TRUSS HANDLING APPARATUS

摘要

Apparatus (1) and method for handling completed trusses; the truss handling apparatus moves completed trusses from a conveyor system (2) to selected stacks in a staging area (3). The truss handler has an extendable boom crane (22) mounted for rotational movement. The crane includes a truss engaging assembly (28) which engages a completed truss such that it can be lifted by the boom crane. The engagement assembly rotates and tilts the engaged truss such that it can be aligned with a stack of trusses. The truss engaging assembly has movable arms (36, 38) to engage trusses of varying size and shape and has hooks (44) for grappling the truss. The apparatus can stack the completed trusses in any of multiple stacks in a staging area. The trusses in each stack can be oriented horizontally, vertically or otherwise.