Article storage and transfer arrangement for programmed manipulators

Claim 2

A workpiece storage magazine for storing and sequentially positioning a plurality of individual workpieces adjacent a work station with predetermined orientation with respect thereto, comprising: tray carrier means including a vertical support column. A plurality of trays for holding said workpieces in predetermined orientation, said trays positioned in a vertically stacked array on said column for relative vertical movement thereon, indexing means for supporting said carrier and rotating said trays to sequentially align successive workpieces therein into a selected rotative position relative to said work station, and crab means mounted for vertical movement on said column engageable with at least one of a pair of adjacent trays in said stacked array for increasing the vertical spacing therebetween, thereby providing access between said spaced trays for pickup of said workpieces.

Claim 3

An article storage arrangement for transferring a number of articles between different work stations while maintaining a predetermined orientation of the articles with respect to said work stations, comprising: tray carrier means including a vertical support column, a plurality of trays for holding said articles in predetermined orientation, said trays positioned in vertically stacked array on said column for relative vertical movement thereon, indexing means for supporting said carrier and rotating the same to sequentially align successive articles in said trays in a position for pickup, and carriage means mounted for vertical movement on said column engageable with at least one of a pair of adjacent trays in said stacked array for moving the same vertically away from the other tray of said pair, thereby providing access to the articles for pickup. 3, A workpiece storage and positioning device for holding a plurality of separate workpieces for pickup by a workpiece transfer arm, comprising a stack of workpiece-supporting trays arranged for vertical movement on a support column, each tray including means for holding a plurality of workpieces at cIrcumferentially locations radially outward of said column, indexing means for rotating said trays to move successive workpieces into alignment with said transfer arm for pickup thereby, and means movable along said column for increasing the distance between pairs of adjacent trays in said stack to permit access to the workpieces contained on in one of said trays of said pair by said transfer arm.

Claim 4

An article storage arrangement for transferring a number of articles between different work stations while maintaining a predetermined orientation of the articles with respect to said work stations, comprising: tray carrier means including a vertical support column, a plurality of trays for holding said articles in predetermined orientation, said trays positioned in vertically stacked array on said column for relative vertical movement thereon, indexing means for supporting said carrier and rotating the same to sequentially align successive articles in said trays in a position for pickup, and carriage means mounted for vertical movement on said column engageable with at least one of a pair of adjacent trays in said stacked array for moving the same vertically away from the other tray of said pair, thereby providing access to the articles for pickup. 3, A workpiece storage and positioning device for holding a plurality of separate workpieces for pickup by a workpiece transfer arm, comprising a stack of workpiece-supporting trays arranged for vertical movement on a support column, each tray including means for holding a plurality of workpieces at cIrcumferentially locations radially outward of said column, indexing means for rotating said trays to move successive workpieces into alignment with said transfer arm for pickup thereby, and means movable along said column for increasing the distance between pairs of adjacent trays in said stack to permit access to the workpieces contained on in one of said trays of said pair by said transfer arm.

Claim 5

A workpiece storage and positioning device for holding a plurality of separate workpieces for pickup by a workpiece transfer arm, comprising a plurality of workpiece-supporting trays arranged in moveable vertically stacked relation on a support column, each tray including means for holding a plurality of workpieces at circumferentially spaced locations radially outward of said column, indexing means for rotating said trays to move successive workpieces into alignment with said transfer arm for pickup thereby, and means movable along said column for pickup thereby, and means movable along said column for spreading pairs of adjacent trays apart to permit access to the workpieces contained in one of said trays of said pair by said transfer arm.

Claim 6

A workpiece storage and positioning device for holding a plurality of separate workpieces for pickup by a workpiece transfer arm, comprising a plurality of workpiece-supporting trays arranged in moveable vertically stacked relation on a support column, each tray including means for holding a plurality of workpieces at circumferentially spaced locations radially outward of said column, indexing means for rotating said trays to move successive workpieces into alignment with said transfer arm for pickup thereby, and means movable along said column for pickup thereby, and means movable along said column for spreading pairs of adjacent trays apart to permit access to the workpieces contained in one of said trays of said pair by said transfer arm.

Claim 7

In combination, a plurality of article-supporting trays arranged in a stacked array on a vertical support column, pickup means movable toward and away from said column for sequentially engaging articles contained in said trays one at a time, means for rotating said stack of trays to align successive articles in the path of movement of said pickup means, and carriage means mounted on said column movable to engage at least one of said trays for increasing the spacing between said one tray and an adjacent tray in said stack, thereby permitting access to the articles in said adjacent tray by said pickup means extended between said one tray and said adjacent tray.

Claim 8

In combination, a plurality of article-supporting trays arranged in a stacked array on a vertical support column, pickup means movable toward and away from said column for sequentially engaging articles contained in said trays one at a time, means for rotating said stack of trays to align successive articles in the path of movement of said pickup means, and carriage means mounted on said column movable to engage at least one of said trays for increasing the spacing between said one tray and an adjacent tray in said stack, thereby permitting access to the articles in said adjacent tray by said pickup means extended between said one tray and said adjacent tray.

Claim 9

In combination, a plurality of article-supporting trays arranged in a stacked array on a vertical support column, pickup means movable toward and away from said column for sequentially removing articles contained in said trays, means for rotating said stack of trays to align successive articles in the path of movement of said pickup means, and carriage means mounted on a said column movable to engage at least one of said trays for moving the same away from an adjacent tray in said stack, thereby permitting access to the articles in said adjacent tray by said pickup means extended between said one tray and the adjacent trays.

Claim 10

In combination, a plurality of article-supporting trays arranged in a stacked array on a vertical support column, pickup means movable toward and away from said column for sequentially removing articles contained in said trays, means for rotating said stack of trays to align successive articles in the path of movement of said pickup means, and carriage means mounted on a said column movable to engage at least one of said trays for moving the same away from an adjacent tray in said stack, thereby permitting access to the articles in said adjacent tray by said pickup means extended between said one tray and the adjacent trays.