Sensor responsive cybernetics machine

Claim 2

An automatic article manipulator which searches for, locates, engages and manipulates an article, comprising: a. a frame; b. an article engaging head movably mounted on said frame for movement along at least one axis; c. drive means for moving said article engaging head; d. position sensor means providing a first signal representative of the position of said article engaging head; e. an article responsive sensor mounted on said head and providing a second signal when said drive means moves said head into engaging relation with an article; f. control means for controlling said drive means in response to said first signal; g. means for stopping the movement of said article engaging head in response to said second signal when said manipulator is searching for an article; and h. means for actuating said article engaging head when said head is engagingly located with respect to an article.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said article responsive sensor is a photocell.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the optical field of view of said photocell is not greater than 3*.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said position sensor means comprises a plurality of sensors mounted in relatively fixed spaced positions along said one axis and means movable with said head for actuating said sensors.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 which further includes means for controlling the speed of said drive means.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said speed control means is responsive to said first signal from said position sensor means.

Claim 8

A programmable automatic article manipulator which searches for, locates, engages and manipulates an article, comprising: a. a frame; b. an article engaging head movably mounted on said frame for movement along at least one axis; c. drive means for moving said article engaging head; d. position sensor means providing a first signal representative of the position of said article engaging head; e. an article responsive sensor mounted on said head and providing a second signal when said drive means moves said head into engaging relation with an article; f. a program signal generator for providing program signals; g. first control means, programable in response to said program signals, for controlling said drive means in programmed response to said first signal; h. second control means, programable in response to said program signals, for stopping the movement of said article engaging head in programmed response to said second signal when said manipulator is searching for an article; and i. means for actuating said article engaging head when said head is engagingly located with respect to an article.

Claim 9

A programmable automatic article manipulator which searches for, locates, engages and manipulates an article, comprising: a. a frame; b. an article engaging head movably mounted on said frame for movement along at least one axis; c. drive means for moving said article engaging head; d. position sensor means providing a first signal representative of the position of said article engaging head; e. an article responsive sensor mounted on said head and providing a second signal when said drive means moves said head into engaging relation with an article; f. a program signal generator for providing program signals; g. first control means, programable in response to said program signals, for controlling said drive means in programmed response to said first signal; h. second control means, programable in response to said program signals, for stopping the movement of said article engaging head in programmed response to said second signal when said manipulator is searching for an article; and i. means for actuating said article engaging head when said head is engagingly located with respect to an article.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said article responsive sensor is a photocell.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the optical field of view of said photocell is not greater than 3*.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said position sensor means comprises a plurality of sensors mounted in relatively fixed spaced positions along said one axis and means movable with said head for actuating said sensors.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10 which further includes means for controlling the speed of said drive means.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said speed control means is responsive to said first signal from said position sensor means.

Claim 15

An automatic article manipulator which searches for, locates, engages and manipulates an article, comprising: a. a frame; b. an article engaging head movably mounted on said frame; c. longitudinal drive means for moving said article engaging head along a longitudinal axis; d. transverse drive means for moving said article engaging head along a transverse axis which is orthogonal to said longitudinal axis; e. longitudinal position sensor means for providing a first signal representative of the longitudinal position of said article engaging head; f. transverse position sensor means for providing a second signal representative of the transverse position of said article engaging head; g. an article responsive sensor mounted on said head and providing a third signal in response to the presence of an article to be engaged when said article is transversely aligned with said head; h. a first longitudinal control means for controlling said longitudinal drive means in response to said first signal; i. second longitudinal control means for stopping the movement of said article engaging head in response to said third signal when said manipulator is searching for an article; j. transverse control means for controlling said transverse drive means in response to said second signal; and k. means for actuating said article engaging head when said head is engagingly located with respect to an article.

