The invention relates to a chute for articles, in particular packages and/or consignments, having a chute base for the article to slide down, having at least one storage installation, preferably assigned to the lower end of the chute, for the articles that have slid down along the chute base, wherein the storage installation is configured to be adjustable, in particular pivotable, from an upper receiving position for receiving the articles sliding down the chute into a lower discharging position for discharging the received articles, and back again.

The invention relates to a chute for articles, in particular packages and/or consignments, having a chute base for the article to slide down, having at least one storage installation, preferably assigned to the lower end of the chute, for the articles that have slid down along the chute base, wherein the storage installation is configured to be adjustable, in particular pivotable, from an upper receiving position for receiving the articles sliding down the chute into a lower discharging position for discharging the received articles, and back again.

A sortation conveyor has an endless apron supported for longitudinal movement on an elongate frame. An induction conveyor deposits articles on an offset lateral portion of a top conveying run of the apron. A pin guide assembly is coupled between the elongate frames and is upwardly presented to selectively receive the pin of pushers that laterally move across the apron. An upstream pre-sort section thereof positions articles from the offset lateral portion to an opposite lateral portion of the top conveying run. A downstream divert section of the pin guide assembly selectively diverts the articles to a divert target on the corresponding lateral side to the selected one of offset lateral position and the opposite lateral position.

A sortation conveyor has an endless apron supported for longitudinal movement on an elongate frame. An induction conveyor deposits articles on an offset lateral portion of a top conveying run of the apron. A pin guide assembly is coupled between the elongate frames and is upwardly presented to selectively receive the pin of pushers that laterally move across the apron. An upstream pre-sort section thereof positions articles from the offset lateral portion to an opposite lateral portion of the top conveying run. A downstream divert section of the pin guide assembly selectively diverts the articles to a divert target on the corresponding lateral side to the selected one of offset lateral position and the opposite lateral position.

Methods for preparing parcels for final sorting. The methods include dividing a mass flow of parcels into individual streams, separating and singulating the parcels in each stream, delivering each stream at a steady rate to a human operator that faces and culls the parcels, reading identifying indicia on the parcels, delivering the scanned parcels to a presorter in parallel lanes, and selectively discharging parcels from the lane closest to a side of the presorter off the side at multiple discharge points.

A multistage multi-lane singulator conveyor system for separating side by side packages in stages. A first high friction surface conveying moving articles forward is adjacent a second low friction conveying lane in lateral flow communication having both forward and lateral conveying forces urging parcels forward and away from the first conveying lane, wherein the second conveying lane can be level or transversely inclined and angled upward in lateral flow communication with a third high friction surface conveying surface. Controlling residence time and forward and lateral movement of articles by assembling high friction surface conveying lanes and low friction surface conveying lanes in an end to end and/or lateral arrangement in flow communication with one another and/or shifting articles moving forward and laterally by staggering the high friction conveying surfaces and low friction conveying surfaces and adjusting the width by adjusting the number of high friction conveying surfaces adjacent one another.

A multistage multi-lane singulator conveyor system for separating side by side packages in stages. A first high friction surface conveying moving articles forward is adjacent a second low friction conveying lane in lateral flow communication having both forward and lateral conveying forces urging parcels forward and away from the first conveying lane, wherein the second conveying lane can be level or transversely inclined and angled upward in lateral flow communication with a third high friction surface conveying surface. Controlling residence time and forward and lateral movement of articles by assembling high friction surface conveying lanes and low friction surface conveying lanes in an end to end and/or lateral arrangement in flow communication with one another and/or shifting articles moving forward and laterally by staggering the high friction conveying surfaces and low friction conveying surfaces and adjusting the width by adjusting the number of high friction conveying surfaces adjacent one another.

A sorting device and a method for sorting articles at delivery points are shown, the sorting device having a conveying device comprising transport platforms that are movable along a transport direction for transporting the articles and for delivering the articles to the delivery points, with the transport platforms having a bearing surface for the articles and with at least one transport platform having a first delivery device for vertically delivering the articles from the bearing surface to at least one first delivery point. To provide a sorting device for reliable and careful joint sorting of articles with different transport and delivery requirements, at least one transport platform has a second delivery device for laterally delivering the articles from the bearing surface to at least one second delivery point.

A sorting device and a method for sorting articles at delivery points are shown, the sorting device having a conveying device comprising transport platforms that are movable along a transport direction for transporting the articles and for delivering the articles to the delivery points, with the transport platforms having a bearing surface for the articles and with at least one transport platform having a first delivery device for vertically delivering the articles from the bearing surface to at least one first delivery point. To provide a sorting device for reliable and careful joint sorting of articles with different transport and delivery requirements, at least one transport platform has a second delivery device for laterally delivering the articles from the bearing surface to at least one second delivery point.

A system includes an article supply location, wherein the article supply location includes a plurality of articles to be sorted, first and second transport vehicles, each having a first position in which an article is stowed about the vehicle and a second position in which the article is deposited into a proximal container. And a control system. The control system is configured to receive an order for a plurality of disparate articles, determine one destination container of a plurality of destination containers to direct the transport vehicle to deposit a selected article, direct the first transport vehicle to transport a selected article to the destination container and deposit the article by manipulation of the first transport vehicle from the first position to the second position for deposit of the selected article in the destination container.