Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to dispensing and
storage devices for empty pallets.
The handling of empty pallets has been largely a matter
of manual labor in warehouses where empty pallets are stored
in stacks and then distributed on a single or small number
basis. In that situation, the worker needing a pallet must
remove the palle-t from the stack, and if using a pallet
trucX, the worker must deposit it on the floor to pick it up
on the forks of the truck. Therefore, a worker with a
riding pallet truck must dismount the truck, pull a pallet
from the pallet stack and place it on the floor, remount the
truck and collect the pallet. of course, the pallets must
not be stacked higher than the worker can safely reach.
Previous attempts of pallet handling have been directed to
the dispensing of pallets to a conveyor operation or to the
loading of pallets. Some devices dispense individual
pallets from a stack with star wheels, pawls, spoke wheels,
or forks, as control devices. Each of these dispensing
mechanisms requires heavy duty specially machined parts,
precision control of dispensing rotation, as well as a
~roperly aligned stack of pallets. The alignment of the
stack typically presents a problem because pallets are not
precisioned manufactured parts, they are handled roughly in
day-to-day use, and are made of serviceable, if not
polished, materials.` In order to be properly dispensed, the
alignment of the stack must be obtained. Alignment and
~2~
dispensing oE pallets frequently has required the use of
complicated and expensive machinery requiring carefully and
fre~uent calibration and maintenance. Fre~uently automation
is involved with such machinery, thus adding to the expense,
complexity and skill needed to operate and maintain the
machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVE~TION
The present invention provides a pallet stacking bin
which provides general alignment of pallets upon their entry
into the bin. The invention also provides selective control
of pallets to be dispensed rom the bin, as well as an
optional discharge mechanism for ejectment of a pallet from
the bin area. A stack straightening mechanism is provided
to assist in effective dispensing of the lower most pallet
of the stack. An open sided el.ongated housing is provided
equipped with a flared housing opening. The housing is
large enough to receive a vertical stack of pallets in
approximate alignment, carried by a forklift truck.
Resilient wheels in sets are provided in the opposing
sidewalls of the housing. Said wheels are mounted
vertically and are selectively rotated in concert, toward
the bottom of the housing. The common axle of each set of
wheels is equipped with a plurality of non-circular plates,
the corners of which engage pivoted bars during portions of
the rotation of the axle. The engagement of the pivoted
bars by the corners of the non-circular plates effectuates
the encroachment of said bars into the pallet containing
space of the housing. Said bars are fixed to the sidewalls
of t~e housing ~t the upper ends ~f said bars with the l~wer
ends of said bars free to move from a position essentially
coplanar with the sidewall to a posi-tion within the housing.
An optional ram is provided at the bottom rear of the
housing which at rest ls retracted outside of the pallet
containing portion of the housing. The ram may be
selectively operated to deliver a pallet resting on ~he
floor of the housing from the open side of the housing and,
if desired, onto the fork of a pallet truck.
It is an objective of the invention to provide an
automatic pallet handling device which selectively dispenses
si.ngle pallet~ from a large stack.
It is a further objective of the invention to provide a
pallet storage housing which will receive pallets in stacks
that are not in good alignment.
Xt is a ~urther objective of the invention to provide a
pallet dispensing storage apparatus which will automatically
align pallets remaining in the stack upon the dispensing of
a pallet,
It is a further ob~ective of the invention to provide a
pallet dispensing mechanism which delivers a pallet onto the
fork of a waiting pallet truck.~
It is a further objective o~ the invention to provide
apparatus to allow a pallet truck operator to obtain a
single pallet from a tall stack and load it onto the forks
01 of the operator's pallet truck without leaving the
02 pallet truck.
03 It is a further objective of the invention
04 to provide a pallet dispensing apparatus which may be
05 operated by a single, simple control.
06 It is a further objective of the invention
07 to provide a pallet dispensing apparatus available at
08 low cost with low maintenance costs and repairable
09 with readily available materials and parts.
It is a further objective of the invention
11 to provide a pallet handling apparatus having
12 simplicity of design which is economical in
13 installation and operation, which may be easily
14 incorporated in an existing warehousing operation,
which does not require substantial additional training
16 for the employees of the warehouse and which is
17 compact and economical in space consumption.
