Patent ID: 7905341

Claim:
A handling system for sorting and orienting a plurality of workpieces, the handling system comprising: a hopper for holding the plurality of workpieces; a workpiece lift assembly extending into the hopper, the workpiece lift assembly having a plurality of workpiece lift shelf assemblies rotating sequentially about the workpiece lift assembly, each of the plurality of workpiece lift shelf assemblies comprising a shelf and a backplane for seating a row of workpieces from the hopper on the shelf and lifting the seated row of workpieces out of the hopper, each of the plurality of workpiece lift shelf assemblies pivotally attached to the rotating lift assembly for releasing the seated row of workpieces from each of the workpiece lift shelf assemblies as each of the workpiece lift shelf assemblies rotates over the apex of the workpiece lift assembly; a sorter for receiving the released row of workpieces, the sorter comprising: an arrival plate area for receiving the released row of workpieces; and a departure plate area, the arrival plate area separated from the departure plate area by a lift bar and a stop bar, the lift bar controllably rising to lift the released row of workpieces from the arrival plate area over the stop bar to the departure plate area; a first sensor to sense the presence of the released row of workpieces adjacent to the lift bar in the arrival plate area; a first drive mechanism to lower the lift bar responsive to the released row of workpieces adjacent to the lift bar to move the released row of workpieces on top of the lift bar; and a second sensor to sense the presence of the released row of workpieces on top of the lift bar, the first drive mechanism to raise the lift bar so that the released row of workpieces on top of the lift bar move to the departure plate area and onto an exit conveyor adjacent to the departure plate area.