Importance

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Abstract

Stacks of generally dish-shaped, nested plastic articles are gripped and transferred from elevated, horizontally adjacent chutes comprising circumferentially disposed, axially extending supports, which are open at both ends to permit articles to be both fed thereto and removed axially therefrom, to a conveyor disposed at a lower level. A transfer arm, mounting stack gripping receivers, which pivot on the transfer arm, is swung in an arcuate path and the receivers are moved relative to the transfer arm, responsive to swinging movement of the transfer arm, such that the receivers travel from a first position, horizontally axially aligned with said chutes and axially intermeshed with the supports, in a path having a first axially linear increment, then a downward arc to rotate said stacks substantially 90.degree., and finally a vertically linear path to deposit the stacks on the conveyor. The receivers are radially contracted to peripherally grip stacks of articles in the chutes when the receivers are in the first position, and are radially expanded to peripherally release the stacks when the receivers have moved the stacks to the conveyor.

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First Claim