Patent ID: 8020908

Claim:
An apparatus for handling layers of palletized goods, comprising a vertically displaceable lift head with a mainly horizontal suction face formed for a pallet, including downwardly opening suction chambers, individual ball valves and an air distribution chamber connected to a vacuum source, the suction face being movable downwards against an upper side of an upper layer of individual or a group packed goods on a pallet, the ball valves including walled spherical valve bodies, the ball valves being closed when an associated suction chamber is not blocked downwardly by contacting an upper side of the goods on an uppermost pallet layer, the lift head along outer sides of the horizontal suction face comprising a vertically adjustable skirt with inflatable squeezing pads for exerting an inwardly directed pressure on outer sides of goods of the upper pallet layer, each of the ball valves including means for preventing the valve balls from shutting off the valves, the affecting means actuating valve balls for individual suction chambers and comprising downwardly extending bodies which are resiliently suspended for yielding to valve balls which are already in closing abutment with a valve seat of an associated suction chamber for preventing valve balls from contacting the valve seats of valves that have not been closed.