To make the structure of a sorting device simple and advantageous in cost by providing the sorting device arranged with a first driving means and a second driving means capable of selectively cooperating with the first driving means respectively in the region of a discharge station.

A first driving means (right friction stripe piece) 36 is kept in contact with a friction wheel 32 received by the drive shaft 31 of a second driving means (bevel gear motor driven device) 30 and is located at its driving position. When a sorting device 18 is moved along a sorting zone in the region of a discharge station by the V-belt 16 of a conveying device, the friction wheel 32 and the friction streak piece 36 kept in contact with it cooperate by friction coupling, the rotating motion generated on the drive shaft 31 of the bevel gear motor driven device 30 is transferred to a belt band 24 via the bevel gear motor driven device 30 and a friction roller engaged with the lower portion of the belt band 24 of the sorting device 18, and the belt band 24 is circulated in the corresponding direction.