STACKING DEVICE FOR TRAVELLING ARTICLE

PURPOSE:To enable articles to be stacked in multi-row and multi-line state at a stacking position, and undertake an efficient stacking work. CONSTITUTION:The position of an article 1 is detected with a sensor 9 via the operation of a feed means 2, and the motor 8 of a drive wheel 3c of a shift means is variably controlled on the basis of a signal detected with the sensor 9. Article arrest means 5a and 5b fitted to the shift means (loop type shift means consisting of a plurality of drive wheels 3a, 3b and 3c, and a flexible member 4 such as a chain so extended as to circulate among the wheels 3a, 3b and 3c) and the article 1 are made to agree to each other in terms of position and speed. The article 1 is thus caught with the means 5a and 5b, transferred to a stacking position and stacked. In this case, two adjacent drive wheels 3a and 3b of the shift means are moved to an arbitrary position with position change means 11 and 12, thereby changing a stacking position along the flexible member 4.