Sorting conveyor with cross-over

Claim 1

A sortation conveyor system for cartons and the like including a frame defining a main line and a plurality of branch lines leading from opposite sides of said main line, comprising: (a) an endless apron supported for movement on said frame to define a top conveying run and a bottom return run, (b) means for driving said apron, (c) a plurality of pusher elements mounted for sliding movement on said apron from one side thereof to the other to push a carton laterally aligned therewith to said other side, (d) means for causing said pusher elements to enter the upstream end of said top run of said apron in preselected groups with each such group on the opposite side of said apron from the branch line to which the carton laterally aligned therewith is to be delivered, (e) guide means adjacent each side of the upstream end of said frame positioned to direct each such group of pusher elements to the center of said apron and thereby to cause said pusher elements to move said aligned carton to the opposite side of center of said apron, (f) selectively operable switch means associated with and mounted centrally of said frame upstream from each said branch line for movement between a centered guiding position and a guiding position aligned with said associated branch line wherein said switching means diverts successive said pusher elements toward said branch line, and (g) means defining a guide track extending from said switch means to each of said branch lines associated therewith for guiding said diverted pusher elements across the remainder of said apron to said associated branch line.