Palletizer

Apparatus for organizing and arranging layers of one or more bundles into stacks, comprising:

• a loading station for sequentially receiving layers of bundles;
• means for sequentially elevating and transferring each of said layers from said loading station to a delivery station at a transferring elevation which is greater than the maximum elevation of the stack to be formed;
• said elevating and transferring means including a conveyor having carrier members which remain substantially horizontally disposed while elevating and transferring said layers to said delivery station;
• stack-forming means adjacent said transferring means including means for sequentially receiving said layers from said delivery station to form a stack of layers, said receiving means being responsive to a first control signal to move between a receiving position and a discharge position;
• first actuating means for supplying said first control signal to said receiving means so that said formed stack is transferred to said discharge position so that the formed stack may be discharged;
• and
• said first actuating means also operating to supply a second control signal to said transferring means to discontinue the operation of said transferring means until said receiving means returns to said receiving position and is ready to receive the next layer of bundles from said delivery station.

Apparatus for transferring a layer of articles from a first conveyor to a second conveyor, comprising:

• a first conveyor responsive to a first control signal for supplying a layer of articles to a transfer station at a loading elevation;
• a second conveyor for elevating and transferring said layer of articles from said transfer station to a delivery station at an elevation which is greater than the maximum elevation of the stack to be formed, said second conveyor having means which remain substantially horizontally disposed while elevating and transferring said layer from said transfer station to said delivery station, said second conveyor being operable to supply said first control signal to actuate said first conveyor to supply said layer to said transfer station;
• and
• said first conveyor including aa sensor for sensing the passage of a layer of articles to said transfer station and being operable in response thereto for intermittently stopping the operation of said first conveyor.

Apparatus for moving layers of bundles to form stacks, comprising:

• means for elevating a layer from a first position to a raised position above said first position including means for maintaining said layer substantially horizontally disposed during said elevating operation;
• means for horizontally transferring said layer from said raised position on said elevating means to a raised position of a stack-forming means, said means for horizontally transferring said layer being part of and movable with said elevating means;
• and
• said stack-forming means including first means for sequentially receiving said layers from said raised position of said elevating means and for depositing said layers on a movable platform disposed at a second position lower than said raised position to form a stack of layers.

Apparatus for moving layers of bundles to form stacks, comprising:

• means for elevating a layer from a first position to a raised position above said first position including means for maintaining said layer substantially horizontally disposed during said elevating operation;
• said elevating means including a plurality of carrier members for transferring said layers from said first position to said raised position;
• said carrier members each include a plurality of pusher arms disposed thereon for pushing said layer from said raised position on said elevating means to a raised position of a stack-forming means;
• and
• said stack-forming means including first means for sequentially receiving said layers from said raised position of said elevating means and for depositing said layers on a movable platform disposed at a second position lower than said raised position to form a stack of layers.