US3637093A — Palleting apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 259 words

Palleting apparatus comprising a transfer station at the end of a delivery conveyor for articles that are to be deposited on a pallet in layers, means disposed adjacent said transfer station for supporting the pallet, said pallet-supporting means being adapted to be rotated intermittently and to be lowered by a distance equivalent to the height of one layer of articles on the pallet after each complete layer of articles has been deposited, wherein said transfer station comprises a plurality of rotatable rollers forming a roller track for receiving and supporting the articles and having axes extending transversely to the conveying direction of said delivery conveyor, a transfer rake having prongs that are parallel to said rollers and of substantially the same length as said rollers, said transfer rake being vertically movable from a first position at which said prongs are disposed between said rollers beneath an article thereon to an elevated second position at which said prongs and the article thereon are disposed above the supporting plane of said roller track and also being horizontally movable to an elevated third position at which said prongs and the article thereon are disposed above said pallet, and means for sweeping an article off the said prongs for depositing it on the said pallet, said roller track and transfer rake being displaceable in a direction lengthwise of the conveying direction of said delivery conveyor after each layer of articles has been deposited on said pallet so as to change the location of disposition of articles that are to form the next layer.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 259 words

Palleting apparatus comprising a transfer station at the end of a delivery conveyor for articles that are to be deposited on a pallet in layers, means disposed adjacent said transfer station for supporting the pallet, said pallet-supporting means being adapted to be rotated intermittently and to be lowered by a distance equivalent to the height of one layer of articles on the pallet after each complete layer of articles has been deposited, wherein said transfer station comprises a plurality of rotatable rollers forming a roller track for receiving and supporting the articles and having axes extending transversely to the conveying direction of said delivery conveyor, a transfer rake having prongs that are parallel to said rollers and of substantially the same length as said rollers, said transfer rake being vertically movable from a first position at which said prongs are disposed between said rollers beneath an article thereon to an elevated second position at which said prongs and the article thereon are disposed above the supporting plane of said roller track and also being horizontally movable to an elevated third position at which said prongs and the article thereon are disposed above said pallet, and means for sweeping an article off the said prongs for depositing it on the said pallet, said roller track and transfer rake being displaceable in a direction lengthwise of the conveying direction of said delivery conveyor after each layer of articles has been deposited on said pallet so as to change the location of disposition of articles that are to form the next layer.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 including a supply conveyor of variable length interposed between said delivery conveyor and said roller track.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 61 words

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said supply conveyor comprises an endless belt extending over a first direction-changing roll of fixed location at its upstream end and, at the downstream end, over a second direction-changing roll which is mounted in a frame that also supports said roller track, a tensioning roll being provided for said supply conveyor intermediate said direction-changing rolls.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the rollers of said roller track are driven by said second direction-changing roll so that the speed imparted by said rollers to an article thereon is substantially equal to the speed of said supply conveyor.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 31 words

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said variable length supply conveyor comprises two interenGaging belt conveyor sections of which one is connected to said roller track and is displaceable together therewith.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said belt conveyor sections are connected to a common drive through a common chain transmission equipped with a tensioning sprocket for compensating length variations.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 32 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sweeping means comprise a further rake that has prongs engaging between said prongs of said transfer rake and that is movable up to said pallet.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 14 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said prongs of said transfer rake are removable.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 39 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, including a stop plate extending upward from said transfer rake and having the longitudinal axis thereof transverse with the conveying direction and equipped with a contact for actuating transfer movement of said transfer rake.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-01-24	1975-07-26	1976-01-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-01-24	1979-07-26	1980-01-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-01-24	1983-07-26	1984-01-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Palleting apparatus

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