PURPOSE: To securely carry out takeout sorting operation by means of human power by providing position indicating lamps, in the sorting position, which are successively lit and successively put out while synchronizing with the moving speed of an article when the article to be sorted comes in the sorting position.

CONSTITUTION: When a sorting article 6 is placed in an input part 5 within a prescribed range of a straight conveyor 1, while the moving article 6 is in the prescribed range, the sorting destination code is sent to a control unit by means of a bar-code reader or the like. When the article 6 is transferred to any of takeout positions 3a to 3d, one of position-indicating lamps 4a to 4d corresponding to the article is lit. The position-indicating lamps 4a to 4d are constituted by a plurality of lamps, and are successively lit and successively put out while synchronizing with the moving speed of the article 6. Thus, a worker in charge of any of the takeout positions 3a to 3d can be securely carry out taking-out of articles by the on-and-off of the indicating lamps in the takeout positions.