Transfer and lift mechanism

Claim 2

In a transfer device for simultaneously advancing workpieces from one station to a next adjacent station, a base, a slide on said base, a drive means for reciprocally moving said slide on the base along the stations, a carrier on said slide for movement normal to the slide movement, means associated with said slide to maintain said slide stationary at predetermined stages of reciprocal movement of said drive means, cam means carried by said slide, means interconnecting said drive means and carrier and coacting with said cam means in such a manner to move said carrier while said slide is retained stationary, workpiece engaging fingers on said carrier aligned with said stations and movable into engagement with said workpieces, and means for raising said fingers after their engagement with said workpieces.

Claim 3

In a transfer device as recited in claim 1, wherein after the fingers are raised the slide is released and advanced by said drive means to move the fingers to the next adjacent station.

Claim 4

A transfer mechanism for moving a work piece through a plurality of work stations along a continuous path formed of a plurality of diverging sections, comprising: a support; opposed slide members disposed on said support for conjoined reciprocatory movement; opposed work gripping means movably supported on each said slide members for movement in a direction transverse to the movement of said slide members between an advanced and a retracted position; first guide means associated with each said slide members operably connected to said work gripping means; second guide means associated with each said work gripping means to control movement of said first guide means; said first guide means comprising: at least one track having a follower disposed therein adapted to be moved alternately between a first and a second position upon reciprocation of said slide members; and said second guide means comprising: a circumferential track having a follower disposed therein adapted to be moved intermittently and continuously along a circumferential path corresponding to said first path formed of a plurality of diverging sections upon conjoined movement of said slide members and said work gripping means.

Claim 5

A transfer mechanism for moving a work piece through a plurality of work stations along a continuous path formed of a plurality of diverging sections, comprising: a support; opposed slide members disposed on said support for conjoined reciprocatory movement; opposed work gripping means movably supported on each said slide members for movement in a direction transverse to the movement of said slide members between an advanced and a retracted position; first guide means associated with each said slide members operably connected to said work gripping means; second guide means associated with each said work gripping means to control movement of said first guide means; said first guide means comprising: at least one track having a follower disposed therein adapted to be moved alternately between a first and a second position upon reciprocation of said slide members; and said second guide means comprising: a circumferential track having a follower disposed therein adapted to be moved intermittently and continuously along a circumferential path corresponding to said first path formed of a plurality of diverging sections upon conjoined movement of said slide members and said work gripping means.

Claim 6

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 3, in which said opposed slide membErs each comprise a housing, a cam member disposed in said housing containing said track, said cam member being longitudinally movable relative to said housing, a first pair of spaced opposite stationary stop means associated with said transfer mechanism to arrest longitudinal movement of said housing, a second pair of spaced opposite stationary stop means associated with said transfer mechanism to arrest longitudinal movement of said cam member; said second guide means being effective to arrest movement of said housing in a first stage of operation and thereby causing transverse movement of said work gripping means when said cam member is moved through said housing.

Claim 7

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 4, in which said cam member is provided with abutting means adapted to abut against said housing upon completion of said first stage of operation to cause movement of said work gripping means to stop and initiate conjoint movement with said housing in a second stage of operation.

Claim 8

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 5, in which said first and said second pair of stop means are effective to simultaneously stop movement of said housing and said cam member at the completion of said second stage of operation and thereby initiating reverse movement of said transfer mechanism.

Claim 9

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 3, in which said first and said second guide means cooperate to successively advance said opposed work gripping means towards each other to grip and retain a workpiece between them, transfer said workpiece in a direction parallel to the reciprocating movement of said slide member and release said workpiece by movement away from each other, said first and said second guide means being constructed such as to prevent the introduction of shocks upon changing of directions of said movements.

Claim 10

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 3, in which said second guide means comprising a circumferential track is provided with arresting means to prevent back tracking of said follower within said track.

Claim 11

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 3, in which said first guide means comprises an oblique curvilinear track defining a sloping track portion culminating into a relatively large radii portion at the end of the track defining the point in the follower travel at which the work gripping means engage the work substantially without shock.

