STACKING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MULTI-LAYER STACKING OF OBJECTS ON A SUPPORT

• Main Authors: DIRKS MARTIN, WEETER LORNE A, FRITZSCHE ROLAND, MCARTHUR STEVEN D
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 17.06.2010
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; CONVEYING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGINGARTICLES OR MATERIALS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS; SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS; STORING; TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING ORTIPPING; TRANSPORTING; UNPACKING

A stacking apparatus and method of multi-layer stacking of objects of different sizes on a support to form a stacked support includes providing a support handler. A support is elevated with the support handler and objects of different sizes and shapes are stacked on the support to form a stacked support. A stacked support is removed and an empty support supplied with the support handler. A placeholder is provided above the support handler. The placeholder has a first mode for receiving objects on the placeholder. The placeholder has a second mode for providing access to a support on the support handler. The placeholder is put in the first mode while the support handler removes a stacked support and supplies an empty support. The placeholder is put in the second mode when the support handler is elevating a support being stacked with articles. Objects that have been received on the placeholder during the first mode are deposited from the placeholder to the support when changing the placeholder from the first mode to the second mode.