Patent ID: 7648322

Claim:
A system for loading stacks of articles on a feeder, comprising: a frame; a vertically moveable loader rotatably mounted to said frame and including at least one article support member; said loader moveable from a first position for receiving the stacks of articles, and a second position wherein the stacks of articles are reoriented for placement of the stacks of articles on the feeder; a pivot assembly mounted to said frame and including a drive mechanism coupled to said loader for pivoting said loader between its first and second positions; a carriage supporting said frame and adapted to move said loader to a position along the feeder for discharge of the stacks of articles to the feeder; a stack sensor mounted adjacent said position for discharge of the stacks of articles from said loader to a support surface for the feeder for detecting previously loaded cartons on the feeder; a control system in communication with said stack sensor; and a feeder conveyor on which the stacks of articles are received from said loader, said feeder conveyor comprising a series of spaced conveyor elements defining a series of channels therebetween, and wherein said loader comprises a pair of support arms adapted to be received and move along said channels for depositing a stack of articles carried by said loader adjacent a previously loaded stack of articles on said feeder conveyor; wherein in response to the detection of the previously loaded cartons on the feeder by said stack sensor, said loader is lowered with respect to the feeder and movement of said carriage along the feeder is controlled for controlling the discharge of the stacks of articles to the feeder and for withdrawal of said loader from the discharged stacks of articles.