Unloader blender

Claim 2

An unloader blender for progressively removing articles such as bricks or the like from a plurality of stacks of articles wherein each stack includes a plurality of grids positioned one on top of another and each grid includes a plurality of groups of articles comprising a plurality of separate kiln cars or the like each providing first support means, said kiln cars being separately operable to move horizontally into one of a plurality of unloading stations with said support means cooperating to separately support at least one stack at each unloading station without substantial vertical movement of said stacks, second support means spaced from said unloading stations, first powered transfer means operable to sequentially grip grids at the top of said stacks, transfer them to said second support means and position them on said second support means in a predetermined orientation and position, said first transfer means being operable through repeated cycles wherein one grid is removed from a first stack on a first support means and a subsequent grid is removed from another stack on another support means before the grid below said one grid is removed from said first stack, conveyor means operable to receive articles and transport said articles in at least one line of abutting articles to a subsequent operation, and said second support means including transfer and blending means operable to transfer to said conveyor means groups of articles and form on said conveyor means a blended line of articles consisting of adjacent groups some of which are from the same grid but which were not adjacent to each other in said same grid.

Claim 3

An unloader blender as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first stack is formed of articles having first similar physical properties, and said another stack is formed of articles having second similar physical properties which are different than said first physical properties, and said first transfer means operates to grip grids from selected stacks and deliver articles to said second support means in a blend containing a predeTermined ratio between the number of articles from said first stack and the number of articles from said another stack.

Claim 4

An unloader blender as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one stack is located between said second support means and a second stack, and said first transfer means is movable between said release station and the position for gripping grids at said second stack without interference from said one stack.

Claim 5

An unloader blender as set forth in claim 3 wherein a carriage is horizontally movable between said stations, and said first transfer includes a vertically movable gripper frame carried by said carriage, and power means operable to raise and lower said gripper frame, said power means being operable to raise said gripper frame sufficiently high to clear all of said stacks.

Claim 6

An unloader blender as set forth in claim 1 wherein each grid includes a lower layer of articles and an upper layer of articles resting on the associated lower layer, and said second transfer means is operable to remove each upper layer from its associated lower layer.

Claim 7

An unloader blender as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second transfer means includes conveyor means operable to transport articles from said machine, each grid includes a lower layer of articles and an upper layer of articles resting on the associated lower layer, and said second transfer means includes destacker means operable to remove each upper layer from its lower layer and deliver articles from said upper and lower layers to said conveyor means as a single layer.

Claim 8

An unloader blender for progressively removing articles such as bricks or the like from a plurality of stacks of articles wherein each stack includes a plurality of grids positioned one on top of another and each grid includes a plurality of articles arranged in a predetermined pattern comprising a platform spaced from said stacks, first power-operated transfer means operable to sequentially grip grids at the top of said stacks, transfer them to said platform and position them on said platform in a predetermined orientation, and second power-operated transfer means operable to progressively remove articles from said platform, said platform, said first transfer means being operable through repeated cycles wherein one grid is removed from a first stack and a subsequent grid is removed from another stack before the grid below said one grid is removed from said first stack, said second transfer means including a single conveyor operable to transport articles from said machine, each grid including a lower layer of articles and an upper layer of articles resting on the associated lower layer, and said second transfer means includes destacker means operable to remove each upper layer from its lower layer and deliver articles from both said upper and lower layers to said conveyor as a single layer.

Claim 9

An unloader blender for progressively removing articles such as bricks or the like from a plurality of stacks of articles wherein each stack includes a plurality of grids positioned one on top of another and each grid includes a plurality of articles arranged in a predetermined pattern comprising a platform spaced from said stacks, first power-operated transfer means operable to sequentially grip grids at the top of said stacks, transfer them to said platform and position them on said platform in a predetermined orientation, and second power-operated transfer means operable to progressively remove articles from said platform, said platform, said first transfer means being operable through repeated cycles wherein one grid is removed from a first stack and a subsequent grid is removed from another stack before the grid below said one grid is removed from said first stack, said second transfer means including a single conveyor operable to transport articles from said machine, each grid including a lower layer of articles and an upper layer of articles resting on the associated lower layer, and said second transfer means includes destacker means operable to remove each upper layer from its lower layer and deliver articles from both said upper and lower layers to said conveyor as a single layer.

Claim 10

An unloader blender as set forth in claim 7 wherein said second transfer means operates to blend articles delivered to said single conveyor.

Claim 11

An unloader blender as set forth in claim 8 wherein said second transfer means operates to position groups of abutting articles from said upper and lower layers respectively on said single conveyor, said second transfer means blending said articles by delivering said groups so that a group formed of lower articles is spaced along said single conveyor from a corresponding group of upper articles and other groups are interposed therebetween.

Claim 12

An unloader blender for progressively removing bricks from a plurality of stacks of articles wherein each stack includes a plurality of grids positioned one on top of another and each grid includes a plurality of articles arranged in a predetermined pattern comprising a platform spaced from said stacks, first power-operated transfer means operable to sequentially grip grids at the top of said stacks, transfer them to said platform and position them on said platform in a predetermined orientation, and second power-operated transfer means operabLe to progressively remove articles from said platform, said first transfer means being operable through repeated cycles wherein one grid is removed from a first stack and a subsequent grid is removed from another stack before the grid below said one grid is removed from said first stack, each grid includes a plurality of double superposed rows of aligned brick, said first transfer is operable to simultaneously grip two grids, one from each of two stacks and releases such grids on said platform at spaced locations with the rows of each grid abutting each other and extending parallel to the rows of the other grids, the spacing between said grids on said platform being greater than the width of said grids in a direction perpendicular to said rows; and said second transfer means includes a conveyor extending substantially perpendicular to said rows, and destacking means operable to remove groups of brick consisting of the upper bricks of the superposed rows from the adjacent lower bricks in said rows and positions such groups on said conveyor between similar groups consisting of the lower bricks of said superposed rows.

Claim 13

An unloader blender for progressively removing bricks from a plurality of stacks of articles wherein each stack includes a plurality of grids positioned one on top of another and each grid includes a plurality of articles arranged in a predetermined pattern comprising a platform spaced from said stacks, first power-operated transfer means operable to sequentially grip grids at the top of said stacks, transfer them to said platform and position them on said platform in a predetermined orientation, and second power-operated transfer means operabLe to progressively remove articles from said platform, said first transfer means being operable through repeated cycles wherein one grid is removed from a first stack and a subsequent grid is removed from another stack before the grid below said one grid is removed from said first stack, each grid includes a plurality of double superposed rows of aligned brick, said first transfer is operable to simultaneously grip two grids, one from each of two stacks and releases such grids on said platform at spaced locations with the rows of each grid abutting each other and extending parallel to the rows of the other grids, the spacing between said grids on said platform being greater than the width of said grids in a direction perpendicular to said rows; and said second transfer means includes a conveyor extending substantially perpendicular to said rows, and destacking means operable to remove groups of brick consisting of the upper bricks of the superposed rows from the adjacent lower bricks in said rows and positions such groups on said conveyor between similar groups consisting of the lower bricks of said superposed rows.

Claim 14

An unloader blender as set forth in claim 10 wherein the spacing between said two stacks is less than the spacing between said grids positioned on said platform, and said first transfer means includes separator means to move the gripped grids apart before positioning them on said platform.