US 12,145,810 B2
Apparatus for stacking taco shells
James Troy Henry, Greenville, TX (US); Brent E. Stevenson, Royse City, TX (US); Richard M. Toth, Plano, TX (US); and Calan B. Ashmore, SulphurSprings, TX (US)
Assigned to The Henry Group, Greenville, TX (US)
Filed by The Henry Group, Greenville, TX (US)
Filed on Jun. 26, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/341,442.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/355,350, filed on Jun. 24, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0416021 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. B65G 57/16 (2006.01); B65G 43/08 (2006.01); B65G 47/42 (2006.01); B65G 57/03 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 57/165 (2013.01) [B65G 43/08 (2013.01); B65G 47/42 (2013.01); B65G 57/035 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0202 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A taco stacking apparatus, comprising:
a first suspension element and a second suspension element for supporting taco shells on a predefined pathway, wherein the first suspension element and the second suspension element are separated by a selected distance that enables the first suspension element and the second suspension element to support the taco shells on the predefined pathway;
at least one motor for driving the first suspension element and the second suspension element to move the taco shells along a predetermined pathway in a first direction;
a stacking receptacle defining a channel for receiving the taco shells transferred from the first suspension element and the second suspension element;
a stacking receptacle actuator for lowering the stacking receptacle as additional taco shells are added to a stack of taco shells;
a plunger assembly for transferring a taco shell from the first suspension element and the second suspension element to the stacking receptacle; and
a dispensing assembly for removing the stack of taco shells from the stacking receptacle.