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US 5,096,367 AGranted
Processes for handling material
AssigneeKinetic Robotics Inc.
InventorErnest P. Winski
Life of this patent
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AssigneeKinetic Robotics Inc.
InventorErnest P. Winski
Estimating the term…
Material handling apparatus and methods, especially for use with loose stacks of paper and the like in pallets. The invention includes depalletizing apparatus, distributing apparatus, and hopper loading apparatus; and material handling apparatus for transporting material between the depalletizing apparatus, the distributing apparatus, and the hopper loading apparatus. The depalletizing operation includes lateral sliding of layers of a pallet load onto a removal conveyor and then away from the pallet. Significant advantages are achieved by using a special spacing sheet in the pallet load instead of slip sheets and tie sheets. Fingers on the pusher extend below individual layers of the load and into the channels in a spacing sheet, effecting the removal of even the bottom layer of papers in a stack. Similar use of fingers and channels applies to operation of the hopper loader and its control of the bottom papers in the stack. Accumulator apparatus is used as desired for staging appropriate materials throughout the system. Spacing sheets and empty pallets are automatically removed from the depalletizer, to collection and storage areas.
A method of removing material from a pallet load using depalletizing apparatus, said pallet load comprising at least one layer having a trailing surface, said trailing surface having a height dimension and a width dimension, said depalletizing apparatus comprising means for pushing the layer in a predetermined direction from the pallet load at a predetermined load removal location, said pushing means having a substantially continuous pushing surface (i) having height and width dimensions generally coextensive with those of said layer trailing surface, and (ii) having a lower edge and a plurality of laterally spaced fingers depending from said lower edge, said pallet load further comprising a spacing sheet under each said layer of said pallet load, said spacing sheet having an upwardly facing surface provided with a plurality of generally parallel spaced channels thereacross and with uppermost sheet portions therebetween disposed against the bottom surface of the layer disposed thereon, said channels being disposed in general alignment with said predetermined layer pushing direction and having a spacing corresponding substantially to that of said fingers, said method comprising the steps of:
A method of removing material from a pallet load using depalletizing apparatus, said pallet load comprising at least one layer, said depalletizing apparatus comprising means for pushing the layer in a predetermined direction from the pallet load at a load removal location, said pushing means having (i) support means, and (ii) a plurality of laterally spaced fingers depending downwardly from said support means, said fingers having lower ends thereon, said pallet load further comprising a spacing sheet under each said layer of said pallet load, said spacing sheet having an upwardly facing surface provided with a plurality of generally parallel spaced channels thereacross and with uppermost sheet portions therebetween disposed against the bottom surface of the layer disposed thereon, said channels having channel bottoms and being disposed in general alignment with said predetermined layer pushing direction and having a spacing corresponding substantially with that of said lower ends of said fingers, said method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.