US3308977A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic tray handler
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1965-10-04
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Granted: 1967-03-14
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Expires: 1985-10-04
Abstract
No abstract record available.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas J Cochran
- 👤 Natale J Donato
- 👤 David K Elrick
- 👤 Walter W Ficker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:00
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K13/00; H05K13/02; H05K13/021
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
248 words
AN AUTOMATIC TRAY HANDLER SYSTEM FOR HANDLING A PLURALITY OF TRAYS, EACH TRAY BEING ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES TO BE WORKED UPON AT A WORK STATION, THE TRAY HANDLER SYSTEM COMPRISING; (A) AN AUTOMATIC TRAY UNLOADER ON ONE SIDE OF THE WORK STATION, (B) TRAY LOWERING MEANS INCLUDED IN THE UNLOADER TO FEED ARTICLE LOADED TRAYS CARRIED BY THE UNLOADER ONE AT A TIME TO A HORIZONTAL SURFACE INCLUDING AN ARTICLE UNLOADER STATION IN THE UNLOADER, (C) ARTICLE UNLOADING MEANS TO UNLOAD THE ARTICLES FROM THE LOADED TRAY AT THE UNLOADER STATION, (D) TRAY STACKING MEANS IN THE UNLOADER FOR STACKING THE TRAYS AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN UNLOADED, (E) TRAY FEEDING MEANS FOR FEEDING THE TRAYS FROM THE TRAY LOWERING MEANS THROUGH THE UNLOADER STATION TO THE TRAY STACKING MEANS, (F) CONVEYING MEANS FOR CONVEYING THE ARTICLES UNLOADED AT THE UNLOADER STATION THROUGH THE WORK STATION, (G) AN AUTOMATIC TRAY LOADER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORK STATION, (H) TRAY LOWERING MEANS INCLUDED IN THE LOADER TO LOWER EMPTY TRAYS CARRIED BY THE LOADER ONE AT A TIME TO A HORIZONTAL SURFACE INCLUDING AN ARTICLE LOADER STATION IN THE LOADER, (I) ARTICLE LOADING MEANS TO LOAD THE ARTICLES FROM THE CONVEYING MEANS AT THE LOADER STATION, (J) TRAY STACKING MEANS IN THE LOADER FOR STACKING THE TRAYS AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN LOADED, AND (K) TRAY FEEDING MEANS FOR FEEDING TRAYS THROUGH THE LOADER FROM THE TRAY LOWERING MEANS TO THE TRAY STACKING MEANS.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
248 words
AN AUTOMATIC TRAY HANDLER SYSTEM FOR HANDLING A PLURALITY OF TRAYS, EACH TRAY BEING ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES TO BE WORKED UPON AT A WORK STATION, THE TRAY HANDLER SYSTEM COMPRISING; (A) AN AUTOMATIC TRAY UNLOADER ON ONE SIDE OF THE WORK STATION, (B) TRAY LOWERING MEANS INCLUDED IN THE UNLOADER TO FEED ARTICLE LOADED TRAYS CARRIED BY THE UNLOADER ONE AT A TIME TO A HORIZONTAL SURFACE INCLUDING AN ARTICLE UNLOADER STATION IN THE UNLOADER, (C) ARTICLE UNLOADING MEANS TO UNLOAD THE ARTICLES FROM THE LOADED TRAY AT THE UNLOADER STATION, (D) TRAY STACKING MEANS IN THE UNLOADER FOR STACKING THE TRAYS AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN UNLOADED, (E) TRAY FEEDING MEANS FOR FEEDING THE TRAYS FROM THE TRAY LOWERING MEANS THROUGH THE UNLOADER STATION TO THE TRAY STACKING MEANS, (F) CONVEYING MEANS FOR CONVEYING THE ARTICLES UNLOADED AT THE UNLOADER STATION THROUGH THE WORK STATION, (G) AN AUTOMATIC TRAY LOADER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORK STATION, (H) TRAY LOWERING MEANS INCLUDED IN THE LOADER TO LOWER EMPTY TRAYS CARRIED BY THE LOADER ONE AT A TIME TO A HORIZONTAL SURFACE INCLUDING AN ARTICLE LOADER STATION IN THE LOADER, (I) ARTICLE LOADING MEANS TO LOAD THE ARTICLES FROM THE CONVEYING MEANS AT THE LOADER STATION, (J) TRAY STACKING MEANS IN THE LOADER FOR STACKING THE TRAYS AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN LOADED, AND (K) TRAY FEEDING MEANS FOR FEEDING TRAYS THROUGH THE LOADER FROM THE TRAY LOWERING MEANS TO THE TRAY STACKING MEANS.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1970-03-13 | 1970-09-12 | 1971-03-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1974-03-13 | 1974-09-12 | 1975-03-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1978-03-13 | 1978-09-12 | 1979-03-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |