Takeoff apparatus

Claim 2

In a takeoff apparatus particularly adapted for removing generally flat materials from a first location and transferring them to a second location and including frame means, drive means mounted on said frame means, gripper assembly means mounted on said frame means for movement therealong, said gripper assembly means being operably connected to said drive means to drive said gripper assembly means reciprocally between said first and second locations, said gripper assembly means having a cam-follower shaft movably mounted on said frame means and pivotal with respect thereto, a gripper finger shaft movably mounted on said frame means in generally parallel spaced relationship to said cam-follower shaft, and a plurality of gripper finger means mounted on said gripper finger shaft for pivotal movement with respect thereto to receive and hold said flat materials for transferring the same from said first location to said second location, the improvement including linking means operably connecting said cam-follower shaft and each of said gripper finger means to allow approximately simultaneous opening and closing of said gripper finger means, a portion of said linking means being mounted on said cam-follower shaft in such a manner that it allows complete and independent closing of each of said gripper finger means on the stock to be transferred.

Claim 3

The improvement set forth in claim 1 wherein said portion of said linking means connecting each of said gripper finger means with said cam-follower shaft includes link arm means correspondIng to each of said gripper finger means and mounted on said cam-follower shaft, each of said link arm means being connected to its corresponding gripper finger means by rod means to allow opening and closing of said gripper finger means, resilient means being connected between each of said link arm means and said corresponding gripper finger means to urge said gripper finger means to a selected position, each of said link arm means being mounted on said cam-follower shaft and being operatively joined to said shaft by key stock means disposed in a key way means formed in said cam-follower shaft and said link arm means, the differential in dimension between said key stock means and said key way means allowing a slight amount of play between said cam-follower shaft and said link arm means, effective to assure complete closure of each gripper finger means on the printed stock.

Claim 4

A takeoff apparatus particularly adapted for removing generally flat material from a first location and transferring it to a second location, including frame means, drive means mounted on said frame means, gripper assembly means mounted on said frame means for movement therealong, said gripper assembly means having a cam-follower shaft movably mounted on said frame means and pivotal with respect thereto and a gripper finger shaft movably mounted on said frame means in generally parallel spaced relationship to said cam-follower shaft, a plurality of gripper finger means mounted on said gripper finger shaft for pivotal, opening and closing movement with respect thereto to grip said flat material, gripper actuating cam means mounted on said frame means and disposed for periodic interaction with cam-follower means mounted on said cam-follower shaft of said gripper assembly means, linking means operably connecting said cam-follower shaft and each of said gripper finger means to allow opening and closing of said gripper finger means when said cam-follower shaft engages said gripper actuating cam means during movement of said gripper assembly relative to said frame means, a portion of said linking means being mounted on said cam-follower shaft and having limited movement relative thereto to allow complete closure of each of said gripper finger means, drive arm means having one end connected to said gripper assembly means and an opposite end connected to said drive means, said drive means thereby driving said gripper assembly means reciprocally along said frame means, the geometrical relationship of said drive arm means and said drive means being effective to cause suspension of the movement of said gripper assembly means adjacent said first location of said material a sufficient amount of time to allow each of said gripper finger means of said gripper assembly means to properly grip the material to be transferred.

Claim 5

A takeoff apparatus particularly adapted for removing generally flat material from a first location and transferring it to a second location, including frame means, drive means mounted on said frame means, gripper assembly means mounted on said frame means for movement therealong, said gripper assembly means having a cam-follower shaft movably mounted on said frame means and pivotal with respect thereto and a gripper finger shaft movably mounted on said frame means in generally parallel spaced relationship to said cam-follower shaft, a plurality of gripper finger means mounted on said gripper finger shaft for pivotal, opening and closing movement with respect thereto to grip said flat material, gripper actuating cam means mounted on said frame means and disposed for periodic interaction with cam-follower means mounted on said cam-follower shaft of said gripper assembly means, linking means operably connecting said cam-follower shaft and each of said gripper finger means to allow opening and closing of said gripper finger means when said cam-follower shaft engages said gripper actuating cam means during movement of said gripper assembly relative to said frame means, a portion of said linking means being mounted on said cam-follower shaft and having limited movement relative thereto to allow complete closure of each of said gripper finger means, drive arm means having one end connected to said gripper assembly means and an opposite end connected to said drive means, said drive means thereby driving said gripper assembly means reciprocally along said frame means, the geometrical relationship of said drive arm means and said drive means being effective to cause suspension of the movement of said gripper assembly means adjacent said first location of said material a sufficient amount of time to allow each of said gripper finger means of said gripper assembly means to properly grip the material to be transferred.

Claim 6

The takeoff apparatus of claim 3 wherein said drive means includes sprocket means mounted on a pair of generally parallel drive shaft means disposed near opposite ends of said frame means, corresponding ones of said sprocket means on each of said drive shaft means being joined by endless chain means, said sprocket means being rotatable with said drive shaft means about a central axis of said drive shaft means to drive said chain means therearound, said drive arm means having one end attached to said chain means for movement therewith about said sprocket means and said opposite end attached to said gripper assembly means to move said gripper assembly means with said chain means reciprocally along said frame means between said first location and said second location of said material.

Claim 7

The takeoff apparatus of claim 4 wherein said drive arm means has a length at least slightly greater than the radius of said sprocket means to allow a desired amount of dwell in the movement of said gripper assembly means attached thereto relative to said frame means as said chain means and said attached drive arm means move around the perimeter of said sprocket means to bring said gripper assembly means adJacent said first location of said material, such selected period of dwell thereby assuring that the material is securely gripped by said gripper finger means before the movement of said gripper assembly means is reversed toward said second location.

Claim 8

The improvement set forth in claim 3 wherein said frame means includes a pair of horizontally spaced, parallel channel means supporting said drive means and said gripper assembly means, the length of each of said cam-follower shaft and said gripper finger shaft being extendable relative to said frame means either to allow the addition of further gripper finger means and and linking means connecting such gripper finger means to said cam-follower shaft, or to adjust the spacing between each of said gripper finger means and their corresponding linking means, without necessitating any movement or alteration of said channel means or said drive means mounted thereon, thereby providing quick and easy scaling in the size of said takeoff apparatus according to the size and weight of the flat material being transferred.

Claim 9

The takeoff apparatus of claim 3 wherein said linking means includes a plurality of link arm means mounted on said cam-follower shaft for movement therewith, rod means connecting each of said link arm means with a corresponding one of said gripper finger means to allow opening and closing of said gripper finger means, upon pivotal movement of said link arm means with said cam-follower shaft, and resilient means connected between said link arm means and said rod means to urge said gripper finger means to a selected position, each of said link arm means being operatively joined to said cam-follower shaft by key stock means disposed in a key way formed in said cam-follower shaft and said link means, said key stock means and said key way having different dimensions to allow a slight amount of play between said cam-follower shaft and said link arm means effective to automatically assure complete closure of each of said gripper finger means on said flat material.