Product sorting apparatus

Apparatus for diverting a selected product in a stream of products from a transport path, comprising:

• transport means defining the transport path for conveying the stream of products;
• said transport means comprising:
• a plurality of drive rollers for conveying products;
• drive means for each roller to selectively actuate each roller to control product movement along the transport path;
• and
• means for accelerating each drive roller by the drive means to propel a product form the transport path;
• a diverter gate having a contact surface for diverting products form the transport path, the contact surface pivotally mounted to the transport means at a pivotal end thereof and having a distal end;
• and
• actuation means for moving the diverter gate between a normally closed position and an open position.

Apparatus for diverting, comprising:

• transport means for conveying a product along a transport path including a plurality of individually and selectively actuated drive rollers;
• drive means for individually and selectively actuating each of the plurality of drive rollers;
• normally closed diverter means having an opened position for inserting into the transport path to divert products from said transport means;
• means for tracking conveyance of the product along the transport path;
• and
• control means, responsive to the means for tracking, for selectively moving the diverter means to the opened position and for accelerating actuation of the drive rollers by the drive means at the diverter means in the opened position to propel the product from the transport means.

A method for conveying and diverting a stream of products, comprising the steps of:

• conveying the stream of products along a transport path having a plurality of diverting gates;
• actuating one or more roller pairs to cause downstream movement of products through the transport path;
• tracking the position and movement of each product along the transport path;
• selectively controlling the movement of each product in the stream of products to maintain a separation distance between one tracked product and a preceding tracked product;
• opening a selected one of the plurality of diverting gates for each product to cause each tracked product in a product stream to be diverted form the transport path to a selected output destination;
• and
• accelerating the rotation of a roller pair at the open diverting gate to accelerate the tracked product from the transport path.