Battery plate feeding and handling apparatus

A plate handling apparatus comprising;

• a conveyor assembly for advancing a plurality of battery plates;
• a support tray selectively shiftable in a generally vertical direction between a lowered position below the conveyor assembly wherein the support tray allows the battery plates to be advanced by the conveyor assembly and a raised position above the conveyor assembly wherein the support tray lifts the battery plates completely off and above the conveyor assembly and prevents the battery plates from being advanced by the conveyor assembly;
• and
• a perch platform selectively shiftable in a generally horizontal direction between an extended position generally above the conveyor assembly wherein the perch platform is positioned to catch a battery plate delivered thereto and a retracted position away from the conveyor assembly wherein the perch platform drops the battery plate that was caught thereon onto the conveyor assembly.