18 In general, according to the present
19 invention there is provided apparatus for dispensing
pallets, comprising a housing capable of holding
21 pallets in a vertical stack, openings being provided
22 in the housing to receive and discharge the pallets,
23 and the opening to receive the pallets being provided
24 with guides fastened thereto for aligning the stack of
pallets, the housing comprising a pair of
26 substantially parallel, vertically arranged sidewalls,
27 the substantially parallel sidewalls spaced apart a
28 distance sufficient to pass a pallet between the
29 sidewalls, the sidewalls having a plurality of wheels
mounted therewithin, each of the wheels having a hub
31 and an outer circumferential surface, the wheels
32 having substantially equal diameters, the wheels
33 mounted vertically to the sidewalls in opposing
34 fashion such that the circumferential surfaces of the
wheels protrude into the housing, the wheels mounted
36 to the sidewall such that the distance between the
37 protrudi~g circumferential surfaces of the opposing
38 wheels is less than the width of a pallet to be
39 _ ~ _
t
01 dispensed, the wheels being sufficiently unyielding to
02 resist deflection when the ver-tical stack of pallets
03 rests upon the circumferential surfaces of the wheels,
04 the wheels being selectively, incrementally,
05 rotatable, the wheels are driven in ganged fashion,
06 the wheels on one of the sidewalls rotate in opposing
07 direction to ~he rotation of the wheels on the other
08 of the sidewalls, the wheels being sufficiently
09 radially deflectable to pass a pallet between opposing
wheels when the wheels are driven, a motor to
11 selectively drive the wheels, a swi-tch to selectively
12 engage the motor to incrementally rotate the wheels.
13 According to a first alternative
14 embodiment of the present invention, there is provided
apparatus for storing pallets in a vertical stack and
16 dispensing single pallets from the bottom of the
17 stack, the invention comprising: an elongated
18 vertical housing, the housing having a pair of
19 sidewalls and a rear wall, the sidewalls substantially
parallel and spaced apart a fixed distance, the
21 sidewalls have outwardly directed extensions upon the
22 edges of the sidewalls opposite the rear wall, a pair
23 of axles mounted to the exterior of the housing, one
24 of the axles mounted to each of the parallel
sidewalls, transversely, along the length of the
26 sidewalls, one or more openings in each of the
27 sidewalls, adjacent the axle mounted to the sidewall,
28 a plurality of wheels moun-ted and fixed at the hubs
29 thereof upon each of the axles, a portion of each of
the wheels protruding through the openings in the
31 sidewalls, the axles ganged together and cooperatively
32 driven, the axles being driven in opposing directions,
33 the wheels on one axle oppose the wheels on the second
34 axle, the wheels having outer circumferences thereon,
the outer circumferences engaging the lower edges of
36 the stack of pallets, the wheels having resilient
37 surfaces which are deflectable in a radial direction
38 when pallets pass between the wheels, the wheels being
39 - 4a ~
01 selectively, incrementally driven, a motor for
02 selectivel~ driving the axles, a switch for
03 selectively engaging the motor to incrementally rotate
04 the wheels.
05 According to a second alternative
06 embodiment of the presen-t invention, there is provided
07 apparatus for storing and selectively dispensing
08 pallets upon demand of a pallet truck operator, the
09 invention comprising: a vertically disposed housing
capable of containing a stack of generally aligned,
11 horizontally positioned pallets, the housing having
12 opposing sidewalls with an opening therebetween for
13 receiving the stack of pallets and for discharging the
14 pallets, the sidewalls ha~ing outwardly angled
extensions adjacent to the opening, the extensions
16 being sufficiently non-deflectable to force misaligned
17 pallets in a stack of pallets into general alignment,
18 each of the sidewalls having an axle transversely
19 fixed to the exterior thereof along the ver-tical
length of the sidewall, each of the sidewalls having
21 openings therein adjacent the axle, each of the
22 sidewalls having a plurality of wheels disposed
23 vertically in the openings of the sidewalls and being
24 Eixed upon the axle, each of the wheels extending a
substantially equal diametric distance into the
26 interior of the housing, each of the plurality of
27 wheels having a resilient surface on the circumference
28 thereof, the pluralities of wheels on the sidewalls
29 being opposingly arranged, the resilient surfaces of
opposing wheels being spaced apart a distance less
31 than the width of a pallet, the resilient surfaces
32 being deflectable by a pallet being forcibly passed
33 between the wheels in the sidewalls when the wheels
34 are rotated, each of the plurality of wheels
comprising a pair of wheels and a third wheel spaced
36 apart from the pair of wheels, a plurality of planar,
37 generally square cams mounted upon each of the axles
38 and fixed thereto in substan~ially identical
- 4b -
01 orientation, each of the sidewalls having a pair of
02 generally narrow cam receiving vertical openings
03 therein, the narrow vertical openings being generally
04 aligned with the planes of the cams, a pivoting bar
05 member pivotally movable within each of the narrow
06 vertical openings, the cams selectively engaging the
07 pivoting bar members as the axles are rotated, the bar
08 members being biased to return to substantially
09 vertical alignment when not engaged by the cams, the
pivoting bar members being urged inwardly into the
11 housing upon the engagement of the cams with the bar
12 members, the bar members engaging the sides of a
13 pallet positioned above the wheels to center the
14 pallet within the housing, a motor for incrementally
driving the axles simultaneously in opposing
16 rotations, the wheels rotating with the axles such
17 that the resilient surfaces thereof rotate downwardly
18 within the housing, a switch to selectively energize
19 the motor, the switch being accessible to the operator
of a pallet truck without departure from the pallet
21 truck.
