Turning and shifting machine for grate mats

Claim 1

A MACHINE FOR STACKING AND TURNING ALTERNATE GRATE MATS SO AS TO PROVIDE A COMPACT STACK, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION ELONGATED TABLE MEANS POSITIONED IN A RECEIVING STATION FOR RECEIVING GRATE MATS, A GROUP OF TRANSFER MECHANISMS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID TABLE MEANS AND EACH INCLUDING A SUPPORT COMPRISING A TURNABLE HEAD AND AN ARM, SHIFTING MEANS OPERABLE FOR SHIFTING SAID ARM RELATIVE TO SAID HEAD BETWEEN SAID RECEIVING STATION AND A DISCHARGE STATION DISPOSED AT ONE SIDE OF SAID RECEIVING STATION, SAID HEAD GUIDING SAID ARM DURING SHIFTING, TURNING MEANS OPERABLE FOR TURNING SAID ARM WITH SAI D HEAD FOR ABOUT 180* FROM SAID RECEIVING STATION TO SAID DISCHARGE STATION, SAID SHIFTING AND SAID TURNING MEANS, RESPECTIVELY, MOVING SAID ARMS IN UNISON IN A PREDETERMINED SUCCESSION INCLUDING MOVING SAID ARMS FROM SAID RECEIVING STATION TO SAID DISCHARGE STATION ALTERNATIVELY BY SHIFTING AND TURNING THEM, RESPECTIVELY, THEREBY TRANSFERRING A MAT FROM THE RECEIVING TO THE DISCHARGE STATION, AND SUBSEQUENTLY SHIFTING SAID ARMS FROM SAID DISCHARGE STATION TO SAID RECEIVING STATION, AND ABUTMENT MEANS OPERABLE TO ENGAGE THE MAT WHEN THE ARMS ARE RETURNED BY SHIFTING TO THE RECEIVING STATION, WHEREBY THE MAT WILL BE RESTRAINED FROM MOVING WITH THE ARMS AND WILL DROP ONTO THE STACK.