Claim 12

A transfer mechanism for gripping a work piece and moving said workpiece along a path of alternately changing directions within intersecting planes comprising: a base; a bed secured to said base; at least one slide assembly supported on said bed for reciprocatory movement therealong; said slide assembly comprising: a first member; a second member operably connected to said first member for movement relative thereto; a work handling assembly movably associated with said slide assembly for independent movement in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the movement of said slide assembly; said work handling assembly comprising: support means associated with said second member of said slide assembly and operably connected thereto for movement relative thereto; means comprising at least one cam slot having a cam roller disposed therein providing an operable connection between said first member of said slide assembly and said support means of said work handling assembly to effect movement of said work handling assembly in said first direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said slide assembly upon actuation of the latter; means associated with said slide assembly, operable in a first position to prevent movement of said second member in a first stage of operation of said slide assembly to thereby effect movement of said support means of said work handling assembly in said first direction perpendicular to the movement of said slide assembly, operable in a second position to permit movement of said second membeR together with said first member in a second stage of operation of said slide assembly to thereby effect movement of said work handling assembly in a second direction parallel to said slide assembly, means operable in a third position to permit movement of said support means in a second stage of operation of said slide assembly to thereby effect movement of said work handling assembly in a third direction normal to said first and said second direction; and reversible drive means operable to reciprocate said slide assembly.

Claim 13

A transfer mechanism for gripping a work piece and moving said workpiece along a path of alternately changing directions within intersecting planes comprising: a base; a bed secured to said base; at least one slide assembly supported on said bed for reciprocatory movement therealong; said slide assembly comprising: a first member; a second member operably connected to said first member for movement relative thereto; a work handling assembly movably associated with said slide assembly for independent movement in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the movement of said slide assembly; said work handling assembly comprising: support means associated with said second member of said slide assembly and operably connected thereto for movement relative thereto; means comprising at least one cam slot having a cam roller disposed therein providing an operable connection between said first member of said slide assembly and said support means of said work handling assembly to effect movement of said work handling assembly in said first direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said slide assembly upon actuation of the latter; means associated with said slide assembly, operable in a first position to prevent movement of said second member in a first stage of operation of said slide assembly to thereby effect movement of said support means of said work handling assembly in said first direction perpendicular to the movement of said slide assembly, operable in a second position to permit movement of said second membeR together with said first member in a second stage of operation of said slide assembly to thereby effect movement of said work handling assembly in a second direction parallel to said slide assembly, means operable in a third position to permit movement of said support means in a second stage of operation of said slide assembly to thereby effect movement of said work handling assembly in a third direction normal to said first and said second direction; and reversible drive means operable to reciprocate said slide assembly.

Claim 14

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 10, in which said first member of said slide assembly comprises a housing supported on a longitudinal track for sliding movement therealong, said second member comprising a cam slide reciprocably supported within said housing for movement in a direction parallel with said housing, said cam slide comprising said means having at least one cam slot and a cam roller disposed therein, said support means operably connected to said cam rollers for sliding movement relative to said housing and said cam slide in a direction normal to the direction of movement of said slide assembly, said means associated with said slide assembly being effective in a first stage of operation to restrict movement of said housing upon actuation of said slide assembly so that said cam slide moves through said housing to cause said cam rollers to move within said cam slot to thus advance said support means out of said housing for engagement of said work handling assembly with said workpiece, said means being effective in a second stage of operation to cause conjoint movement of said cam slide, said housing and said support means in longitudinal direction of said slide assembly to thus transfer said workpiece engaged by said work handling assembly from a first station to a second station.

Claim 15

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 11, said cam slot comprising an oblique curvilinear track comprised of a sloping portion culminating into a portion of relatively large radii which defines the point in the cam roller travel at which the work handling means engage said work, said radii in said track providing a substantially shockless engagement with said work.

Claim 16

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 11, said support of said work handling means comprising at least one extension member slidably supported within said housing and operably connected to said cam roller, said extension member provided outside of said housing with work gripping means comprising jaws.

Claim 17

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 13, further providing means between said extension member and said work gripping means effective upon movement of said extension member out of said housing to raise said jaws in a direction vertical to the direction of movement of said extension member, and to lower said jaws upon movement of said extension member back into said housing.

Claim 18

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 14, said means to raise said jaws comprising a lower support secured to said extension member, an upper support spaced from said lower support carrying said jaws and means vertically movably connecting said upper support to said lower support responsive to reciprocatory movement of said extension member to raise or lower said upper support.

Claim 19

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 15, in which said connecting means comprises a collapsible linkage pivotally connected between said lower support and said upper support, and means associated with said slide assembly to cause pivoting movement of said linkage to thus raise or lower said upper support in relation to said lower support.

