Method and apparatus for pallet removal cargo queuing and stowage of stacks of cartons of frozen animal products

A method for depalletizing a stack of cartons of frozen animal products comprising:

• inserting the blades of a load push lift truck into the 4-way apertures of a pallet supporting a stack of cartons of frozen animal products and lifting the pallet and stack of cartons;
• positioning the pallet and stack of cartons to a depalletizing location;
• pushing the stack of cartons off the pallet using the load push mechanism of the load push lift truck while retaining the pallet on the blades of the load push lift truck;
• carrying the pallet to a pallet accumulation location on the blades of the load push lift truck;
• depositing the pallet in the pallet accumulation location.

A queuing depalletizer for palletized stacks of cartons of frozen animal products comprising:

• an elongated transport surface having a loading station at a loading end and an lifting station at a lifting end, the elongated transport surface having a first axis extending from the loading end to the lifting end;
• a pallet restraint for restraining movement of a pallet toward the loading end of the transport surface;
• a stop adjacent the lifting end of the transport surface for stopping movement of stacks of cartons along the transport surface at the lifting end of the transport surface;
• and
• a plurality of spaced channels formed in the transport surface at the unloading station for receiving lifting apparatus.