Transfer device

Claim 2

In a transfer device for indexing workpieces between successive stations in a press-mounted die the combination comprising a base, a workpiece-engaging finger bar and means mounting the finger bar for movement on said base in perpendicularly related longitudinal and transverse directions comprising a rectilinear guideway on said base extending parallel to said longitudinal direction, a guide member engaging said guideway and constrained to move longitudinally in said guideway, said guide member having a guideway thereon extending transversely to said first mentioned guideway, said finger bar having means thereon engaging said second guideway so that the finger bar is shifted longitudinally in response to movement of said guide Member in the first mentioned guideway and is shifted in said transverse direction in response to movement thereof relative to said guide member, a drive unit, drive means operatively connecting said drive unit with said guide member for reciprocating the guide member in the first guideway, said finger bar having a guideway thereon extending parallel to said longitudinal direction, guide means engaged with said last mentioned guideway and constrained to move in said longitudinal direction relative to said finger bar and drive means for transversely reciprocating said finger bar connected with said guide means and forming the sole transverse driving connection between said drive unit and said finger bar.

Claim 3

The combination called for in claim 1 wherein said means on said finger bar engaging said second guideway are disposed adjacent one end of the finger bar and said guide member is a saddle carrying said transverse guideway.

Claim 4

The combination called for in claim 2 wherein said transversely reciprocating drive means comprises two housings spaced from each other on said base and laterally of said finger bar and each having a transversely reciprocating rod extending therefrom connected with said guide means for transversely reciprocating said finger bar.

Claim 5

In a transfer device for indexing workpieces between successive stations in a press-mounted die, said device having a workpiece-engaging finger bar shiftable in a longitudinal direction lengthwise of the die and shiftable in a direction generally transverse to said longitudinal direction, the combination comprising a single endless cam track rotatable about an axis for controlling both longitudinal and transverse motions of said finger bar, drive means for rotating said cam track about said axis, means operatively connecting said cam track with said finger bar for controlling longitudinal finger bar motion comprising a first cam follower engaging said cam track and means operatively connecting said first cam follower with said finger bar and means operatively connecting said cam track with said finger bar for controlling transverse finger bar motion comprising a second cam follower engaging said cam track and means operatively connecting said second cam follower with said finger bar, said cam track having portions for causing displacement of said first and second cam followers so that upon rotation of said cam track by said drive means said finger bar is longitudinally shifted in response to displacement of said first cam follower and is transversely shifted in response to displacement of said second cam follower whereby the single cam track generates controlled longitudinal and transverse finger bar motions.

Claim 6

In a transfer device for indexing workpieces between successive stations in a press-mounted die, said device having a workpiece-engaging finger bar shiftable in a longitudinal direction lengthwise of the die and shiftable in a direction generally transverse to said longitudinal direction, the combination comprising a single endless cam track rotatable about an axis for controlling both longitudinal and transverse motions of said finger bar, drive means for rotating said cam track about said axis, means operatively connecting said cam track with said finger bar for controlling longitudinal finger bar motion comprising a first cam follower engaging said cam track and means operatively connecting said first cam follower with said finger bar and means operatively connecting said cam track with said finger bar for controlling transverse finger bar motion comprising a second cam follower engaging said cam track and means operatively connecting said second cam follower with said finger bar, said cam track having portions for causing displacement of said first and second cam followers so that upon rotation of said cam track by said drive means said finger bar is longitudinally shifted in response to displacement of said first cam follower and is transversely shifted in response to displacement of said second cam follower whereby the single cam track generates controlled longitudinal and transverse finger bar motions.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 4 wherein said cam track surrounds said axis and said cam followers are arranged for radial displacement relative to said axis in response to rotation of said cam track.

Claim 8

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein said cam track and said first and second cam followers are adapted to shift said finger bar sequentially in longitudinal and transverse directions to execute a rectangular path of movement.

Claim 9

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein said cam track comprises a first segment extending arcuately about said axis at a fixed radial distance therefrom, a second segment extending arcuately about said axis at a fixed radial distance therefrom, said last mentioned distance being greater than said first mentioned distance, a third segment connecting one end of said first segment with the circumferentially adjacent end of said second segment and a fourth segment connecting the other end of said first segment with the other end of said second segment.

Claim 10

The combination called for in claim 7 wherein the cam followers are angularly spaced apart so that each of said segments is engaged by only one cam follower at any one time.

Claim 11

The combination called for in claim 7 wherein the sum of the angular extents of the first and second segments equals at least 180*.

Claim 12

The combination called for in claim 9 wherein said first and second segments each has an angular extent of 90*.

Claim 13

The combination called for in claim 10 wherein said third and fourth segments each has an angular extent of 90*.

