Abstract: A conveyor includes a platform that has an upper surface with a plurality of holes in fluid communication with at least one air passage inside the platform. The conveyor includes a belt having an upper run supported by the upper surface of the platform and a lower run extending beneath the first platform, and the belt has a plurality of through openings overlying the holes such that pressurized air exiting the at least one air passage through the holes passes through the through openings in the belt. The conveyor includes a belt driven by a drive and a blower in fluid communication with the at least one air passage that is configured to blow air into the at least one air passage to maintain a pressure in the at least one air passage at a level above an ambient atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A load forming system includes a feed conveyor, a load former, a transfer platform and a shifter having a contact body and an actuator for moving the contact body toward and away from the load former to shift objects from the transfer platform onto the load former. The shifter has an enabled state in which the actuator can move the contact body, and a disabled state in which movement of the contact body is prevented. The transfer platform includes a first section and a second section hingedly connected to the first section. In an automated configuration the second section is raised and the shifter is enabled and a guard is mounted at the second edge of the second section, and in a worker-assisted configuration the second section is lowered and the shifter is disabled.

Abstract: A conveyor includes a platform that has an upper surface with a plurality of holes in fluid communication with at least one air passage inside the platform. The conveyor includes a belt having an upper run supported by the upper surface of the platform and a lower run extending beneath the first platform, and the belt has a plurality of through openings overlying the holes such that pressurized air exiting the at least one air passage through the holes passes through the through openings in the belt. The conveyor includes a belt driven by a drive and a blower in fluid communication with the at least one air passage that is configured to blow air into the at least one air passage to maintain a pressure in the at least one air passage at a level above an ambient atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A load former includes a frame, a loading zone and a horizontal cookie sheet supported by the frame and having a support portion shiftable between a first position in which the support portion is located on a first side of the vertical wall and forms a floor of the loading zone and a second position in which the first portion is located in a holding space on the second side of the vertical wall. A platform is located beneath the loading zone on a lift table. At least one cobot is supported by the frame or mounted in a fixed position relative to the frame and configured to lift a pallet and/or an auxiliary sheet of material and place it in at least one predetermined location on the load former or on at least one object supported by the load former. Also a method of operating the load former.

Abstract: A load forming system includes a feed conveyor, a load former, a transfer platform and a shifter having a contact body and an actuator for moving the contact body toward and away from the load former to shift objects from the transfer platform onto the load former. The shifter has an enabled state in which the actuator can move the contact body, and a disabled state in which movement of the contact body is prevented. The transfer platform includes a first section and a second section hingedly connected to the first section. In an automated configuration the second section is raised and the shifter is enabled and a guard is mounted at the second edge of the second section, and in a worker-assisted configuration the second section is lowered and the shifter is disabled.

Abstract: A method includes defining a configuration of physical bundles on a physical support surface, providing a bundle computer model of at least one of the physical bundles and providing a conveyor computer model of a physical conveyor. The physical conveyor is a conveyor configured to carry the physical bundles from an upstream end of the physical conveyor to a downstream end and to deposit the physical bundles on the physical support surface. The physical conveyor includes a controller and at least one adjustment section configured to adjust a position and/or orientation of the physical bundles. Also using a processor running the conveyor computer model to automatically determine from the conveyor computer model and the bundle computer model a control data set including instructions for causing the controller to operate the physical conveyor to produce the configuration of the given number of the physical bundles on the physical support surface.

Abstract: An auxiliary platen assembly configured to be mounted to a primary platen assembly of a bundle breaker includes an auxiliary platen having an upper surface configured to be frictionally engaged by a contact surface of a primary platen and having a lower surface configured to press against a top of a bundle when the auxiliary platen assembly is mounted to the primary platen assembly. First and second walls overlie first and second upper edge regions of the auxiliary platen. At least one first connector connects the first wall to the first edge region of the auxiliary platen in a manner that allows movement of the auxiliary platen toward and away from the first wall, and at least one second connector connects the second wall to the second edge region of the auxiliary platen in a manner that allows movement of the auxiliary platen toward and away from the second wall.

Abstract: A bundle breaker has downstream and upstream breaking supports, first and second platens located over the respective breaking supports and first and second actuators to move the platens to selectively clamp portions of a log against the breaking supports. A third actuator shifts the downstream breaking support relative to the upstream breaking support from a first position to a second position to break a bundle from the log. A scrap chute is mounted below a junction of the upstream and downstream breaking support to catch scrap material falling between the upstream support and the downstream breaking support. Each time the downstream breaking conveyor is shifted to the second position, scrap in the chute is jolted and is shifted toward a discharge opening of the scrap chute and, optionally, into a scrap drawer.

Abstract: A bundle breaker including first and second platen assemblies mounted above upstream and downstream breaking supports with first and second actuators for moving the platen assemblies toward and away from the breaking supports and a third actuator for moving the downstream breaking support to perform a breaking operation. The first platen assembly and/or the second platen assembly each includes an upper platen assembly and a lower platen assembly supported by the upper platen assembly, the upper platen assembly including an upper platen and a support for the upper platen and the lower platen assembly including a lower platen supported for movement relative to the upper platen in the vertical direction and relative to the upper platen in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A lockout device for selectively blocking linear movement of a movable frame member relative to a fixed frame member includes a lock tab pivotably mountable to the fixed frame member and having a contact surface configured to slidably engage a slide surface of the movable frame member when the lock tab has a first orientation, the movable frame member including a stop surface at one end of the slide surface, a holder for releasably holding the lock tab in a second orientation with the contact surface spaced from the slide surface, and a body mountable to the movable frame member and configured such that movement of the movable frame member in a first direction causes the body pivot the lock tab into the second orientation and movement of the movable member in a second direction causes the body to pivot the lock tab into the first orientation.

