Importance

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Abstract

A plurality of articles are conveyed as an array of successive rows wherein each row contains at least two articles in a general line extending transversely to the direction of travel of the articles. Relative motion between a conveying surface and an alignment element positioned downstream of the conveying surface is effected to cause the articles within a row to encounter the alignment element and thereby become aligned with respect to each other. The relative motion is then reversed to permit the thus aligned row of articles to clear the alignment element while exiting the conveying surface. In the preferred version, the relative motion is achieved by the substantially vertical motion of the downstream end of a pivotable conveyor adjacent to a stationary alignment bar. The movements of the conveyor can be controlled responsive to the arrival of a row of articles at the downstream end of the pivotable conveyor.

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First Claim