Claim 20

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 15, further providing guide means between said lower support and said upper support to maintain vertical movement of said upper support relative to said lower support.

Claim 21

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 13, providing a pair of spaced extension members, one of said extension members connected to a cross bar, said extension members provided with an overload release means adapted to sever connection between said extension members upon occurrence of an overload, and reciprocating means operable in synchronism with said drive means to act on said cross bar to positively return its associated extension member upon severance of connection between said extension members.

Claim 22

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 11, in which said cam slide is provided with a pair of oppositely directly diagonally disposed cam slots, a cam roller disposed in each of said cam slots, first work handling means including said support means operably connected to a cam roller in the first of said pair of cam slots, second work handling means including said support means operably connected to a cam roller in the second of said pair of cam slots, said pair of diagonally disposed cam slots being effective upon reciprocation of said cam slide within said housing to move said first work handling means in a direction outwardly of said housing and said second work handling means in opposite direction inwardly of said housing.

Claim 23

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 19, said first and said second work handling means being provided at their ends outwardly of said housing with work gripping means facing each other and disposed in a common plane so that upon movement of said first work handling means outwardly of said housing and said second work handling means inwardly of said housing said work gripping means advance towards each other to grip a workpiece between them.

Claim 24

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 11, said means associated with said slide assembly to prevent movement of said housing comprising a first locking member attached to said housing adapted to be normally engaged by a second locking member stationarily secured to said slide assembly, said second locking member being spring loaded into engagement with said first locking member.

Claim 25

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 11, said means associated with said slide assembly to prevent movement of said housing comprising a lock assembly including a lock pin normally spring loaded into engagement with a catch member secured to said housing, cam means associated with said cam slide adapted upon movement of said cam slide to force said lock pin out of engagement with said catch member at a predetermined distance of movement of said cam slide.

Claim 26

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 21, said lock assembly comprising a locking pin secured to said housing, a stationary lever catch supported for pivoting movement having a slot adapted to be engaged by said pin to lock said housing against movement, said lever catch normally bring spring loaded into engagement with said pin, cam means associated with said cam slide, and said lever catch having a cam surface engagable by said cam means at a predetermined distance of movement of said cam slide to engage said cam surface of said lever catch to move said lever catch out of engagement with said locking pin.

Claim 27

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 23 said lever catch being constructed to provide a weighted portion adapted to urge said lever around said pivot into engagement with said locking pin independently of said spring loaded means.

Claim 28

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 11, drive means of said slide assembly comprising a rod secured to said cam slide, said rod having a cam follower roller secured to its other end adapted to be in engagement within a slot provided in one arm of a bellcrank lever spring pivotally connected to a link which other end is pivotally connected to a reciprocating member, said bell crank lever being stationarily pivotally secured between said arms so that upon reciprocation of said member said bell crank lever will be rotated to advance or retract said rod by means of the connection of said cam roller with said slot of said bell crank lever.

Claim 29

A transfer mechanism as defined in claim 11, in whiCh said drive means of said slide assembly comprises a first rack supported on a stationary part of said slide assembly, a second rack supported on a movable part of said slide assembly, gear means rotatably supported between said first rack and said second rack and in meshing engagement with both of them, and means to rotate said gear means so that upon rotation of said gear means said second rack associated with said slide assembly will be moved longitudinally parallel to said first rack to thus reciprocate said slide assembly.

Claim 30

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 26, said gear means comprising a pair of floating gears disposed between said first and said second rack, said pair of gears being floating gears disposed between said first and said second rack, said pair of gears being floatingly supported at the end of an actuator lever for movement of said pair of gears longitudinally between said racks to thus cause rotation of said pair of gears by which said second rack associated with said slide assembly will be forced to move longitudinally parallel to said first rack.

Claim 31

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 27 in which said actuator lever comprises a pendulum fixedly pivotally supported at its end opposite from said gears and drive means positioned intermediate the ends of said actuator lever to oscillate said lever around said pivot support.

Claim 32

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 28 in which said drive means comprises a fluid cylinder moving a push rod connected to said actuator lever intermediate its ends.

Claim 33

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 28 in which said drive means comprises a reciprocating cam acting on said actuator lever.

