Product accumulator

A product accumulator for a conveyor system comprising the combination of

• a through-lane conveyor for moving articles in one direction in the conveyor system,
• first auxiliary conveyor means including at least one first auxiliary conveyor parallel and along a first side of the through-lane conveyor for moving articles in the same direction as the through-lane conveyor,
• second auxiliary conveyor means including at least one second auxiliary conveyor parallel and along a second side opposite the first side of the through-lane conveyor for moving articles in the opposite direction from the through-lane conveyor,
• said conveyors defining a planar accumulating area having input and output sides thereof,
• input guide means over an upstream portion of the through-lane conveyor defining an input opening into the input side of the planar accumulating area,
• output guide means over a downstream portion of the through-lane conveyor defining an output opening from the output side of the accumulating area,
• a first angular guide extending across the first auxiliary conveyor means at the output side of the accumulating area and terminating at a point over the through-lane conveyor wherein the termination point of the first angular guide is spaced upstream from the output opening of the accumulating area for directing articles from the first auxiliary conveyor means to the through-lane conveyor, and
• a second angular guide across the second auxiliary conveyor means at the input side of the accumulating area and terminating at a point over the through-lane conveyor wherein the termination point of the second angular guide is spaced downstream from the input opening of the accumulating area for directing articles from the second auxiliary conveyor means to the through-lane conveyor.