Abstract: A portable cooling unit is disclosed for cooling perishable items such as strawberries at a worksite such as a field where the strawberries are harvested. The cooling unit includes a conveyor trailer for receiving pallets of perishable items and conveying the pallets through a number of cooling chambers within the conveyor trailer. The cooling unit further includes a refrigeration trailer for supplying independent cold air flow paths to the different cooling chambers of the conveyor trailer. The conveyor and refrigeration trailers may operate as a self-sustained cooling unit, without any external connections to power or working fluid.

Abstract: A transition dock is disclosed allowing palletized product to be loaded into transport conveyors at a worksite. The product may be produce and the worksite may be a field where the produce is harvested. Where operating at a field where produce is harvested, the loading dock facilitates loading of the produce into a reefer to begin the cold chain at the field.

Abstract: A portable cooling unit is disclosed for cooling perishable items such as strawberries at a worksite such as a field where the strawberries are harvested. The cooling unit includes a conveyor trailer for receiving pallets of perishable items and conveying the pallets through a number of cooling chambers within the conveyor trailer. The cooling unit further includes a refrigeration trailer for supplying independent cold air flow paths to the different cooling chambers of the conveyor trailer. The conveyor and refrigeration trailers may operate as a self-sustained cooling unit, without any external connections to power or working fluid.

Abstract: A portable cooling unit is disclosed for cooling perishable items such as strawberries at a worksite such as a field where the strawberries are harvested. The cooling unit includes a conveyor trailer for receiving pallets of perishable items and conveying the pallets through a number of cooling chambers within the conveyor trailer. The cooling unit further includes a refrigeration trailer for supplying independent cold air flow paths to the different cooling chambers of the conveyor trailer. The conveyor and refrigeration trailers may operate as a self-sustained cooling unit, without any external connections to power or working fluid.

Abstract: A portable cooling unit is disclosed for cooling perishable items such as strawberries at a worksite such as a field where the strawberries are harvested. The cooling unit includes a conveyor trailer for receiving pallets of perishable items and conveying the pallets through a number of cooling chambers within the conveyor trailer. The cooling unit further includes a refrigeration trailer for supplying independent cold air flow paths to the different cooling chambers of the conveyor trailer. The conveyor and refrigeration trailers may operate as a self-sustained cooling unit, without any external connections to power or working fluid.

Abstract: A portable cooling unit is disclosed for vacuum cooling products such as product at a worksite such as a field where the produce is harvested. When cooling product, the portable cooling unit includes a retort, at least one shuttle coupled to the retort and a condensation assembly. The condensation assembly includes primary and secondary refrigerant load subassemblies. Each of these components may be disassembled from each other into modular units which may be easily transported to and from the worksite.

Abstract: A transition dock is disclosed allowing palletized product to be loaded into transport conveyors at a worksite. The product may be produce and the worksite may be a field where the produce is harvested. Where operating at a field where produce is harvested, the loading dock facilitates loading of the produce into a reefer to begin the cold chain at the field.

Abstract: A portable, automated, cold-chain maintaining, cooling apparatus is disclosed. This apparatus comprises one or more portable cooling modules in communication with one or more portable transition modules. The cooling modules have cooling module conveyor apparatus to move containers of product through the module and a product cooling apparatus to provide cooling air to the product. The portable transition module is in communication with each of said one or more portable cooling modules in such a manner to maintain the cold temperature of said cooled product. A transition module conveyor apparatus within the transition module is in communication with the cooling module conveyor apparatus and automatically transfer the product from the cooling modules into the portable transition module.

Abstract: A method for converting an existing racking system into a double pallet vehicle-loadable racking system. A plurality of primary upright posts are isolated from the pre-existing racking system, and are each bound to a secondary upright post to form a plurality of bound upright posts. These bound upright posts are formed into a grid having at least one row and at least two columns. A cantilevered support is attached to each interior side edge of each column. The grid and the support arms are configured such that pairs of palletized cartons may be stored on or under the cantilevered supports and a lift truck can pass its body underneath the cantilevered supports and its extendable mast between any two opposing cantilevered supports.

Abstract: A plurality of racking systems are adapted to store palletized cartons in a refrigeration unit or the like prior to shipment of the cartons to market. Each racking system comprises laterally spaced overhead support platforms having their inner ends suitably spaced apart to provide a clearance accommodating the entrance of an extended mast of a lift truck therein. Upper groups of palletized cartons are loaded and stored on the platforms, next followed by the depositing of lower groups of palletized cartons within a lower storage space located at ground level.

Abstract: A method for transferring filled lettuce cartons from a field to a loading dock for shipment to an end user or buyer includes filling the cartons with head lettuce at a field site, closing and stacking the filled cartons in layers to a predetermined composite height on a plurality of adjustable pallets to form palletized carton stacks, and moving the stacks to a cooling facility and subsequently to the loading dock whereat the widths of the stacks are adjusted to fit the width of the cargo space of a transport vehicle. The stacks are then transported to the end user. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the filled cartons are uniquely stacked on the pallets in a compact and fully supported manner whereby they remain intact on the pallets for ease of handling by lift trucks for loading and unloading purposes.

Abstract: A method for loading a stack of filled cartons onto a transport vehicle includes lifting the cartons at the first station on a rotator lift truck and then rotating the cartons through an acute angle to cradle the cartons for carrying purposes. The cartons are then carried in their rotative position towards a second station, and again rotated to an upright position. The cartons are compressed at the second station and thereafter loaded onto the transport vehicle by a second lift truck. The rotator lift truck utilized for effecting the lifting, rotating, carrying and compressing steps includes a mast assembly mounted forwardly thereon and a rotator attachment mounted on the mast assembly for vertical movements and for rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof.