Patent ID: 9327920
Filing Date: 2016-05-03
CPC Classification: B65G

Claim Text:
1. A stacking device comprising: a first gantry; a plurality of belt covered forks coupled to the first gantry and adjustable to move with respect to the first gantry between a loading location and a stacking location; a backstop defining one or more voids through which the forks interpenetrate and through which the forks retract when the forks move from the stacking location back to the loading location; and a squaring mechanism coupled to a second gantry and configured to cooperate with the backstop to square a stack of items in the stacking location, wherein the squaring mechanism is adjustable to move with respect to the first gantry, and wherein the plurality of forks is capable of obtaining items for stacking in the loading location, as the squaring mechanism and the backstop operate to square the stack of items in the stacking location independently of the forks obtaining items from the loading location: wherein the second gantry is configured to move the backstop to a squaring location after the forks have retracted past a lateral position of the backstop.