Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for receiving, in an infeed section, a stream of distributed items deposited in rows of like position. A slide mechanism is is selectively movable between a slide position and a flip position. In the slide position, the item drops off the edge of the belt and slides across the primary slide surface and onto a second slide mechanism having a secondary slide surface that is positioned to be in substantially the same plane as the primary slide surface. The slide mechanism is moved into the flip position for every other row of items. The items to be flipped come off the conveyor belt and come into contact with an abutting surface. This surface changes the direction of the item as it moves towards the transport mechanism in conjunction with a reverse slide surface of the second slide mechanism. The item slides down the reverse slide surface on its top surface, thus flipping over approximately 180.degree. from its orientation on the infeed conveyor belt. A first row of items fed from the infeed conveyor is flipped and is subsequently held on the transport mechanism by a gate while a second row of items is allowed to slide directly onto the transport mechanism at a position in front of the first row. A plurality of rows can be conveyed by the transport mechanism to the filling and capping stations of an automatic sandwich making system, with alternate rows oriented with their bottom surfaces facing upwards from the surface of the transport mechanism at a high speed while allowing the items adequate settling time during transfer.

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First Claim