A device for replacing a pallet (P) supporting a bottom face of a load (C) with a second pallet(S), said device comprising:
- a slide surface element (3) having a flat face for static and sliding abutment with a lateral face of the load (C);
- a translating support element (5) defining an elongated flat surface or face for abutting with the first pallet (P) aligned side-by-side with the second pallet(S) and provided with pallet gripping elements (6) where the flat surface or face of the translating support element (5) is perpendicular to the flat face of the slide surface element (3);
- a load sliding control element (7) having a face parallel to the translating support element (5) for meeting with a top face of the load (C) opposite the bottom face of the load;
- a connecting element (9) that rigidly constrains the slide surface element (3) and that constrains the translating support element (5) to translate linearly on a geometric plane of the elongated flat surface along a direction of a longitudinal axis of the translating support element or to translate in a parallel direction to said flat face of the slide surface element (3), wherein the load sliding control element (7) is connected to the slide surface element (3), to the connecting element (9), or to both the slide surface element (3) and the connecting element (9);
- a rotation member (11) connected to the connecting element (9) to allow rotation of the connecting element (9) around a rotation axis (R), parallel to at least the flat face of the translating support element (5), between an initial condition, wherein the slide surface element (3) and the translating support element (5) are respectively vertical and horizontal, and a pallet replacement condition in which the slide surface element (3) and the translating support element (5) are rotated by more than 90° and vice versa;
- a base structure member (13), for fixing on a horizontal floor and connected to the connecting element (9) by means of the rotation member (11) in a way that the rotation axis (R) is horizontal and at a height with respect to the floor such as to allow that at least in an initial condition (O) the slide surface element (3) and the translating support element (5) are respectively vertical and horizontal and to allow free rotation of the connecting element (9), and of what is fixed or connected to it, at least up to a replacement condition of the pallet and vice versa;
- wherein said device further comprises a rotation actuator (14) interposed between the base structure member (13) and the connecting element (9) for rotation of the connecting element (9);
- and wherein the translating support element (5) is directly or indirectly connected to the connecting element (9) by means of a set of slide guides (15) and at least one linear actuator (17) or linear damper (18) wherein said slide guides (15) and the actuator (17) or damper (18) are parallel to each other, to a longitudinal development of the translating support element (5) and to a translation direction of the translating support element (5) defined by the slide guides and the at least one linear actuator (17) or linear damper (18).