Stacking device for wire grids

Claim 1

A stacking device for wire grids such as welded reinforcing grids, the device defining a deposition area and having means for guiding the grids received from a manufacturing machine to a location above the deposition area, said means comprising support bars adapted to support said grids on their way to and to release said grids above said deposition area, limit panels for lateral guidance of said grids, said limit panels having horizontally protruding parts adapted to keep the ends of said grids down and to restrain, in combination with said support bars, said grids from bending excessively and from sliding off said support bars prematurely, said stacking device further including means for releasing the grids above the deposition area, wherein a pair of opposed substantially vertical guides are provided, each of said guides being composed of two upright rails horizontally spaced apart only a sufficient distance so as to receive therebetween end sections of a selected longitudinal wire of each of the grids received on said support arms, the guides extending to the deposition area and serving to guide the grids during their downward movement, one of the guides being movable out of engagement with the end of the grids for releasing the stack grids.