Conveyor for cards and the like

Claim 2

A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor element, means for moving said element in a given direction along an operating station, a plurality of article-grippers extending from one side of said element and spaced therealong in said given direction, said grippers having operating elements which, when appropriately actuated, open and close said grippers, and control means at said operating station on the other side of said element from said grippers, engageable with said operating elements as their respective grippers move along said station, and effective to open and close said grippers as they move along said station, said moving means being effective to move said parts along a continuous closed path, said control means comprising a plurality of parts, each engageable with the operating element of a different gripper, and means operatively connected to said parts for moving them along said operating station in synchronism with their respective grippers, in which said grippers comprise a fixed part mounted on one side of said conveyor element, a movable part operatively connected to said fixed part, means operatively connected to said parts for urging them together, thereby to cause said gripper to close, and said operating element comprising a member operatively connected to said movable part, extending through saiD conveyor element to be exposed at the other side thereof, and there adapted to be engaged by said control means.

Claim 3

A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor element, means for moving said element in a given direction along an operating station, a plurality of article-grippers extending from one side of said element and spaced therealong in said given direction, said grippers having operating elements which, when appropriately actuated, open and close said grippers, and control means at said operating station on the other side of said element from said grippers, engageable with said operating elements as their respective grippers move along said station, and effective to open and close said grippers as they move along said station, said moving means being effective to move said parts along a continuous closed path, said control means comprising a plurality of parts, each engageable with the operating element of a different gripper, and means operatively connected to said parts for moving them along said operating station in synchronism with their respective grippers, in which said grippers comprise a fixed part mounted on one side of said conveyor element, a movable part operatively connected to said fixed part, means operatively connected to said parts for urging them together, thereby to cause said gripper to close, and said operating element comprising a member operatively connected to said movable part, extending through saiD conveyor element to be exposed at the other side thereof, and there adapted to be engaged by said control means.

Claim 4

A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor element, means for moving said element in a given direction along an operating station, a plurality of article-grippers extending from one side of said element and spaced therealong in said given direction, said grippers having operating elements which, when appropriately actuated, open and close said grippers, and control means at said operating station on the other side of said element from said grippers, engageable with said operating elements as their respective grippers move along said station, and effective to open and close said grippers as they move along said station, said moving means being effective to move said parts along a continuous closed path, said control means comprising a plurality of parts, each engageable with the operating element of a different gripper, and means operatively connected to said parts for moving them along said operating station in synchronism with their respective grippers, in which said grippers comprise a fixed part mounted on one side of said conveyor element, a movable part operatively connected to said fixed part, means operatively connected to said parts for urging them together, thereby to cause said gripper to close, and said operating element comprising a member operatively connected to said movable part, extending through saiD conveyor element to be exposed at the other side thereof, and there adapted to be engaged by said control means.

Claim 5

A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor element, means for moving said element in a given direction along an operating station, a plurality of article-grippers extending from one side of said element and spaced therealong in said given direction, said grippers having operating elements which, when appropriately actuated, open and close said grippers, and control means at said operating station on the other side of said element from said grippers, engageable with said operating elements as their respective grippers move along said station, and effective to open and close said grippers as they move along said station, said moving means being effective to move said parts along a continuous closed path, said control means comprising a plurality of parts, each engageable with the operating element of a different gripper, and means operatively connected to said parts for moving them along said operating station in synchronism with their respective grippers, in which said control means comprises a rotatable element having means for engaging said conveyor element and having a plurality of generally radially movable parts carried thereby for rotation therewith, and cam means with respect to which said rotatable element rotates, said parts being operatively engaged with and moving along said cam means as said rotatable element rotates, said cam means being configured to cause said parts to move radially in and out as they thus move along said cam means, said parts in so moving actuatingly engaging said operating elements of said grippers.

Claim 6

A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor element, means for moving said element in a given direction along an operating station, a plurality of article-grippers extending from one side of said element and spaced therealong in said given direction, said grippers having operating elements which, when appropriately actuated, open and close said grippers, and control means at said operating station on the other side of said element from said grippers, engageable with said operating elements as their respective grippers move along said station, and effective to open and close said grippers as they move along said station, said moving means being effective to move said parts along a continuous closed path, said control means comprising a plurality of parts, each engageable with the operating element of a different gripper, and means operatively connected to said parts for moving them along said operating station in synchronism with their respective grippers, in which said control means comprises a rotatable element having means for engaging said conveyor element and having a plurality of generally radially movable parts carried thereby for rotation therewith, and cam means with respect to which said rotatable element rotates, said parts being operatively engaged with and moving along said cam means as said rotatable element rotates, said cam means being configured to cause said parts to move radially in and out as they thus move along said cam means, said parts in so moving actuatingly engaging said operating elements of said grippers.

Claim 7

A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor element, means for moving said element in a given direction along an operating station, a plurality of article-grippers extending from one side of said element and spaced therealong in said given direction, said grippers having operating elements which, when appropriately actuated, open and close said grippers, and control means at said operating station on the other side of said element from said grippers, engageable with said operating elements as their respective grippers move along said station, and effective to open and close said grippers as they move along said station, in which said control means comprises a rotatable element having means for engaging said conveyor element and having a plurality of generally radially movable parts carried thereby for rotation therewith, and cam means with respect to which said rotatable element rotates, said parts being operatively engaged with and moving along said cam means as said rotatable element rotates, said cam means being configured to cause said parts to move radially in and out as they thus move along said cam means, said parts in so moving actuatingly engaging said operating elements of said grippers.