22 According to a third alternative
23 embodiment of the present invention, there is provided
24 apparatus Eor dispensing pallets, comprising: a
housing capable of holding pallets in a vertical
26 stack, the housing comprising a pair of substantially
27 parallel, vertically arranged sidewalls, the
28 substantially parallel sidewalls spaced apart a
29 distance s~ficient to pass a pallet between the
sidewalls, the sidewalls having a plurality of wheels
31 mounted therewithin, each of the wheels having a hub
32 and an outer circumferential surface, the wheels
33 having substantially equal diameters, the wheels
34 mounted vertically to the sidewalls in opposing
fashion such that the circumferential surfaces o the
36 wheels protrude into the housing, the wheels mounted
37 to the sidewall such that the distance between the
38 protruding circumferential suraces of the opposing
39 - 4c
01 wheels is less than the width of a pallet to be
02 dispensed, -the wheels being sufficiently unyielding to
03 resist deflection when the ver-tical stack of pallets
04 rests upon the circumferential surfaces of the wheels,
05 the wheels being selectively, incrementally,
06 rotatable, the wheels are driven in ganged fashion,
07 the wheels on one oE the sidewalls rotate in opposing
08 direction to the rotation of the wheels on the other
09 of the sidewalls, the wheels being sufficiently
radially deflectable to pass a pallet between opposing
11 wheels when the wheels are driven, a motor to
12 selectively drive the wheels, a switch to selectively
13 engage the motor to incrementally rotate the wheels, a
14 plurality of bar members is pivotally attached to the
sidewalls, the bar members are substantially
16 vertically positioned, the bar members are attached to
17 the sidewalls in opposing fashion, the bar members are
18 pivotable such that the free ends of the bar members
19 are introduceable into the housing, the bar members
are selectively, cooperatively introduced into the
21 housing, the bar members engage the sides of the
22 pallets resting upon the wheels, the bar members
23 engage the resting pallets when introduced into the
24 housing thereby urging the resting pallets into
generally centered position over the wheels,
26 cam elements rotatingly cooperate with the wheels, a
27 cam element is provided for each of the bar members,
28 the cam elements selectively engage the bar members,
29 the engagement of the cam elements with the bar
members urges the bar members into the housing.
