The invention relates to a depalletizing device for lifting up objects loaded onto a pallet. More in particular, the invention relates to a depalletizing device comprising a carriage as well as a friction roller attached to the carriage, which friction roller is rotatable about a horizontal rotation axis and is coupled to a rotational drive in order to rotate, the carriage being movable to and fro in a direction at right angles to the rotation axis of the friction roller in order to push the friction roller against a side of an object on the pallet in such a manner that the friction roller exerts an upward friction force on the object, as a result of which the object is raised on that side, and in order for the friction roller to pass underneath said object after the latter has been raised.
GB 1 559 973 discloses a depalletizing device having a sliding carriage and a roller which is arranged at the front thereof so as to be rotatable. The roller is arranged in a spring-mounted manner relative to the carriage by means of a coiled spring. The roller is driven in rotation. During depalletizing, the carriage is moved in the direction of the objects on a pallet. When the roller touches an object on the pallet, the spring is pushed in, resulting in an increase in the spring force and thus the pressing force of the roller on the object. As a consequence of this increasing pressing force, the friction between the moving roller surface and the object increases until the roller moves the object upwards and causes it to tilt. One side of the object is lifted up by the roller and once the object has tilted sufficiently, the roller will pass underneath the object, the object being moved backwards via the roller.