Stacking profile elements in nested groups

摘要

Small bundles of elongated profile elements that arrive generally regularly at an intake station wherein the elements are first displaced in a transport direction generally perpendicular to their elongation direction from the intake station to a pickup station. There they are arrested in a pair of groups with the elements closely spaced in their respective groups and the groups widely spaced in the transport direction. The pair of spaced groups is then picked up without substantially changing its spacings and the pair of spaced groups is deposited in a takeoff station while further pairs of spaced groups are formed in the pickup station. These further pairs are then picked up and deposited on top of the respective groups in the takeoff station to form a pair of stacks each constituting a bundle. For nesting the elements it is possible to invert every other pair of spaced groups before depositing same in the takeoff station.