A method and device for sorting articles, including at least one station for automatically loading articles allowing transfer of the articles to one or several transport units, the station equipped with at least one device for transporting the articles and a system able to determine the position, the shape and the size of the articles, with a set of cross belt transport units, each unit provided with a supporting plate between two adjacent units. The device includes a system allowing detection of a possible change in position of an article on a transport device during the acceleration phase. Maintaining the article in position on its unit(s) is ensured during its movement on the sorter, by supporting plates permanently ensuring supporting surface continuity between two units over a width substantially equal to the supporting surface of the belts and by the presence of vertical profiles on the belts.

A conveyor apparatus for transporting items along a conveying path from a loading station to a discharge station comprises a car that can be driven in a conveying direction along the conveying path, the car having a frame and a first load-handling device borne by the frame, which is mounted so as to be infinitely adjustable in height in a controlled manner relative to the frame, wherein a second load-handling device is arranged on the frame adjacent to the first load-handling device and is mounted independently thereof so as to be infinitely adjustable in height in a controlled manner.

Provided is a control system including controller configured to manage ID information comprising a unique number of a carrier on which a goods is mounted from among a plurality of carriers provided to tilt in a second direction or a third direction, such that each of the carriers moves along the first direction on a goods sorter and sorts the goods to at least one of a plurality of sorting openings, a recognizer configured to sense a material of the goods and a falling point at which the goods falls in a sorting opening, and an analyzer configured to generate result data obtained by analyzing a tilting speed and a tilting strength of the carrier, wherein the controller outputs a controls signal such that the at least one of the tilting speed and the tilting strength of the carrier is controlled based on the result data.

A caster wheel alignment system for selectively re-orienting improperly oriented caster wheels for transport vehicles of a conveyor system, such as a circular sorter. The alignment system includes a main support frame couplable with the conveyor at a drive track of the conveyor. The system includes a horizontal cam for adjusting an orientation of the caster wheel from a leading orientation to a trailing orientation. In some forms, the alignment system may include a bypass system, such as a float frame, supporting the horizontal cam, and a vertical cam. The vertical cam provided to temporarily move the float frame and horizontal cam away from the transport vehicle and/or drive track to permit the vehicle to move through the alignment system. The vertical and horizontal cams coordinate to intercept and correct improperly oriented wheels without significantly impeding the movement of the transport vehicle along the drive track.

A conveyor system and drive element for same include a chain including a plurality of links that hinge with respect to each other and a plurality of moving elements such as balls that freely move in the links. A drive element drives the chain in a conveying direction and includes an elongated body with a surface that has a plurality of planar facets arranged around the longitudinal axis of the body. The facets extend along the body and engage respective links of the chain as the body is rotated to drive the chain. Relief elements are located in each facet and are configured for receiving the moving elements of the chain links engaging the facets so the links lie generally flat on the facets when the chain is driven. Other versions of the drive element are faceted for driving a chain with links but without relief elements.

A modular transfer system with a primary flow system and a diverter system. The primary flow system includes a primary flow belt for conveying an article along a primary flow path from an infeed side of the modular transfer system to a pass-through side of the modular transfer system. The diverter system includes one or more diverter belts for diverting an article from the primary flow path towards a divert side of the modular transfer system. The primary flow belt includes multiple movable components contacting the diverter belt. The movable components can have one or more rotational degrees of freedom.

A method of operating a cross belt slat sorter includes moving a first item of a first type positioned on the sorter. A database is maintained that stores transport requirements for different item types. A control system ascertains a first type of the first item via a separate vision system that is operatively connected to the control system. The database is accessed to establish the first transport requirements for the first item based on the first type. Belts are controlled based on the first transport requirements of the first item. A second item is moved on the belts, and a second type of the second item is observed with the vision system. The database is accessed to ascertain second transport requirements for the second item. The belts are controlled based on the second transport requirements of the second item.

A sorter comprising: a rack; a track assembly comprising two ring-shaped tracks both installed on the rack, the tracks being respectively arranged in two mutually parallel vertical planes and being aligned with each other; a drive assembly comprising at least one sprocket sets that comprise a driving sprocket and a plurality of driven sprockets installed on the rack; at least one chain hooping on the driving sprocket and the driven sprockets and having the same shape as the tracks; an electric machine configured to drive the driving sprocket to rotate; a sorting cart comprising a carriage that is arranged between and slidably connected to the two ring-shaped tracks and is further hinged with the chain; a conveying assembly disposed above the carriage and carry and convey items, wherein a conveying direction of the conveying assembly is different from a moving direction of the sorting cart.

A dual-layer linear sorter includes a delivery mechanism, a first feeding mechanism, a second uploading mechanism, a slewing mechanism, and a driving mechanism, the delivery mechanism is ring-shaped and includes upper and lower layers; the running direction of the upper layer is a first direction, the running direction of the lower layer is a second direction; the second direction is opposite to the first direction; the first feeding mechanism is close to the upper layer, and is docked with one end of the delivery mechanism; the second feeding mechanism is close to the lower layer and is docked with the other end of the delivery mechanism; the driving mechanism can drive the delivery mechanism to run; a part of the goods can be delivered to the upper layer via the first uploading mechanism; another part of goods can be delivered to the lower layer via the second uploading mechanism.

An article conveyance apparatus couples a plurality of conveyor carriages for conveying articles and enables the coupled conveyor carriages to travel along a conveyance path K. The conveyor carriage is coupled by a coupling part to another conveyor carriage placed in the longitudinal direction with respect to a traveling direction H of the conveyor carriage. The conveyor carriage includes a load cell that is provided in the coupling part and measures a force applied between the conveyor carriages, and a controller that calculates a force F applied to wheels of the conveyor carriage, based on a tension T between the conveyor carriages calculated according to the force applied between the conveyor carriages and measured by the load cell.