31 According to a fourth alternative
32 embodiment of the present invention, there is provided
33 apparatus for dispensing pallets, comprising: a
34 housing capable of holding pallets in a vertical
stack, the housing comprising a pair o-E substantially
36 parallel, vertically arranged sidewalls, the
37 substantially parallel sidewalls spaced apart a
38 distance sufficient to pass a pallet between the
39 - 4d -
13
01 sidewalls, the sidewalls having a plurality of wheels
02 mounted therewithin, each of the wheels having a hub
03 and an outer circumferential surface, the wheels
04 having substantially equal diameters, the wheels
05 mounted vertically to the sidewalls in opposing
06 fashion such that the circum-ferential surfaces of the
07 wheels protrude into the housing, the wheels mounted
08 to the sidewall such that the distance between the
09 protruding circumferential surfaces of the opposing
wheels is less than the width of a pallet to be
11 dispensed, the wheels being sufficiently unyielding to
12 resist deflection when the vertical stack of pallets
13 rests upon the circumferential surfaces of the wheels,
14 the wheels being selectively, incrementally,
rotatable, the wheels are driven in ganged fashion,
16 the wheels on one of the sidewalls rotate in opposing
17 direction to the rotation of the wheels on the other
18 of the sidewalls, the wheels being su-fficiently
19 radially deElectable to pass a pallet between opposing
wheels when the wheels are driven, a motor to
21 selectively drive the wheels, a switch to selectively
22 engage the motor to incrementally rotate the wheels,
23 openings in the housing are provided to receive and
24 discharge the pallets, the receiving opening comprises
the opening between the sidewalls, the sidewalls have
26 outwardly angled extensions thereon adjacent to the
27 pallet receiving opening, the wheels are incrementally
28 rotatable in approximately 45 degree increments of
29 rotation, each oE the pluralities of wheels mounted to
the sidewalls comprises a pair of wheels positioned
31 apart a distance slightly less than the depth of a
32 pallet and a third wheel positioned adjacent to one of
33 the pair of wheels, the plurality of wheels on one of
34 the sidewalls mirroring the plurality of wheels on the
opposing sidewall, a plurality of bar members is
36 pivotally attached to the sidewalls, the bar members
37 are substantially vertically positioned, the bar
38 members are attached to the sidewalls in opposing
39 - 4e -
~'~
,~
?J~
01 fashion, the bar members are pivotable such that the
02 free ends of the bar members are introduceable into
03 the housing, the bar members are selectively,
04 cooperatively introduced into the housing, the bar
05 members engage the sides of the pallets resting upon
06 the wheels, the bar members engage the resting pallets
07 when introduced into the housing thereby urging the
08 resting pallets into generally centered position over
09 the wheels, cam elements rotatingly cooperate with the
wheels, a cam element is provided for each of the bar
11 members, the cam elements selectively engage -the bar
12 members, the engagement of the cam elements with the
13 bar members urges the bar members into the housing.
14 These objectives and others will become
readily apparent from the ensuing description of the
16 invention.
17 DESCRIPTION OF TE~E DRAWINGS
18 Figure 1 is a perspec~ive view of the
19 invention showing the anticipated position of a pallet
ready to be collected from the invention.
21 Figure 2 is a front elevation of the
22 invention, partially cut away, showing the position of
23 initially loaded pallets and showing the straightening
24 bars in their straightening position.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the
26 invention,
27
28
29
31
32
33
34
36
37
38
39 - 4f -
partially cut away, showing pallets in the normal loading
state with the straightening'bars in relaxed position.
Figure 4 is a right side view par-tially in section
showing the pallet discharge mechanism and the pallet
handling truck available to collect the discharged pallet.
Figure 5 is a rear view showing the driving mechanism
of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVE~TION
Figure 1 discloses the preferred embodiment of the
invention 2 in a perspective view. Housing 10 is a vertical
enclosure with an opening provided to receive pallets. In
the preferred embodiment, the opening is provided in housing
10 by excluding one wall. Housing 10 is generally
symmetrical. Opposing sidewalls 12 and 14 join rear
sidewall 16 at corners 18 and 20 respectively. Support 22
is provided to st.abilize sidewalls 12 and 14. Cover 11
rests atop sidewalls 12 and 14, and atop rear sidewall 16.
Opening 24 is sufficiently large so that housing 10 may
receive pallets, or stacks thereof, in horiæontally arranged
fashion. Sidewalls 12 and 14 are equipped with guides 26
and 28 respectively, at opening 24. Guides 26 and 28
comprise angled extensions of sidewalls 12 and 14
respectively, and serve to generally align a stack of
pallets being inserted into housing 10. Rails 38 and 40 are
fixed to sidewall 14. Bar 34 i~ attached to rails 38 and 40
by pin 42. Bar 34 is allowed to pivot around pin 42 and is
forced to pivot toward the interior of housing 10 upon
engagement of cam 44 therewith. Bars 30 and 32 are mounted
and operated with respect to sidewall 12 in a simi~ar
fashion to bars 34 and 36. In Figure 1, bars 30, 32, 34 and
36 are shown disposed toward the interior of housing 10 due
to the positions of cam 44 and similar cams which cannot be
seen on this view. Wheels 50, 52 and 54 are selectively
driven in a counter-clockwise direction while wheels 51, 53
and 55 are driven in a clockwise direction, cooperatively
with whe~l~ 50, 52 and 54. Wheel3 51, 53, 55, 50, 52 and 54
are all ~ubstantially deflectable and resilien~ at their
outer surface~, and as shown, comprise rubber or neopren~
tires mounted on rigid rims.
