Method and apparatus for welding bellows constructions and the like

Claim 2

Apparatus for indexing an item from one station of said apparatus to another station thereof compriisng a frame means, an indexible member rotatably carried by said frame means and carrying said item, rotating means for rotating said indexible member relative to said frame means in one rotational direction, said indexible member having abutment means and positioning means, movable bumper means carried by said frame means, means for moving said bumper means into the path of movement of said abutment means so that said abutment means will abut said bumper means and thereby stop movement of said indexible member in said one direction when said rotating means is rotating said indexible member from one rotational position thereof to another rotational position, and positioning means carried by said frame means and cooperating with said positioning means of said indexible member to position and hold said indexible member in its new rotational position after the rotational movement of said indexible member has been terminated by said bumper means, said positioning means of said indexible member and said frame means being separate from said abutment means and said bumper means and being disposed substantially 180* therefrom when said abutment means abuts said bumper means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said indexible member is rotated approximately 180* during each indexing thereof.

Claim 4

Apparatus for indexing an item from one station of said apparatus to another station thereof comprising a frame means, an indexible member rotatably carried by said frame means and carrying said item, rotating means for rotating said indexible member relative to said frame means in one rotational direction, said indexible member having abutment means and positioning means, mOvable bumper means carried by said frame means, means for moving said bumper means into the path of movement of said abutment means so that said abutment means will abut said bumper means and thereby stop movement of said indexible member in said one direction when said rotating means is rotating said indexible member from one rotational position thereof to another rotational position, and positioning means carried by said frame means and cooperating with said positioning means of said indexible member to position and hold said indexible member in its new rotational position after the rotational movement of said indexible member has been terminated by said bumper means, said positioning means of said indexible member and said frame means being separate from said abutment means and said bumper means, said bumper means comprising a shock absorber.

Claim 5

Apparatus for indexing an item from one station of said apparatus to another station thereof comprising a frame means, an indexible member rotatably carried by said frame means and carrying said item, rotating means for rotating said indexible member relative to said frame means in one rotational direction, said indexible member having abutment means and positioning means, mOvable bumper means carried by said frame means, means for moving said bumper means into the path of movement of said abutment means so that said abutment means will abut said bumper means and thereby stop movement of said indexible member in said one direction when said rotating means is rotating said indexible member from one rotational position thereof to another rotational position, and positioning means carried by said frame means and cooperating with said positioning means of said indexible member to position and hold said indexible member in its new rotational position after the rotational movement of said indexible member has been terminated by said bumper means, said positioning means of said indexible member and said frame means being separate from said abutment means and said bumper means, said bumper means comprising a shock absorber.

Claim 6

Apparatus for indexing an item from one station of said apparatus to another station thereof comprising a frame means, an indexible member rotatably carried by said frame means and carrying said item, rotating means for rotating said indexible member relative to said frame means in one rotational direction, said indexible member having abutment means and positioning means, movable bumper means carried by said frame means, means for moving said bumper means into the path of movement of said abutment means so that said abutment means will abut said bumper means and thereby stop movement of said indexible member in said one direction when said rotating means is rotating said indexible member from one rotational position thereof to another rotational position, and positioning means carried by said frame means and cooperating with said positioning means of said indexible member to position and hold said indexible member in its new rotational position after the rotational movement of said indexible member has been terminated by said bumper means, said positioning means of said indexible member and said frame means being separate from said abutment means and said bumper means, said means for moving said bumper means comprising a fluidically operated piston and cylinder arrangement carried by said frame means.

Claim 7

Apparatus for indexing an item from one station of said apparatus to another station thereof comprising a frame means, an indexible member rotatably carried by said frame means and carrying said item, rotating means for rotating said indexible member relative to said frame means in one rotational direction, said indexible member having abutment means and positioning means, movable bumper means carried by said frame means, means for moving said bumper means into the path of movement of said abutment means so that said abutment means will abut said bumper means and thereby stop movement of said indexible member in said one direction when said rotating means is rotating said indexible member from one rotational position thereof to another rotational position, and positioning means carried by said frame means and cooperating with said positioning means of said indexible member to position and hold said indexible member in its new rotational position after the rotational movement of said indexible member has been terminated by said bumper means, said positioning means of said indexible member and said frame means being separate from said abutment means and said bumper means, said means for moving said bumper means comprising a fluidically operated piston and cylinder arrangement carried by said frame means.

Claim 8

Apparatus for indexing an item from one station of said apparatus to another station thereof comprising a frame means, an indexible member rotatably carried by said frame means and carrying said item, rotating means for rotating said indexible member relative to said frame means in one rotational direction, said indexible member having abutment means and positioning means, movable bumper means carried by said frame means, means for moving said bumper means into the path of movement of said abutment means so that said abutment means will abut said bumper means and thereby stop movement of said indexible member in said one direction when said rotating means is rotating said indexible member from one rotational position thereof to another rotational position, and positioning means carried by said frame means and cooperating with said positioning means of said indexible member to position and hold said indexible member in its new rotational position after the rotational movement of said indexible member has been terminated by said bumper means, said positioning means of said frame means and said indexible member comprising a movable pin carried by said frame means and an opening means carried by said indexible member for receiving said pin therein.

