EP0122606A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Article transfer apparatus
Assignee: Toppan Inc
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Filing: 1984-04-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-04-12
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is an article transfer apparatus which comprises four driving sprockets (38), fourfree sprockets (44), and endless chains (45) each having hooks (36) arranged at regular intervals, and which carries an article held between front-end hooks (36c, 36d) and rear-end hooks (36a, 36b). Driving sprockets (38a, 38b) for the rear-end hooks are rotated by a main motor (30), and driving sprockets (38c, 38d) for the front-end hooks are connected to the driving sprockets (38a, 38b) for the rear-end hooks by means of clutches (40, 42). The distance between the hooks holding the article can be changed by disengaging the clutches (40,42) and rotating free sprockets (44c, 44d) for the front-end hooks by means of a servomotor (58).
Inventors
- 👤 Makoto Igarashi
- 👤 Kiichiro Okano
- 👤 Naoki Kumagami
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 09:27
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G15/00; B65G15/10; B65G15/105; B65G17/00; B65G17/30; B65G17/32; B65G17/323; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02; B65H; B65H2404/00; B65H2404/20; B65H2404/23; B65H2404/232
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
An article transfer apparatus comprising first and second conveyor means (45c, 45d; 45a, 45b) having a first hook (36c, 36d) for supporting the front end of an article and a second hook (36a, 36b) for supporting the rear end of the article, respectively, and a drive source (30) for driving together the first and second conveyor means (45c, 45d; 45a, 45b) to transfer the article held between the first and second hooks (36c, 36d; 36a, 36b), characterized in that driving shafts (38c, 38d; 38a, 38b) of said first and second conveyor means are connected by means of clutches (40, 42), and the distance between said first and second hooks is changed by adjusting means (50, 52, 54, 58, 60) for disconnecting the driving shafts (38c, 38d; 38a, 38b) of the first and second conveyor means by means of the clutches (40, 42) and driving at least one of the two conveyor means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
152 words
An article transfer apparatus comprising first and second conveyor means (45c, 45d; 45a, 45b) having a first hook (36c, 36d) for supporting the front end of an article and a second hook (36a, 36b) for supporting the rear end of the article, respectively, and a drive source (30) for driving together the first and second conveyor means (45c, 45d; 45a, 45b) to transfer the article held between the first and second hooks (36c, 36d; 36a, 36b), characterized in that driving shafts (38c, 38d; 38a, 38b) of said first and second conveyor means are connected by means of clutches (40, 42), and the distance between said first and second hooks is changed by adjusting means (50, 52, 54, 58, 60) for disconnecting the driving shafts (38c, 38d; 38a, 38b) of the first and second conveyor means by means of the clutches (40, 42) and driving at least one of the two conveyor means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
An article transfer apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said first and second conveyor means each includes a driving sprocket (38), a free sprocket (44), and an endless chain (45) stretched between the driving sprocket and the free sprocket and each has a number of hooks (36) arranged at regular intervals, said driving sprockets of the first and second conveyor means being connected by means of the clutches (40, 42).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
An article transfer apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said drive source is a main motor (30) connected to the driving sprockets (38a, 38b) of the first conveyor means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
An article transfer apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said adjusting means includes a servomotor (58) connected to the free sprockets (44c, 44d) of the second conveyor means by means of a clutch (56).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
96 words
An article transfer apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that said adjusting means includes photo-couplers (50, 52) adapted to deliver one pulse with every half-revolution of the free sprockets of the first and second conveyor means, and a rotary encoder (54) for detecting the amount of rotation of the free sprockets, and measures the distance between the first and second hooks in accordance with the output of the rotary encoder (54) during the time interval between the delivery of the output of the photo-coupler (50) and the delivery of the output of the photo-coupler (52).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
An article transfer apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that said servomotor (58) changes the distance between the hooks after restoring the first hook to the position of the second hook.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
An article transfer apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the rotating direction of said driving sprockets driven by the main motor (30) is opposite to that of said free sprockets driven by the servomotor (58).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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