Patent ID: 6884016

Claim:
A method for accumulating articles, said method comprising: inputting a plurality of individual artides to deliver said articles from an article supply source onto an inclined slide having a guide surface, each article having at least a first major facing surface, a first article dimension extending along a first article direction, a second article dimension extending along a second article direction which differs from said first article direction, and an article edge region; regulating said articles with a guide member; and directing said articles to a first conveyor; wherein said inputting of said articles has included a dispensing of said articles onto said inclined slide with a rotatable, metering drum which has an entry end, an exit end and an inside wall surface, said metering drum configured such that a rotation of said metering drum overcomes a static friction which inhibits a movement of said articles downstream through said metering drum; and a ramp member has been configured to extend an operative distance into the volume of the metering drum at the exit end of the metering drum, and has been spaced away from the inside wall surface of the metering drum by a selected offset distance.