Mechanism for incremental movement of vertical frame

Claim 2

Apparatus for handling a planar frame comprising: a support; means on the support for positioning a planar frame in a vertical plane for movement along a predetermined path relative to the support; means adjacent to said path for applying heat to a portion of the frame when the latter is in said plane; actuatable means shiftably mounted on the support for moving the frame relative thereto through an incremental distance along said path; means coupled with said moving means for actuating the same; and means movable transversely of said plane and relative to said support in response to the actuation of the moving means for releasably clamping the frame to the support heat applying means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame has a plurality of openings therethrough, said moving means including a pawl, means adjacent to said path for mounting the pawl for movement longitudinally of the path, the pawl being pivotally mounted on said mounting means, means biasing the pawl into a position extending across said plane, and means coupled with the pawl mounting means for reciprocating the same with respect to said support, the pawl adapted to enter an opening in the frame and to drive the frame in one diretion through said incremental distance.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said reciprocating means includes a power device having a rotatable drive shaft, a generally horizontal driven shaft shiftably mounted on said support, said pawl mounting means beiNg secured to said driven shaft, and means responsive to the rotation of the drive shaft for reciprocating said driven shaft.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said moving means includes a base member mounted on said support for reciprocation relative thereto, a pawl pivotally mounted on the base member and biased toward a position at which it extends laterally from the base member and across said plane, the leading edge of the pawl with reference to the direction of movement of the frame normally making an acute angle with said plane.

Claim 6

Apparatus for handling a planar die support frame having a plurality of spaced openings therethrough comprising: a support; means on the support for positioning a planar die support frame in a vertical plane for movement along a predetermined, generally horizontal path relative to the support; a heater element adjaceent to said path and operable to apply heat to a portion of the frame aligned therewith; a pair of frame-engaging pawls; means mounting the pawls in spaced relationship to each other and for reciprocation relative to the support with each pawl having means biasing the same toward said plane and into a frame opening aligned therewith, each pawl being movable out of a frame opening and away from said plane when the pawl engages the frame as the pawl moves in one direction, each pawl being receivable in a frame opening and engageable with the frame for moving the latter along said path when the pawl moves in the opposite direction; means coupled with said pawl mounting means for reciprocating the same relative to the support; a clamp shiftably mounted on the support and having means biasing the same in a direction and by an amount sufficient to urge the frame into frictional engagement with the support; and means responsive to the movement of the pawls for moving the clamp away from the plane to thereby allow the frame to be moved along said path out of frictional engagement with the support.

Claim 7

Apparatus for handling a planar die support frame having a plurality of spaced openings therethrough comprising: a support; means on the support for positioning a planar die support frame in a vertical plane for movement along a predetermined, generally horizontal path relative to the support; a heater element adjaceent to said path and operable to apply heat to a portion of the frame aligned therewith; a pair of frame-engaging pawls; means mounting the pawls in spaced relationship to each other and for reciprocation relative to the support with each pawl having means biasing the same toward said plane and into a frame opening aligned therewith, each pawl being movable out of a frame opening and away from said plane when the pawl engages the frame as the pawl moves in one direction, each pawl being receivable in a frame opening and engageable with the frame for moving the latter along said path when the pawl moves in the opposite direction; means coupled with said pawl mounting means for reciprocating the same relative to the support; a clamp shiftably mounted on the support and having means biasing the same in a direction and by an amount sufficient to urge the frame into frictional engagement with the support; and means responsive to the movement of the pawls for moving the clamp away from the plane to thereby allow the frame to be moved along said path out of frictional engagement with the support.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said clamp is disposed to engage the lower margin of the frame.

Claim 9

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein is included a second clamp shiftably mounted on the support and disposed to clamp a portion of the frame against the heater element, said second clamp being movable away from said heater element as a function of the movement of said pawls and before the movement of the first-mentioned clamp away from said plane.

Claim 10

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the pawls are disposed on respective sides of the heater element.

Claim 11

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said positioning means includes a pair of guide rails on opposed sides of said path, one of the rails having a frame support strip secured to the lower margin thereof.

Claim 12

Apparatus for handling a planar frame comprising: a support; means on the support for positioning a planar frame in a vertical plane for movement along a predetermined path relative to the support; means adjacent to said path for applying heat to a portion of the frame when the latter is in said plane; an actuatable power device; means shiftably mounted on the support and coupled with said power device for moving the frame relative thereto through an incremental distance along said path; means coupled with said power device for actuating the same; a clamp shiftably mounted on the support and movable toward and away from said plane; means yieldably biasing the clamp toward said plane; and means coupling the clamp to said power device to cause the clamp to be shifted away from said plane after the power device has been actuated for a fraction of a predetermined time interval.

Claim 13

Apparatus for handling a planar frame comprising: a support; means on the support for positioning a planar frame in a vertical plane for movement along a predetermined path relative to the support; means adjacent to said path for applying heat to a portion of the frame when the latter is in said plane; an actuatable power device; means shiftably mounted on the support and coupled with said power device for moving the frame relative thereto through an incremental distance along said path; means coupled with said power device for actuating the same; a clamp shiftably mounted on the support and movable toward and away from said plane; means yieldably biasing the clamp toward said plane; and means coupling the clamp to said power device to cause the clamp to be shifted away from said plane after the power device has been actuated for a fraction of a predetermined time interval.

Claim 14

Apparatus for handling a planar frame comprising: a support; means on the support for positioning a planar frame in a vertical plane for movement along a predetermined path relative to the support; means adjacent to said path for applying heat to a portion of the frame when the latter is in said plane; an actuatable power device having A rotatable drive shaft and operable to rotate said drive shaft through a predetermined arc each time the power device is actuated; means shiftably mounted on the support for moving the frame relative thereto through an incremental distance along said path; means coupled with said power device for actuating the same; a clamp shiftably mounted on the support; means yieldably biasing the clamp toward and across said path; and means coupled to the clamp and the drive shaft for causing the clamp to move away from the path after the shaft has rotated through a portion of said predetermined arc.

Claim 15

Apparatus for handling a planar frame comprising: a support; means on the support for positioning a planar frame in a vertical plane for movement along a predetermined path relative to the support; means adjacent to said path for applying heat to a portion of the frame when the latter is in said plane; an actuatable power device having A rotatable drive shaft and operable to rotate said drive shaft through a predetermined arc each time the power device is actuated; means shiftably mounted on the support for moving the frame relative thereto through an incremental distance along said path; means coupled with said power device for actuating the same; a clamp shiftably mounted on the support; means yieldably biasing the clamp toward and across said path; and means coupled to the clamp and the drive shaft for causing the clamp to move away from the path after the shaft has rotated through a portion of said predetermined arc.

Claim 16

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said causing means includes a cam secured to the drive shaft, a driven shaft spaced from the cam, the clamp being freely rotatable on the driven shaft, lever means connecting the driven shaft with the cam to cause rotation of the driven shaft in response to the rotation of the cam, and follower means rigid to the driven shaft and movable into engagement with the clamp after the driven shaft has rotated through a preselected arc in one direction relative to the support.

Claim 17

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein is included a second clamp rigidly attached to the driven shaft and rotatable therewith, the second clamp disposed to releasably clamp the frame against said heating means.

Claim 18

Apparatus for handling a planar frame comprising: a support; means on the support for positioning a planar frame in a vertical plane for movement along a predetermined path relative to the support; means adjacent to said path for applying heat to a portion of the frame when the latter is in said plane; an actuatable motor having a drive shaft and means defining a projection rigid to and parallel with said drive shaft; a driven shaft shiftably mounted on the support and extending transversely of said drive shaft; a bracket rigidly attached to the transverse shaft, said bracket having means shiftably coupling the same to said projection to permit reciprocation of the bracket as the projection rotates under the influence of said drive shaft; a base member rigid to said driven shaft and having an upper surface; a pawl pivotally mounted on said upper surface; means biasing the pawl toward a position extending across said plane and at an angle with respect thereto, said pawl adapted to extend through an opening in the frame and to move the latter in one direction through an incremental distance along said path as said driven shaft is moved in said one direction under the influence of said motor; means coupled with said motor for actuating the same; and means responsive to the moving means for releasably clamping the frame to the support.

