Retractable diverter nose

1. A diverter assembly for a positive displacement sorter apparatus having a plurality of interconnected slats that define a conveying surface adapted to convey articles in a longitudinal direction and having a plurality of pusher shoes adapted to move along at least one of the plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface, said diverter assembly comprising:

a diverting track extending diagonally under the conveying surface;

an actuator for selectively diverting at least one of the pusher shoes toward said diverting track; and

a diverter nose positioned downstream of said actuator in the direction of movement of the pusher shoes, said diverter nose adapted to guide a pusher shoe that is at least partially diverted by said actuator to said diverting track even if that pusher shoe is not completely diverted by said actuator, said diverter nose further adapted to guide a pusher shoe away from said diverting track when that pusher shoe is not at least partially diverted by said actuator;

wherein at least a portion of said diverter nose is adapted to move laterally and longitudinally when struck generally head-on by a portion of a pusher shoe to absorb impact of that pusher shoe and to move out of the way of that pusher shoe.

2. The diverter assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said portion of said diverter nose is adapted to move laterally in a manner that facilitates movement of the pusher shoe toward the diverting rail when struck head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe.

3. The diverter apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said portion of said diverter nose is adapted to widen an entrance to said diverting track to facilitate movement of the pusher shoe toward said diverting rail when struck head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe.

4. The diverter assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said portion of said diverter nose includes a wedge adapted to move when struck head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe and a stationary support element for moveably supporting said wedge.

5. A diverter assembly for a positive displacement sorter apparatus having a plurality of interconnected slats that define a conveying surface adapted to convey articles in a longitudinal direction and having a plurality of pusher shoes adapted to move along at least one of the plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface, said diverter assembly comprising:

a diverting track extending diagonally under the conveying surface;

an actuator for selectively diverting at least one of the pusher shoes toward said diverting track; and

a diverter nose adapted to guide the pusher shoe to said diverting track when diverted by said actuator or to guide the pusher shoe away from said diverting track when not diverted by said actuator;

wherein at least a portion of said diverter nose is adapted to move laterally and longitudinally when struck generally head-on by a portion of a pusher shoe, wherein said portion of said diverter nose includes a wedge adapted to move when struck head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe and a stationary support element for moveably supporting said wedge, wherein one of said wedge and said support element includes at least one slot therethrough and the other of said wedge and said support element includes at least one rod, said at least one slot adapted to receive said at least one rod, wherein said motion of said wedge is guided by said at least one rod in said at least one slot.

6. The diverter assembly as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said at least one rod includes at least two rods and wherein said at least one slot includes at least two slots therethrough each adapted to receive one of said rods, wherein one of said rods is fixedly connected to said support element and the other of said rods is fixedly connected to the sorter apparatus.

7. The diverter assembly as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said slots and said rods are adapted to guide said wedge laterally away from said diverting track when said wedge retracts.

8. A diverter assembly for a positive displacement sorter apparatus having a plurality of interconnected slats that define a conveying surface adapted to convey articles in a longitudinal direction and having a plurality of pusher shoes adapted to move along at least one of the plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface, said diverter assembly comprising:

a diverting track extending diagonally under the conveying surface;

an actuator for selectively diverting at least one of the pusher shoes toward said diverting track;

a diverter nose adapted to guide the pusher shoe to said diverting track when diverted by said actuator or to guide the pusher shoe away from said diverting track when not diverted by said actuator;

wherein at least a portion of said diverter nose is adapted to move laterally and longitudinally when struck generally head-on by a portion of a pusher shoe, wherein said portion of said diverter nose includes a wedge adapted to move when struck head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe and a stationary support element for moveably supporting said wedge; and

a plate positioned between said wedge and the sorter apparatus, wherein said wedge slides on said plate when said wedge retracts.

9. A diverter assembly for a positive displacement sorter apparatus having a plurality of interconnected slats that define a conveying surface adapted to convey articles in a longitudinal direction and having a plurality of pusher shoes adapted to move along at least one of the plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface, said diverter assembly comprising:

a diverting track extending diagonally under the conveying surface;

an actuator for selectively diverting at least one of the pusher shoes toward said diverting track; and

a diverter nose adapted to guide the pusher shoe to said diverting track when diverted by said actuator or to guide the pusher shoe away from said diverting track when not diverted by said actuator;

wherein at least a portion of said diverter nose is adapted to move laterally and longitudinally when struck generally head-on by a portion of a pusher shoe and wherein said diverter nose includes a spring to absorb impact when said portion of said diverter nose is struck generally head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe.

