Pallet feeding apparatus

Pallet feeding apparatus comprising

• a plurality of pallets for carrying stacks of sheet material workpieces, each said pallet having a handle projecting outwardly therefrom;
• vertically movable rack means for supporting said pallets in an upwardly facing orientation at vertically spaced positions;
• means for removing sequentially the individual workpieces from the uppermost said pallet;
• means for sensing the vertical position of the uppermost remaining workpiece of said sheet material on the uppermost said pallet and for generating a stack height control signal whenever said workpiece vertical position is below a predetermined level;
• first motorized means for moving said rack means vertically upwardly in response to said stack height control signal, whereby the vertical position of the remaining uppermost sheet may be maintained generally constant;
• means for sensing the absence of sheet material workpieces on said uppermost pallet in said rack and for generating a pallet removal control signal upon sensing of said absence;
• and
• second motorized means responsive to said pallet removal control signal for gripping said handle of said uppermost pallet and for removing said handle and pallet from said rack means upon receipt of said pallet removal control signal.