Workpiece advancing apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for gripping and advancing a workpiece for processing, said apparatus including: (a) a flexible tension member; (b) guide means for supporting said tension member, said tension member being entrained about said guide means for movement on said guide means in a workpiece advancing direction and in a direction opposite thereto; (c) gripping means for gripping said workpiece, said gripping means being operatively connected to said tension member for operation between an open position and a closed position; (d) tensioning means for selectively tensioning and untensioning said tension member for operating said gripping means from between one of said open and closed positions and the other of said positions; and (e) drive means for selectively moving said tension member on said guide means to move said gripping means selectively in said advancing and opposite directions.

Claim 3

The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said tension member includes a cable; and said guide means includes two spaced-apart pulleys.

Claim 4

The apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in which one of said pulleys is movable relative to the other of said pulleys; and said tensioning means includes means for moving said one pulley relative to the other.

Claim 5

The apparatus in accordance with claim 3 in which said means for moving said one pulley includes a pneumatically operated piston-cylinder actuator.

Claim 6

The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said drive means includes a motor operatively connected to a pulley frictionally engaged with said flexible tension member.

Claim 7

The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said tensioning means includes means for selectively tensioning said tension member for operating said gripping assembly from said open position toward said closed position whereby said workpiece can be gripped and for selectively releasing tension on said tension member to permit opening of said gripping assembly.

Claim 8

The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said gripping means includes a carriage and an upper jaw and lower jaw carried on said carriage, said upper jaw being movable toward and away from said lower jaw; said gripping means also includes a cam track member defining an inclined first cam track movable relative to said carriage; said gripping means includes a first cam follower fixed to said upper jaw for engaging said first cam track; and said flexible tension member includes two ends, one of said flexible tension member ends being fixed to said carriage and the other of said flexible tension member ends being operatively connected to said cam track member for moving said cam track member longitudinally relative to said carriage and said jaws whereby, when said tension member is tensioned, said upper jaw is displaced downwardly from an open position so as to lower said upper jaw toward said closed position.

Claim 9

The apparatus in accordance with claim 7 in which said apparatus further includes a biasing means on said carriage effective when said tension member is untensioned for biasing said cam track member longitudinally along, and relative to, said carriage to an extended position wherein said first cam follower is positioned by said inclined first cam track to maintain said upper jaw in said opened position.

Claim 10

The apparatus in accordance with claim 8 in which a carrier plate is mounted on said carriage for vertical movement relative to said carriage, said carrier plate having retaining means for retaining said cam track member in a fixed vertical relationship relative to said carrier plate, said lower jaw being fixed to said carrier plate, said carrier plate defining first and second vertical slots, said first cam follower extending through said first slot and into said cam track member inclined first cam track; said cam track member defines an inclined second cam track; and said apparatus further includes a second cam follower that is fixed to said carriage and extends through said second slot in said carrier plate for engaging said inclined second cam track whereby longitudinal movement of said cam track member can effect engagement of said cam track member with said second cam follower in said inclined second cam track to vertically displace said cam track member, carrier plate, and jaws together relative to said carriage.

Claim 11

Apparatus for gripping and advancing a workpiece for processing, said apparatus including: (a) a cable; (b) at least two spaced-apart guide pulleys for supporting said cable, said cable being entrained about said guide pulleys for movement on said guide pulleys in a workpiece advancing direction and in a direction opposite thereto, one of said pulleys being mounted for movement toward and away from the other pulley; (c) a gripping assembly for gripping said workpiece, said gripping assembly being operatively connected to said cable for operation between an open position and a closed position; (d) a gripping assembly support means for supporting said gripping assembly for movement in said advancing and opposite directions; (e) tensioning means for selectively moving said one pulley toward and away from said other pulley to selectively tension said cable for operating said gripping assembly from said open position toward said closed position whereby said workpiece can be gripped and to selectively untension said cable to permit opening of said gripping assembly; and (f) drive means for selectively rotating said other pulley to move said cable and said connected gripping assembly in said advancing and opposite directions.

Claim 12

Apparatus for gripping and advancing a workpiece for processing, said apparatus including: (a) a cable; (b) at least two spaced-apart guide pulleys for supporting said cable, said cable being entrained about said guide pulleys for movement on said guide pulleys in a workpiece advancing direction and in a direction opposite thereto, one of said pulleys being mounted for movement toward and away from the other pulley; (c) a gripping assembly for gripping said workpiece, said gripping assembly being operatively connected to said cable for operation between an open position and a closed position; (d) a gripping assembly support means for supporting said gripping assembly for movement in said advancing and opposite directions; (e) tensioning means for selectively moving said one pulley toward and away from said other pulley to selectively tension said cable for operating said gripping assembly from said open position toward said closed position whereby said workpiece can be gripped and to selectively untension said cable to permit opening of said gripping assembly; and (f) drive means for selectively rotating said other pulley to move said cable and said connected gripping assembly in said advancing and opposite directions.

Claim 13

ll. The apparatus in accordance with claim 10 in which said gripping assembly comprises: a carriage mounted for movement along said gripping assembly support means; a lower jaw carried by said carriage; a cam track member defining an inclined first cam track and being carried on said carriage for movement relative to said carriage; a first cam follower for engaging said inclined first cam track; an upper jaw fixed to and carried by said first cam follower for vertical movement relative to said lower jaw between a lowered, closed position and an upper, opened position; and biasing means on said carriage for biasing said cam track member longitudinally along, and relative to, said carriage to an extended position wherein said first cam follower is positioned at a portion of said inclined first cam track to maintain said upper jaw in said upper, opened position.

Claim 14

The apparatus in accordance with claim 11 in which a carrier plate is mounted on said carriage for vertical movement relative to said carriage, said carrier plate having retaining means for retaining said cam track member in a fixed vertical relationship relative to said carrier plate, said lower jaw being fixed to said carrier plate, said carrier plate defining first and second vertical slots, said first cam follower extending through said first slot for engaging said cam track member inclined first cam track; said cam track member defines an inclined second cam track; said apparatus further includes a workpiece support means for supporting said workpiece for movement in said advancing and opposite directions at an elevation above said carriage to define a passline along which the lowest portion of said workpiece moves; and said apparatus further includes a second cam follower that is fixed to said carriage and extends through said second slot in said carrier plate for engaging said inclined second cam track whereby longitudinal movement of said cam track member can effect engagement of said cam track member with said second cam follower in said inclined second cam track to vertically displace said cam track member, carrier plate, and jaws together relative to said carriage and passline.

Claim 15

The apparatus in accordance with claim 10 in which said apparatus further includes first sensor means for sensing the position of said workpiece, second sensor means for sensing the rotation of said one pulley, and control means for actuating said drive means.

Claim 16

The apparatus in accordance with claim 10 further including a biasing means effective when said cable is untensioned for biasing said gripping assembly to said open position.