US 11,987,464 B2
Dual clamshell front end conveyor
Dalton Hege, Weyers Cave, VA (US); Eric Stempihar, Rockingham, VA (US); Joseph Wunder, Lexington, VA (US); and Clarence C. Allen, Jr., Mt. Crawford, VA (US)
Assigned to A. G. STACKER INC., Weyers Cave, VA (US)
Filed by A. G. Stacker Inc., Weyers Cave, VA (US)
Filed on May 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/734,661.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/183,889, filed on May 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0355503 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. B65H 29/12 (2006.01); B08B 5/02 (2006.01); B26D 7/06 (2006.01); B26D 7/18 (2006.01); B26D 7/32 (2006.01); B65H 29/14 (2006.01); B65H 29/66 (2006.01); B65H 31/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 29/6618 (2013.01) [B08B 5/023 (2013.01); B08B 5/026 (2013.01); B26D 7/0625 (2013.01); B26D 7/18 (2013.01); B26D 7/1836 (2013.01); B26D 7/1845 (2013.01); B26D 7/1854 (2013.01); B26D 7/32 (2013.01); B65H 29/12 (2013.01); B65H 29/125 (2013.01); B65H 29/14 (2013.01); B65H 31/02 (2013.01); B26D 2007/322 (2013.01); B65H 2301/5115 (2013.01); B65H 2404/132 (2013.01); B65H 2404/261 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A front end conveyor having an upstream end and a downstream end configured to transport sheets of material from the upstream end to the downstream end in a sheet transport direction, the front end conveyor comprising:
a lower deck frame having an upstream end and a downstream end, the lower deck frame supporting a plurality of lower sheet supports, a first set of the plurality of sheet supports being spaced apart in a width direction perpendicular to the sheet transport direction and a second set of the plurality of sheet supports being spaced apart in the width direction and spaced from the first set of the plurality of sheet supports in the sheet transport direction;
an upstream upper deck frame having an upstream end, a downstream end and a plurality of first upper sheet guides supported by the upstream upper deck frame and spaced apart in the width direction;
a downstream upper deck frame comprising an upstream end adjacent the downstream end of the upstream upper deck frame, a downstream end, and a plurality of second upper sheet guides spaced apart in the width direction,
wherein the lower sheet supports and the first upper sheet guides and the second upper sheet guides define a sheet transport path for moving the sheets of material in the sheet transport direction,
wherein the upstream upper deck frame is pivotably mounted to the lower deck frame such that the upstream end of the upstream upper deck frame is pivotable toward and away from the lower deck,
wherein the downstream upper deck is pivotably mounted to the lower deck frame such that the downstream end of the downstream upper deck frame is pivotable toward and away from the lower deck,
wherein the plurality of first upper sheet guides are mounted to the upstream upper deck frame to move as a unit with the upstream upper deck frame when the upper deck frame is pivoted relative to the lower deck,
wherein the plurality of second upper sheet guides are mounted to the downstream upper deck frame to move as a unit with the downstream upper deck frame when the downstream upper deck frame is pivoted relative to the lower deck, and
wherein the upstream upper deck frame and the lower deck frame are configured such that the plurality of first upper sheet guides do not contact the lower sheet supports when the sheet transport path is empty of the sheets of material.