Abstract: A device and process is described for positioning a bundle having a top surface and a bottom surface. The device includes a low friction surface positioned to support the bundle fed along an infeed path to a first position along the bottom surface for free movement in a prescribed plane. A carriage assembly is adjacent the low friction surface and includes a bundle engaging foot configured for selective movement along an axis substantially normal to the low friction surface to engage the top surface of the bundle and press the bundle against the low friction surface. The carriage assembly and bundle engaging foot are configured to selectively rotate and move the bundle at the feed rate along the plane of the low friction surface to a position spaced from the first position for movement along a discharge path. In the process, the bundle is moved at the infeed rate from the infeed path to a discharge path while the bundle is selectively rotated about an axis to a selected orientation.

Abstract: A load forming apparatus is described for forming a load comprised of layers of bundles, in which first and second conveyors are configured to deliver individual first bundles of load components to individual respective first and second transfer stations. A load former operatively joins the conveyor transfer stations. A transfer device adjacent the transfer stations is alternatively operable to (a) move the first bundles from the first transfer station to the load former to form a load comprised of first bundles; (b) move the second bundles from the second transfer station to the load former to form a load comprised of second bundles; or (c) alternate moving the first and second bundles from the first and second transfer stations to the load former to form a load comprised of first and second bundles. A load former feed system is also described in which the bundle transfer station and bundle transfer device are selectively separable to form a manual operator station.