Patent ID: 7736120
Filing Date: 2010-06-15
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
1. A layer head for an item handling device having a frame and providing an infeed conveyor having a horizontal row of items, the layer head comprising: an item layer building platform defining a vertically positionable item receiving plane, the platform suspended from the frame and adapted to move vertically, the item receiving plane being operable from a height below the infeed conveyor to a position higher than the infeed conveyor; a vertically reciprocating horizontally-disposed row conveyor independently suspended from the frame to allow independent vertical movement with respect to the layer building platform wherein the independent vertical movement enables the row conveyor to position in a first plane defined by the infeed conveyor to a second plane defined by the item receiving plane, and the row conveyor having a length approximate to a pallet length and a width less than one-half a pallet width; and a puller bar mounted to the layer head and moveable in relation thereto from an extended position to a retracted position and adapted to provide a transfer function pulling the row of items onto the layer head from the infeed conveyor; and wherein the item layer building platform further comprises two side plates disposed on opposite sides of a roller platform floor, at least one side plate including a clamping mechanism operable to extend the sideplate from a retracted position adjacent to the edge of the roller platform to an extended position toward the center of the platform to enable a loose build layer to be compacted in a first direction, the item layer building platform further comprising a back clamp disposed adjacent and generally perpendicular to at least one side plate, and a selectively pivotable dead plate adapted to provide a transition surface filling a gap between the row conveyor and the item layer building platform in a horizontal position and adapted to pivot to a vertical position to enable the dead plate to provide a secondary backstop, the dead plate further adapted to pivot past the vertical position to cooperate with the back clamp to compress the items in the loose build layer to be compacted in a second direction, the second direction being generally perpendicular to the first direction.