An apparatus for detecting and clearing a jam of articles at the entrance to an article lane divider is provided which includes a plurality of parallel guides defining lanes for articles and conveyor means operative to advance articles toward the entrance to the lanes and to move the articles in the lanes. Detecting means are also included for detecting a jam of articles at the entrance to the lanes along with means for moving at least one of the parallel guides transversely to the direction of travel of the articles in response to the detection of a jam of articles at the entrance to the lanes by the detecting means, thereby breaking up the jam and permitting the articles to proceed into the lane divider.