Claim 14

The combination called for in claim 11 wherein said cam followers are angularly spaced apart 90*.

Claim 15

The combination called for in claim 5 wherein the operative connections between the cam followers and the finger bar include means for amplifying the radial displacements of the cam followers such that the longitudinal and transverse displacements of the finger bar are greater than the radial displacements of the respective cam followers.

Claim 16

In a transfer device for indexing workpieces between successive stations in a press-mounted die, said device having a workpiece-engaging finger bar shiftable in a longitudinal direction lengthwise of the die and shiftable in a direction generally transverse to said longitudinal direction, the combination comprises a base on which said finger bar is mounted for longitudinal reciprocation between forward and return limit positions, a drive member mounted on said base for movement in opposite directions and means interconnecting said finger bar and said member such that the longitudinal finger bar movement is proportional to the movement of said member to a high degree of accuracy, abutment means on said base and said member positioned for forcible interengagement so as to constrain the movement of said member to an accurately predetermined distance and correspondingly the stroke of said finger bar to between said forward and return limit positions, means for moving said member over said accurately predetermined distance to thereby move said finger bar between its longitudinal limit positions comprising drive means and a drive mechanism operatively connecting said drive means with said drive member and tending in response to operation of said drive means to move said drive member a distance slightly greater than said accurately predetermined distance as limited by said abutment means, said drive mechanism including a yieldable member for absorbing slight overtravel of said drive means upon interengagement of said abutment means, means for maintaining said abutment means in forcible interengagement when said finger bar is at its limit positions and means for transversely shifting the finger bar with the finger bar at its limit positions while forcible interengagement of the abutment means is maintained.

Claim 17

In a transfer device for indexing workpieces between successive stations in a press-mounted die, said device having a workpiece-engaging finger bar shiftable in a longitudinal direction lengthwise of the die and shiftable in a direction generally transverse to said longitudinal direction, the combination comprises a base on which said finger bar is mounted for longitudinal reciprocation between forward and return limit positions, a drive member mounted on said base for movement in opposite directions and means interconnecting said finger bar and said member such that the longitudinal finger bar movement is proportional to the movement of said member to a high degree of accuracy, abutment means on said base and said member positioned for forcible interengagement so as to constrain the movement of said member to an accurately predetermined distance and correspondingly the stroke of said finger bar to between said forward and return limit positions, means for moving said member over said accurately predetermined distance to thereby move said finger bar between its longitudinal limit positions comprising drive means and a drive mechanism operatively connecting said drive means with said drive member and tending in response to operation of said drive means to move said drive member a distance slightly greater than said accurately predetermined distance as limited by said abutment means, said drive mechanism including a yieldable member for absorbing slight overtravel of said drive means upon interengagement of said abutment means, means for maintaining said abutment means in forcible interengagement when said finger bar is at its limit positions and means for transversely shifting the finger bar with the finger bar at its limit positions while forcible interengagement of the abutment means is maintained.

Claim 18

The combination called for in claim 14 wherein said yieldable member is a gear assembly comprising an input gear coaxial with an output gear and a yieldable portion operatively connecting said input gear with said output gear.

Claim 19

The combination called for in claim 15 wherein said drive mechanism includes a set of change gears.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 14 wherein said means for moving said drive member includes cam means and cam follower means operatively connecting said drive means with said drive member, said cam means having a portion for displacing said cam follower means such that said drive member is shifted over said accurately predetermined distance as limited by interengagement of said abutment means and a portion for maintaining forcible interengagement of said abutment means with the finger bar at its limit positions while the finger bar is being transversely shifted.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 17 wherein said cam means comprises an endless cam track rotatable about an axis and said cam follower means comprises a cam follower engaging said track and arranged for radial displacement relative to said axis, said drive means being operatively connected to rotate said cam track and said cam follower being operatively connected to said drive member such that when said cam track is rotated, said cam follower is radially displaced to thereby move said drive member over said accurately predetermined distance.

Claim 22

The combinaTion of claim 18 wherein the radial displacement of said cam follower tends to move said drive member a distance slightly greater than said accurately predetermined distance as limited by said abutment means.

Claim 23

The combination of claim 19 wherein said yieldable member is operatively connected between said cam follower and said drive member for absorbing slight overtravel of said cam follower.

Claim 24

The combination of claim 18 wherein said drive member comprises a rod shiftable on said base and said abutment means comprises a collar on said rod and stop means on said base, said collar being adapted to interengage said stop means for limiting the stroke thereof.

Claim 25

The combination of claim 21 further including means for amplifying the displacement of said cam follower into a substantially greater stroke of the rod.