Unscrambling conveyor

An unscrambling conveyor for processing a randomly arranged mass of articles into a single file line of articles comprising;

• a conveyor surface comprising an array of elongated conveyor rollers;
• a first and second set of rollers comprising the array of rollers;
• a plurality of drive means for driving the conveyor rollers, wherein the first and second sets of rollers are selectively driven at two different speeds;
• a plurality of successive zones comprising the first set of rollers and a plurality of successive zones comprising the second set of rollers;
• a drive means for each zone, wherein zones in the first and second set of rollers are directly across the axis from one another;
• and
• an axis dividing the first and second sets of rollers, said first and second sets of rollers being disposed at two different angles relative to the axis;
• whereby the force vectors acting on an article on the conveyor from the first set of rollers are different than the force vectors acting on an article from the second set of rollers.

An unscrambling conveyor for processing a randomly arranged mass of articles delivered to the conveyor into a single file line of articles, the conveyor comprising:

• a conveyor surface comprising first and second sets of elongated conveyor rollers;
• an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor separating the first and second sets of conveyor rollers;
• first drive means for the first set of rollers and second drive means for the second set of rollers;
• means for generating a first force vector with the first set of rollers having a first lateral component and a first axial component;
• and
• means for generating a second force vector with the second set of rollers having a second lateral component and a second axial component;
• whereby the first and second lateral components have the combined effect of conveying an article to the axis and whereby the first and second axial components have the combined effect of conveying an article downstream of the conveyor while twisting the article around its own axis.

An unscrambling conveyor for processing a randomly arranged mass of articles delivered to the conveyor into a single file line of articles, the conveyor comprising;

• a conveyor surface comprising first and second sets of elongated conveyor rollers;
• an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor separating the first and second sets of conveyor rollers wherein the first set of rollers is positioned at a first angle to the axis and the second set of rollers is positioned at the second angle which is different than the first angle to the axis;
• first drive means for the first set of rollers and second drive means for the second set of rollers wherein the first set of rollers is driven at a speed which is different than the speed of the second set of rollers;
• means for generating a first force vector with the first set of rollers having a first lateral component and a first axial component;
• and
• means for generating a second force vector with the second set of rollers having a second lateral component and a second axial component;
• whereby the first and second lateral components have the combined effect of conveying an article to the axis and whereby the first and second axial components have the combined effect of conveying an article downstream of the conveyor while twisting the article around its own axis.

An unscrambling conveyor for processing a randomly arranged mass of articles delivered at the input of the conveyor into a single file line of articles, the unscrambling conveyor comprising:

• an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor and separating the conveyor into two halves;
• means for generating first force vectors on a first side of the axis having first lateral components and first axial components;
• and
• means for generating second force vectors on a second side of the axis having second lateral components and second axial components;
• whereby in a first section of the conveyor the first and second lateral components have the combined effect of conveying an article to the axis and the first and second axial components have the combined effect of conveying an article in the downstream direction of the conveyor while twisting the article around its own axis, and in a second section of the conveyor the first and second lateral components have the combined effect of shifting an article off of the axis and the first and second axial components convey an article in the downstream direction of the conveyor.