Apparatus for feeding stacks of articles

Claim 1

IN A APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING ARTICLES STACKED UPON A PALLET INCLUDING LIFT MEANS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING PALLETS WITHIN A LIFT SHAFT, AND MEANS COOPERABLE WITH SAID LIFT MEANS FOR REMOVING ARTICLES STACKED UPON A PALLET SUPPORTED BY SAID LIFT MEANS; CONVEYER MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A LOADED PALLET TO SAID LIFT MEANS WHEN SAID LIFT MEANS IS LOCATED AT A SELECTED ELEVATION WITHIN SAID SHAFT COMPRISING A STORAGE CONVEYER FOR SUPPORTING A LINE OF LOADED PALLETS, NORMALLY ENERGIZED DRIVE MEANS OPERABLE WHEN ENERGIZED TO DRIVE PALLETS SUPPORTED ON SAID STORAGE CONVEYOR TOWARD THE DISCHARGE END THEREOF, RETRACTABLE STOP MEANS AT SAID DISCHARGE END OF SAID STORAGE CONVEYER NORMALLY LOCATED IN AN EXTENDED POSITION TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF PALLETS BEYOND THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID STORAGE CONVEYER, AN INFEED CONVEYER FOR CONVEYING PALLETS FROM THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID STORAGE CONVEYER TO SAID LIFT MEANS, DISCHARGE MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE ARRIVAL OF SAID LIFT MEANS AT SAID SELECTED ELEVATION FOR RETRACTING SAID STOP MEANS AND TRANSFERRING A PALLET FROM SAID STORAGE CONVEYER TO SAID INFEED CONVEYER, AND MEANS FOR DEENERGIZING SAID DRIVE MEANS DURING THE TRANSFER OF A PALLET FROM SAID STORAGE CONVEYER TO SAID INFREED CONVEYER.