Automatic pallet fabrication apparatus and methods
AssigneeLibla Industries
InventorChristopher B. Buck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hopper loading system for a pallet making apparatus includes a first conveying system for conveying a layer of stringers from a stacked array in adjacent substantially horizontal relation along a first direction, and a second conveying system for conveying stringers in adjacent substantially horizontal relation to one of a plurality of hoppers along a second direction substantially transverse to the first direction.
Claims29
An apparatus for feeding stringers to a pallet making machine comprising:
- a plurality of elongated hoppers arranged in spaced relationship, each of said hoppers configured to hold a plurality of elongated stringers in an upright stack, said stringers oriented in a substantially horizontal edgewise-adjacent configuration;
- and
- hopper loading means for loading a plurality of stringers into each of said hoppers, the hopper loading means being configured such that, prior to loading into the hoppers, the stringers are disposed as a horizontal layer in edgewise-adjacent relationship;
- and
- stringer advancing means for advancing a lowermost stringer in a stack endwise from each respective hopper to a pallet assembly area of said pallet making machine.
An apparatus for feeding stringers to a pallet making machine comprising:
- a plurality of elongated hoppers arranged in spaced relationship, each of said hoppers configured to hold a plurality of elongated stringers in an upright stack, said stringers oriented in a substantially horizontal edgewise-adjacent configuration;
- a hopper loader that loads a plurality of stringers into each of said hoppers;
- and
- a stringer advancing unit that advances a lowermost stringer in a stack endwise from each respective hopper to a pallet assembly area of said pallet making machine.
An apparatus for feeding stringers to a pallet making machine comprising:
- a plurality of elongated hoppers arranged in spaced relationship, each of said hoppers configured to hold a plurality of elongated stringers in an upright stack, said stringers oriented in a substantially horizontal edgewise-adjacent configuration;
- a hopper loader that loads a plurality of stringers into each of said hoppers, said hopper loader including a first conveyor that conveys a horizontal layer of said plurality of stringers in edgewise-adjacent substantially horizontal relation along a first direction, said first conveyor configured to deliver a predetermined number of stringers to each of said hoppers;
- and
- an elevating unit that elevates a stacked array of stringers to said first conveyor such that one layer of stringers is removed from said array.
An apparatus for feeding stringers to a pallet making machine comprising:
- a plurality of elongated hoppers arranged in spaced relationship, each of said hoppers configured to hold a plurality of elongated stringers in an upright stack, said stringers oriented in a substantially horizontal edgewise-adjacent configuration;
- and
- a hopper loader that loads a plurality of stringers into each of said hoppers, said hopper loader including a first conveyor that conveys a horizontal layer of said plurality of stringers in edgewise-adjacent substantially horizontal relation along a first direction, and a second conveyor that conveys the layer of stringers in edgewise-adjacent substantially horizontal relation along a second direction to said first conveyor, said second direction transverse to said first direction, one of said first and second conveyors configured to deliver a predetermined number of stringers to each of said hoppers;
- wherein said first conveyor comprises an elongated bar configured to push said plurality of stringers along said first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.