Abstract: A bundle breaker has upstream and downstream breaking supports and first and second platens located above the breaking supports that are configured to be raised and lowered by actuators to selectively clamp a log between the platens and the breaking supports. A third actuator applies a shifting force to the downstream breaking support to shift an input end of the downstream breaking support relative to an output end of the upstream breaking support to break a second portion of the log from a first portion of the log. A controller controls the first actuator and the second actuator and the third actuator. Also, the controller is configured to stop or reduce the application of the shifting force in response to a determination that the second portion of the log has broken off the first portion of the log.

Abstract: A bundle breaker has upstream and downstream breaking supports and first and second platens located above the breaking supports that are configured to be raised and lowered by actuators to selectively clamp a log between the platens and the breaking supports. A third actuator applies a shifting force to the downstream breaking support to shift an input end of the downstream breaking support relative to an output end of the upstream breaking support to break a second portion of the log from a first portion of the log. A controller controls the first actuator and the second actuator and the third actuator. Also, the controller is configured to stop or reduce the application of the shifting force in response to a determination that the second portion of the log has broken off the first portion of the log.

Abstract: A load former includes a frame, a loading zone bounded on a first end by a stop wall having a stop surface lying in a plane and a rear wall at a rear side of the frame, and a cookie sheet slidably supported by the frame for travel along a path perpendicular to the plane. The path includes portions on first and second sides of the plane, and a portion of the cookie sheet in the second portion of the path defines a bottom of the loading zone. A platform extends over the first portion of the path, and a top wall is vertically spaced from the platform to define a storage space between the top wall and the platform. The storage space has a front opening so that it is accessible from the front of the load former.

Abstract: A bundle breaker has downstream and upstream breaking supports, first and second platens located over the respective breaking supports and first and second actuators to move the platens to selectively clamp portions of a log against the breaking supports. A third actuator shifts the downstream breaking support relative to the upstream breaking support from a first position to a second position to break a bundle from the log. A scrap chute is mounted below a junction of the upstream and downstream breaking support to catch scrap material falling between the upstream support and the downstream breaking support. Each time the downstream breaking conveyor is shifted to the second position, scrap in the chute is jolted and is shifted toward a discharge opening of the scrap chute and, optionally, into a scrap drawer.

Abstract: A bundle breaker includes first and second platens located above upstream and downstream breaking supports and first and second actuators configured to move the platens to selectively clamp logs between the platens and the breaking supports. A third actuator moves the second breaking support relative to the first breaking support to break bundles off the log. A foam sheet is attached to the bottom of each of the first and second platens and is configured to be compressed when the logs are clamped. The bottom surfaces of the foam sheets are preferably at least partially coated with an elastomeric coating or at least partially covered by an elastomeric sheet.

Abstract: A load former includes a frame, a loading zone bounded on a first end by a stop wall having a stop surface lying in a plane and a rear wall at a rear side of the frame, and a cookie sheet slidably supported by the frame for travel along a path perpendicular to the plane. The path includes portions on first and second sides of the plane, and a portion of the cookie sheet in the second portion of the path defines a bottom of the loading zone. A platform extends over the first portion of the path, and a top wall is vertically spaced from the platform to define a storage space between the top wall and the platform. The storage space has a front opening so that it is accessible from the front of the load former.

Abstract: A bundle breaker includes upstream and downstream breaking supports, platens over the breaking supports and actuators for moving the platens toward and away from the breaking supports. Each of the platens includes a plurality of air bladders each having a bottom contact surface facing one of the breaking supports. The actuators move the platens to selectively clamp a log between the bottom contact surfaces of the air bladders and the breaking supports. A third actuator shifts an input end of the downstream breaking support relative to an output end of the upstream breaking support from a first position to a second position to break a first portion of the log from a second portion of the log.

Abstract: A lockout device for selectively blocking linear movement of a movable frame member relative to a fixed frame member includes a lock tab pivotably mountable to the fixed frame member and having a contact surface configured to slidably engage a slide surface of the movable frame member when the lock tab has a first orientation, the movable frame member including a stop surface at one end of the slide surface, a holder for releasably holding the lock tab in a second orientation with the contact surface spaced from the slide surface, and a body mountable to the movable frame member and configured such that movement of the movable frame member in a first direction causes the body pivot the lock tab into the second orientation and movement of the movable member in a second direction causes the body to pivot the lock tab into the first orientation.

Abstract: A bundle breaker including first and second platen assemblies mounted above upstream and downstream breaking supports with first and second actuators for moving the platen assemblies toward and away from the breaking supports and a third actuator for moving the downstream breaking support to perform a breaking operation. The first platen assembly and/or the second platen assembly each includes an upper platen assembly and a lower platen assembly supported by the upper platen assembly, the upper platen assembly including an upper platen and a support for the upper platen and the lower platen assembly including a lower platen supported for movement relative to the upper platen in the vertical direction and relative to the upper platen in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A bundle breaker has upstream and downstream breaking supports each having an input end and an output end. A first platen is located above the upstream breaking support, and a second platen is located above the downstream breaking support, and each platen has an actuator for moving the respective platen toward and away from the breaking supports to selectively clamp a log between the platens and the breaking supports. A third actuator is configured to apply a shifting force to the downstream breaking support to shift the input end of the downstream breaking support relative to the output end of the upstream breaking support from a first position toward a second position to break the second portion of the log from the first portion of the log. The first actuator and/or the second actuator and/or the third actuator includes at least one servo motor.