Patent ID: 7513356

Claim:
A positive displacement sorter apparatus, comprising: a plurality of interconnected slats defining an endless traveling web, an upper run of said web defining a first conveying surface traveling in a longitudinal direction, a web end portion of said web being extendable and contractible in said longitudinal direction; a plurality of pusher shoes, each moving along at least one of said slats to laterally displace an article on said conveying surface; and a product handling conveyor at said web end portion, said product handling conveyor having a second conveying surface traveling in said longitudinal direction, wherein said second conveying surface adapted to supply product to or receive product from said first conveying surface, wherein said product handling conveyor having a conveyor end portion, wherein said conveyor end portion being adjacent said web end portion and being moveable with extension and contraction of said web end portion, wherein said first and second conveying surfaces maintain a constant relative relationship.