Stacked fabric removal and re-locating device

Claim 1

A device for removing and relocating pieces of flexible material from a stack comprising: (a) a supporting frame (1); (b) a plate member (25) mounted for rotatable indexing movement on said supporting frame; (c) a plurality of support plates (7) having seats (10) on the underside thereof mounted for rotation in said plate member (25) to support stacks of flexible material; (d) a vertically linearly movable rod (8) having the upper end thereof configured to mate with said seats (10) to move plate (7) from a lower position adjacent said plate member (25) to an upper position where removal of flexible material can be effected; (e) upper and lower limit switches (21, 22) mounted on said frame (1) to control the maximum extent of vertical movement of said rod (8); (f) horizontally directed photo-electric sensing means (19) mounted on said frame (1) to provide for vertical adjustment of said rod (8) as flexible pieces are removed from said plate (7); (g) vertically directed photo-electric sensing means (28) mounted on said frame (1) for determining when all flexible pieces have been removed from said plate (7) so that said rod (8) will move to its lowermost position and said plate member (25) will rotate to bring a new plate (7) with flexible pieces into unloading position; (h) a pick-up member (5) mounted on said supporting frame (1) and movable to a position overlying said plate (7); (i) means for displacing said pick-up member (5) toward a stack of flexible pieces on said plate (7), a distance which is slightly greater than the distance which separates it from the upper surface of the stack; and (j) means for displacing said pick-up member (5) in its raised position for releasing and relocating the flexible piece of material removed from the stack.

Claim 2

A device for removing and relocating pieces of flexible material from a stack comprising: (a) a supporting frame (1); (b) a plate member (25) mounted for rotatable indexing movement on said supporting frame; (c) a plurality of support plates (7) having seats (10) on the underside thereof mounted for rotation in said plate member (25) to support stacks of flexible material; (d) a vertically linearly movable rod (8) having the upper end thereof configured to mate with said seats (10) to move plate (7) from a lower position adjacent said plate member (25) to an upper position where removal of flexible material can be effected; (e) upper and lower limit switches (21, 22) mounted on said frame (1) to control the maximum extent of vertical movement of said rod (8); (f) horizontally directed photo-electric sensing means (19) mounted on said frame (1) to provide for vertical adjustment of said rod (8) as flexible pieces are removed from said plate (7); (g) vertically directed photo-electric sensing means (28) mounted on said frame (1) for determining when all flexible pieces have been removed from said plate (7) so that said rod (8) will move to its lowermost position and said plate member (25) will rotate to bring a new plate (7) with flexible pieces into unloading position; (h) a pick-up member (5) mounted on said supporting frame (1) and movable to a position overlying said plate (7); (i) means for displacing said pick-up member (5) toward a stack of flexible pieces on said plate (7), a distance which is slightly greater than the distance which separates it from the upper surface of the stack; and (j) means for displacing said pick-up member (5) in its raised position for releasing and relocating the flexible piece of material removed from the stack.