Cookie conveying system with diverter

Apparatus for diverting rows of cookies being carried on automated cookie processing lines toward a plurality of primary processing stations, to a standby processing station comprising:

• a primary surface conveying means including a plurality of vertical diverter conveyors each including a cookie input end and a cookie delivery end for transporting lines of cookies to a plurality of primary processing stations, said vertical diverter conveyors being pivotable downwardly and away from the normal path of movement of the cookies toward the primary processing station, for diverting some of the rows of cookies from a primary processing station which has become inoperable toward a standby processing station;
• a lateral diverter conveyor system including a plurality of cookie conveying means each including a cookie input end and a cookie discharge end, with the cookie input end of each cookie conveying means being movable into alignment with a cookie delivery end of one of said vertical diverter conveyors for receiving and diverting rows of cookies from said primary surface conveying means and delivering the rows of cookies to the standby processing station;
• and
• means for moving said lateral diverter conveyor system into alignment with the cookie delivery ends of said vertical diverter conveyors when said vertical diverter conveyors are moved to a downwardly tilted cookie diverting position for diverting the rows of cookies from their paths of movement to a primary processing station and toward a standby processing station.

A method of diverting lines of cookies being transported on automated processing lines to a plurality of primary processing stations to a standby processing station, when one of the primary processing stations has become inoperable, comprising the steps of:

• tilting a plurality of vertical diverter conveyors carrying the lines of cookies toward the inoperable processing station;
• moving a lateral diverter conveyor system laterally into alignment with the delivery end of the tilted vertical diverter conveyors;
• passing the lines of cookies from the tilted vertical diverter conveyors onto the lateral diverter conveyor system;
• transferring the lines of cookies from the lateral diverter conveyor system to a plurality of standby processing conveyors;
• and
• carrying the diverted lines of cookies into the standby processing station.