Claim 34

The transfer mechanism as defined in claim 27 in which said pair of gears are floatingly supported on an enlarged head portion of said actuator lever within spaced slots to permit said gears to adjust themselves upon oscillating movement of said actuator lever to maintain parallel longitudinal movement between said racks.

Claim 35

Transfer mechanism for moving a tool member along a multi-directional path from a first station to an advance station and back to said first station, comprising: a slide assembly reciprocable between said stations, composed of an actuator member slidably disposed within a support member which is relatively movable thereto at preselected points of reciprocating movement of said slide assembly, a tool member slidingly connected to said support for successive multi-directional movement relative to said slide assembly at preselected positions of reciprocating movement of said slide assembly, actuating cam means associated with said actuator member and operably connected to said tool member, means associated with said support to arrest movement of said support at predetermined stages of reciprocating movement of said slide assembly, said actuating cam means and said arresting means cooperating such that upon reciprocating movement of said slide assembly said tool member will be moved in a first direction different from the direction of movement of said slide assembly during a portion of said movement and in a direction different from said first direction during another portion of said slide assembly movement.

Claim 36

Transfer mechanism for moving a tool member along a multi-directional path from a first station to an advance station and back to said first station, comprising: a slide assembly reciprocable between said stations, composed of an actuator member slidably disposed within a support member which is relatively movable thereto at preselected points of reciprocating movement of said slide assembly, a tool member slidingly connected to said support for successive multi-directional movement relative to said slide assembly at preselected positions of reciprocating movement of said slide assembly, actuating cam means associated with said actuator member and operably connected to said tool member, means associated with said support to arrest movement of said support at predetermined stages of reciprocating movement of said slide assembly, said actuating cam means and said arresting means cooperating such that upon reciprocating movement of said slide assembly said tool member will be moved in a first direction different from the direction of movement of said slide assembly during a portion of said movement and in a direction different from said first direction during another portion of said slide assembly movement.

Claim 37

In a transfer device for simultaneously advancing workpieces from one station to a next adjacent station, a base, a slide on said base, a drive device for moving said slide and advancing it on the base along the stations, carriers on said base movable by said slide toward and away from said stations, means connecting said slide to said carriers for moving said carriers toward and away from each other while said slide is retained stationary, workpiece engaging fingers on said carriers alignable with said stations and movable into engagement with said workpieces, means on said carriers for raising and lowering said fingers, said transfer device being mounted in a press having a ram, means actuated by said ram in its upward and downward moveMents for operating said drive means, the upward movement of the ram first moves the fingers into workpiece engaged position after which the fingers are raised and the slide is released to permit it to be advanced by the drive means to advance the fingers to the next adjacent station in alignment therewith, and means for locking the slide in advance position.

Claim 38

In a transfer device for simultaneously advancing workpieces from one station to a next adjacent station, a base, a slide on said base, a drive device for moving said slide and advancing it on the base along the stations, carriers on said base movable by said slide toward and away from said stations, means connecting said slide to said carriers for moving said carriers toward and away from each other while said slide is retained stationary, workpiece engaging fingers on said carriers alignable with said stations and movable into engagement with said workpieces, means on said carriers for raising and lowering said fingers, said transfer device being mounted in a press having a ram, means actuated by said ram in its upward and downward moveMents for operating said drive means, the upward movement of the ram first moves the fingers into workpiece engaged position after which the fingers are raised and the slide is released to permit it to be advanced by the drive means to advance the fingers to the next adjacent station in alignment therewith, and means for locking the slide in advance position.

Claim 39

In a transfer device as recited in claim 33, wherein the subsequent downward movement of the ram lowers the fingers and retracts the fingers from the station as the slide is released and the drive means retracts the slide to have the fingers aligned with their initial station as the die operation is performed on the advanced workpiece, and means for locking the slide in its retracted position.

Claim 40

In a transfer device as recited in claim 34, wherein a plurality of pairs of fingers are mounted on the carriers to move simultaneously toward the stations until the workpieces are engaged after which the fingers are held against advancement as the carriers continue to move toward the stations, and means actuated by the further movement of the carriers for raising the fingers and workpieces from the dies at the station.

Claim 41

In a transfer device as recited in claim 34, wherein the weight of the fingers and workpieces causes the fingers to first lower when the carrier is initially retracted upon the downward movement of the ram to lower the workpieces onto the dies at the stations before the remaining movement of the carrier retracts the fingers and the fingers and carriers are returned to their initial positions as the die operations are performed.