High speed horizontal stacker
OwnerLawrence A. Wardinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A horizontal stacker is provided having an input feeder that receives items to be stacked in a generally horizontal orientation, and transitions the items to a generally vertical orientation at an off-loading position. A stabilizing device located at the off-loading position receives items from the input feeder and stabilizes the items in the generally vertical orientation. An accumulator assembly receives the items from the stabilizing device and includes a holding ram connected to a drive that indexes the holding ram back as the generally vertically oriented items are stacked together horizontally against the holding ram to hold the items in the generally vertical orientation as they are stacked.
Claims20
A horizontal stacker comprising:
- an input feeder that receives items to be stacked in a first, generally horizontal orientation, and transitions the items to a generally vertical orientation at an off-loading position;
- at least one stabilizing device located at the off-loading position which receives the items from the input feeder and stabilizes the items in the generally vertical orientation;
- and
- an accumulator assembly, which receives the items from the stabilizing device and includes at least one holding ram that is connected to a drive that indexes the holding ram back as the generally vertically oriented items are stacked together horizontally against the holding ram to hold the items in the generally vertical orientation as they are stacked.
A method for horizontally stacking items comprising:
- providing at least one row of horizontally oriented items located generally on a plane;
- consecutively rotating the items substantially 90 degrees, whereby the items are vertically oriented, and horizontally stacking the items at an off-loading position on a receiving platform against a collating pusher;
- indexing the pusher away from the stacked items to allow newly stacked ones of the stacked items to fit on the receiving platform;
- withdrawing the pusher away from the stacked items when a first predetermined number of items are stacked on the receiving platform;
- providing a conveyor adjacent to the receiving platform;
- and
- receiving the stacked items with at least one holding ram and indexing the holding ram away from the stacked items to allow the newly stacked ones of the stacked items to fit on the receiving platform and allow the stacked items to be received onto the conveyor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.