10. The diverter assembly as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said portion of said diverter nose includes a wedge adapted to move when struck head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe and a stationary support element for moveably supporting said wedge and wherein said spring is compressed between said wedge and said support element.

11. The diverter assembly as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said wedge defines two diverging surfaces, one adapted to be engaged by a pusher shoe being diverted toward said diverting track and the other adapted to be engaged by a pusher shoe not being diverted, wherein the angles of said diverging surfaces change as said wedge retracts.

12. The diverter assembly as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the movement of said wedge causes the portion of the pusher shoe to deflect off of said wedge toward said at least one diverting track, when said diverter nose is struck head-on by a portion of the pusher shoe.

13. The diverter assembly as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the portion of the pusher shoe is one chosen from an elongated vane and a pin.

14. The diverter assembly as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the pusher shoe includes a bearing for engaging said diverting rail and said support element, wherein said support element guides said bearing toward said diverting track when said actuator diverts that pusher shoe.

15. A positive displacement sorter apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of interconnected slats that define a conveying surface adapted to convey articles in a longitudinal direction;

a plurality of pusher shoes, each adapted to move along at least one of the plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface;

a plurality of diverting assemblies, each including a diverting track extending diagonally under the conveying surface and an actuator adapted to selectively divert at least one of the pusher shoes toward the diverting track;

each of said diverting assemblies further including a diverter nose positioned downstream of said actuator in the direction of movement of the pusher shoes, said diverter nose adapted to guide a pusher shoe that is at least partially diverted by said actuator to said diverting track even if that pusher shoe is not completely diverted by said actuator, said diverter nose further adapted to guide the pusher shoe away from said diverting track when that pusher shoe is not at least partially diverted by said actuator;

wherein at least a portion of said diverter nose is adapted to move laterally and longitudinally when struck generally head-on by a portion of a pusher shoe to absorb impact of that pusher shoe and to move out of the way of that pusher shoe.

16. The positive displacement sorter apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said portion of said diverter nose is adapted to move laterally in a manner that facilitates movement of the pusher shoe toward the diverting rail when struck head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe.

17. The positive displacement sorter apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said portion of said diverter nose is adapted to widen an entrance to said diverting track to facilitate movement of the pusher shoe toward said diverting rail when struck head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe.

18. The positive displacement sorter apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said portion of said diverter nose includes a wedge adapted to move when struck head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe and a stationary support element for moveably supporting said wedge.

19. A positive displacement sorter apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of interconnected slats that define a conveying surface adapted to convey articles in a longitudinal direction;

a plurality of pusher shoes, each adapted to move along at least one of the plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface:

a plurality of diverting assemblies, each including a diverting track extending diagonally under the conveying surface and an actuator adapted to selectively divert at least one of the pusher shoes toward the diverting track;

each of said diverting assemblies further including a diverter nose adapted to guide the pusher shoe to said diverting track when diverted by said actuator or to guide the pusher shoe away from said diverting track when not diverted by said actuator;

wherein at least a portion of said diverter nose is adapted to move laterally and longitudinally when struck generally head-on by a portion of a pusher shoe, wherein said portion of said diverter nose includes a wedge adapted to move when struck head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe and a stationary support element for moveably supporting said wedge wherein one of said wedge and said support element includes at least one slot therethrough and wherein the other of said wedge and said support element includes at least one rod, said at least one slot adapted to receive said at least one rod, wherein said motion of said wedge is guided by said at least one rod in said at least one slot.

20. The positive displacement sorter apparatus as claimed in claim 19 , wherein said at least one rod includes at least two rods and wherein said at least one slot includes at least two slots therethrough each adapted to receive one of said rods, wherein one of said rods is fixedly connected to said support element and the other of said rods is fixedly connected to said sorter apparatus,

21. The positive displacement sorter apparatus as claimed in claim 20 , wherein said slots and said rods are adapted to guide said wedge laterally away from said diverting track when said wedge retracts.

