Patent ID: 9181061
Filing Date: 2015-11-10
Classification: B65B,B65G,B65H,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A pusher assembly for a stacker, comprising: first and second opposing moving sidewalls, each sidewall defining a lateral side of a chute region and each sidewall extending continuously to a first height defining a height of the chute region, the chute region defining a centerline therethrough, each sidewall reciprocally movable parallel to the centerline and transverse to the centerline; a first pusher located on the first sidewall and movable therewith; a second pusher located on the second sidewall and movable therewith, wherein the first and second pushers, when in a home position, are staggered from one another relative to the centerline, the first pusher engaged with a leading edge of a stack of material in the stacker and the second pusher engaged with a trailing edge of the stack of material in the stacker, wherein in a conveying position, the first sidewall first moves independently of the second sidewall to engage the first pusher with the trailing edge of the stack of material, and then the first and second sidewalls both move in a forward direction such that the first and second pushers discharge the stack of material from the chute region, wherein the first and second sidewalls are configured to selectively engage and disengage the stack of material along a height of the stack of material in response to movement toward and away from the centerline, wherein the first pusher includes (a) and (b) first pushers located on the first sidewall diametrically opposed to one another and the second pusher includes (a) and (b) second pushers located on the second sidewall diametrically opposed to one another, wherein in the home position, the (a) first pusher is engaged with the leading edge of the stack of material and the (a) second pusher is engaged with the trailing edge of the stack of material, and wherein in the conveying position, the first sidewall moves to engage the (b) first pusher with the trailing edge of the stack of material, the (a) second pusher and the (b) first pusher moving in the forward direction to discharge the stack of material from the chute region, wherein after discharge of the stack of materials from the chute region, the (b) first pusher and (b) second pusher move to the home position, and wherein the (b) first pusher moves in a reverse direction to move to the home position and the (b) second pusher moves in the forward direction to the home position.