Patent ID: 7857116

Claim:
An endless conveyor comprising a plurality of pairs of slats defining an upper conveying surface, said slats configured to convey articles disposed on said upper conveying surface in a forward longitudinal direction, said pairs comprising: (a) a leading slat and a trailing slat, said leading slat having a trailing surface, said trailing slat having a leading surface; each said leading and trailing slats comprising respective upper surfaces which are generally aligned with each other and define a portion of said upper conveying surface, each said leading and trailing slats comprising respective lower surfaces, said leading and trailing slats having respective lateral lengths which are approximately equal to each other; (b) a plurality of pusher shoes for diverting the articles, each pusher shoe of said plurality of pusher shoes being carried by a respective pair of said plurality of pairs of slats; (c) a gap defined between said trailing surface and said leading surface extending transverse to said longitudinal direction from said respective upper surfaces to said respective lower surfaces, said gap extending laterally along a substantial portion of said respective lateral lengths; (d) said gap comprising an offset portion.