Selective ejection conveyors

A diverting device for selectively diverting articles from a conveyor belt path to another location which is substantially directly below the conveyor belt path, comprising:

• a drive means,
• a plurality of support members rotatably connected to said drive means,
• a conveying means operatively attached to each support member,
• said conveying means including a plurality of chains slidably supported along a portion of a path of travel over a support surface,
• an actuating means for selectively moving each support member between a first position and a second position,
• such that articles are diverted from the conveyor belt path to the other location which is substantially below the conveyor belt path when said support member is in said second position, wherein
• said drive means is in driving relationship with a driven member supported by each support member while said support member is in said first position and while said support member is in said second position, and said drive means is in driving engagement with said driven member at all times,
• said actuating means including a member movable between the positions;
• said conveying means includes a plurality of guide ridges corresponding to the number of said chains and supporting said chains;
• said guide ridges are connected to said support member;
• each chain forms a continuous loop;
• said drive means includes a rotatable shaft;
• said rotatable shaft is located outside said continuous loop, such that said chains may be replaced without disassembly of said support member from said rotatable shaft;
• each driven member includes a driven gear, each said driven gear being driven by a respective one of a plurality of driving gears fixed to said rotatable shaft, and
• adjacent support members are closely nested such that a gap exists between adjacent support members sufficient to replace the chains without removal of any support member from said rotatable shaft.