Patent ID: 8608151

Claim:
A station for loading plate elements from an initial pile of elements in a storage device to an infeed station for a machine for processing the elements, the station comprising: an unloading device configured to unload the elements from the initial pile; an intermediate storage device positioned downstream of the unloading device and configured to receive the unloaded elements from the unloading device and to store the unloaded elements in an intermediate batch; a transfer device configured to transfer the elements from the unloading device to the intermediate storage device; a conveyor positioned at a height lower than the height of the transfer device and conveying the elements from the intermediate storage device to the infeed station; and a shingling device positioned downstream of the intermediate storage device and configured to shingle the elements; wherein the intermediate storage device includes an arrangement configured to vary a storage capacity for the elements by varying a height of the conveyor, such that the height of the conveyor is changed relative to the transfer device.