Stack turner and replenisher and method

A method of automatically filling a hopper of an article prefeeder, comprising the steps of:

• providing a stack of articles;
• picking up said stack of articles using a clamp;
• simultaneously inverting said stack embraced by the clamp and moving said stack embraced by the clamp in a lateral direction including an inverted U-shaped path;
• depositing said stack in said hopper of said article prefeeder
• removing said articles from said clamp by releasing the clamp and using extractor plates;
• and
• inverting and moving said clamp in directions opposite to said first inverting and moving directions so as to place said clamp in a position where it may receive another stack of articles.

A stack turner and replenisher comprising:

• a clamp for receiving a stack of articles;
• at least one power source moving said clamp along a guide defining an inverted u-shaped path and moving said guide along a lateral directio with said U-shaped path, whereby operating said at least one power source inverts and moves said stack of articles received in said clamp from a first lateral position adjacent a conveyor to a second lateral position adjacent a hopper of a prefeeding device;
• and
• a pair of spaced apart extractor plates adjacent said second lateral position.