Roller shoe and slat sorter conveyor

A sorter conveyor method for use with an endless upwardly facing conveying surface movable in a conveying direction, the conveying surface defined by a plurality of surface separated by plurality slots extending in a transverse direction, the conveying surface defined by a plurality of surfaces, separated by a plurality of slots extending in a transverse direction relative to the conveying direction, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of shoe assemblies, with each shoe assembly comprising a shoe disposed above the conveying surface and a carrier disposed below the conveying surface, and with each of the plurality of shoe assemblies extending through at least one of the slots in the conveying surface, and each shoe comprising an elongated roller shoe including a frame having downward slanting ends and a plurality of roller wheels extending above the surface of said frame mounted to axles movable in a vertical axis whereby an article resting on the rollers of said shoe depressing the rollers so they contact the slat surface and move an article resting thereon in a transverse direction at twice the speed of the shoe;
• coupling the shoe and the carrier together using a snap-fit connection;
• causing at least some of the shoe assemblies to move in the transverse direction which also moving thin the conveying direction with the conveying surface;
• upon exposure to an undesirable force acting upon the shoe, the shoe automatically detaching from the carrier at the snap-fit connection without damaging any part of the shoe assembly, including the snap-fit connection;
• after such detaching, fully reattaching the shoe to the carrier manually without the use of tools using the undamaged shoe, including the undamaged snap-fit connection.

A slat sorter conveyor and roller shoe apparatus, comprising:

• an endless upwardly facing conveying surface movable in a conveying direction, said conveying surface defined by a plurality of surfaces separated by a plurality of slots extending in a transverse direction relative to the conveying direction;
• a plurality of roller shoe assemblies, each roller shoe assembly comprising a roller shoe disposed above the conveying surface and a carrier disposed below the conveying surface, each of said plurality of said roller shoe assemblies extending through at least one of the slots in the conveying surface to permit each roller shoe assembly to move in the transverse direction while also moving in the conveying direction with the conveying surface;
• each one of said roller shoe assemblies including a plurality of roller wheels, each roller wheel formed of a material having a high friction surface, said roller wheel comprising a compressible polymer of a selected hardness, said roller wheel having a hub including a socket formed in said hub engaging said tapered cylindrical body and said flange releasably holding each of said split axles in position within said socket, said split axles being press fit in said hub and snapped into a locking position permitting vertical movement of said split axles within said grooved slot of said rolling shoe frame;
• each of said plurality of roller wheel assemblies comprising a snap-fit connection coupling said roller shoe and said carrier together, wherein said snap-fit connection has a structure which permits the roller shoe to detach from said carrier in response to a force acting on said roller shoe without damaging any part of said roller shoe assembly, and wherein the snap-fit connection has a structure that permits the roller shoe to be fully recoupled to said carrier manually without the use of tools after being detached from said carrier.

A slat sorter roller shoe comprising:

• a frame including a first side rail and second side rail connected by opposing downward sloped end portions, said opposing end portions joining by a longitudinal center member disposed equal distance between the first side rail and second side rail, said frame including a base comprising a pair of longitudinal ribbed runners having end edges in cooperative engagement and in a slidable relationship with said slat, said frame including a recess at a selected location in said center member for receiving a plurality of drive projections extending upward from a top of said carrier;
• each one of said roller wheel removably mounted on an axle comprising a pair of opposing split axles, each one having an outer cap with a circumferential flange extending around the proximal portion of said cap and a generally tapered cylindrical body extending there from;
• each one of said opposing split axles cooperatively engage an opposing grooved slot formed in an opposing sidewall of a first channel and a second channel parallel and spaced apart and formed in said shoe frame between a longitudinal center member and said respective first side rail and said second side rail;
• said roller shoe including a plurality of roller wheels, each roller wheel formed of a material having a high friction surface, said roller wheel comprising a compressible polymer of a selected hardness, said roller wheel having a hub including a socket formed in said hub engaging said tapered cylindrical body and said flange releasably holding each of said split axles in position within said socket, said split axles being press fit in said hub and snapped into a locking position permitting vertical movement of said split axles within said grooved slot of said rolling shoe frame;
• and
• each of the roller shoe assemblies comprising a snap-fit connection coupling the roller shoe and the carrier together, wherein the snap-fit connection has a structure which permits the roller shoe to detach from the carrier in response to an undesirable force acting on the roller shoe without damaging any part of the roller shoe assembly.

A slat sorter roller shoe comprising:

• a frame including a first side rail and second side rail connected by opposing downward sloped end portions, said opposing end portions joining by a longitudinal center member disposed equal distance between the first side rail and second side rail, said frame including a base comprising a pair of longitudinal ribbed runners having end edges in cooperative engagement and in a slidable relationship with said slat, said frame including a recess at a selected location in said center member for receiving a plurality of drive projections extending upward from a top of said carrier;
• each one of said roller wheel removably mounted on an axle comprising a pair of opposing split axles, each one having an outer cap with a circumferential flange extending around the proximal portion of said cap and a generally tapered cylindrical body extending there from;
• each one of said opposing split axles cooperatively engage an opposing grooved slot formed in an opposing sidewall of a first channel and a second channel parallel and spaced apart and formed in said shoe frame between a longitudinal center member and said respective first side rail and said second side rail;
• said roller shoe including a plurality of roller wheels, each roller wheel formed of a material having a high friction surface, said roller wheel comprising a compressible polymer of a selected hardness, said roller wheel having a hub including a socket formed in said hub engaging said tapered cylindrical body and said flange releasably holding each of said split axles in position within said socket, said split axles being press fit in said hub and snapped into a locking position permitting vertical movement of said split axles within said grooved slot of said rolling shoe frame;
• and
• each of the roller shoe assemblies comprising a snap-fit connection coupling the roller shoe and the carrier together, wherein the snap-fit connection has a structure which permits the roller shoe to detach from the carrier in response to an undesirable force acting on the roller shoe without damaging any part of the roller shoe assembly.