Patent ID: 6264422
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
Item layer assembly apparatus for continuously receiving items from a moving infeed conveyor carrying items and assembling an item layer from a plurality of items, all without the need to interrupt or modify the speed of the infeed conveyor, the item layer assembly apparatus comprising:an item receiving area having a surface for continuously receiving items from a moving infeed conveyor;one or more side plate area having a surface and a side adjacent and substantially horizontally planar to said item receiving area surface;means for moving items from said item receiving area surface onto said one or more side plate area surface;means for activating said means for moving items from said item receiving area surface onto said one or more side plate area surface when a predetermined number of items are received on said item receiving area surface to thereby remove items from said item receiving area surface before said item receiving area surface overflows or allows items on the infeed conveyor to stop or backup, or requires the infeed conveyor to stop or alter the speed at which it feeds items onto said one or more item receiving area surface;a layer forming plate positioned directly underneath said item receiving area surface; andmeans for moving items from said one or more side plate area surface to said layer forming plate to form an item layer;means for activating said means for moving items from said one or more side plate area surface to said layer forming plate to form an item layer;whereby, a plurality of items carried by a moving infeed conveyor can be formed into an item layer without the need to stop or alter the speed at which the infeed conveyor feeds items.