Patent ID: 6110087
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: B31B

Abstract:
An apparatus for moving a knockdown oriented in a vertical position to a horizontal position, comprising:a transfer mechanism having an upper knockdown kickout guide with an actuator and a lower knockdown kickout guide having a kicker,wherein said upper knockdown kickout guide being pivotally supported and having an angle member including an upper portion and a bottom portion, said bottom portion defining an angle with an adjacent structure of the angle member and said upper portion aligned parallel to the vertically-oriented knockdown, and a plurality of fingers extending from a bottom edge of said angle member for contacting the surface of the knockdown,further wherein said actuator having a distal end attached to said upper knockdown kickout guide for causing pivoting of said upper knockdown kickout guide,still further wherein said lower knockdown kickout guide located below said upper knockdown kickout guide and having a driver with a distal end for causing reciprocation of said kicker connected to said distal end of said driver, anda hopper for receiving knockdowns from said transfer mechanism, said hopper being located adjacent to and at a lower level than said transfer mechanism, said hopper having one or more rollers adjacent to said transfer mechanism with horizontal axes oriented parallel to a wall of said hopper adjacent to said transfer mechanism such that a top of said one or more rollers extends above said wall of said hopper.