Loading and unloading apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for transferring horizontally disposed, substantially flat workpieces between a horizontal conveyor and a horizontal rotating worktable, said worktable including means for clamping a workpiece thereon for rotation therewith; comprising a first arm mounted at one end for swinging movement in a horizontal plane; a second arm pivotally mounted at one end to the other end of said first arm for swinging movement relative thereto in a horizontal plane above said conveyor and worktable; a pickup device mounted on the free end of said second arm, said pickup device including a vacuum sucker engageable with the upper surface of a horizontally disposed workpiece; means for moving said sucker into and out of engagement with said surface; means for applying and releasing a vacuum on said sucker to selectively grip and release a workpiece engaged thereby; means for limiting the angle between said arms to a preselected value; resilient means acting between said arms to maintain them normally at said preselected angle; and actuating mEans operatively associated with said first arm for swinging said arms and the pickup device between a first position wherein said pickup device is disposed above said conveyor and a second position wherein said pickup device is disposed above said worktable to place a workpiece in position to be clamped thereon by said clamping means; said first and second arms being capable of deflecting relative to one another against the force of said resilient means when said workpiece is simultaneously gripped by said sucker and by said clamping means.