Process and apparatus for picking up a load from a stack

Abstract

A process for picking up a load from a stack which includes the steps of calculating a height by which a pallet carrying a stack of layers of a load thereon will have to be raised to enable the upper end of the stack to reach a set level of height for detection, from input data on the height of each of the layers and the number of the layers; raising the pallet until the upper end is detected at the level; calculating the real height of each of the layers from the real height by which the pallet has been raised, and the number of the layers; raising the pallet incrementally by a height corresponding to a difference between the calculated real height and a preselected constant, and picking up the load from the uppermost of the layers by a table reciprocating at a fixed height; the incremental raising of the pallet and the picking up being thereafter repeated.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.