Patent ID: 6099239
Filing Date: 2000-08-08
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
A fruit tray denesting apparatus for rectangular trays having long sides and short sides comprising, in association with a conveyer which delivers the trays with the short sides of the trays parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyer, means for holding a nested stack of trays above the conveyer with the trays in an upright orientation, a carriage arrangement which is vertically moveable relative to the tray stack and relative to the conveyer, support arms on the carriage arrangement which are positioned to support the nested stack of trays at the short sides of the trays when the carriage arrangement is moved vertically for contact with the tray stack, and grasping arms on the carriage arrangement which are positioned to make contact with the short sides of the tray for grasping the lowermost tray in the tray stack to be moveable with the carriage arrangement, the support arms and the grasping arms being independently rotatable.