Device for transferring molded parts

Claim 3

A device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said endless conveyor member comprises a pair of laterally spaced endless conveyor chains, chain bolts extending inwardly from said chains toward the oppositely disposed said chain belt, a plurality of base plates secured to said conveyor chains by means of said chain bolts fitted within openings in the sides of said base plates and each of said carrier members is removably secured to at least one of said base plates.

Claim 4

A device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of said carrier members comprises a plurality of separate carrier sections disposed in serial arrangement on said conveyor member with each said conveyor member section removably secured to a different one of said base plates, and each of said conVeyor member sections providing a longitudinally extending portion of said continuous recess molded section in said carrier member.

Claim 5

A device, as set forth in claim 3, wherein each said carrier member section containing a plurality of recessed molded sections arranged in side-by-side relationship for forming a plurality of rows of carrier members when assembled on said conveyor member.

Claim 6

A device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said carrier members has a longitudinally extending groove formed therein extending through the ends of said carrier members into said recessed molded sections, and said means located at the upper end of said conveyor member are arranged to pass through said grooves in displacing the molded parts from said carrier members.

Claim 7

A device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said carrier member is formed of thin plastic sheet material which is deep drawn for forming said recessed molded section therein, and said sheet material having a thickness of about 1 to 3 mm.

Claim 8

A device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said carrier member is adapted to transfer frustoconically shaped molded parts, the recessed molded section of said carrier members has a configuration conforming to the shape of the frustoconically shaped molded parts and is arranged on said conveying means to receive the molded parts with the larger diameter ends thereof in the downwardly directed position in the upward path of travel of said conveyor means, a semicircular support shoulder formed adjacent the end of the recessed molded section of said carrier member which is in the rearward position as said carrier member travels upwardly on said conveyor means, said shoulder arranged to support the larger diameter end of the molded part and the radius of the radially inner surface of said shoulder is greater than the radius of the smaller diameter end of the molded part, and the end surface of the recessed molded section of said carrier member adjacent said shoulder and located rearwardly from it in the upward direction of travel is disposed obliquely to the plane of said semicircular shoulder and slopes outwardly and downwardly from the inner surface of the recessed molded portion of said carrier member in its upward travel position on said conveying means whereby molded parts picked up by said carrier member with the smaller diameter end thereof directed downwardly will not be supported on said semicircular shoulder because of its radius dimension and will be supported on said obliquely disposed end surface and as a result the molded part will be displaced out of said carrier member during the course of its upward travel on said conveying means.

Claim 9

A device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said carrier members having openings therethrough on the longitudinal center line of the recessed molded sections therein and spaced from the transverse ends of the recessed molded sections, ejector means positioned intermediate the upper and lower ends of said means for conveying molded parts and said means arranged to cooperate with the openings on the longitudinal center line of said carrier members for displacing molded parts from the recessed molded sections before the molded parts have completed their upward travel at the point where they are displaced to the processing station, and control means arranged to activate said ejector means and positioned between the upper ends of said conveying means and the processing station for activating said ejector means to avoid overloading the supply of molded parts to the processing station.

Claim 12

A device, as set forth in claim 9, wherein a feed trough having an upper inlet end located adjacent the upper end of said means for conveying molded parts and being inclined downwardly therefrom to a lower discharge end, said trough comprising a bottom plate and a pair of side plates, whereby said feed trough is arranged to receive molded parts ejected from said carrier members by said ejector member and to guide the molded parts to said lower discharge end thereof.

Claim 13

A device, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said bottom plate of said trough having a plurality of longitudinally extending laterally spaced rows of bores therethrough with said rows of bores extending in the direction of travel of said trough, a plurality of longitudinally extending partitions extending upwardly from said bottom plate and oriented thereon in the direction of travel of said trough, and pins extending through the bores in said bottom plate into the lower ends of said partitions for securing said partitions on said bottom plate, whereby due to the laterally spaced rows of bores through said bottom plate the location of said partitions can be adjusted in laterally spaced positions for forming a plurality of downwardly extending tracks in said feed trough in accordance with the size of the molded parts being conveyed.

Claim 14

A device, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said feed trough has an upper portion inclined obliquely to the vertical and a lower portion depending vertically downward from the lower end of said upper portion.

Claim 15

A device, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said feed trough comprises a selectively engageable locking mechanism mounted at said discharge end thereof for holding molded parts in position prior to releasing them from said feed trough.

Claim 16

A device, as set forth in claim 10, wherein a cover plate is spaced above said bottom plate on said feed trough forming a guide for the passage of the molded parts downwardly through said feed trough and for preventing the molded parts from being displaced from said feed trough.

Claim 17

A device, as set forth in claim 10, wherein a second conveyor is aligned below said discharge end of said feed trough and is arranged to receive the molded parts from said feed trough, and means for moving said second conveyor in a step wise fashion corresponding to the transverse dimension of the molded parts discharged from said feed trough.

Claim 18

A device, as set forth in claim 15, wherein separators are positioned transversely on said second conveyor for separating adjacent molded parts deposited thereon.

Claim 19

A device, as set forth in claim 16, wherein a third conveyor being disposed in side-by-side relationship with said second conveyor, and transfer means being arranged for displacing molded parts from said second conveyor to said third conveyor.

Claim 20

A device, as set forth in claim 17, wherein each of said separators having at least one slot extending inwardly from each of its sides in parallel relationship with the surface of said second conveyor, said transfer means comprising guide rods located at the transfer point from said second to said third conveyor, said guide rods being arranged whereby said separators sLide over said guide rods as said second conveyor moves away from said discharge end of said feed trough, and at least a portion of said guide rods being disposed obliquely to the direction of travel of said second and third conveyors for guiding the molded parts from said second to said third conveyor.

Claim 21

A device, as set forth in claim 10, wherein a second conveyor is aligned below said discharge end of said feed trough and is arranged to receive the molded parts released from said feed trough, a conveyor screw member mounted above said second conveyor belt and being arranged to receive the molded parts as they are discharged from said feed trough and for moving the molded parts along said second conveyor belt to the end of said screw conveyor.