Automatic bread pan control system

A pan handling apparatus comprising an infeed conveyor for supplying individual pans to the apparatus, a storage station at which stacks of pans may be stored, pan stacker means for receiving said individual pans from the infeed conveyor and placing said pans in a stack, stack conveyor means for transporting the formed stack from said stacker means to said storage station, means for selectively removing stacks of pans from said storage station and supplying the stacks to an unstacking station, pan unstacker means at said unstacking station for receiving said stacks of pans and sequentially removing individual pans therefrom, and feed conveyor means for transporting individual pans away from said unstacker for use;

• said storage station including at least one stack storage conveyor and said means for selectively removing stacks of pans from said storage station includes a second stack conveyor and stack retriever dolly means for transferring a stack of pans from said stack storage conveyor to said second stack conveyor for transport thereby to said pan unstacker means;
• said retriever dolly including means for operatively engaging a stack of pans on said conveyor and for moving said stack over and onto to said second stack conveyor;
• and said means for engaging a stack of pans on said storage conveyor including a relatively rigid retriever arm mounted on said dolly for reciprocating movement across said second stack conveyor, towards and away from said storage conveyor, a magnet mounted on said retriever arm, and means for selectively reciprocating said retriever arm across said second stack conveyor.

A recirculating pan-handling and storage system comprising:

• a recirculating pan conveyor system adapted to carry individual pans along a path;
• stacker means at a stacker station along said path for selectively removing individual pans from said conveyor system and accumulating them in a stack;
• unstacker means at an unstacker station along said path for selectively removing pans from stacks;
• means forming a stack storage station;
• and means for selectively positioning stacks from said stacker in said storage station and for selectively removing stacks from said storage station and transporting each stack to and from said unstacking station;
• said unstacker means including means for receiving a stack of pans from said storage station, elevating means for raising a stack of pans to a predetermined position in said frame, and an unstacker head mounted above said elevating means;
• said unstacker head including means for lifting the topmost pan from a stack at said predetermined position and returning the pan to said recirculating conveyor system;
• said means in said unstacker head for lifting the topmost pan from said stack including a pair of sprockets rotatably mounted in said unstacker head along parallel horizontal axes, an endless chain trained about said sprockets and means for reversibly moving said chain, each of said sprockets having a crank arm secured thereto for rotation therewith;
• a reciprocal frame member having a plurality of slots formed therein and receiving the free ends of said crank arms, thereby to be reciprocated in a vertical direction upon rotation of said crank arms, and at least one elongated magnet secured to said reciprocal frame for vertical movement therewith.

A recirculating pan-handling and storage system comprising:

• a recirculating pan conveyor system adapted to carry individual pans along a path;
• stacker means at a stacker station along said path for selectively removing individual pans from said conveyor system and accumulating them in a stack;
• unstacker means at an unstacker station along said path for selectively removing pans from stacks;
• means forming a stack storage station;
• and means for selectively positioning stacks from said stacker in said storage station and for selectively removing stacks from said storage station and transporting each stack to and from said unstacking station;
• said unstacker means including means for receiving a stack of pans from said storage station, elevating means for raising a stack of pans to a predetermined position in said frame, and an unstacker head mounted above said elevating means;
• said unstacker head including means for lifting the topmost pan from a stack at said predetermined position and returning the pan to said recirculating conveyor system;
• said pan conveyor system including a transport conveyor adjacent said unstacker head and said elevating means comprising a selectively operable discharge vertical conveyor system;
• and an elongated magnet mounted between the flights of said transport conveyor for holding said pans against said transport conveyor for movement therewith;
• said conveyor system including a movably mounted conveyor section located below one end of said transport conveyor and means for adjusting the relative vertical position of said conveyor section with said transport conveyor whereby pans of different height can be handled and moved between said transport conveyor and said recirculating pan conveyor system.