Patent ID: 8820520

Claim:
A positive displacement sorter, comprising: a plurality of parallel laterally extending slats and a pair of wheel assemblies, each interconnecting common end portions of said slats thereby defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction, an upper surface of said web defining an article-conveying surface; a plurality of pusher shoes, each of said shoes travelling along at least one of said slats in order to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface; and a plurality of attachment mechanisms, each attaching an end portion of one of said slats to one of said wheel assemblies, wherein each of said attachment mechanisms comprises a shoulder and a collar and at least one locking member, said collar engaging said shoulder thereby providing lateral retention of said slat to said one of said wheel assemblies to resist separation of the slat from said one of said wheel assemblies, said locking member providing vertical retention of said collar and said shoulder to resist separation of said collar and said shoulder, wherein said locking member comprises a generally horizontally moveable elongated member on one chosen from said slat and said one of said wheel assemblies engaging an opening on the other chosen from said slat and said one of said wheel assemblies.