Provided is a pile preparation unit for changing a pallet support of a pile of sheets with a first end and a second end where the pallet has a support side supporting the pile of sheets at the first end. The pile preparation unit may include a rotation unit configured with an infeed opening for receiving a pallet with a pile of sheets, the rotation unit configured with a rotating structure to rotate a lift unit about a rotational axis. The lift unit is configured with a lift structure fixed to the rotating structure and has a lift plate movable along the lift structure to engage with the second end of the pile of sheets and to move and position the pile of sheets transverse, relative to the rotational axis, providing a portal for changing a pallet.

Provided is a pile preparation unit for changing a pallet support of a pile of sheets with a first end and a second end where the pallet has a support side supporting the pile of sheets at the first end. The pile preparation unit may include a rotation unit configured with an infeed opening for receiving a pallet with a pile of sheets, the rotation unit configured with a rotating structure to rotate a lift unit about a rotational axis. The lift unit is configured with a lift structure fixed to the rotating structure and has a lift plate movable along the lift structure to engage with the second end of the pile of sheets and to move and position the pile of sheets transverse, relative to the rotational axis, providing a portal for changing a pallet.

A depalletizing machine (10) is operative to separate layers of containers (38) that are positioned in supported connection with a pallet (36). The layers are separated on the pallet by dunnage sheets (42). A top frame (44) is positioned on top of the layers of containers. The machine operates to remove the top frame and dunnage sheets and sequentially sweep each layer of containers onto a take away and holding conveyor (24). A pick head (66) is operative to engage the top frame and dunnage sheets. Dunnage sheet grippers (170) and a dunnage sheet leveler (220) operate to assure that the containers are reliably removed while maintaining the proper orientation. The exemplary machine further operates to collect the top frame and dunnage sheets and place them on the empty pallet from which the containers have been removed. Mixed dunnage stacks including returned pallets are separated through operation of a dunnage separating cell (26) to facilitate the reuse of the dunnage material.

A machine for separating a load (C) made up of several superimposed layers of packages (B) and supported by a pallet (P), includes: a base element (3) connected to a housing element (5) that also includes a base member (7) that meets the face of the pallet opposite to the load; a slide wall member (9) in sliding contact with a face of the load, a side wall member (11), and a compacting plane member (13) slidably operated along the side wall member towards and away from the base member. A tilt actuator (15) interconnected between the base element and the housing element is assigned to rotate the housing element around a pivot pin (14) between a first extreme condition wherein the slide wall member is vertical and a second extreme condition wherein the housing member is rotated by an angle of approximately 90 or greater.

A device for replacing a pallet carrying a load includes first and second store elements (3, 7); an entrance element (11) between the first and second store elements; and a translating element (17) provided with a first seating (19) in the first store element and a second seating (21) in the entrance element for respectively receiving a replacement pallet and an original pallet wherein such translating element (17) is moved parallelly to itself between a first extreme condition (I) in which the first seating (19) and the second seating (21) are respectively placed in correspondence with the base (5) of the first store element (3) and with the base (6) of the entrance element (11) and a second extreme condition (F) in which the first (19) and second (21) seatings are respectively placed over the bases (6, 9) of the entrance element (11) and the second store element (7).