Patent attributes
Apparatus and methods using conveyor belts with activated diverting rollers to maintain the leading edge of a conveyed article while changing the direction of conveyance. A first conveyor belt advancing in a first direction abuts a second conveyor belt advancing in a second direction transverse to the first direction. Both conveyor belts have diverting rollers that rotate on axes oblique to the direction of conveyance. The diverting rollers of each are activated by rolling on an underlying bearing surface to rotate in the vicinity of the junction of the two conveyor belts. The diverting rollers in the first conveyor belt direct the article toward the second conveyor belt. The rollers in the second conveyor belt direct the article toward a side of the second conveyor belt. An article lying on both belts simultaneously rotates by the combined action of the two sets of diverting rollers acting on opposite ends of the article. The orientation of the rollers and their rotation maintain the leading edge of the article unchanged relative to the conveying direction after the transfer to the second conveyor belt.
