Carriage for sorting-machines in particular, with independently actioned tiltable plate

Claim 1

In a carriage for a sorting machine, the sorting machine having at least one track, a carriage-dragging device movable therealong, and at least one electric conducting rod along the track at a collecting zone of the sorting machine, and the carriage having a carriage support and freely-rotatable wheels on the carriage support for running along the track, the carriage support being connected to the carriage-dragging device for running along the track with the movement of the carriage-dragging device, the improvement comprising, in combination: a pair of uprights on the carriage support; a pair of plate supports; a pair of hinges respectively supporting the plate supports tiltably on the uprights; a plate supported by the plate supports; a rotatable pinion on at least one of the uprights; an arc of a pinion cooperative hoop extending from the plate for engagement with the pinion, whereby to tilt the plate upon rotation of the pinion; a step-by-step motor on the carriage support between the uprights for selectively rotating the pinion; and a sliding contact on the carriage support for slidingly contacting the conducting rod when the carriage-dragging device moves the carriage therepast and conducting current from the conducting rod to the motor, whereby to rotate the pinion and tilt the plate, the tilt of the plate allowing objects to slide from the plate at the selected collecting zone.