Claim 8

A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor element, means for moving said element in a given direction along an operating station, a plurality of article-grippers extending from one side of said element and spaced therealong in said given direction, said grippers having operating elements which, when appropriately actuated, open and close said grippers, and control means at said operating station on the other side of said element from said grippers, engageable with said operating elements as their respective grippers move along said station, and effective to open and close said grippers as they move along said station, in which said control means comprises a rotatable element having means for engaging said conveyor element and having a plurality of generally radially movable parts carried thereby for rotation therewith, and cam means with respect to which said rotatable element rotates, said parts being operatively engaged with and moving along said cam means as said rotatable element rotates, said cam means being configured to cause said parts to move radially in and out as they thus move along said cam means, said parts in so moving actuatingly engaging said operating elements of said grippers.

Claim 9

A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor element, means for moving said element in a given direction along an operating station, a plurality of article-grippers extending from one side of said element and spaced therealong in said given direction, said grippers having operating elements which, when appropriately actuated, open and close said grippers, and control means at said operating station on the other said of said element from said grippers, engageable with said operating elements as their respective grippers move along said station, and effective to open and close said grippers as they move along said station, in which said control means comprises a plurality of parts, each part engageable with the operating element of a different gripper, and means operatively connected to said parts for moving them along said operating station in synchronism with their respective grippers.

Claim 10

A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor element, means for moving said element in a given direction along an operating station, a plurality of article-grippers extending from one side of said element and spaced therealong in said given direction, said grippers having operating elements which, when appropriately actuated, open and close said grippers, and control means at said operating station on the other said of said element from said grippers, engageable with said operating elements as their respective grippers move along said station, and effective to open and close said grippers as they move along said station, in which said control means comprises a plurality of parts, each part engageable with the operating element of a different gripper, and means operatively connected to said parts for moving them along said operating station in synchronism with their respective grippers.

Claim 11

The conveyor of clam 4, in which said conveyor element moves along a path defined in part by a peripheral portion of a rotatable element operatively engaged by said element, said control means being carried by and rotatable with said rotatable element.

Claim 12

The conveyor of clam 4, in which said conveyor element moves along a path defined in part by a peripheral portion of a rotatable element operatively engaged by said element, said control means being carried by and rotatable with said rotatable element.

Claim 13

The conveyor of claim 5, in which said conveyor element comprises a sprocket length and said rotatable element comprises a sprocket wheel.

Claim 14

The conveyor of claim 4, in which said rotatable element rotates relative to cam means, said control means comprising parts operatively engaged with said cam means and moved between gripper-opening and gripper-closing positions by said cam means as said parts move relative thereto.

Claim 15

In the conveyor of claim 7, means operatively connected to said cam means for adjusting the position thereof relative to said rotatable element.

Claim 16

A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor element, means for moving said element in a given direction along an operating station, a plurality of article-grippers extending from one side of said element and spaced therealong in said given direction, said grippers having operating elements which, when appropriately actuated, open and close said grippers, and control means at said operating station on the other side of said element from said grippers, engageable with said operating elements as their respective grippers move along said station, and effective to open and close said grippers as they move along said station, in which said conveyor element moves along a path defined in part by a peripheral portion of a rotatable element operatively engaged by said element, said control means being carried by and rotatable with said rotatable element.

Claim 17

A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor element, means for moving said element in a given direction along an operating station, a plurality of article-grippers extending from one side of said element and spaced therealong in said given direction, said grippers having operating elements which, when appropriately actuated, open and close said grippers, and control means at said operating station on the other side of said element from said grippers, engageable with said operating elements as their respective grippers move along said station, and effective to open and close said grippers as they move along said station, in which said conveyor element moves along a path defined in part by a peripheral portion of a rotatable element operatively engaged by said element, said control means being carried by and rotatable with said rotatable element.

Claim 18

The conveyor of claim 9, in which said conveyor element comprises a sprocket length and said rotatable element comprises a sprocket wheel.

Claim 19

The conveyor of claim 9, in which said rotatable element rotates relative to cam means, said control means comprising parts operatively engaged with said cam means and moved between gripper-opening and gripper-closing positions by said cam means as said parts move relative thereto.

Claim 20

In the conveyor of claim 11, means operatively connected to said cam means for adjusting the position thereof relative to said rotatable element.

Claim 21

A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor element, means for moving said element in a given direction along an operating station, a plurality of article-grippers extending from one side of said element and spaced therealong in said given direction, said grippers having operating elements which, when appropriately actuated, open and close said grippers, and control means at said operating station on the other side of said element from said grippers, engageable with said operating elements as their respective grippers move along said station, and effective to open and close said grippers as they move along said station, a rotatable element rotatable relative to cam means, said control means comprising parts operatively engaged with said cam means and moved between gripper-opening and gripper-closing positions by said cam means as said parts move relative thereto.

Claim 22

A conveyor comprising an elongated conveyor element, means for moving said element in a given direction along an operating station, a plurality of article-grippers extending from one side of said element and spaced therealong in said given direction, said grippers having operating elements which, when appropriately actuated, open and close said grippers, and control means at said operating station on the other side of said element from said grippers, engageable with said operating elements as their respective grippers move along said station, and effective to open and close said grippers as they move along said station, a rotatable element rotatable relative to cam means, said control means comprising parts operatively engaged with said cam means and moved between gripper-opening and gripper-closing positions by said cam means as said parts move relative thereto.