Part orienting device

Claim 2

In transfer mechanism for handling parts which have to be separated according to their body orientation and rotated 90* including a parts supply source having a gravity feed outlet, the improvement comprising: a transfer device attached to said outlet; said transfer device having a first parts conveying channel in open communication with said outlet and a second parts conveying channel disposed along an axis intersecting the axis of said first parts conveying channel at a 90* angle; said transfer device having a parts transfer station defined by the intersection of said first channel with said second channel; said transfer station comprising a chamber having a first side wall parallel to the axis of said first channel and a said second side wall joined thereto and parallel to the axis of said second channel; pressurized fluid power means communicating with said chamber comprising: (1) normally closed fluid pressure inlet communicating with said chamber through said first side wall, (2) a normally open fluid pressure inlet port communicating with said chamber through said second side wall and a pilot conduit communicating with said second normally open fluid inlet port; a source of fluid under pressure fluidly connected to said first and second fluid inlet; normally closed valve means connected between said source of fluid under pressure and said first fluid inlet; said pilot conduit being connected to said normally closed valve means for actuation of said valve means; said second fluid inlet adapted to be closed upon the presence of a part in said chamber to thereby create a back pressure in said pilot conduit effective to acutate said valve means so as to open said valve means to cause fluid pressure at a predetermined magnitude through said first fluid inlet into said chamber to move said part into said second channel.

Claim 3

In parts orienting and transfer system adapted to change said travel and position of parts 90* from the original feeding position and to sort parts into different direction of travel according to the orientation and including a parts supply source adapted to dispense parts along a gravity feed channel, the improvement comprising: a parts transfer and orienting device disposed adjacent said parts supply source having a first parts receiving channel aligned wIth said parts dispensing gravity feed channel; chute means interconnecting said gravity feed channel with said parts receiving channel; second and third channels intersecting said first parts receiving channel at a right angle and extending therefrom in opposite directions; the intersection of said first parts receiving channel with said second and third channel forming a parts transfer and orienting station; said second and third channel being adapted to transfer parts from said first and third channel being adapted to transfer parts from said first parts receiving channel in a 90* rotated position; said second channel being adapted to only receive parts oriented in a first position and said third channel being adapted to only receive parts oriented in a second position; fluid power means communicating with said parts transfer and orienting station including a normally open sensing port disposed along an axis aligned with said first parts receiving channel; opposite disposed normally closed fluid inlet ports disposed along axes aligned with said second and third channel respectively; said first and second fluid inlet port and said sensing port being fluidly connected to a source of fluid under pressure; first normally open valve means connected between said source of fluid under pressure and said first fluid inlet ports; second normally closed valve means between said source of fluid under pressure and said second fluid inlet port; a pilot conduit interconnected between sensing port and said first and second valve means, respectively, to actuate said valve means when said sensing port is closed; said sensing port adapted to remain open upon the presence of a part in said transfer and orienting station to maintain said first valve means in open position for fluid communication with said first fluid inlet to move said parts into said second channel; said sensing port adapted to be closed upon the presence of a part in said transfer and orienting station when said part is disposed in said second position causing back pressure through said pilot conduit effective to actuate said first valve means into closed position and said second valve means into open position to establish fluid communication between said source of fluid under pressure and said second fluid inlet port to move said part into said third channel.

