Pusher assembly with dynamic width adjustment for stacker

A pusher assembly for a stacker, comprising:

• first and second opposing moving sidewalls, each sidewall defining a lateral side of a chute region and each sidewall extending continuously to a first height defining a height of the chute region, the chute region defining a centerline therethrough;
• (a) and (b) first pushers rigidly secured to the first sidewall at a fixed distance along the first sidewall relative to one another and movable with the first sidewall, the (a) and (b) first pushers being positioned diametrically opposed to one another on the first sidewall;
• (a) and (b) second pushers rigidly secured to the second sidewall at a fixed distance along the second sidewall relative to one another and movable with the second sidewall, the (a) and (b) second pushers being diametrically opposed to one another on the second sidewall;
• wherein the (a) first pusher and the (a) second pusher, when in a home position, are staggered from one another relative to the centerline, the (a) first pusher engaged with a leading edge of a stack of material in the stacker and the (a) second pusher engaged with a trailing edge of the stack of material in the stacker,
• wherein in a conveying position, the first sidewall first moves independently of the second sidewall to engage the (b) first pusher with the trailing edge of the stack of material, and then the first and second sidewalls both move in a forward direction such that the (b) first pusher and the (a) second pusher discharge the stack of material from the chute region,
• wherein after discharge of the stack of materials from the chute, the (b) first pusher and the (b) second pusher move to the home position, and
• wherein the (b) first pusher moves in a reverse direction to move to the home position and the (b) second pusher moves in the forward direction to the home position.

A method for pushing a stack of material from a stacker comprising the steps of:

• positioning a first pusher at a leading edge of the stack of materials, along a first lateral side of the stack of materials at a home position such that only the first pusher is positioned at the leading edge of the stack of materials at the home position;
• positioning a second pusher at a trailing edge of the stack of materials, along a second side of the stack of materials, opposite the first side of the stack of materials at the home position such that only the second pusher is positioned at the trailing edge of the stack of materials at the home position;
• moving the first pusher, independently of the second pusher, into engagement with the trailing edge of the stack of materials on the first lateral side of the stack of materials to a conveyance position,
• moving the first pusher and the second pusher to discharge the stack of materials from the stacker;
• positioning the first pusher at the home position;
• and
• positioning the second pusher at the home position,
• wherein the first pusher includes (a) and (b) first pushers and the second pusher includes (a) and (b) second pushers, and wherein the step of positioning the first pusher at the leading edge of the stack of materials, along the first lateral side of the stack of materials at the home position, is positioning the (a) first pusher at the leading edge of the stack of materials,
• wherein the step of positioning the second pusher at the trailing edge of the stack of materials, along the second side of the stack of materials, opposite the first side of the stack of materials at the home position, is positioning the (a) second pusher at the trailing edge of the stack of materials,
• wherein the step of moving the first pusher into engagement with the trailing edge of the stack of materials on the first lateral side of the stack of materials to a conveyance position, is moving the (b) first pusher into engagement with the trailing edge of the stack of materials,
• wherein the step of moving the first pusher and the second pusher to discharge the stack of materials from the stacker is moving the (b) first pusher and the (a) second pusher to discharge the stack of materials from the stacker,
• wherein the step of positioning the first pusher at the home position is positioning the (b) first pusher, at the home position,
• wherein the step of positioning the second pusher at the home position is positioning the (b) second pusher at the home position,
• wherein the step of positioning of the (b) first pusher at the home position includes moving the (b) first pusher in a reverse direction, and
• wherein the step of positioning of the (b) second pusher at the home position includes moving the (b) second pusher in a forward direction coincident with moving the (b) first pusher in the reverse direction.