Abstract: A cargo handling apparatus includes a first conveyor portion, a first detection portion, a second conveyor portion, a gripping portion, a second detection portion, and a controller. The first conveyor portion is configured to convey an article to be handled in a first direction. The first detection portion is configured to detect article information. The second conveyor portion is configured to convey the article in a second direction. The gripping portion is configured to arrange the article in an accumulating portion. The second detection portion is configured to detect stacking information. The controller is configured to control operation of the gripping portion based on the article information and the stacking information.

Abstract: Apparatus for grouping a number of units, such as packaging units, when palleting the units, comprising a feed belt for conveying the units (10) and a grouping belt, which defines a grouping plane, said feed and grouping belts being driven for movement parallel to one another, and a robot, which is designed to group the units by positioning and orienting the units on the grouping plane. At least one part of the feed belt (1) runs beside and adjacent to the grouping belt (2). The robot (3) is a multi-axial industrial robot having a robotic arm on which a pusher element (5) is arranged, rotatable about an axis (6) perpendicular to the grouping plane, in order to allow the transfer of at least one unit from the feed belt to the grouping belt under a pushing action supplied by the pushing element, together with orientation and positioning of the unit on the grouping belt.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and a method for economically forming packing unit layers. The apparatus comprises at least one supply conveyor, at least one further conveyor and an exit conveyor. Furthermore, at least one gripper for positioning and/or turning the packing units is associated with the further conveyor. The positioned and/or turned packing units are brought together to form form-fitting packing unit layers by a suitable device on the at least one exit conveyor. The at least one gripper is configured in such a way that is can be used to position and/or turn at least one packing unit and that at least one further packing unit can be placed on the positioned and/or turned packing unit in the same orientation.

Abstract: A bundle of laminated shingles is provided. The bundle includes a plurality of shingles having an overlay laminated with an underlay. The overlay has a tab portion with cutouts normally exposed on a roof and a headlap portion. The headlap portion has a lower zone adjacent the tab portion and an upper zone adjacent said lower zone. The lower zone has substantially no granules adhered thereto. The bundle defines a central area that substantially encompasses the lower zones of the stacked shingles. The shingles are stacked such that every other of the shingles is inverted and turned 180 degrees relative to an adjacent shingle. The shingles are double-layered, wherein the lack of granules in the lower zones of the stacked shingles results in the central area of the bundle having a height substantially identical to a height of a remainder of the bundle outside of the central area.

Abstract: A stacking apparatus includes a feed device that feeds a succession of elongated items to a pick-up station, and a rotating structure having first and second arms at different angles about a rotation axis of the rotating structure. The arms have receiving surfaces mounted thereto that receive the elongated items as a layer at the pick-up station during rotation of the rotating structure as the receiving surface travels past the pick-up station. The apparatus also includes a carriage having layer supporting forks that receive the layer from the receiving surface during rotation of the rotating structure as the receiving surface travels past a layer receiving station. The carriage carries the layer from the layer receiving station and deposits the layer at a layer stacking station from the forks to form the stack of superimposed layers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the handling of individual flat articles coming out of a production machine (3). The articles may be particularly letter envelopes, which are assembled and, if needed further processed and packaged. The core of the invention resides in that initially a plurality of flat articles or letter envelopes (2, 2a) are lifted as partial stacks (8, 8a) and then are deposited at another location, and in that the partial stacks, during lifting and/or depositing (rearranging), are moved in such a way that the flat articles or letter envelopes (2, 2a) are standing, following the deposition, on the same side or edge (b) as originally or on another side or edge (a).