Modular diverter shoe and slat construction

In a conveying system having a longitudinally moving conveying surface defined by the uppermost ones of a plurality of slats connected in spaced relation with each other in an endless web;

• a plurality of diverter shoes each movably mounted on one of said slats for lateral movement with respect to said conveying surface;
• and track means engaging said diverter shoes for imparting a lateral force to move said diverter shoes laterally to displace product positioned on said conveying surface, wherein the improvement comprises:
• each of said slats defined by a wall having generally planar upper and lower wall portions joined by side wall portions defining joining edges between each of said wall portions;
• each of said diverter shoes having a support portion including a glide surface surrounding said wall;
• and
• bearing means defining a bearing between at least one of said joining edges of each of said slats and an engaging portion of said glide surface of the corresponding one of said diverter shoes.

In a conveying system having a longitudinally moving conveying surface defined by the uppermost ones of a plurality of slats connected in spaced relation with each other in an endless web;

• a plurality of diverter shoes each movably mounted on one of said slats for lateral movement with respect to said conveying surface;
• and track means engaging said diverter shoes for imparting a lateral force to move said diverter shoes laterally to displace product positioned on said conveying surface, wherein the improvement comprises:
• each of said slats defined by a wall having generally planar upper and lower wall portions joined by side wall portions defining joining edges between each of said wall portions;
• each of said diverter shoes having a support portion includes a glide surface surrounding said wall;
• and
• means defining lateral stabilizing means between one of said wall portions of each of said slats and an engaging portion of said glide surface of the corresponding one of said diverter shoes, said lateral stabilizing means resisting vertical-axis reaction-force-couples.

A diverter shoe for use in a conveyor system having a longitudinally moving conveying surface defined by the uppermost ones of a plurality of slats connected in spaced relation with each other in an endless web;

• and track means extending below said uppermost ones of said slats for engaging and imparting a lateral force to displace selected ones of said diverter shoes laterally with respect to said conveying surface;
• said diverter shoe comprising:
• a support member having a glide portion including means defining a glide surface adapted to glide along one of said slats;
• and
• a diverting member joined to said support member and having at least one substantially vertical diverting surface on a lateral end thereof and a plurality of contiguous, generally planar surfaces sloping downward from an upper extent of said diverting surface laterally inward and longitudinally forward or rearward.

A diverter shoe for use in a conveyor system having a longitudinally moving conveying surface defined by the uppermost ones of a plurality of slats connected in spaced relation with each other in an endless web;

• and track means extending below said uppermost ones of said slats for engaging and imparting a lateral force to displace selected ones of said diverter shoes laterally with respect to said conveying surface;
• said diverter shoe comprising:
• a support member having a glide portion including means defining a glide surface adapted to glide along one of said slats;
• a diverting portion joined to said support portion and having at least one substantially vertical diverting surface on a lateral end thereof;
• and
• wherein said support member glide portion is defined by a multiplicity of interconnected wall segments having substantially the same thickness.