Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
286 words
In a manipulator for polygonal cross-section billets, particularly cast copper bars, having a tipping trough for tilting of the billets and means for feeding the billets to the tipping trough and for receiving billets from the tipping trough: the improvement comprising, in combination, a single tipping trough having at least one pair of stationary angularly related supporting surfaces intersecting at substantially right angles to each other to form a substantially V-shaped apex and each forming an uninterrupted stable supporting surface for billets moved sidewise into and out of said trough; one of said surfaces sloping upwardly and outwardly from said apex at a relatively small angle and normally serving as a billet receiving side of said trough; the other surface sloping upwardly and outwardly from said apex at a steeper angle and normally serving as a billet discharging side of said trough; each polygonal crosssection billet, when moved sidewise into said trough, abutting one of said stable supporting surfaces and having one side surface thereof stably supported on the other of said stable supporting surfaces; and at least one tipping lever pivotally supported in said manipulator adjacent said tipping trough and having a free end engageable with a longitudinal corner edge of a polygonal cross-section billet then in said tipping trough to tilt the billet about its longitudinal axis to bring a different side surface of the billet into stably supported relation with the stable supporting surface previously engaged by said one side surface; said tipping lever being repetitively oscillatable to tilt the billet an unlimited number of times to bring selected side surfaces of the billet into stably supported relation with the stable supporting surface initially engaged by said one side surface of the billet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
286 words
In a manipulator for polygonal cross-section billets, particularly cast copper bars, having a tipping trough for tilting of the billets and means for feeding the billets to the tipping trough and for receiving billets from the tipping trough: the improvement comprising, in combination, a single tipping trough having at least one pair of stationary angularly related supporting surfaces intersecting at substantially right angles to each other to form a substantially V-shaped apex and each forming an uninterrupted stable supporting surface for billets moved sidewise into and out of said trough; one of said surfaces sloping upwardly and outwardly from said apex at a relatively small angle and normally serving as a billet receiving side of said trough; the other surface sloping upwardly and outwardly from said apex at a steeper angle and normally serving as a billet discharging side of said trough; each polygonal crosssection billet, when moved sidewise into said trough, abutting one of said stable supporting surfaces and having one side surface thereof stably supported on the other of said stable supporting surfaces; and at least one tipping lever pivotally supported in said manipulator adjacent said tipping trough and having a free end engageable with a longitudinal corner edge of a polygonal cross-section billet then in said tipping trough to tilt the billet about its longitudinal axis to bring a different side surface of the billet into stably supported relation with the stable supporting surface previously engaged by said one side surface; said tipping lever being repetitively oscillatable to tilt the billet an unlimited number of times to bring selected side surfaces of the billet into stably supported relation with the stable supporting surface initially engaged by said one side surface of the billet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
In a manipulator for polygonal cross-section billets, the improvement claimed in claim 1, including at least one billet lifter engageable with at least one side surface of a billet in said trough to discharge the billet along a respective one of said uninterrupted stably supporting surfaces of said trough; each lifter being associated with one of the sides of said trough.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
In a manipulator for polygonal cross-section billets, the improvement claimed in claim 2, in which each lifter comprises a wheel having plural projections extending from its circumference; and means mounting each wheel for rotation about an axis extending parallel to said tipping trough.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
In a manipulator for polygonal cross-section billets, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said tipping trough is positioned between two substantially parallel feeding and discharging roller conveyors for transferring billets, in a direction transverse to the billet length, between the two conveyors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
In a manipulator for polygonal cross-section billets, the improvement claimed in claim 1, including a drive connected to each tipping lever and operable to oscillate the same.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a manipulator for polygonal cross-section billets, particularly cast copper bars, having a tipping trough and driving means for feeding the billets through the tipping trough, the improvement comprising, in combination, said tipping trough having at least one stationary substantially angular supporting surface with a sloping inlet side and a steeper outlet side; at least one pivotal tipping lever pivotal in engagement with a longitudinal corner edge of a billet in the tipping trough to tilt the billet; a drive connected to eacH tipping lever and operable to oscillate the same; a stop engageable by a billet arriving adjacent said tipping trough; and at least one switch on said stop engageable by an arriving billet and controlling operation of said drive for oscillating each tipping lever; each switch effecting an operation of said drive in accordance with the respective orientation of the arriving billet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a manipulator for polygonal cross-section billets, particularly cast copper bars, having a tipping trough and driving means for feeding the billets through the tipping trough, the improvement comprising, in combination, said tipping trough having at least one stationary substantially angular supporting surface with a sloping inlet side and a steeper outlet side; at least one pivotal tipping lever pivotal in engagement with a longitudinal corner edge of a billet in the tipping trough to tilt the billet; a drive connected to eacH tipping lever and operable to oscillate the same; a stop engageable by a billet arriving adjacent said tipping trough; and at least one switch on said stop engageable by an arriving billet and controlling operation of said drive for oscillating each tipping lever; each switch effecting an operation of said drive in accordance with the respective orientation of the arriving billet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
In a manipulator for polygonal cross-section billets, the improvement claimed in claim 6, in which there are plural switches on said stop each engageable by an arriving billet in accordance with a respective orientation of the arriving billet, and each effecting a respective operation of said drive effective to tip the billet so that it rests on a predetermined side surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
In a manipulator for polygonal cross-section billets, the improvement claimed in claim 4, in which the projections of each lifter are movable upwardly past the inlet side of said trough; each side of said trough constituting a bearing surface connecting the trough to a respective roller conveyor at the transport level of the associated roller conveyor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
In a manipulator for polygonal cross-section billets, the improvement claimed in claim 4, in which the projections of each lifter are movable upwardly of the steeper outlet side of said trough; each side of said trough forming a bearing surface connecting the trough to a respective roller conveyor at the transport level of the associated roller conveyor.