Overhead mounted sorter for conveyors

A paddle, for use with a sorting device mounted above objects traveling longitudinally along a conveyor, the sorting device including a carriage traveling on a rail orientated across the conveyor, the paddle comprising:

• an assembly attached to the carriage at a first end and extending downward toward the conveyor to a second end;
• the second end includes a recess for receiving a retractably mounted wiper;
• and
• the wiper defining a first edge within the recess attached to a biasing mechanism, and a second edge that protrudes from the recess toward the conveyor;
• the wiper being resiliently urged into contact with the conveyor by the biasing mechanism.

A method for sorting objects traveling longitudinally along a conveyor, with a sorting device mounted above the objects, including a rail orientated across the conveyor, a carriage mounted on the rail for translating along the rail, and a paddle affixed to the carriage and extending downward to contact the objects below, comprising:

• transporting an object along a primary conveyor, the object bearing destination indicia;
• reading the destination indicia;
• decoding the destination indicia and storing the destination information in a programmable controller;
• responsive to the destination information, the controller directing a linear actuator to drive the carriage along the rail to cause the paddle to divert an object from the primary conveyor to an adjacent secondary conveyor;
• and
• responsive to the programmable controller, causing the paddle to divert an object from the secondary conveyor to the adjacent primary conveyor.

A method for sorting objects traveling longitudinally along a conveyor, with a sorting device mounted above the objects, including a rail orientated across the conveyor, a carriage mounted on the rail for translating along the rail, and a paddle affixed to the carriage and extending downward to contact the objects below, comprising:

• transporting an object along a primary conveyor, the object bearing destination indicia;
• reading the destination indicia;
• decoding the destination indicia and storing the destination information in a programmable controller;
• responsive to the destination information, the controller directing a linear actuator to drive the carriage along the rail to cause the paddle to divert an object from the primary conveyor to an adjacent secondary conveyor;
• and
• responsive to the programmable controller, causing the paddle to divert an object from the secondary conveyor to an adjacent second destination location.

A sorting device mounted above objects traveling longitudinally along a conveyor, comprising:

• a rail orientated across the conveyor;
• a carriage mounted to translate along the rail;
• a paddle extending from the carriage down into a path of objects traveling on the conveyor;
• and
• a linear actuator positioned to translate the carriage along the rail, said linear actuator comprising:
• a serrated belt attached to the carriage;
• a notched drive pulley engaging the belt, the belt forming a loop around the notched pulley and an idler pulley;
• and
• a belt connector comprising a first serrated plate spaced apart from a second plate to form a void receiving two ends of the belt held in the belt connector by engagement of serrations of the timing belt ends with serrations of the first plate.

A sorting system, comprising:

• a primary conveyor and a secondary conveyor parallel to the primary conveyor;
• a plurality of sorting devices mounted in sequence above objects traveling longitudinally along the conveyors, each of the sorting devices comprising:
• a rail orientated across the primary and secondary conveyors;
• a carriage mounted to translate along the rail;
• and
• a paddle extending from the carriage down into a path of objects traveling on the conveyors;
• and
• a controller positioned to translate the carriages along their respective rails, the controller operating any of the sorting devices at selected times to divert an object from the primary conveyor to the secondary conveyor and to divert an object from the secondary conveyor to the primary conveyor.