Guide rail system

A guide rail system for guiding containers in preselected positions on at least one conveyor along which the containers are moved, said at least one conveyor comprising at least one straight segment and at least one curved segment substantially aligned with each other at a boundary therebetween, the guide rail system comprising:

• inner and outer subsystems for locating the containers on said at least one conveyor positioned proximal to inner and outer sides of the curved segment respectively, the inner subsystem comprising:
• a plurality of inner slip rail portions, each said inner slip rail portion having an inner contact surface for engaging the containers;
• at least one inner adjustable point device to which the inner slip rail portions are mounted;
• the inner slip rail portions being locatable by said at least one inner adjustable point device for engaging the inner contact surfaces thereof with the containers, to locate the containers in the preselected positions on said at least one conveyor;
• at least one first side subsystem positioned proximal to a first side of said at least one straight segment, the first side being located proximal to the inner side of said at least one curved segment at the boundary line;
• said at least one first side subsystem comprising:
• at least one first side straight rail portion having a first side rail contact surface for engaging the containers;
• at least one first side adjustable point device to which said at least one first side straight rail portion is mounted, said at least one first side straight rail portion being locatable by said at least one first side adjustable point device for engaging the first side rail contact surface with the containers, to locate the containers in the preselected positions on said at least one conveyor;
• the inner subsystem additionally comprising:
• at least one offset inner adjustable point device located at a preselected offset location adjacent to the first side of said at least one straight segment and spaced apart from the boundary line by a preselected distance along the first side of said at least one straight segment;
• at least one first inner transition rail portion having at least one first inner transition rail contact surface for engaging the containers as they move along said at least one straight segment, said at least one first inner transition rail portion being mounted to said at least one offset inner adjustable point device;
• at least one second inner transition rail portion having at least one second inner transition rail contact surface for engaging the containers as they move along said at least one curved segment, said at least one second inner transition rail portion being mounted to said at least one offset inner adjustable point device;
• and
• each of said at least one first and second inner transition rail portions being locatable by said at least one offset adjustment element for engaging said at least one first inner transition rail contact surface and said at least one second inner transition rail contact surface with the containers, to locate the containers in the preselected positions on said at least one conveyor.