area.