Side conveyor disc including quick-change features

An ejection disc for use in ejecting parcels from a conveyor path, said ejection disc assembly configured for mounting to a rotatable disc and comprising:

• a first parcel-engaging segment including a projection and also including a first pin fixed therein, said pin including a first and a second end;
• a second parcel-engaging including a projection and also including a second pin, said first and second parcel-engaging segment segments configured to combine to form a substantially circular ejection disc configured for engaging and ejecting parcels;
• a first flange configured to be rigidly attached to said shaft, said first flange including a pair of opposing radially-oriented slots and a pair of apertures;
• and
• a second flange configured to be rigidly attached to said shaft, said second flange including a pair of opposing radially-oriented slots and a pair of apertures,
• said first and second flanges configured to capture said first and second segments into said ejection disc configuration, such that said projections are captured within said slots to deter radial separation of said segments in a first direction, and such that said pins are captured within said apertures to deter radial separation of said segments in a second direction.

A conveying and diverting apparatus for selectively discharging conveying parcels having a lower surface from a conveying path, said conveying and diverting apparatus comprising:

• a conveyor configured for conveying parcels along said conveying path by supporting said lower surfaces of said parcels, and conveyor defining an elongate gap transverse to said path;
• a substantially planar disc rotatably mounted about an axis substantially parallel to said conveying axis, said disc having a substantially circular periphery;
• a disc supporting shaft substantially rigidly attached to and supporting said disc;
• means for rotatably mounting said disc supporting shaft relative to said conveyor gap along an indexing rotational axis such that said disc supporting shaft pivots about an axis substantially perpendicular to that of said conveying axis such that said when said disc is at a first indexed position, said disc interferes with said parcels in said conveyor path, but when said disc is at a second indexed position, said disc does not interfere with said parcels in said conveyor path;
• and
• means for selectively indexing said disc supporting shaft about its longitudinal axis while said disc supporting shaft is rotating,
• such that parcels on said conveyor may be correspondingly selectively discharged from said conveying path upon the indexing of said disc supporting shaft which causes said disc to contact said lower surfaces of said parcels and to discharge said parcels.

A conveying and diverting apparatus for selectively discharging conveying parcels having a lower surface from a conveying path, said conveying and diverting apparatus comprising:

• a conveyor configured for conveying parcels along said conveying path by supporting said lower surfaces of said parcels, and conveyor defining an elongate gap transverse to said path;
• a substantially planar disc rotatably mounted about an axis substantially parallel to said conveying axis, said disc having a substantially circular periphery;
• a disc supporting shaft substantially rigidly attached to and supporting said disc;
• a mount for rotatably mounting said disc supporting shaft relative to said conveyor gap along an indexing rotational axis such that said disc supporting shaft pivots about an axis substantially perpendicular to that of said conveying axis such that said when said disc is at a first indexed position, said disc interferes with said parcels in said conveyor path, but when said disc is at a second indexed position, said disc does not interfere with said parcels in said conveyor path;
• and
• an indexing device for selectively indexing said disc supporting shaft about its longitudinal axis while said disc supporting shaft is rotating,
• such that parcels on said conveyor may be correspondingly selectively discharged from said conveying path upon the indexing of said disc supporting shaft which causes said disc to contact said lower surfaces of said parcels and to discharge said parcels.