Abstract: A pallet repair and inspection system includes pallet destacking apparatus for automatically dispensing pallets from stack of vertical pallets one at a time and discharging the pallets onto an inspection table. The destacking apparatus includes a vertically reciprocating table onto which the stack of pallets is driven and horizontally reciprocating forks which are operated to suspend all but the lowermost pallet as the table is successively lowered and raised between a pallet discharge height and a pallet pick-up height, to discharge the pallets into the inspection table one at a time. The top of the inspection table is foldable to define a cradle for one end of the pallet, orienting the pallet generally vertically, allowing inspection of its top and bottom surfaces.

Abstract: A powered pallet repair tool for severing a fastener which fastens a deck board to a stringer of a pallet has a pair of cutting blades which are offset laterally relative to the axis of linearly reciprocating drive members which support the blades spaced apart sufficiently to straddle the stringer to facilitate locating the blades at the cutting line where the boards are fastened together. The cutting blades are driven into engagement during a cutting operation. The blades each have a bevelled surface leading away from the cutting edge to facilitate prying the deck board away from the stringer during a cutting cycle.

Abstract: The apparatus receives wooden pallets horizontally with the pallets moving in a direction parallel to the stringers and forms a vertical stack by depositing a partial stack of pallets on each new pallet and lifting all of the pallets to receive a new one. The apparatus is adjustable for pallet sizes over a wide range.

Abstract: A cradle is mounted on a frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis between a start position and a discharge position. In the start position the pallet stringers are placed in the cradle and supported by upright guides including transverse, spaced guide bars. The stringers are clamped longitudinally. A first set of deck boards is placed across the stringers and fastened to them. The cradle is unlocked and rotated to the discharge position to thereby turn the partial pallet over. The other set of deck boards is then placed between longitudinal guide bars that had supported the stringers, and these deck boards are fastened to the stringers. The clamp is released, and the completed pallet falls under gravity free of the cradle which is then turned back to the start position for a new pallet.