Patent US4410778A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3826381A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3826381A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Article handling apparatus
Assignee: GLASS MACHINERY Inc A Corp OF
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Filing: 1972-03-30
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Granted: 1974-07-30
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Expires: 1992-03-30
Abstract
Abstract An article handling apparatus which is used to transfer a plurality of articles, such as glass containers which may be in a heated condition, from a pickup position which may be over a first conveyor to a discharge position which may be over a second conveyor employs a plurality of vacuum pickup heads mounted on a movable carriage. A drive mechanism connected to the carriage moves the plurality of pickup heads into laterally adjacent and embracing relationship with the articles at the pickup position so that one article is embraced in each of the respective heads. The drive mechanism then raises the carriage and the embraced articles so that they are held in a suspended condition and moves the carriage from the first conveyor to the discharge position where the articles are lowered onto the second conveyor. As the carriage lowers the embraced articles, the source providing the vacuum is disconnected from the plurality of heads and the articles are deposited at the discharge position. In order to minimize the capacity of the vacuum system, each of the plurality of vacuum pickup heads contains a valve and an actuating element which opens the valve to produce a localized vacuum within the head when an article to be embraced is located in closely spaced relationship with the head. The drive means for moving the plurality of heads on the carriage sweeps the heads at the appropriate time into closely spaced relationship with the articles as they move along the first conveyor. When the actuating elements of the valves are contacted by the articles, the valves open and the full effect of the vacuum source is available to draw the articles into embracing relationship with the pickup heads.
Inventors
- 👤 C Kulig
- 👤 L Campbell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 13:28
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/74; B65G47/82; C; C03; C03B; C03B35/00; C03B35/04; C03B35/06; C03B35/10; C03B35/12; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02; B65G2201/0235; B65G2201/0244
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
Article handling apparatus for transferring groups of articles, such as glass containers, in a suspended condition between two positions comprising: a movable carriage; a vacuum source; a plurality of vacuum pickup heads mounted in serially adjacent relationship on the carriage, each of the vacuum heads being connected with the vacuum source and having a support member adapted to at least partially embrace an article and a valve operable between open and closed conditions, the support member defining an opening covered by an embraced article, and the valve being interposed between the vacuum source and the opening and having an actuating element projecting through the opening of the support member in the closed condition of the valve and moved by an embraced article to open the valve whereby an embraced article is drawn toward the opening and held tightly against the support member by the reduced pressure in the opening caused by the open valve and the vacuum source; means for closing the valve in a selected vacuum pickup head on the carriage to render the selected head inoperative; and drive means connected to the movable carriage for moving the plurality of vacuum heads into laterally adjacent and embracing relationship with the articles at a pickup position and moving the embraced articles in a suspended condition from the pickup position to a discharge position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
Article handling apparatus for transferring groups of articles, such as glass containers, in a suspended condition between two positions comprising: a movable carriage; a vacuum source; a plurality of vacuum pickup heads mounted in serially adjacent relationship on the carriage, each of the vacuum heads being connected with the vacuum source and having a support member adapted to at least partially embrace an article and a valve operable between open and closed conditions, the support member defining an opening covered by an embraced article, and the valve being interposed between the vacuum source and the opening and having an actuating element projecting through the opening of the support member in the closed condition of the valve and moved by an embraced article to open the valve whereby an embraced article is drawn toward the opening and held tightly against the support member by the reduced pressure in the opening caused by the open valve and the vacuum source; means for closing the valve in a selected vacuum pickup head on the carriage to render the selected head inoperative; and drive means connected to the movable carriage for moving the plurality of vacuum heads into laterally adjacent and embracing relationship with the articles at a pickup position and moving the embraced articles in a suspended condition from the pickup position to a discharge position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
An article handling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the movable carriage comprises an elongated vacuum manifold connected with the vacuum source; and the plurality of vacuum pickup heads are connected in adjacent relationship to the vacuum manifold.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
74 words
An article handling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the vacuum heads comprises a body including the support member and defining a cavity having a communication with the vacuum source and exposed by the opening in the support member; and each of the valves in the vacuum heads comprises a flapper valve mounted within the cavity of the body and closing the communication with the vacuum source in the closed condition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
74 words
An article handling apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the flapper valve has a pivotal flapper movable within the cavity of the body between a closed position covering thE communication with the vacuum source and an open position; and the actuating element of the valve is connected to the pivotal flapper and extends through the cavity of the body and the opening of the support member at the closed position of the valve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
An article handling apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the pivotal flapper of the valve includes a toggle weight which moves through an over-center position as the flapper moves between the open and closed conditions whereby the toggle weight tends to hold the flapper in the condition to which the flapper is actuated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
An article handling apparatus as defined in claim 1 adapted for handling bottles wherein the support member of each vacuum pickup head has a specially contoured section conforming to the shape of a bottle portion embraced by the support member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
An article handling apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein the specially contoured section of the support member is lined with a heat resistant, resilient material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
An article handling apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the specially contoured section of the support member is a cylindrical section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
90 words
An article handling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a vacuum manifold connected with the vacuum source is mounted on the carriage, and each of the vacuum pickup heads is connected to the vacuum manifold; and vacuum control means responsive to the drive means are interposed between the vacuum source and the vacuum manifold for evacuating the manifold when the carriage is moved to the vicinity of the pickup position and relieving the vacuum in the manifold when the carriage is moved to the vicinity of the discharge position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
An article handling apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the drive means comprises cyclic drive means for cyclically moving the plurality of vacuum heads between the pickup and discharge positions and for cyclically moving articles in a suspended condition.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
An article handling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein: the valves in the pickup heads are flapper valves; and the means for closing comprises an electrically actuated solenoid having a plunger cooperating with the flapper of the valve in an individual head.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
An article handling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein: the means for closing the valve comprises means opposing the operation of the actuating element moved by an embraced article for preventing the opening of the valve in the selected pickup head.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-29 | 1978-01-28 | 1978-07-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-29 | 1982-01-28 | 1982-07-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-29 | 1986-01-28 | 1986-07-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |