Patent ID: 7857117

Claim:
A conveyor being configured to transport beverage bottles in a beverage bottling plant, said conveyor comprising: a first rotor being configured and disposed to rotate about a vertical rotational axis; a second rotor being configured and disposed to rotate about a vertical rotational axis; a continuous band being configured and disposed to form a closed, endless loop around said first rotor and said second rotor; said continuous band being further configured to be driven in a horizontal transport direction by said first rotor and said second rotor; a plurality of pivoting arrangements being disposed on said continuous band and being configured to move in a horizontal transport direction; each of said plurality of pivoting arrangements comprising a beverage bottle receptacle being configured and disposed to hold beverage bottles; each of said plurality of pivoting arrangements further comprising: a first side leading in a horizontal transport direction; a second side trailing in a horizontal transport direction; a first horizontal pivoting axis which extends substantially parallel to said first side and said second side; a second horizontal pivoting axis which extends substantially perpendicular to said first side and said second side; the first horizontal pivoting axis being substantially perpendicular to the second horizontal pivoting axis; and each of said plurality of pivoting arrangements being configured to at least two of (A), (B), and (C): (A) move a beverage bottle at least one of: in an up direction; and in a down direction; (B) pivot a beverage bottle about the first horizontal pivoting axis; and (C) pivot a beverage bottle about the second horizontal pivoting axis.