Mechanical handling apparatus

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR MECHANICALLY HANDLING BRICKS INCLUDING THE ACQUISITION, CONVEYANCE AND RELEASE OF A PREDETERMINAL NUMBER THEREOF, COMPRISING VACUUM HEAD MEANS INCLUDING A PLATE SUPPORT FOR EFFECTING ACQUISITION OF A SELECTIVE NUMBER OF BRICKS, CARRIER MEANS CARRYING SAID PLATE SUPPORT FOR EFFECTING CONTROL OVER THE DISPOSITION OF SAID VACUUM HEAD MEANS, STRUCTURAL MEANS SUPPORTING SAID CARRIER MEANS FOR DISPLACEMENT IN AT LEAST THREE DIVERSE MUTUALLY PERPENDICULAR DIRECTIONS TO LIMITED EXTENTS, MEANS INCLUDING OPERATIONS CONTROL MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY EFFECTING SAID DISPLACEMENT OF SAID STRUCTURAL MEANS UNDER CONTROL OF SAID OPERATIONS CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING CHANGES OF DISPOSITION AT TIMES BETWEEN THE ACQUISITION AND RELEASE TO THE BRICKS, SAID CARRIER MEANS INCLUDING SUPPORT MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID STRUCTURAL MEANS FOR ROTATION ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS OF SAID CARRIER MEANS AND A FRAME MEMBER HINGED AT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS FOR PIVOTING ABOUT A FIRST HORIZONTAL AXIS OF SAID CARRIER MEANS, SAID PLATE SUPPORT BEING HINGED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID FRAME MEMBER FOR PIVOTING ABOUT A SECOND HORIZONTAL AXIS PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST HORIZONTAL AXIS, FIRST ACTUATING MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND SAID FRAME MEMBER FOR EFFECTING TILTING OF SAID FRAME MEMBER ABOUT SAID FIRST HORIZONTAL AXIS, SECOND ACTUATING MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID FRAME MEMBER AND SAID HEAD PLATE MEANS FOR EFFECTING TILTING OF SAID HEAD PLATE MEANS ABOUT SAID SECOND HORIZONTAL AXIS, AND DRIVE MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID CARRIER MEANS AND SAID STRUCTURAL MEANS FOR EFFECTING ROTATION OF SAID CARRIER MEANS ABOUT SAID VERTICAL AXIS.