Patent ID: 7832978

Claim:
An apparatus for forming a stack ( 2 ) of panels ( 3 ) from a vertical pile ( 4 ) of panels ( 3 ) and feeding said stack ( 2 ) to a user station, said apparatus ( 1 ) comprising: a crossbar ( 5 ) mobile in a feed direction ( 40 ), above the pile ( 4 ) of panels ( 3 ), to and fro at least between two limits corresponding to a position where the stack ( 2 ) is formed and a position where the stack ( 2 ) is placed in the user station; first selector means ( 6 ; 7 , 8 ) mounted on the crossbar ( 5 ) and comprising a reference stop ( 7 ) for the top of the pile ( 4 ) and a first wedge-shaped element ( 8 ) drivable transversally into the pile ( 4 ) in the feed direction ( 40 ) in such a way as to separate from the pile ( 4 ) the stack ( 2 ) at the top, and creating a gap around the first wedge-shaped element ( 8 ) by moving the pile ( 4 ) relative to the first wedge-shaped element ( 8 ) in a vertical direction ( 42 ); first gripper means ( 9 ; 10 ) comprising a first clamp ( 10 ) mounted on the crossbar ( 5 ), said first clamp ( 10 ) comprising an upper clamp element ( 15 ) and a lower clamp element ( 14 ) effective to clamp the stack ( 2 ) between said upper ( 15 ) and lower ( 14 ) clamp elements; second gripper means ( 11 ; 12 ) comprising a second clamp ( 12 ) mounted on the crossbar ( 5 ), said second clamp ( 12 ) comprising an upper clamp element ( 15 ) and a lower clamp element ( 14 ), the second clamp ( 12 ) being effective to clamp the stack ( 2 ) between said upper ( 15 ) and lower ( 14 ) clamp elements; the apparatus ( 1 ) being characterised in that it further comprises: second selector means ( 16 ) mounted on the crossbar ( 5 ) and mobile in the feed direction ( 40 ) in such a way that said second selector means ( 16 ) can be inserted into the pile ( 4 ) next to the first wedge-shaped element ( 8 ) at the gap, said second selector means ( 16 ) also being slidable in a horizontal direction ( 13 ) substantially perpendicular to said feed direction ( 40 ) in such a way that the second selector means ( 16 ) can be slid to a point further away from the first wedge-shaped element ( 8 ) to further separate the stack ( 2 ) from the pile ( 4 ), said second selector means ( 16 ) being distinct from the upper clamp element ( 15 ) and the lower clamp element ( 14 ) of the first clamp ( 10 ) and from the upper claim element ( 15 ) and the lower clamp element ( 14 ) of the second clamp ( 12 ); wherein the first selector means, second selector means, first gripper means and second gripper means are each independently movable relative to the other.