Material loads and methods for handling material

A method of handling material on a supporting surface, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing on said supporting surface a set comprising a plurality of units of material, said plurality of units of material, in combination, comprising a layer of units of material on said supporting surface, said units of material comprising tops, said tops of said units of material, in combination, comprising a top of said layer;
• (b) placing a tacky spacing sheet on said top of said layer such that said units of material underlie said tacky spacing sheet, said tacky spacing sheet having a tacky bottom surface, said tacky bottom surface being adapted to releasably adhesively bond to said tops of said units of material;
• and
• (c) adhesively bonding said tacky spacing sheet to said underlying units of material by forming adhesive bonds between said units of material and said tacky spacing sheet,
• whereby said units of material are connected to each other by said tacky spacing sheet, and tend to resist outside forces directed against any one or more of said so adhesively bonded units of material.

A method of removing material from a material load comprising one or more layers, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) selecting a material loading having one or more said layers, and including a first said layer, said first layer comprising (i) a set comprising a plurality of units of material, said plurality of units of material, in combination, comprising a load portion of said first layer, said plurality of units of material having tops, said tops of said plurality of units of material, in combination, comprising a top of said load portion of the first layer, and (ii) a tacky spacing sheet removably adhesively bonded to said tops of said plurality of units of material and thereby to said top of said load portion of said first layer;
• (b) breaking adhesive bonds between said spacing sheet and said underlying units of material, thereby releasing said so bonded tacky spacing sheet from said tops of said plurality of units of material;
• and
• (c) removing at least one of said plurality of units of material from said first layer.

A method of handling material on a pallet, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) palletizing said material by (i) loading units of said material on a pallet in layers, said layers having top surfaces, (ii) placing a tacky spacing sheet on top of each said layer whereby a layer comprising said units of material underlies each said tacky spacing sheet, and conversely a tacky spacing sheet overlies each said layer, said tacky spacing sheets having tacky bottom surfaces, said tacky bottom surfaces of said tacky spacing sheets being adapted to releasably bond to said top surfaces of corresponding ones of said layers, and (iii) bonding said tacky spacing sheets to respective ones of said underlying units of material and thereby to said underlying layers, whereby said units of material in said layer are connected to each other by the respective said tacky spacing sheet and thus tend to resist outside forces directed against any one or more of said so bonded units of material in said layer, thereby creating a pallet load having a first layer, and a first said spacing sheet overlying said first layer;
• and
• (b) depalletizing said material by (i) removing said overlying bonded first tacky spacing sheet from said first layer, and thereby releasing elements of said units of material of said first layer from said overlying first tacky spacing sheet, (ii) removing at least one unit of material comprising said first layer from said pallet load, and (iii) separating ones of said previously so bonded units of material, comprising said first layer, from each other, thereby disassembling said first layer into elements smaller than said first layer.

A method of removing material from a material load comprising one or more layers, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) selecting said material load having one or more said layers, and including a first layer, said first layer comprising (i) a set comprising a plurality of units of material, said plurality of units of material, in combination, comprising a load portion of said first layer, said plurality of units of material having tops, said tops of said plurality of units of material, in combination, comprising a top of said load portion of said first layer, and (ii) a spacing sheet secured to said tops of said plurality of units of material and thereby to said top of said load portion of said first layer;
• (b) removing said first layer, as a unit, from said load, while said spacing sheet is secured to said underlying units of material;
• and
• (c) subsequent to step (b), severing said spacing sheet into a plurality of pieces to thereby release ones of said units of material from each other, and from corresponding said pieces of said spacing sheet.