Cam 44 is fixed to axle 46 which passes ~hrough wheels
50, 52 and 54, and is retained to housing 10 by bracket 47.
Axle 46 iB fixad to wheels 50, 52 and 54, at their centers,
and rotates wheel~ 50, 52 and 54 with cam 44, and is driven
by motor 56. ~he arrangement of this drive is discussed
below in connection with Figure 5.
Bar 36 is pivotally attached to rails 39 and 41 at pin
43 and thereore to sidewall 14, in similar arrangement to
the attach~ent o~ bar 34 to sidewall 14. A second cam
. , .
~ub~tantially identical to cam 4~ is provided on the por~ion
of axle 46 at the oppo~ing end of wheels 50, 52 and 54, to
engage bar 36 when rotated. Frame 58 is mounted to sidewall
14 and adjoins rails 40 and 39, and is provided for
attachment to shield 60 (shown partially cut away) thereto.
.
Shield 60 is provided to protec-t operators ana bystanders
from contact with moving parts.
A pallet 62 is shown in dashed lines, resting on b~se
64 of invention 2, in position to be thrus-t from housing 10
by ram 66. Ram 66 retracts into ram enclosure 68 when not
actuated. Motor 5~ is mounted upon gear box 70 adjacent
drive shield 72. Control unit 74 receives signals through
signal transmission line 76 from switch box 78. Switch 80
is provided for actuation of motor 56 while switch 82 is
provided to actuate ram 66. The location o~ switches 80 and
82 is not critical to operation of invention 2, and in use,
switches 80 and 82 will be conveniently located for the
expected user.
Figures 2 and 3 depict the details of the i~vention 2.
Figure 2 depicts the invention 2 at rest following insertion
of pallets 62 therewithin. Figure 3 shows the invention 2
after one pallet 62a has been dropped to base 64. Referring
-to both Figures 2 and 3, guide 28 of sidewall 14 is
partially cut away to reveal the detail of cam 44, bracket
47, axle 46, bearing 88 and wheel 50. Bracket 47 retains
bearing 88 through which passes axle 46. Cam 44 is fixed to
axle 46, as is wheel 50 such that the angular rotation of
cam 44 is equal to the angular rotation of wheel 50 at all
times. Bar 34 is retained to sidewall 14 at pin 42 and may
pivot toward the interior of housin~ 10. Similarly, bar 30
is retained to sidewall 12 by pin 142 and may pivot toward
the interior of housing 10, in diametrically opposed fashion
to bar 34. Also associated with sidewall 12 is whee~ 51
which rotates with axle 146 and with cam 45 which is fixed
to axle 146. Axle 146 passes through bearing 188 and
bracket 147 which is mounted to sidewall 12. Wheels 50 and
51 are operated in concert, in opposing directions of
rotation. Wheel 51 rotates clockwise as viewed from ~he
front of invention 2, and as shown by the direction of arrow
~, while wheel 50 rotates counter-clockwise as shown by
arrow A. Motor 56 and gear box 70 are mounted to housing 10
toward the rear of said housing 10. Referring now
particularly to Flgure 2, lowermost pallet 62a rests at its
lower corners 84 and 85 on wheels 51 and 50. Cam 44 engages
bar 34 at high point 90 of,cam 44. ~ikewise, cam 45 engages
bar 30. Bars 30 and 34 engage pallet 62a and 62b to effect
a centering tendency for pallets 62a and 62b within housing
10, and therefore bars 30 and 34 serve to align pallets 62b
over pallet 62a. Such alignment of pallets 62a and 62b
serve~ to enhance the operation of wheels 50 and 51 and
selectively dropping pallets to ~he base of housing 10. In
Figure 2, ram 66 can be reces~ed into opening 166 of rear
sidewall 16.
Now referring to Figure 3, pallet 62a has been
delivered to the base 64 of invention 2 adjacent ram 66
which is recessed into opening 166 of sidewall 16. Wheels
51 and 50 have each been rotated forty-five degrees such
that high point 90 of cam 44 no longer engages bar 34 and
~ar 34 rests in position recessed into sidewall 14 and is
,
substantially parallel therewith. Pallet 62a has been
passed between wheels 51 and So before being releas~d from
the frictional grip of wheels 50 and 51 and dropping to base
64. Pallet 62b is held by frictional contact with wheels 50
and 51. Wheels 50 and 51 are each deflected due to the
location of pallet 62b therebetween.
