Abstract: The disclosure illustrates and describes a machine (10) for handling and unstacking dollies (14) loaded with stacks (16) of cross-nested baskets (18) wherein the front and rear walls of the individual baskets are positioned at random. The machine includes an inlet section (12) and an orienting section (20). In the former, lift and pusher elements (36, 42, 44, 46, 51) are provided for separating a stack from its dolly, and in the latter, lift and turn elements (52, 62, 64, 66, 100, 106, 108) are provided for orienting each bottom basket in turn, separating it from the stack, and discharging it.

Abstract: The specification discloses an accumulating conveyor system (10) including fixed support rails (24), a pair of chains (18), each having half tall links (70) and half short links (72), mounted around upper and lower movable guides (68) and (66) respectively. Air bags (52) serve to raise the guides and chains to lift stacks or cases off the rails, and a cylinder (96) serves to index the raised guides and chains forward, whereupon the air bags are deflated to set the stacks back onto the rails, and the cylinder retracts. When a stack is thus "walked" to the end of the tall links, a switch (104) causes the chains to retract the length of a stack plus a clearance gap relative to the guides (68) to accommodate the accumulation of the next stack and bringing short links beneath the accumulated stacks.

Abstract: The drawings illustrate a conveying and stacking machine for handling basket trays and dollies. This machine includes a dual-speed conveyor adapted to receive basket trays, a chute mounted at a predetermined converging angle above the entrance portion of the conveyor and adapted to receive dollies, an end portion pivotally connected to the downstream end of the chute for at times pivotting into close proximity to the conveyor, a magazine for storing two aligned stacks of dollies, a stacking mechanism for receiving and stacking the trays in end-to-end stacks of a predetermined number per stack and calling for a pair of dollies from the chute, if available, or otherwise from the magazine, the dollies thereupon receiving the respective stacks of basket trays and conveying the two assembled basket tray and dolly stacks at a decreased speed to the exit portion of the conveyor.