Load transfer and pallet stacker

Claim 2

A load transfer and pallet stacker for use in transferring a load from a pallet to a load-receiving surface and stacking the unloaded pallet, including: a transfer member arranged to receive the loaded pallet, a thrust bar extending upwardly from one end of the transfer member, the height of the thrust bar being less than the height of the pallet to be unloaded, a vertically disposed load-contacting plate generally situated at the other end of the transfer member and arranged to move toward the thrust bar, horizontal guides extending from the plate and arranged to guide the plate when moving toward the thrust bar, an elevator unit which receives and vertically stacks the unloaded pallet, pivoted dogs mounted on the elevator unit arranged to pivot upwardly to allow upward vertical passage of the unloaded pallet and to prevent downward passage thereof, the elevator unit including lift means arranged to lift the unloaded pallet upwardly past the pivoted dogs, means to move the load-contacting plate relatively toward the thrust bar, while maintaining the plate parallel to the thrust bar, and to transfer the load from the pallet over the thrust bar to the load-receiving surface, means to move the unloaded pallet from the transfer member into the elevator unit as the plate returns to its original position, and

Claim 3

A load transfer and pallet stacker for use in transferring a load from a pallet to a load-receiving surface and stacking the unloaded pallet, including: a transfer unit, operation of which slides the load from the pallet onto a load-receiving surface, and an elevator unit which receives and vertically stacks the unloaded pallet, the transfer unit including a vertically disposed load-contacting plate, means for sliding the pallet to be unloaded beneath the plate to remove the load from the pallet onto the load-receiving surface, and for moving the unloaded pallet into the elevator unit, horizontal guides extending from the plate, an intermediate carriage slidably disposed on the guides, equalizer means interconnecting the plate, carriage and transfer unit arranged to prevent racking of the plate as it is moved relative to the pallet, a hydraulic power motor interconnecting the transfer unit and the intermediate carriage, the elevator unit including lift means arranged to lift the unloaded pallet upwardly, a hydraulic lift motor interconnecting the lift means and the elevator unit, and hydraulic lines and valves interconnecting the power motor and lift motor for actuation thereof.

Claim 4

A load transfer and pallet stacker for use in transferring a load from a pallet to a load-receiving surface and stacking the unloaded pallet, including: a transfer unit, operation of which slides the load from the pallet onto a load-receiving surface, and an elevator unit which receives and vertically stacks the unloaded pallet, the transfer unit including a vertically disposed load-contacting plate, means for sliding the pallet to be unloaded beneath the plate to remove the load from the pallet onto the load-receiving surface, and for moving the unloaded pallet into the elevator unit, horizontal guides extending from the plate, an intermediate carriage slidably disposed on the guides, equalizer means interconnecting the plate, carriage and transfer unit arranged to prevent racking of the plate as it is moved relative to the pallet, a hydraulic power motor interconnecting the transfer unit and the intermediate carriage, the elevator unit including lift means arranged to lift the unloaded pallet upwardly, a hydraulic lift motor interconnecting the lift means and the elevator unit, and hydraulic lines and valves interconnecting the power motor and lift motor for actuation thereof.

Claim 5

The inventIon of claim 2 including: a traction plate onto which a lift truck which has a load-receiving surface thereon is driven, said traction plate being attached to the transfer unit.

Claim 6

A load transfer and pallet stacker for use in transferring a load from a pallet to a load-receiving surface and stacking the unloaded pallet, including: a transfer member arranged to receive the loaded pallet, a thrust bar extending upwardly from one end of the transfer member, the height of the thrust bar being less than the height of the pallet to be unloaded, a vertically disposed load-contacting plate generally situated at the other end of the transfer member and arranged to be moved toward the thrust bar, operation of which slides the load from the pallet over the thrust bar onto a load-receiving surface, horizontal guides extending from the plate and arranged to guide the plate when moved toward the thrust bar, an intermediate carriage slidably disposed on the guides, equalizer means interconnecting the plate, carriage and transfer member arranged to prevent racking of the plate as it is moved toward the thrust bar, a hydraulic power motor interconnecting the transfer member and intermediate carriage, an elevator unit which receives and vertically stacks the unloaded pallet, the elevator unit including lift means arranged to lift the unloaded pallet upwardly, a hydraulic lift motor interconnecting the lift means and elevator unit, a hydraulic power unit supplying hydraulic fluid selectively to the hydraulic motors, switch means associated with power unit, hydraulic lines and valves interconnecting the power unit, power motor and lift motor whereby upon operation of the switch means, the power motor extends the load-contacting plate to transfer the load from the pallet over the thrust bar, retracts the load-contacting plate to transfer the pallet into the elevator unit and the lift motor lifts the pallet vertically, and interlocks to sequence the operation of the hydraulic motors.

Claim 7

A load transfer and pallet stacker for use in transferring a load from a pallet to a load-receiving surface and stacking the unloaded pallet, including: a transfer member arranged to receive the loaded pallet, a thrust bar extending upwardly from one end of the transfer member, the height of the thrust bar being less than the height of the pallet to be unloaded, a vertically disposed load-contacting plate generally situated at the other end of the transfer member and arranged to be moved toward the thrust bar, operation of which slides the load from the pallet over the thrust bar onto a load-receiving surface, horizontal guides extending from the plate and arranged to guide the plate when moved toward the thrust bar, an intermediate carriage slidably disposed on the guides, equalizer means interconnecting the plate, carriage and transfer member arranged to prevent racking of the plate as it is moved toward the thrust bar, a hydraulic power motor interconnecting the transfer member and intermediate carriage, an elevator unit which receives and vertically stacks the unloaded pallet, the elevator unit including lift means arranged to lift the unloaded pallet upwardly, a hydraulic lift motor interconnecting the lift means and elevator unit, a hydraulic power unit supplying hydraulic fluid selectively to the hydraulic motors, switch means associated with power unit, hydraulic lines and valves interconnecting the power unit, power motor and lift motor whereby upon operation of the switch means, the power motor extends the load-contacting plate to transfer the load from the pallet over the thrust bar, retracts the load-contacting plate to transfer the pallet into the elevator unit and the lift motor lifts the pallet vertically, and interlocks to sequence the operation of the hydraulic motors.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 4, including: pull means extending downwardly from the load-contacting plate arranged to overrun the unloaded pallet as the load-contacting plate is extended and to pull the pallet into the elevator unit as the load-contacting plate is retracted.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 5, including: pivoted dogs mounted on the elevator unit arranged to pivot upwardly to allow upward passage of the unloaded pallet and to prevent downward passage thereof, the lift means arranged to lift the unloaded pallet upwardly past the pivoted dogs.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 5, including: a push plate extending downwardly from the load-contacting plate arranged to push the loaded pallet against the thrust bar.