In certain embodiments, a system may include at least one optical sensor configured to capture optical data associated with a waste product and a processor coupled to the at least one optical sensor. The processor may be configured to determine information about the waste product based on the optical data and to selectively direct the waste product to a selected destination in response to determining the information.

An object is to provide a conveyor that enables the number of information read-out devices to be largely reduced and that can be easily constructed. An object identifying device (45) is installed in the first zone. The object identifying device (45) is a bar code reader. Information read by the bar code reader is transmitted to a host control device (46). The host control device (46) identifies an object from information described in a bar code, makes an inquiry about a conveyance destination of an object, transmits the address of the target place to a zone controller (10) of the second zone, and inputs the address to a conveyance destination storage unit of the zone controller (10) of the second zone. The conveyance destination information input to the conveyance destination storage unit is passed on to the downstream zone controller (10) with the conveyance of the object.

Singulation system may utilize various features to singulate items, e.g., which may be different sizes from one another. For example, a conveyor may advance items along the length of the conveyor, and paddles arranged for protruding over respective portions of the conveyor may be selectively positionable based on conditions (such as a size or a jammed state) of items detected as present on a relevant part of the conveyor. Additionally or alternatively, a first conveyor may advance items at a first speed and in a first direction to sequentially drop the items onto a second conveyor positioned below the first conveyor, and the second conveyor may advance the received items at a second speed higher than the first speed and in a second direction different from the first direction, e.g., to increase space between items.

A sorting conveyor system comprising a primary conveyor extending along a conveying plane and configured with an item loading location and a plurality of unloading locations extending along the conveying plane, and at least one sorting bridge configured with an item sorting mechanism. The item sorting mechanism is configurable for displacing in four distinct orientations, wherein the first displacement orientation is associated with displacing the item sorting mechanism along the conveying plane. The second displacement orientation is associated with controlling passages of an item through the sorting bridge, the third displacement orientation is associated with controlled unloading of an item at an unloading location, the fourth displacement orientation is associated with controlling an impact angle of the item sorting mechanism with an item.

A crop cart loading system for loading a crop. The crop cart loading system generally includes a hopper having a floor and a sidewall extending from the floor to an upper edge thereof. The sidewall defines a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and an interior space for accommodating a crop. A conveyor is mounted to the hopper and configured to receive a crop at one of the first and second ends, and to longitudinally translate the crop above the floor toward the other of the first and second ends.

A sortation conveyor has an endless apron supported for longitudinal movement on an elongate frame that includes a pair of lateral side frames. 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 pair of lateral side 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 system for diverting objects traveling along a conveyor includes an upstream conveyor segment having an inlet end and an outlet end and a downstream conveyor segment having an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end of the downstream conveyor segment is located to receive items from the outlet end of the upstream conveyor segment. A conveyor shift mechanism is linked to both the outlet end of the upstream conveyor segment and the inlet end of the downstream conveyor segment for carrying out lateral movement of the outlet end of the upstream conveyor segment in one lateral direction while simultaneously carrying out lateral movement of the inlet end of the downstream conveyor segment in an opposite lateral direction.

A sorting device for sorting out discrete products from a product stream includes a friction element driven by a roller. The friction element is movable to press against a product to be sorted out and thereby apply a frictional force to the product to sort the product out of the product stream.

A modular deflection device comprises a housing and at least two steering elements for applying a steering action on discrete products moving along a conveyor plane. Each steering element has a swivel section formed about a swivel axis with an associated steering section. A drive with a drive element is provided in the housing for each steering element, each drive element being coupled or capable of being coupled to the swivel section of the associated steering element in such a way that the steering element is set into a swivelling movement about the swivel axis by an advancing movement of the drive element. The steering elements are arranged with their swivel sections outside the housing and a section of each drive element can be pushed in an advancing movement along a straight advancing direction with respect to the housing through its own passage opening leading out of the housing.

An unloading arrangement (10) for unloading items of washware (5a, 5b, 5c) which are arranged, in particular, on trays or tray-like objects (6), in particular items of washware (5a, 5b, 5c) from place settings. The unloading arrangement (10) has a feed conveyor belt (11) for feeding the items of washware. The unloading arrangement (10) also has a large number of unloading stations (12, 13, 14) arranged one behind the otheras seen in the conveying direction of the feed conveyor belt (11). For successively unloading the feed conveyor belt (11) or for successively unloading the trays or tray-like objects (6), a predefined or predefinable washware group is preferably associated with each unloading station (12, 13, 14) and each unloading station is designed to unload preferably only items of washware of the associated washware group from the washware which is fed by the feed conveyor belt (11).