Rotating stacker

A rotating flatbread stacker comprising:

• a stack support;
• an input conveyor arranged so that flatbreads transported by the input conveyor can be moved toward and be supported by the stack support, thereby forming a flatbread stack;
• an output conveyor arranged lower than the input conveyor so that the flatbread stack can be moved off of the stack support;
• a slide plate extending from a terminal end of the input conveyor, the slide plate comprising a semi-circle cut-out aligned with a drop channel configured to receive flatbreads therein;
• and
• a semi-circle backstop extending above a horizontal surface of the slide plate in front of the terminal end of the input conveyor,
• wherein the stack support comprises a stack support plate disposed on a top end of a rod, the rod being controlled to perform vertical motion between upper and lower positions, the upper position placing the stack support plate at the level of the input conveyor to directly receive the flatbreads from the input conveyor, the lower position placing the stack support plate relatively nearer the output conveyor,
• wherein the rod is also controlled to perform rotational motion so as to rotate the stack support plate and any of the flatbreads in the flatbread stack resting on the stack support plate, and
• wherein the rotating flatbread stacker is constructed and arranged so as to repeatedly raise the rod to the upper position to create a new said flatbread stack, and for each said flatbread that is added to the stack by the input conveyor, performing the vertical motion to lower the stack so as to keep a top of the flatbread stack in generally a constant position with respect to the input conveyor, and performing the rotational motion, until the flatbread stack is complete, whereupon the rod is moved to the lower position and the output conveyor moves the flatbread stack away from the stack support plate.