Claim 9

Apparatus for indexing an item from one station of said apparatus to another station thereof comprising a frame means, an indexible member rotatably carried by said frame means and carrying said item, rotating means for rotating said indexible member relative to said frame means in one rotational direction, said indexible member having abutment means and positioning means, movable bumper means carried by said frame means, means for moving said bumper means into the path of movement of said abutment means so that said abutment means will abut said bumper means and thereby stop movement of said indexible member in said one direction when said rotating means is rotating said indexible member from one rotational position thereof to another rotational position, and positioning means carried by said frame means and cooperating with said positioning means of said indexible member to position and hold said indexible member in its new rotational position after the rotational movement of said indexible member has been terminated by said bumper means, said positioning means of said frame means and said indexible member comprising a movable pin carried by said frame means and an opening means carried by said indexible member for receiving said pin therein.

Claim 10

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said pin is tapered and said opening means has a complementary taper therein.

Claim 11

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said opening means of said indexible member comprises an element carried thereby and having an opening therein for receiving said pin.

Claim 12

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said element also defines an abutment means for abutting said bumper means.

Claim 13

Apparatus for indexing an item from one station of said apparatus to another station thereof comprising a frame means, an indexible member rotaTably carried by said frame means and carrying said item, rotating means for rotating said indexible member relative to said frame means in one rotational direction, said indexible member having abutment means and positioning means, movable bumper means carried by said frame means, means for moving said bumper means into the path of movement of said abutment means so that said abutment means will abut said bumper means and thereby stop movement of said indexible member in said one direction when said rotating means is rotating said indexible member from one rotational position thereof to another rotational position, and positioning means carried by said frame means and cooperating with said positioning means of said indexible member to position and hold said indexible member in its new rotational position after the rotational movement of said indexible member has been terminated by said bumper means, said positioning means of said indexible member and said frame means being separate from said abutment means and said bumper means, said bumper means tending to rotate said indexible member in the opposite direction when engaged by said abutment means, said positioning means cooperating together to prevent such opposite rotation beyond a certain amount before said positioning means cooperate to position and hold said indexible member.

Claim 14

Apparatus for indexing an item from one station of said apparatus to another station thereof comprising a frame means, an indexible member rotaTably carried by said frame means and carrying said item, rotating means for rotating said indexible member relative to said frame means in one rotational direction, said indexible member having abutment means and positioning means, movable bumper means carried by said frame means, means for moving said bumper means into the path of movement of said abutment means so that said abutment means will abut said bumper means and thereby stop movement of said indexible member in said one direction when said rotating means is rotating said indexible member from one rotational position thereof to another rotational position, and positioning means carried by said frame means and cooperating with said positioning means of said indexible member to position and hold said indexible member in its new rotational position after the rotational movement of said indexible member has been terminated by said bumper means, said positioning means of said indexible member and said frame means being separate from said abutment means and said bumper means, said bumper means tending to rotate said indexible member in the opposite direction when engaged by said abutment means, said positioning means cooperating together to prevent such opposite rotation beyond a certain amount before said positioning means cooperate to position and hold said indexible member.

Claim 15

Apparatus for indexing an item from one station of said apparatus to another station thereof comprising a frame means, an indexible member rotatably carried by said frame means and carrying said item, rotating means for rotating said indexible member relative to said frame means in one rotational direction, said indexible member having abutment means and positioning means, movable bumper means carried by said frame means, means for moving said bumper means into the path of movement of said abutment means so that said abutment means will abut said bumper means and thereby stop movement of said indexible member in said one direction when said rotating means is rotating said indexible member from one rotational position thereof to another rotational position, and positioning means carried by said frame means and cooperating with said positioning means of said indexible member to position and hold said indexible member in its new rotational position after the rotational movement of said indexible member has been terminated by said bumper means, said rotating means comprising a drive motor and clutch means for clutching said drive motor to and from said indexible member, said clutch means disconnecting said drive motor from said indexible member before said abutment means abuts said bumper means.

Claim 16

Apparatus for indexing an item from one station of said apparatus to another station thereof comprising a frame means, an indexible member rotatably carried by said frame means and carrying said item, rotating means for rotating said indexible member relative to said frame means in one rotational direction, said indexible member having abutment means and positioning means, movable bumper means carried by said frame means, means for moving said bumper means into the path of movement of said abutment means so that said abutment means will abut said bumper means and thereby stop movement of said indexible member in said one direction when said rotating means is rotating said indexible member from one rotational position thereof to another rotational position, and positioning means carried by said frame means and cooperating with said positioning means of said indexible member to position and hold said indexible member in its new rotational position after the rotational movement of said indexible member has been terminated by said bumper means, said rotating means comprising a drive motor and clutch means for clutching said drive motor to and from said indexible member, said clutch means disconnecting said drive motor from said indexible member before said abutment means abuts said bumper means.