Claim 4

In parts orienting and transfer system adapted to change said travel and position of parts 90* from the original feeding position and to sort parts into different direction of travel according to the orientation and including a parts supply source adapted to dispense parts along a gravity feed channel, the improvement comprising: a parts transfer and orienting device disposed adjacent said parts supply source having a first parts receiving channel aligned wIth said parts dispensing gravity feed channel; chute means interconnecting said gravity feed channel with said parts receiving channel; second and third channels intersecting said first parts receiving channel at a right angle and extending therefrom in opposite directions; the intersection of said first parts receiving channel with said second and third channel forming a parts transfer and orienting station; said second and third channel being adapted to transfer parts from said first and third channel being adapted to transfer parts from said first parts receiving channel in a 90* rotated position; said second channel being adapted to only receive parts oriented in a first position and said third channel being adapted to only receive parts oriented in a second position; fluid power means communicating with said parts transfer and orienting station including a normally open sensing port disposed along an axis aligned with said first parts receiving channel; opposite disposed normally closed fluid inlet ports disposed along axes aligned with said second and third channel respectively; said first and second fluid inlet port and said sensing port being fluidly connected to a source of fluid under pressure; first normally open valve means connected between said source of fluid under pressure and said first fluid inlet ports; second normally closed valve means between said source of fluid under pressure and said second fluid inlet port; a pilot conduit interconnected between sensing port and said first and second valve means, respectively, to actuate said valve means when said sensing port is closed; said sensing port adapted to remain open upon the presence of a part in said transfer and orienting station to maintain said first valve means in open position for fluid communication with said first fluid inlet to move said parts into said second channel; said sensing port adapted to be closed upon the presence of a part in said transfer and orienting station when said part is disposed in said second position causing back pressure through said pilot conduit effective to actuate said first valve means into closed position and said second valve means into open position to establish fluid communication between said source of fluid under pressure and said second fluid inlet port to move said part into said third channel.

Claim 5

In a transfer mechanism and part orienting device for transferring rectangular parts asymmetric about one axis, comprising: a first channel connected to a supply of parts and communicating with a transfer station, said first channel internally configured to feed said rectangular parts in one orientation relative to its axis, a second channel generally perpendicular to said first channel and intersecting said first channel at said transfer station, said second channel internally configured to feed said rectangular parts in a second orientation relative to its axis, said transfer station having a wall parallel to said second channel, perpendicular to said first channel and blocking said first channel and said transfer station having a second wall perpendicular to said second channel and parallel to said first channel, sensing means in said transfer station wall adapted to sense a part engaging said wall, said sensing means including a normally open fluid inlet in said transfer station wall communicating with said transfer station, power means communicating with said transfer station and adapted to transfer a part engaging said wall, through said second channel, and actuating means operably connected to said sensing means and said power means adapted to actuate said power means on signal from said sensing means, said power means including a normally closed fluid pressure inlet in said second transfer station wall, and said actuator means operably connected to said fluid pressure inlets including a valve means adapted to close said normally open inlet when the inlet is blocked by a part and open the normally closed valve to force the part into said second channeL, whereby a part delivered from said first channel in one orientation relative to its axis engages said transfer station wall and is then transferred in a second orientation through said second channel.

Claim 6

In a transfer mechanism and part orienting device for transferring rectangular parts asymmetric about one axis, comprising: a first channel connected to a supply of parts and communicating with a transfer station, said first channel internally configured to feed said rectangular parts in one orientation relative to its axis, a second channel generally perpendicular to said first channel and intersecting said first channel at said transfer station, said second channel internally configured to feed said rectangular parts in a second orientation relative to its axis, said transfer station having a wall parallel to said second channel, perpendicular to said first channel and blocking said first channel and said transfer station having a second wall perpendicular to said second channel and parallel to said first channel, sensing means in said transfer station wall adapted to sense a part engaging said wall, said sensing means including a normally open fluid inlet in said transfer station wall communicating with said transfer station, power means communicating with said transfer station and adapted to transfer a part engaging said wall, through said second channel, and actuating means operably connected to said sensing means and said power means adapted to actuate said power means on signal from said sensing means, said power means including a normally closed fluid pressure inlet in said second transfer station wall, and said actuator means operably connected to said fluid pressure inlets including a valve means adapted to close said normally open inlet when the inlet is blocked by a part and open the normally closed valve to force the part into said second channeL, whereby a part delivered from said first channel in one orientation relative to its axis engages said transfer station wall and is then transferred in a second orientation through said second channel.

Claim 7

The transfer mechanism defined in claim 3, characterized in that said transfer mechanism includes a third channel parallel to said second channel and intersecting said first channel at said transfer station and communicating with said first channel, said rectangular parts having a reduced pilot portion extending perpendicular to the transfer axes and said first channel configured to transfer said parts with the pilot portion positioned up and down, said second and third channels internally configured to receive said parts in only one pilot position including a reduced channel portion receiving said pilot, a second normally opened power means directing said parts into said third channel when the part is positioned to be received in said third channel, whereby said transfer mechanism is also adapted to separate said parts by pilot position.