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US3738503A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Safety overload device for transfer machines

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-07-29
•
Granted: 1973-06-12
•
Expires: 1991-07-29
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Abstract

Abstract A safety overload device for a transfer machine having a rotatable drive member and a rotatable driven member. Overload protection is afforded by a yieldable driving connection provided between a face of the drive member and a corresponding face of the driven member by a plurality of spring-loaded bearing balls. The two members rotate over a selected angular range in unison as long as the load torque remains below a selected level as established by the spring force on the balls. A position return safety feature is provided by a pin projecting outwardly from the face of one of the two members to engage an arcuate slot in the face of the other member. The pin is positioned at one end of the slot. When the device encounters an overload during rotation in one direction, the yieldable coupling provided by the springloaded balls breaks the driving connection between the two members. The slot permits the drive member to continue rotating in the one direction and therefore to slip relative to the driven member so as to traverse the remaining angular distance in the one direction while the driven member remains stationary. When the drive member rotates in the opposite direction, it slips relative to the driven member until it comes to the position where it became disconnected from the driven member. As the drive member rotates through this position, the one end of the slot forcibly abuts the pin to cause the driven member to be rotated in unison with the drive member over the final increment of movement in the latter direction.

Inventors

  • 👤 B Wallis

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 03:39
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G23/00; B65G2811/00; B65G2811/09; B65G2811/091; B65G2811/093

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 252 words
A transfer device for advancing workpieces through a plurality of successive stations of the type having a workpieceengaging finger bar reciprocable in one direction to transfer the workpieces between successive stations and reciprocable in a direction transverse to said one direction to a projected workpiece-engaging position and to a retracted position out of engagement with the workpieces, said device including a drive member reciprocable in opposite directions through a predetermined stroke, a driven member operably connected with the finger bar and reciprocable in opposite directions and means forming a yieldable driving connection between said drive and driven members for reciprocating said finger bar between said projected and retracted positions in response to reciprocation of said drive member through said stroke, said yieldable means being adapted to break said driving connection when the resistance to movement on the driven member exceeds a predetermined value, that improvement which comprises abutment means on said drive and driven members which are normally spaced apart when said yieldable drive means are broken, said drive member being adapted to complete its stroke in the finger bar projecting direction after said yieldable driving connection is broken while the finger bar remains in a partially projected position, said abutment means adapted to interengage and re-establish a driving connection between said drive and driven members when the drive member moves in the finger bar retracting direction to the position, relative to the driven member, where the yieldable connection was broken to thereby positively retract the finger bar to said retracted position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 252 words
A transfer device for advancing workpieces through a plurality of successive stations of the type having a workpieceengaging finger bar reciprocable in one direction to transfer the workpieces between successive stations and reciprocable in a direction transverse to said one direction to a projected workpiece-engaging position and to a retracted position out of engagement with the workpieces, said device including a drive member reciprocable in opposite directions through a predetermined stroke, a driven member operably connected with the finger bar and reciprocable in opposite directions and means forming a yieldable driving connection between said drive and driven members for reciprocating said finger bar between said projected and retracted positions in response to reciprocation of said drive member through said stroke, said yieldable means being adapted to break said driving connection when the resistance to movement on the driven member exceeds a predetermined value, that improvement which comprises abutment means on said drive and driven members which are normally spaced apart when said yieldable drive means are broken, said drive member being adapted to complete its stroke in the finger bar projecting direction after said yieldable driving connection is broken while the finger bar remains in a partially projected position, said abutment means adapted to interengage and re-establish a driving connection between said drive and driven members when the drive member moves in the finger bar retracting direction to the position, relative to the driven member, where the yieldable connection was broken to thereby positively retract the finger bar to said retracted position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 61 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 1 wherein said abutment means comprises a slot in one of said members and a pin in the other member, said pin being movable in said slot upon relative movement of said members, said slot having an end adapted to be abutted by said pin to re-establish said driving connection between said members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 2 wherein said members are mounted for co-axial rotation and said slot comprises an arc struck about the axis of rotation of said members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 2 wherein said slot is formed on the drive member and said pin is mounted on the driven member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 42 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 2 wherein said pin in disposed relative to said end of said slot such that, when the pin abuts said end of said slot, said yieldable driving connection couples said members in driving relation.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2656178A Cited
US3521761A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-06-11 1976-12-11 1977-06-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-06-11 1980-12-11 1981-06-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-06-11 1984-12-11 1985-06-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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