The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 26, 1977
Filed:
Mar. 05, 1976
Frank H Erdman, Holmes Beach, FL (US);
Tropicana Products, Inc., Bradenton, FL (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for unloading a pallet stacked with inverted, bottom-open cases of bottles to be filled. The loaded pallet is placed on a pivotable support frame which embraces the top, bottom, and one or three sides of the loaded pallet, and the support frame and pallet are rotated through approximately ninety degrees. A hinged, fingered, platform on the pivotable support frame that embraces the top layer of cases of the pallet load is next rotated together with that layer through another 90.degree. arc, transferring the case to a succeeding hinged, fingered platform which, in turn, rotates the layer another 180.degree. (back to its original orientation). The transposed layer is then pushed onto a conveyor, the covering cartons removed, and the bottles conveyed to a filling machine. The fingered platforms return for another layer, repeating the cycle until all of the cases have been removed from the pallet. The empty pallet is ejected and stacked or removed and the pivotable support frame returns to the original position to accept another full pallet load of cases.