Quick-change supply system

Claim 2

Apparatus for providing supply units at a work station, which comprises: a support adapted to receive supply units in such a fashion that the supply units are movable thereon to and from a work station; a member mounted adjacent said support, said member having means for engaging and retaining a supply unit at the work station against movement along the support in either direction; and means normally in spaced relationship with a supply unit at the work station for disengaging said engaging and retaining means from a supply unit at the work station in response to the movement of a new unit along the support to the work station.

Claim 3

In apparatus wherein articles are withdrawn from a supply magazine, a quick-change supply system, which comprises: a magazine support having an active station and at least one inactive station; a plurality of supply magazines adapted to be slidably mounted on said support; camming means mounted on each of said supply magazines; and means mounted adjacent said support for fixing a supply magazine in said active station against movement along said magazine support in either direction, said fixing means also including a cam follower surface normally in spaced relationship with the camming means on said supply magazines, wherein sliding movement of a supply magazine from an inactive position on the support to the active position will cam said fixing means out of fixing engagement with the magazine in said active position, allowing said last-named magazine to be removed from said magazine support.

Claim 4

In apparatus wherein articles are withdrawn from a supply magazine, a quick-change supply system, which comprises: a magazine support having an active station and at least one inactive station; a plurality of supply magazines adapted to be slidably mounted on said support; camming means mounted on each of said supply magazines; and means mounted adjacent said support for fixing a supply magazine in said active station against movement along said magazine support in either direction, said fixing means also including a cam follower surface normally in spaced relationship with the camming means on said supply magazines, wherein sliding movement of a supply magazine from an inactive position on the support to the active position will cam said fixing means out of fixing engagement with the magazine in said active position, allowing said last-named magazine to be removed from said magazine support.

Claim 5

A multiunit supply system according to claim 2, wherein each of said supply units includes: a tray portion for receiving a stack of articles in such manner that they may be withdrawn therefrom; retaining means for engaging a portion of the top article of said stack; and resilient means biasing said stack of articles against said retaining means for maintaining the height of the top article constant as articles are withdrawn from the tray.

Claim 6

A multimagazine supply system, which comprises: a magazine support having an active station and at least one inactive station; a supply magazine adapted to be slidably mounted on said magazine support; means mounted adjacent to said support for positioning and latching said supply magazine at the active station; means operatively connected to said last named means for unlatching said supply magazine at the active station; and means mounted in spaced relationship with the supply magazine for driving another supply magazine along the magazine support from an inactive station to the active station, wherein movement of the other supply magazine from said inactive station operates said unlatching means, freeing the supply magazine at the active station for removal from the support.

Claim 7

A multimagazine supply system, which comprises: a magazine support having an active station and at least one inactive station; a supply magazine adapted to be slidably mounted on said magazine support; means mounted adjacent to said support for positioning and latching said supply magazine at the active station; means operatively connected to said last named means for unlatching said supply magazine at the active station; and means mounted in spaced relationship with the supply magazine for driving another supply magazine along the magazine support from an inactive station to the active station, wherein movement of the other supply magazine from said inactive station operates said unlatching means, freeing the supply magazine at the active station for removal from the support.

Claim 8

In apparatus having means for withdrawing articles from a supply magazine, a quick change system for supply magazines which comprises: a magazine support having an active station opposite said withdrawing means and at least one inactive station; a plurality of supply magazines adapted to be mounted on said support such that they are movable thereon; a camming member mounted on each of said supply magazines; an element mounted adjacent said support and pivotable with respect thereto between at least first and second positions, said element including a recess therein at the active station, which recess is shaped to engage the camming member on a supply magazine and latch the latter at the active position when said element is in its first position, said element also including a cam follower surface normally in spaced relationship with said camming members; and movement of a supply magazine from an inactive station to the active station being operable to bring the camming member thereon into engagement with said cam follower surface to pivot said element from its first position to a second position whereat said latchinG recess is disengaged from the camming member of the supply magazine at the active station to allow the latter to be removed from the support.

Claim 9

In apparatus having means for withdrawing articles from a supply magazine, a quick change system for supply magazines which comprises: a magazine support having an active station opposite said withdrawing means and at least one inactive station; a plurality of supply magazines adapted to be mounted on said support such that they are movable thereon; a camming member mounted on each of said supply magazines; an element mounted adjacent said support and pivotable with respect thereto between at least first and second positions, said element including a recess therein at the active station, which recess is shaped to engage the camming member on a supply magazine and latch the latter at the active position when said element is in its first position, said element also including a cam follower surface normally in spaced relationship with said camming members; and movement of a supply magazine from an inactive station to the active station being operable to bring the camming member thereon into engagement with said cam follower surface to pivot said element from its first position to a second position whereat said latchinG recess is disengaged from the camming member of the supply magazine at the active station to allow the latter to be removed from the support.

Claim 10

A quick-change system for supply magazines according to claim 5, wherein: said magazine support comprises at least two spaced rails; and said supply magazines include: a tray portion adapted to be supported on top of said rail and containing a plurality of articles to be withdrawn therefrom; and a mounting element adapted to engage other portions of said rails to limit movement of said magazines on said rails to said sliding movement.

Claim 11

A quick-change system for supply magazines according to claim 5, further comprising: driving means for moving the supply magazine at an inactive station along said support toward the active station, said driving means comprises an air cylinder, a piston rod mounted for reciprocal movement therein, and a member connected to the piston rod in spaced relationship with the mounting members of the supply magazines, wherein activation of the air cylinder causes said member connected to the piston rod to strike the mounting member of a supply magazine and drive the supply magazine along the support rails.

Claim 12

A quick-change system for supply magazines according to claim 5, wherein each of said supply magazines includes: a tray portion for receiving a stack of articles in such manner that they may be withdrawn therefrom; retaining means for engaging a portion of the top article of said stack; and resilient means biasing said stack of articles against said retaining means for maintaining the height of the top article constant as articles are withdrawn from the tray.