Apparatus for laying down structural members

Apparatus for laying down structural members having cross sections of substantial depth, comprising, means defining at least one recess having an open top side for receiving and supporting a member in an upright position, a first conveyor for moving the structural members into said recess, said recess being of a depth less than the depth of the member's cross section to leave a portion of the member projecting from the recess through the open top side, said recess defining means including a bottom plate and a pair of substantially parallel side plates supported spaced a fixed distance from each other, a second conveyor for moving the member in a direction away from said recess defining means substantially normal to the direction of movement of said first conveyor, and means for rotating said recess defining means about a substantially horizontal axis which lies substantially parallel with the direction of movement of said first conveyor and in a plane normal to the direction of movement of said second conveyor to move the projecting portion of the member in said recess into engagement with said conveyor to be moved out of said recess on said conveyor, said second conveyor being positioned at an elevation with respect to said recess defining means such that, after rotation of said recess defining means, the one of said side plates closest to said second conveyor is inclined with respect thereto to allow the member to slide out of said recess and onto said second conveyor.