Patent ID: 7090067

Claim:
A system for manipulating articles generally traveling in a direction of conveyance comprising: a bed comprising a plurality of conveyor groups, each said conveyor group being generally aligned with each other in the direction of conveyance and each said conveyor group comprising a plurality of individual conveyors positioned side-by-side in a direction transverse to the direction of conveyance, said conveyors at least partially supporting articles traveling thereon and moving the articles in the direction of conveyance, said individual conveyors comprising belt conveyors; at least one sensor determining the position of the articles traveling over said plurality of conveyor groups; and a controller in communication with said at least one sensor and said conveyors, said controller manipulating articles traveling on said bed by controlling the speed of said conveyors, said controller further selectively rotating an article positioned on said bed by controlling the speed of selected ones of the conveyors underneath the article such that at least a first one of said selected ones of said conveyors has a different speed than a second one of said selected conveyors.