Patent ID: 7731016

Claim:
A container inspection machine, comprising: a starwheel feeder; an outfeed mechanism for receiving containers from the starwheel feeder including: an inner belt conveyor operable at a desired conveyor speed, having: a pickoff wheel adjacent the starwheel feeder; a second wheel; and at least one drive belt supported between said pickoff wheel and said second wheel for defining a linear outfeed belt portion; an outer serpentine belt conveyor operable at the same desired conveyor speed, having an idler wheel, said idler wheel with said pickoff wheel defining an opening for receiving a container displaced by said starwheel feeder; a third wheel; and at least one flexible serpentine belt supported between said idler wheel and said third wheel; said idler wheel and said third wheel being selectively located to define a serpentine belt path which, with said pickoff wheel, defines an interference for the displacement of a container into the opening and around said pickoff wheel; and said serpentine belt being sufficiently flexible so that a container displaced into the opening between said pickoff wheel and said idler wheel will be conveyed by said serpentine belt and said inner belt with said serpentine belt changing its configuration as the container is conveyed around said pickoff wheel.