22. A positive displacement sorter apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of interconnected slats that define a conveying surface adapted to convey articles in a longitudinal direction;

a plurality of pusher shoes, each adapted to move along at least one of the plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface;

a plurality of diverting assemblies, each including a diverting track extending diagonally under the conveying surface and an actuator adapted to selectively divert at least one of the pusher shoes toward the diverting track;

each of said diverting assemblies further including a diverter nose adapted to guide the pusher shoe to said diverting track when diverted by said actuator or to guide the pusher shoe away from said diverting track when not diverted by said actuator;

wherein at least a portion of said diverter nose is adapted to move laterally and longitudinally when struck generally head-on by a portion of a pusher shoe, wherein said portion of said diverter nose includes a wedge adapted to move when struck head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe and a stationary support element for moveably supporting said wedge; and

a plate positioned between said wedge and the sorter apparatus, wherein said wedge slides on said plate when said wedge retracts.

23. A positive displacement sorter apparatus, comprising

a plurality of interconnected slats that define a conveying surface adapted to convey articles in a longitudinal direction;

a plurality of pusher shoes, each adapted to move along at least one of the plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface;

a plurality of diverting assemblies each including a diverting track extending diagonally under the conveying a surface and an actuator adapted to selectively divert at least one of the pusher shoes toward the diverting track;

each of said diverting assemblies further including a diverter nose adapted to guide the pusher shoe to said diverting track when diverted by said actuator or to guide the pusher shoe away from said diverting track when not diverted by said actuator;

wherein at least a portion of said diverter nose is adapted to move laterally and longitudinally when struck generally head-on by a portion of a pusher shoe and wherein said diverter nose includes a spring to absorb impact when said portion of said diverter nose is struck generally head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe.

24. The positive displacement sorter apparatus as claimed in claim 23 , wherein said portion of said diverter nose includes a wedge adapted to move when struck head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe and a stationary support element for moveably supporting said wedge and wherein said spring is compressed between said wedge and said support element.

25. The positive displacement sorter apparatus as claimed in claim 24 , wherein said wedge defines two diverging surfaces, one adapted to be engaged by a pusher shoe being diverted toward said diverting track and the other adapted to be engaged by a pusher shoe not being diverted, wherein the angles of said diverging surfaces change as said wedge retracts.

26. The positive displacement sorter apparatus as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the movement of said wedge causes the portion of the pusher shoe to deflect off of said wedge toward said at least one diverting track, when said diverter nose is struck head-on by a portion of the pusher shoe.

27. The positive displacement sorter apparatus as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the portion of the pusher shoe is one chosen from an elongated vane and a pin.

28. The positive displacement sorter apparatus as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the pusher shoe includes a bearing for engaging said diverting rail and said support element, wherein said support element guides said bearing toward said diverting track when said actuator diverts that pusher shoe.

29. A diverter assembly for a positive displacement sorter apparatus having a plurality of interconnected slats that define a conveying surface adapted to convey articles in a longitudinal direction and having a plurality of pusher shoes adapted to move along at least one of the plurality of slats to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface, said diverter assembly comprising:

a diverting track extending diagonally under the conveying surface;

an actuator for selectively diverting at least one of the pusher shoes toward said diverting track; and

a diverter nose adapted to guide the pusher shoe to said diverting track when diverted by said actuator or to guide the pusher shoe away from said diverting track when not diverted by said actuator;

wherein at least a portion of said diverter nose is adapted to move away from said diverting track when struck generally head-on by a portion of a pusher shoe to increase the opening to said diverting track, wherein said portion of said diverter nose includes a wedge adapted to move when struck head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe and a stationary support element for moveably supporting said wedge, wherein one of said wedge and said support element includes at least one slot therethrough and the other of said wedge and said support element includes at least one rod, said at least one slot adapted to receive said at least one rod, wherein said motion of said wedge is guided by said at least one rod in said at least one slot; and

a spring between said wedge and said support element to absorb impact when said portion of said diverter nose is struck generally head-on by the portion of the pusher shoe.