Separator counter

Apparatus for separating products or articles for counting, comprising a products or articles loading, primary, endless belt conveyor with a discharge and thereof adapted to discharge the loaded products or articles through diversion means enabling the products or articles to move in a divergent path to separate the products or articles for counting and for delivering the separated products or articles onto a pair of identical, parallel, secondary endless belt conveyors for further separating and/or, counting the products or articles, the primary conveyor being a single conveyor at a higher level and at a slower speed than the secondary conveyors, the diversion means comprising both fixed and mobile means, the fixed diversion means being a fixed partitioned chute inclined to the horizontal and having a discharge end discharging products or articles by gravity onto a pair of secondary conveyors below the discharge end of the fixed chute which has outwardly directed outer walls and inwardly inclined and rearwardly tapered inner walls, a plurality of sensors being installed above the discharge end of the secondary conveyors, the mobile diversion means being a changeover mechanism comprising a pair of mobile, identical changeover diversion chutes mounted on a fixed pivot point above at least one collection bin, each mobile chute oscillating intermittently and laterally in a limited arc with respect to the secondary conveyors to deflect products or articles into at least one holding chamber when each bin is already filled with a predetermined number of products or articles, rubber flaps being provided at the bottom of each bin for arresting the fall of the said products or articles, product-collection chambers being formed by lateral dividing walls the top edge of which is rubber tipped.