Claim 16

An automatic article manipulator which searches for, locates, engages and manipulates an article, comprising: a. a frame; b. an article engaging head movably mounted on said frame; c. longitudinal drive means for moving said article engaging head along a longitudinal axis; d. transverse drive means for moving said article engaging head along a transverse axis which is orthogonal to said longitudinal axis; e. longitudinal position sensor means for providing a first signal representative of the longitudinal position of said article engaging head; f. transverse position sensor means for providing a second signal representative of the transverse position of said article engaging head; g. an article responsive sensor mounted on said head and providing a third signal in response to the presence of an article to be engaged when said article is transversely aligned with said head; h. a first longitudinal control means for controlling said longitudinal drive means in response to said first signal; i. second longitudinal control means for stopping the movement of said article engaging head in response to said third signal when said manipulator is searching for an article; j. transverse control means for controlling said transverse drive means in response to said second signal; and k. means for actuating said article engaging head when said head is engagingly located with respect to an article.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said article engaging head comprises a pair of jaws movably mounted on said head for engaging an article.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said means for actuating said article engaging head comprises: a. a detector mounted on said head for providing an output signal when an article is located between said jaws; and b. means for closing said jaws in response to said output signal.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 14 which further includes: a. vertical drive means for moving said article engaging head along a vertical axis; b. vertical position sensor means for providing a fourth signal representative of the veritcal position of said article engaging head; and c. vertical control means for controlling said vertical drive means in response to said fourth signal.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said vertical position sensor means is mounted on said article engaging head.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said vertical position sensor means comprises a plurality of sensors mounted in relatively fixed spaced positions along said vertical axis and means movable with said head for actuating said vertical position sensors.

Claim 22

A programable automatic article manipulator which searches for, locates, engages and manipulates an article, comprising: a. a frame; b. an article engaging head movably mounted on said frame; c. longitudinal drive means for moving said article engaging head along a longitudinal axis; d. transverse drive means for moving said article engaging head along a transverse axis which is orthogonal to said longitudinal axis; e. longitudinal position sensor means for providing a first signal representative of the longitudinal position of said article engaging head; f. transverse position sensor means for providing a second signal representative of the transverse position of said article engaging head; g. an article response sensor mounted on said head and providing a third signal in response to the presence of an article to be engaged when said article is transversely aligned with said head; h. a program signal generator for providing program signals; i. first longitudinal control means, programable in response to said program signals, for controlling said longitudinal drive means in programmed response to said first signal; j. second longitudinal control means, programable in response to said program signals, for stopping the movement of said article engaging head in programmed response to said second signal when said manipulator is searching for an article; k. transverse control means for controlling said traNsverse drive means in response to said second signal; and l. means for actuating said article engaging head when said head is engagingly located with respect to an article.

Claim 23

A programable automatic article manipulator which searches for, locates, engages and manipulates an article, comprising: a. a frame; b. an article engaging head movably mounted on said frame; c. longitudinal drive means for moving said article engaging head along a longitudinal axis; d. transverse drive means for moving said article engaging head along a transverse axis which is orthogonal to said longitudinal axis; e. longitudinal position sensor means for providing a first signal representative of the longitudinal position of said article engaging head; f. transverse position sensor means for providing a second signal representative of the transverse position of said article engaging head; g. an article response sensor mounted on said head and providing a third signal in response to the presence of an article to be engaged when said article is transversely aligned with said head; h. a program signal generator for providing program signals; i. first longitudinal control means, programable in response to said program signals, for controlling said longitudinal drive means in programmed response to said first signal; j. second longitudinal control means, programable in response to said program signals, for stopping the movement of said article engaging head in programmed response to said second signal when said manipulator is searching for an article; k. transverse control means for controlling said traNsverse drive means in response to said second signal; and l. means for actuating said article engaging head when said head is engagingly located with respect to an article.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said article engaging head comprises a pair of jaws movably mounted on said head for engaging an article.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said means for actuating said article engaging head comrpises: a. a detector mounted on said head for providing an output signal when an article is located between said jaws; and b. means for closing said jaws in response to said output signal.

