Patent ID: 7695230

Claim:
In an apparatus having a supporting surface ( 3 ) for containers ( 4 ) and a device for loading and unloading said containers ( 4 ) onto said supporting surface ( 3 ), said device having a component ( 11 ) for unloading said containers from said supporting surface and a drive unit ( 12 ) for facilitating movement of said component ( 11 ) relative to a supporting surface ( 3 ), the improvement comprising: a working plane ( 9 ) and a conveyor belt system ( 10 ) for loading and unloading said apparatus, said working plane ( 9 ) and said conveyor belt system ( 10 ) being disposed to one side of said supporting surface ( 3 ); said drive unit ( 12 ) having drive wheels ( 44 , 45 ), an articulation system ( 42 , 43 ), and a winding system ( 46 , 47 ) for winding said articulation system ( 42 , 43 ); said drive unit ( 12 ) being operable to convey said articulation system ( 42 , 43 ) along a predetermined path; said articulation system ( 42 , 43 ) being attached to said component ( 11 ) for moving said component relative to said supporting surface ( 3 ); said drive wheels ( 44 , 45 ) being rotatable about an axis ( 40 ) wherein said axis ( 40 ) is disposed perpendicularly to said linear direction of motion of said component; and said winding system ( 46 , 47 ) being in alignment with said drive wheels ( 44 , 45 ) wherein said conveyor belt system ( 10 ) is located between said working plane ( 9 ) and said supporting surface ( 3 ); said conveyor belt system ( 10 ) is adjacent to said working plane ( 9 ) and separated by a space from said supporting surface ( 3 ); and an adjustable plate ( 17 ) is operable to bridge said space between said conveyor belt system ( 10 ) and said supporting surface ( 3 ); wherein said supporting surface ( 3 ) includes a first pair of lateral bars for guiding containers ( 4 ), and said supporting surface ( 3 ) includes first edges for supporting said component ( 11 ), said first edges being disposed outside of said first pair of lateral bars; and said plate ( 17 ) includes a second pair of lateral bars for guiding containers ( 4 ), said plate ( 17 ) further comprising second edges for supporting said component ( 11 ), said second edges being disposed outside of said second pair of lateral bars.