| 摘要 |
<p>A method and apparatus for denesting cartons including a carton denester for receiving a stack of cartons, such as pulp egg cartons, and for separating the cartons so that they can be conveyed to carton handling apparatus. The carton denester includes a relief plate which is supported at an inclined relationship and which receives a stack of cartons against its inclined surface. The carton denester further includes a feed screw assembly connected to the lower end of the relief plate and generally perpendicular to it to support the bottom of the stack of cartons. The feed screw assembly includes a pair of rotatable feed screws which are received on opposite sides of the stack of cartons and which include helical grooves to receive the flanges of the bottom carton of the stack and to cause the bottom carton to be pulled away from the remainder of the stack upon rotation of the feed screws. The feed screws are positioned generally below the lower edge of the relief plate and such that the cartons move past the end of the relief plate before they are received in the helical grooves of the feed screws. As the bottom carton moves past the end of the relief plate, its weight is no longer supported by the relief plate and it tends to snap free of the remainder of the stack of cartons still supported by the relief plate. The feed screws can then easily pull the bottom carton downwardly away from the remainder of the stack.</p> |
