Patent ID: 8113336

Claim:
A method for separating bundles in a layer comprising the steps of: placing bundles in a layer on a first conveyor track and conveying said bundles on said first conveyor track onto a second conveyor track; operating said first conveyor track at a first conveyor track speed and operating said second conveyor track at a second conveyor track speed that is faster than said first conveyor track feed, to produce a speed jump between said first conveyor track and said second conveyor track that spaces said bundles apart as said bundles transfer from said first conveyor track to said second conveyor track; with a position detection device, detecting respective positions of the bundles on the second conveyor track that have been spaced apart from each other, and generating a position signal indicating the respective positions; and supplying said position signal to a computerized control unit of an automated manipulator and controlling said automated manipulator from said control unit dependent on said respective bundle positions to engage and move the bundles from the second conveyor track with the automated manipulator.