An article merge unit (14) includes a first conveyor for conveying articles (24, 26) in a first stream having a first speed, a second conveyor (32, 34) having a plurality of lateral pushers (46), and a third conveyor (36). The first conveyor conveys the articles in the first stream to the second conveyors where the lateral pushers selectively diverting the articles across the second conveyor to the third conveyor. A control controls the conveying speed of the third conveyor and selectively actuates the lateral pushers to push a selected article from the first and second streams to the third conveyor wherein articles conveyed on the third conveyor are conveyed in a take-away stream having no side-by-side articles and the take-away stream has a greater speed than the first speed.
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