Apparatus for sorting, stacking and conveying plate workpieces

Abstract

An arrangement for conveying and stacking final products created by subdivision of a succession of plate blanks into a plurality of such products comprises an input conveyor for supplying the products in a longitudinal transport direction at a predetermined upper level to a stacking station and an output conveyor offset laterally from the input conveyor for transporting stacks of the products away from the stacking station in the direction and having an upstream end laterally adjacent the stacking station at a lower level below the upper level of the input conveyor. A sorter at the station receives the products from the input conveyor at the upper level and moves them at the upper level to either of two stacking substations longitudinally aligned with the upstream end of the output conveyor. Respective stacking units at the substations each in turn have a stacking table displaceable vertically between the upper and lower levels and horizontally displaceable transversely of the transport direction between a basic position at the respective substation for receiving the final products therefrom and an extended position aligned longitudinally with the output conveyor for delivering the final products thereto and a conveyor section fixed to and displaceable jointly transversely with the stacking table such that in the basic position of the respective stacking table it forms a longitudinal continuation of the output conveyor.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.