Vibrator strips with increased spacing sorter

Claim 1

An orienting and sorting device for elongate objects, comprising: a plurality of sequential conveyor surfaces, each conveyor surface defining a conveyor section, wherein each conveyor section includes a table having a driven endless belt carried over it, said table being formed by a plate having inset parallel edge strips on opposing ends thereof, said edge strips accurately guiding said endless belt of each said conveyor surface; a drive roller arranged under the table at a distance of more than twice the width between the parallel edge strips for driving said endless belt in a conveying direction wherein said endless belt is wrapped around said drive roller; first and second guide rollers arranged under each of the parallel edge strips, whereby the distance between said first and second guide rollers is less than the diameter of said drive roller; and means, extending along the length of the plurality of sequential conveyor surfaces, for orienting the objects in a conveying direction; each said conveyor section being spaced by a predetermined distance from adjacent conveyor sections, thereby defining channel-like openings arranged in a transverse direction between and relative to each of the plurality of sequential conveyor surfaces for sorting said objects, said openings separating the sections, the channel width of said openings increasing in the conveying direction.