Computer controlled article handling device

Claim 1

An article handling device for receiving groups of articles in a first area and transferring said groups in succession onto a second area on a load bearing member in a vertically stacked format, said device comprising; (a) means for sweeping successive groups of articles from said first area to said second area for stacking said groups one on top of the other onto said member mounted on a hoist and a servo-controlled motor for operating said sweeping means, said sweeping means including at least a pair of article engaging means for controlling movement of said groups from said first to said second area, a first one of said article engaging means for restraining movement of each said group from said first to said second area by engaging a leading edge of said group, and the second of said article engaging means for engaging a trailing edge of each said group and propelling said group from said first to said second area, both said article engaging means being mounted for travel on a support means around an endless path having one path portion aligned with said first area and a remaining path portion positioned away from said first area; (b) means for transporting separator sheets from a supply thereof to said second area for interleaving at least one sheet between said successive groups; (c) means for operating said hoist to index said hoist downward by a distance corresponding to the height of each group after each said group has been stacked on said member; (d) an endless conveyor surface corresponding to said first area for continuously urging said groups along a conveyor path from said first area towards said second area, said conveyor surface moving at a speed SM, and wherein said first and second article engaging means extend into said conveyor path; (e) a programmable means for controlling the operation of said servocontolled motor between at least two different nonzero speeds to stack said groups in accordance with a following predetermined protocol (i) move said support means at a speed S1 about equal to speed SM to move said first article engaging means out of said conveyor path and out of engagement with said group to thereby release said group for propulsion by said conveyor surface from said first to said second area, and (ii) after step (i), move said support means to move said second article engaging means further around said endless path into engagement with said trailing edge; (iii) after said engagement, accelerate said support means to speed S2 greater than S1 to propel at least said leading edge of said group onto said member; and (iv) decelerate said support means to speed S3 less than S2 to position said group on said member.