Gripping elements for carbon anode stacker

Claim 2

In a carton anode stacker for picking up a plurality of carbon anodes, conveying the anodes to a desired location and stacking the anodes at the location, said stacker having a plurality of gripping elements mounted on a common frame for individually gripping and releasing associated anodes, in which the gripping element has a pivot arm pivotally mounted on the frame with the improvement comprising a reversible drive means operatively connected to the pivot arm for pivoting the arm to grip and release the anode, said reversible drive means comprising: a. a toggle joint operatively interconnected between the pivot arm and the frame having links pivotally interconnected at a knee to pivot the arm to grip the anode when the knee is straightened and to release the anode when the knee is substantially bent; b. an actuator mounted on the frame operatively connected to the toggle knee for bending and straightening the knee; c. wherein one of the links has a variable length with a compression spring mounted thereon for extending said one link; and d. wherein the actuator is a fluid operated cylinder having a piston rod connected to the toggle knee for moving the knee slightly past center to lock the knee in the substantially straightened position to maintain the grip on the anode even though the cylinder should become inoperative.

Claim 3

In a carbon anode stacker as defined in claim 3 wherein the cylinder is mounted on the frame opposing the toggle knee with the piston rod connected to the toggle knee to bend the toggle knee when the piston rod is extended and to straighten the knee slightly past center when the piston rod is in the fully retracted position.