Claim 19

Apparatus for handling a planar frame comprising: a support; means on the support for positioning a planar frame in a vertical plane for movement along a predetermined path relative to the support; means adjacent to said path for applying heat to a portion of the frame when the latter is in said plane; an actuatable motor having a drive shaft and means defining a projection rigid to and parallel with said drive shaft; a driven shaft shiftably mounted on the support and extending transversely of said drive shaft; a bracket rigidly attached to the transverse shaft, said bracket having means shiftably coupling the same to said projection to permit reciprocation of the bracket as the projection rotates under the influence of said drive shaft; a base member rigid to said driven shaft and having an upper surface; a pawl pivotally mounted on said upper surface; means biasing the pawl toward a position extending across said plane and at an angle with respect thereto, said pawl adapted to extend through an opening in the frame and to move the latter in one direction through an incremental distance along said path as said driven shaft is moved in said one direction under the influence of said motor; means coupled with said motor for actuating the same; and means responsive to the moving means for releasably clamping the frame to the support.

Claim 20

Apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein is provided a stop on said upper surface of the base member, said pawl engaging the stop when the pawl is in said position.

Claim 21

Apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said bias means includes a spring coupled to one end of the pawl and to the base member and disposed to urge the pawl against said stop.

Claim 22

Apparatus for handling a planar frame comprising: a support; means on the support for positioning a planar frame in a vertical plane for movement along a predetermined path relative to the support; means adjacent to said path for applying heat to a portion of the frame when the latter is in said plane; an actuatable power device having a drive shaft extending transversely of the plane, there being a driven shaft spaced from the drive shaft and disposed in a plane parallel to said vertical plane; means mounting said driven shaft for rotation relative to the support; a cam mounted on the drive shaft; linkage means coupling the cam to said driven shaft for rotating the latter relative to the support in response to the rotation of the cam under the influence of said drive shaft; means shiftably mounted on the support and coupled with the power device for moving the frame relative thereto through an incremental distance along said path; means coupled with said power devIce for actuating the same; a clamp freely rotatably on said driven shaft and biased towards and through said plane, said clamp adapted to releasably clamp the frame to the support; and means coupled with the driven shaft for moving the clamp away from said plane after the driven shaft has been rotated through a preselected arc relative to the support.

Claim 23

Apparatus for handling a planar frame comprising: a support; means on the support for positioning a planar frame in a vertical plane for movement along a predetermined path relative to the support; means adjacent to said path for applying heat to a portion of the frame when the latter is in said plane; an actuatable power device having a drive shaft extending transversely of the plane, there being a driven shaft spaced from the drive shaft and disposed in a plane parallel to said vertical plane; means mounting said driven shaft for rotation relative to the support; a cam mounted on the drive shaft; linkage means coupling the cam to said driven shaft for rotating the latter relative to the support in response to the rotation of the cam under the influence of said drive shaft; means shiftably mounted on the support and coupled with the power device for moving the frame relative thereto through an incremental distance along said path; means coupled with said power devIce for actuating the same; a clamp freely rotatably on said driven shaft and biased towards and through said plane, said clamp adapted to releasably clamp the frame to the support; and means coupled with the driven shaft for moving the clamp away from said plane after the driven shaft has been rotated through a preselected arc relative to the support.

Claim 24

Apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said clamp is provided with a first, upright part and a second, frame-engaging part extending laterally from the upright part, said clamp moving means including a lever adjacent to the clamp and provided with a pin for engaging the upright part, said lever being rigidly coupled to said driven shaft and being circumferentially spaced from said upright part before said driven shaft commences to move through said preselected arc.