A pack stacker system for stacking articles is presented. The pack stacker system is configured to lift an article from a conveyor while the conveyor is in operation and stack the article on a second article while the conveyor is in continuous operation. The pack stacker system is accurate and can operate without human intervention.

The invention relates to an apparatus for stacking battery plates comprising a delivery conveyor for supplying battery plates sequentially along a delivery path. The delivery conveyor includes a plurality of spaced apart plate carriers each configured to support at least one battery plate in use, the plate carriers defining a series of gaps between adjacent plate carriers, wherein each gap is larger than the battery plate. The apparatus further includes a stop mechanism, configured to selectively intercept the delivery path at a plurality of indexed stop positions without impeding the delivery conveyor; wherein when the stop mechanism intercepts the delivery path at a selected one of the stop positions in use, it interrupts the movement of the battery plates on the delivery conveyor causing the battery plate(s) to move off the respective plate carrier and pass through the subsequent gap of the conveyor. The apparatus also includes a plate stacking mechanism for receiving battery plates as they are moved off the delivery conveyor by the stop mechanism.

The invention relates to an apparatus for stacking battery plates comprising a delivery conveyor for supplying battery plates sequentially along a delivery path. The delivery conveyor includes a plurality of spaced apart plate carriers each configured to support at least one battery plate in use, the plate carriers defining a series of gaps between adjacent plate carriers, wherein each gap is larger than the battery plate. The apparatus further includes a stop mechanism, configured to selectively intercept the delivery path at a plurality of indexed stop positions without impeding the delivery conveyor; wherein when the stop mechanism intercepts the delivery path at a selected one of the stop positions in use, it interrupts the movement of the battery plates on the delivery conveyor causing the battery plate(s) to move off the respective plate carrier and pass through the subsequent gap of the conveyor. The apparatus also includes a plate stacking mechanism for receiving battery plates as they are moved off the delivery conveyor by the stop mechanism.

A sod harvester can include an auxiliary stacking conveyor for stacking or folding slabs of sod on a conveyor prior to the stacked/folded slabs being removed from a stacking conveyor by a stacking head. The auxiliary stacking conveyor can be configured to receive a leading slab of sod and then stack the leading slab on top of a trailing slab while the trailing slab is being advanced along a conveyor. The auxiliary stacking conveyor can also be configured to partially receive a slab of sod and then reverse direction to cause the slab to be folded backwards on top of itself while being advanced along a conveyor. Different configurations can be employed to cause slabs to be selectively positioned on an auxiliary stacking conveyor.

The present invention provides an article alignment device that can inhibit posture disorderliness when articles land on a conveyor belt. The posture of bags when the bags transfer from an input conveyor to a first aligning conveyor is inclined in such a way that the portions of the bags that land on bags already placed on the first aligning conveyor are higher and the portions of the bags that land directly on the first aligning conveyor are lower, so the bags land on the first aligning conveyor before or at the same time that they contact the bags that were placed on the first aligning conveyor before them. Additionally, the frictional force between the first aligning conveyor and the bags is greater than the frictional force between the bags, so sliding between the bags is prevented, as is posture disorderliness.

A horizontal multistage press apparatus 1 (multistage conveyance apparatus, multistage press apparatus) includes:

a loader unit gripping body 70A or an open transpiration unit gripping body 70C (upstream side conveyance body) for carrying out the veneer sheet W1 with the upper part of the veneer sheet W1 (sheet material to be treated) gripped and suspended from the loader device 10 or the open transpiration device 40 (first treatment device), and

a hot press unit gripping body 70B or a temperature control press unit gripping body 70D (downstream side conveyance body) for carrying the veneer sheet W1 into the press position of the hot press device 20 or the temperature control press device 50 (second treatment device) with the gripping position of the veneer sheet W1 shifted from the upper part to the lower part and supported.

A horizontal multistage press apparatus 1 (multistage conveyance apparatus, multistage press apparatus) includes:

a loader unit gripping body 70A or an open transpiration unit gripping body 70C (upstream side conveyance body) for carrying out the veneer sheet W1 with the upper part of the veneer sheet W1 (sheet material to be treated) gripped and suspended from the loader device 10 or the open transpiration device 40 (first treatment device), and

a hot press unit gripping body 70B or a temperature control press unit gripping body 70D (downstream side conveyance body) for carrying the veneer sheet W1 into the press position of the hot press device 20 or the temperature control press device 50 (second treatment device) with the gripping position of the veneer sheet W1 shifted from the upper part to the lower part and supported.

A separating element operates a transport device, which is configured to pile a plurality of partial book blocks for forming a book block along a book channel associated with the transport device, the finished piled book block being feedible to a processing machine. The book channel includes at least one transfer portion. At least one first separating element is arranged within the transport device as a link between an upstream transfer portion and a downstream transfer portion. The first separating element is configured to be operated by at least one drive and is configured to: receive a partial book block fed horizontally from the upstream transfer portion, horizontally transport the partial book block onward via the conveying portion formed by the first separating element, and then horizontally hand the partial book block over to the downstream transfer portion in keeping with a cycle.

A separating element operates a transport device, which is configured to pile a plurality of partial book blocks for forming a book block along a book channel associated with the transport device, the finished piled book block being feedible to a processing machine. The book channel includes at least one transfer portion. At least one first separating element is arranged within the transport device as a link between an upstream transfer portion and a downstream transfer portion. The first separating element is configured to be operated by at least one drive and is configured to: receive a partial book block fed horizontally from the upstream transfer portion, horizontally transport the partial book block onward via the conveying portion formed by the first separating element, and then horizontally hand the partial book block over to the downstream transfer portion in keeping with a cycle.

A sod harvester can include an auxiliary stacking conveyor for stacking or folding slabs of sod on an inclined conveyor prior to the stacked/folded slabs being removed from a stacking conveyor by a stacking head. The auxiliary stacking conveyor can be configured to receive a leading slab of sod and then stack the leading slab on top of a trailing slab while the trailing slab is being advanced along an inclined conveyor. The auxiliary stacking conveyor can also be configured to partially receive a slab of sod and then reverse direction to cause the slab to be folded backwards on top of itself while being advanced along an inclined conveyor. Different configurations can be employed to cause slabs to be selectively positioned on an auxiliary stacking conveyor.