Device for arranging objects in stacking layers, for loading pallets

Claim 1

A process for the mechanical grouping of objects such as books or the like to be stacked into stacking tiers for loading on pallets comprising forming stacks of equal height from individual objects which are supplied flat and with like orientation, conveying a plurality of said stacks along an accumulation stretch for forming a stacking row the length of which corresponds to the transverse dimension of a pallet, rotating at least one of said stacks in said stacking row by 90° with respect to the other stacks in said stacking row during the conveying of the individual stacks, and producing a gap between said at least one of said stacks and the remainder of said stacks in said stacking row, pushing said stacking row onto an intermediate storage table in a direction transverse to its row direction, and completing a first stacking tier having the dimensions of the pallet on the intermediate storage table from a plurality of sequentially arriving of said stacking rows which are pushed on after the first, transferring the thus formed stacking tier from the intermediate storage table to a pallet, and rotating the stacks in succeeding stacking tiers in a different sequence relative to the preceding stacking tier whereby the stacks in succeeding stacking tiers deposited on the pallet are at least partially staggered or overlapping in a bond.

Claim 5

An apparatus for grouping and stacking objects received from preceding processing stages such as books, book blocks or the like, into stacking layers for loading pallets and including a longitudinal transport mechanism (80) associated with a stacking station (82) for stacks (P) of equal height which are to be formed periodically from objects which are aligned with each other, a mechanism (92) for selectively rotating a stack by 90°, an accumulating roller conveyor (122) with detents (128) movable in the conveying path for forming a stacking row (R) from longitudinally and transversely oriented stacks, a partial pushing mechanism (134) for moving each stacking row sideways onto a region of an intermediate storage table (70) adjacent to said accumulating roller conveyor (122) and positioned ahead of one of the transportable pallet or stacking release plates (10) which are of equal height, a pushoff wall (142) for transferring one or more stacking rows or a completed stacking layer (S) from the intermediate storage table (70) to the pallet or stacking release plate (10) and a programmed control mechanism for activating the stack-rotating mechanism (92), such that the stacks (P) in stacking layers (S) which are successively deposited over each other on a pallet are staggered or overlapping.

Claim 6

An apparatus for grouping and stacking objects received from preceding processing stages such as books, book blocks or the like, into stacking layers for loading pallets and including a longitudinal transport mechanism (80) associated with a stacking station (82) for stacks (P) of equal height which are to be formed periodically from objects which are aligned with each other, a mechanism (92) for selectively rotating a stack by 90°, an accumulating roller conveyor (122) with detents (128) movable in the conveying path for forming a stacking row (R) from longitudinally and transversely oriented stacks, a partial pushing mechanism (134) for moving each stacking row sideways onto a region of an intermediate storage table (70) adjacent to said accumulating roller conveyor (122) and positioned ahead of one of the transportable pallet or stacking release plates (10) which are of equal height, a pushoff wall (142) for transferring one or more stacking rows or a completed stacking layer (S) from the intermediate storage table (70) to the pallet or stacking release plate (10) and a programmed control mechanism for activating the stack-rotating mechanism (92), such that the stacks (P) in stacking layers (S) which are successively deposited over each other on a pallet are staggered or overlapping.