Figure 4 illustrates use of the ram 66 as part of the
operation of invention 2. Ram 66 i5 driven by arm 102 from
ram ~nclosure 68. Arm 102 xeciprocates within compression
cylinder 104 upon operator ~election. Spring means may be
employed to retract arm 102 into cylinder 104. In this
Figure 4, ram 66 has been actuated to discharge pallet 162b
from housing 10. Pallet 162b in turn has pushed pallet 16~a
toward pallet truck 106. Ram 66 may be maintained in its
actuated position while pallet truck 106 is operated in
direction of arrow C to insert forks 108 of pallet truck 106
into pallets 162a and 162b. An operator of pallet truck 106
may remain on seat 110 of pallet truck 106, retaining
control of tonyue 112 while pallets 162a and 162b are
delivered by invention 2 for collection by pallet truck 106.
Guide 28 of sidewall 14 of housing 10 can be viewed in
Figure 4. Shield 60 i5 mounted to sidewall 14 to cover
moving parts. Motor 56 is shown mounted atop gear box 70.
Drive gear 120 depends from gear box 70 and is covered by
drive shield 72. Fluid coupling 122 receives working fluid
and redirect~ it through hoses 124 and 125 to fi~ting mount
126 of compression cylinder 104. In the preferred
embodiment, the working fluid employed is compressed air
which is chosen for its rapid transfer capabilities.
Figure 5 discloses details of the rear drive area of
the invention 2. Motor 56 drives drive gear 120 which is
interconnected to first sprocket 130 and second sprocket 132
by continuous chain 134. Due to the arrangements of chain
134, first sprocket 130 is driven in opposing direction to
that of second sprocket 132. First sprocket 130 is fixed to
axle 46 while second sprocket 132 is fixed to axle 146.
Idler 136 is provided to tension chain 134. Fluid coupling
122 is mounted to drive shield 72. Fittings 138 and 140 are
mounted to fitting mount 126 of compression cylinder 104.
OPERATION OF THE INVENTION
In typical operation of invention 2, a stack of pallets
is collected by the forks of a forklift truck and raised to
a level above wheels 51, 53, 55, 50, 52 and 54 (as shown in
Figure 1) and inserted into opening 24 of housing 10 and
allowed to come to rest upon the upper portions of wheels
50, 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55. Upon ope.rator control, motor 56
is briefly operated to drive chain 134 and thus rotate first
sprocket 130 and second sprocket 132, as shown in Figure 5.
Because first sprocket 130 is mounted to axle 46 which
passes through and is fixed to wheels 50, 52 and 54 and cam
44, the actuation of motor 56 causes counter-clockwise
rotation of wheels 50, 52 and 54 when viewed from opening
24. Simultaneously, chain 134 rotates sprocket 132 which is
mounted to axle 146. Because axle 146 passes through and is
mounted to wheels 51, 53 and 55, the actuation of motor 56
causes wheels 51, 53 and 55 to rotate in a clockwise
direction when viewed from opening 24. The cooperative
ro-tation centrally and downward of wheels 50, 51 52, 53, 54
and 55, causes pallets 62 to pass between said wheels,
deflecting them and holding pallets 62 in position until
they are released from the frictional grasp of wheels 50,
51, 52, 53, 54 and 55 upon sufficient rotation thereof.
Durin~ the rotation of wheels 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55,
bars 30, 32, 34 and 36 are forced outwardly at their lower
ends due to the cam action of cams 44 and 45, and like cams
on the opposing end of axle 46 and 146. These inward
movements of bars 30, 32, 34 and 36 effect centering forces
on pallets 62 such that t~ey become aligned in a stacX as
they approach their engagement by wheels 50, 51, 52, 53, 54
and 55.
Once a pallet 62 has been delivered to the base 64 of
invention 2, it may be selectively delivered from housing 10
by ram 66, upon the selection of the operator of invention
2. A pallet truck operator may actuate wheels 50, 51, 52,
53, 54 and 55 to deliver a pallet to the base of invention 2
and may then actuate ram 66 to force the pallet out of
housing 10 and onto the forks of the operator's pallet
truck. Such activity can be accomplished in a serial
fashion until sufficient pallets are delivered by ram 66
from housing 10.
