Patent ID: 8596947

Claim:
A rack for loading and accumulating bags thereon comprises: a) a frame having a length, a width, opposite ends, and opposite open faced long sides; b) a plurality of similarly sized shelves, each shelf carried by, and generally extending between the frame ends, and in vertical alignment with another shelf on a first open faced long side; c) said frame also carrying similar shelves on the opposite open faced long side; d) wherein said shelves are movably carried in tracks and a powered mechanism is provided which generally rotatably moves the shelves around the ends of the frame, so that after a first shelf positioned on a bottom portion of the first long side is loaded, it can be moved upwardly, generally rotating an empty bottom shelf on the opposite side into the bottom portion position on the first open faced long side, and generally rotating a top shelf on the first long side into a top position on the second long faced side, so that all of the shelves can be loaded from the bottom portion position on the first long side; rotatably moving the shelves after filling each shelf; and, e) wherein the shelves are held and maintained in a horizontal working position so that a bag can be first rested on a front shelf portion without the shelf tipping from its horizontal position prior to being pushed back fully onto the shelf; f) further comprising a shelf unloading mechanism centrally positioned within the rack, configured to push the shelf loaded with bags to the opposite long side of the rack off the rack; so that all of the shelves can be discharged therewith, by rotatably moving all of the shelves after discharging the shelf on the opposite long side of the rack; g) wherein each shelf is carried on a drawer slide so that when the shelf unloading mechanism pushes on the shelf loaded with bags, the sliding shelf initially slides out of, and laterally away from the opposite long side, thereby facilitating subsequent drop placement directly beneath and in front of the extended shelf.