A cross-belt sorter (1) comprises a plurality of interconnected carriers (3) which are drivable behind each other in a conveying direction (X). Each of the carriers (3) is provided with a cross-belt (7) for supporting a product. The cross-belt (7) is drivable in a belt driving direction (Y) extending transversely to the conveying direction (X). A pushing element (25) is mounted to the cross-belt (7) for pushing against a product on the cross-belt (7) in the event that a product on the cross-belt (7) tends to move with respect to the cross-belt (7) in opposite direction of the belt driving direction (Y). The pushing element (25) has an upright orientation with respect to the cross-belt (7) and is supported in the belt driving direction (Y) by a supporting member (26) which is at least between opposite side edges of the cross-belt (7) fixed to the pushing element (25) and to the cross-belt (7) at respective distances from an intersection between the pushing element (25) and the crossbelt (7).

An induction system is disclosed for filtering the induction of objects to a plurality of object processing systems. The induction system includes an evaluation means for evaluating at least one characteristic of an object, and routing means for routing the object in one of a plurality of directions responsive to the evaluated characteristic, at least one of the plurality of directions leading to a selected one of the plurality of object processing systems.

A placement body on which an article is placed is driven by a transfer drive mechanism to transfer the article. The transfer drive mechanism includes a transfer drive source and a transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism includes an output member coupled to an output shaft of the transfer drive source and a driven member that is not coupled to the output member and operates by being pressed by the output member. A wheel drive source, the transfer drive source, and the output member are supported by a vehicle body frame, and the placement body and the driven member are supported by a vehicle body cover. The vehicle body cover covers the wheel drive source and the transfer drive source and is detachably attached to the vehicle body frame.

The invention relates to a device for moving objects, in particular portions, each portion comprising at least one slice cut from a food product, comprising a plurality of individually movable transport movers for at least one object each, a track system for the transport movers, in which the transport movers can be moved along at least one specified track in a transport direction, and a control apparatus for controlling the motions of the transport movers in the track system, wherein at least one track segment and/or at least one transport mover has at least one support, which is frame-free at every point in time or at least at times, for at least a part of a holder, in particular a bowl-like holder, for holding at least one object to be transported, in particular for a packaging or a part of a packaging, preferably for a tray for holding at least one portion, and wherein, in addition to the support, fastening means are provided, which are designed to fasten the holder to the support at least at times.

An inclination compensating device for a carriage of a conveyor device for the horizontal transport of conveyed material, wherein a drive element is driven via the pivot drive, which drive element is fastened to an end of a pivot lever extending away from the inclination compensating element, which end is opposite the inclination compensating element, and which drive element has a drive axis arranged parallel or perpendicular to the pivot axis, wherein the drive element rolls on at least one guide, in particular extending equidistantly to the pivot axis, in particular in a force-locking or form-locking manner, which guide is mounted or formed on the holding frame.

The invention relates to a tipping actuator for a conveyor system that comprises a plurality of article carriers moving on an endless conveyor in a conveying direction, each article carrier having a carrier frame for bearing an article, the carrier frame being pivotally mounted on the article carrier and operable to tip to enable discharge of the article borne on the carrier frame. The tipping actuator comprises a trigger member for contacting the article carriers to tip them and is configured such that, when in a non-contact position, the article carriers are able to at least partly tip towards the trigger member such that the contact portion of the trigger member is received by a portion of the article carrier. In another embodiment, a contact portion of the trigger is sloped with two different gradients. An electromagnet may be used to cause actuation of the trigger. The tipping actuator may be able to allow tipping in opposite directions of adjacent carriers, for example in some embodiments the trigger may be formed of upstream and downstream parts.

A conveying system for intended use in sorting articles and related methods of conveying and sorting articles are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a first conveyor extending in a first direction and a second conveyor extending in a second direction, with the directions intersecting. A transfer conveyor, such as a transpositor conveyor, may be provided for transferring articles from one of the first conveyors to one of the second conveyors. The system may be used to sort articles delivered from one or more storage locations for distribution, or may instead be used to sort articles for delivery to one or more storage locations. Related aspects and methods are also described.

A collecting device for collecting discrete items that are delivered from a conveyor to a delivery location. The collecting device includes a collecting region with a collecting device, in which collecting region the discrete items are collected, a delay region with a discrete items support, and a feed region having a feed device. The delay region is prior to the collecting region and is the region in which the discrete items delivered from the conveyor are held up. The feed region is prior to the delay region and is the region through which the discrete items are fed from conveyor to the delay region. The delay region has a conveying mechanism that is capable of conveying the held-up discrete item from the delay region into the collecting region by way of a conveying-active movement.

A dual-sloping carousel is disclosed. According to the present invention, the carousel comprises forward-sloping and reverse-sloping sections, so as to reduce the risk of falling baggage, thereby preventing the baggage from being damaged.

The invention provides a high speed sorting mechanism arranged to empty or discharge a container for carrying a load, e.g. totes in a luggage handling system. The sorting mechanism as a plurality of tilting elements T1-T11 for receiving and transporting the container in a transport direction. The tilting elements T1-T11 are arranged neighbouring each other, and they are individually tiltable by controllable tilting actuators, e.g. servo motors. Hereby, the tilting elements T1-T11 can tilt around an axis parallel with the transport direction. A computerized controller serves to individually control the tilting of the tilting elements T1-T11 with a control algorithm in response to at least one position signal such that a group of at least two tilting elements T1-T11 perform a coordinated tilting motion in response to the position signal so as to tilt the container for emptying or discharging its load, upon the container passing the sorting mechanism in the transport direction. A row of such as 10-20 identical tilting elements T1-T11 each with a length of such as 30-50% of the container or tote to be handled. The tilting elements T1-T11 are preferably stationary seen in the transport direction, and the container or tote is driven forward by friction drive means FB on each of the tilting elements T1-T11. Preferably, position sensors on or at each tilting element T1-T11 serve to provide input to the controller regarding position of the container or tote, thus enabling the control algorithm to generate control signals to control a tilting angle of each of the tilting elements T1-T11 accordingly to provide a forward propagating wave serving to smoothly support the container in a gradual combined tilting and forward motion.