Patent ID: 7150598

Claim:
An up-ender for use in handling pallets, comprising: a first pallet-moving mechanism configured to move a stack of pallets, with the pallets being generally vertically oriented, in a first direction over a support surface; and a second pallet-moving mechanism comprising first and second generally upright pusher arms, the second pallet-moving mechanism being integral with the first pallet-moving mechanism and being operable for translational movement independent of the first pallet-moving mechanism, the second pallet-moving mechanism being positioned to receive pallets displaced by the first pallet-moving mechanism and further move said displaced pallets in the first direction over the support surface, wherein the pusher arms are carried by respective first and second longitudinally extending support members, the support members being movable longitudinally in the first direction and a second direction, opposite the first direction, for causing movement of the pusher arms in the first and second directions, wherein each pusher arm includes a door that is swingable about a generally vertical axis between a first position for pushing pallets in the first direction and a second position for allowing movement of the pusher arms in the second direction relative to the pallets.