Patent ID: 8777551

Claim:
An apparatus for separating a selected or predetermined number of items from a stack of the items, the apparatus comprising: a. a lift arm including at least one movable section; b. an engagement mechanism operably connected to one end of the movable section of the lift arm, the engagement mechanism configured to engage and move the items from the stack; and c. a separation mechanism selectively positionable adjacent the engagement mechanism and configured to engage and separate the items from the stack, wherein the separation mechanism further comprises: i. a track operably connected to the stack support structure; ii. a carriage movably mounted to the track; iii. a separator arm movably mounted to the carriage and engagable with the items in the stack; and iv. a separator plate disposed on the separator arm opposite the carriage, wherein the separator plate is connected to the separator arm via a linkage that maintains the separator plate parallel to the stack of items regardless of the position of the separator arm.