Patent ID: 8011516

Claim:
An apparatus for sorting objects, the apparatus comprising: an input conveyor; an output conveyor; at least two loading devices; at least two unloading devices; and a drive, said input conveyor being configured to transport at least one object from one of said loading devices to a transfer area; said output conveyor being configured to transport at least one object from the transfer area to one of said unloading devices; said input conveyor and said output conveyor overlapping one another in at least one transfer area for transferring a sorted object from said input conveyor to said output conveyor; each of said loading devices being configured for filling said input conveyor with at least one object when said input conveyor is guided past said loading device; each of said unloading devices being configured for removing at least one object located on said output conveyor from said output conveyor; said drive being configured for guiding said input conveyor past at least one of said loading devices, for guiding said output conveyor past at least one of said unloading devices, and for moving said input conveyor relative to said output conveyor; said apparatus being switchable between an input optimized mode and an output optimized mode, wherein in the input optimized mode: said at least two loading devices and one of said unloading devices being activated; and said apparatus being configured for guiding said input conveyor past both said at least two loading devices and said output conveyor past the activated one of said unloading devices; and in the output optimized mode: one of said loading devices and both of said unloading devices being activated; and said apparatus being configured for guiding said input conveyor past the activated one of said loading devices and said output conveyor past both of said unloading devices.