Claim 26

An automatic article manipulator which searches for, locates, engages and manipulates an article, comprising: a. a frame; b. an article engaging head movably mounted on said frame; c. longitudinal drive means for moving said article engaging head along a longitudinal axis; d. transverse drive means for moving said article engaging head along a transverse axis which is orthogonal to said longitudinal axis; e. longitudinal position sensor means for providing a signal representative of the longitudinal position of said article engaging head; f. transverse position sensor means for providing a second signal representative of the transverse position of said article engaging head; g. a first article responsive sensor mounted on said head and providing a third signal in response to the presence of an article to be engaged when said article is transversely aligned with said head; h. a second article response sensor mounted on said head and providing a fourth signal in response to the presence of an article to be engaged when said article is longitudinally aligned with said head; i. first longitudinal control means for controlling said longitudinal drive means in response to said first signal; j. second longitudinal control means for stopping the longitudinal movement of said article engaging head in response to said third signal when said manipulator is searching for an article; k. first transverse control means for controlling said transverse drive means in response to said second signal; l. second transverse control means for stopping the transverse movement of said article engaging head in response to said fourth signal when said manipulator is searching for an article; m. means for actuating said article engaging head when said head is engagingly located with respect to an article.

Claim 27

An automatic article manipulator which searches for, locates, engages and manipulates an article, comprising: a. a frame; b. an article engaging head movably mounted on said frame; c. longitudinal drive means for moving said article engaging head along a longitudinal axis; d. transverse drive means for moving said article engaging head along a transverse axis which is orthogonal to said longitudinal axis; e. longitudinal position sensor means for providing a signal representative of the longitudinal position of said article engaging head; f. transverse position sensor means for providing a second signal representative of the transverse position of said article engaging head; g. a first article responsive sensor mounted on said head and providing a third signal in response to the presence of an article to be engaged when said article is transversely aligned with said head; h. a second article response sensor mounted on said head and providing a fourth signal in response to the presence of an article to be engaged when said article is longitudinally aligned with said head; i. first longitudinal control means for controlling said longitudinal drive means in response to said first signal; j. second longitudinal control means for stopping the longitudinal movement of said article engaging head in response to said third signal when said manipulator is searching for an article; k. first transverse control means for controlling said transverse drive means in response to said second signal; l. second transverse control means for stopping the transverse movement of said article engaging head in response to said fourth signal when said manipulator is searching for an article; m. means for actuating said article engaging head when said head is engagingly located with respect to an article.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 22 which further includes: a. vertical drive means for moving said article engaging head along a vertical axis; b. vertical position sensor means for providing a fifth signal representative of the vertical position of said article engaging head; and c. vertical control means for controlling said vertical drive means in response to said fifth signal.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said article engaging head comprises a pair of jaws movably mounted on said head for engaging an article.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said means for actuating said article engaging head comprises: a. a detector mounted on said head for providing an output signal when an article is located between said jaws; and b. means for closing said jaws in response to said output signal.

Claim 31

A programable article manipulator which comprises: a. a frame; b. an article engaging head movably mounted on said frame for movement along at least one axis; c. drive means for moving said article engaging head; d. sensor means for providing a position signal representative of the position of said article engaging head; e. a program signal generator for providing program signals; f. relay logic control means, programable in response to said program signals and logically responsive to said position signals, for controlling said drive means; g. a light source mounted on said article engaging head; h. a photocell providing a reflection outPut signal in response to light from said light source which is reflected from an article to be engaged; and i. means for stopping said drive means in response to said reflection output signal.

Claim 32

A programable article manipulator which comprises: a. a frame; b. an article engaging head movably mounted on said frame for movement along at least one axis; c. drive means for moving said article engaging head; d. sensor means for providing a position signal representative of the position of said article engaging head; e. a program signal generator for providing program signals; f. relay logic control means, programable in response to said program signals and logically responsive to said position signals, for controlling said drive means; g. a light source mounted on said article engaging head; h. a photocell providing a reflection outPut signal in response to light from said light source which is reflected from an article to be engaged; and i. means for stopping said drive means in response to said reflection output signal.