US Patent 8701871 Belt conveyor with snagless retractable flights

A belt conveyor having snagless retractable flights. The flights rotate from a retracted position generally parallel to a top conveying surface on the conveyor belt to an extended position standing up and away from the top surface. In one version of the flight, a distal edge of the flight is bent downward into a cavity in the top surface of the belt when the flight is retracted. In another version, rollers at the distal end of the flight extend upstream of the distal edge of the flight. The flight rollers are rotated when the flight is retraced to lift and propel conveyed articles over the edges of the flight. Thus, both flights avoid snagging articles with discontinuous bottoms.