Vacuum gripper device for slicing machine

Claim 2

A product gripping device for incorporation as a pusher in a product slicing machine of the type in which a product is advanced on a supporting surface to a slicing device, said gripping device comprising a base member in the form of a plate of relatively rigid material having a face adapted to be disposed in a generally vertical plane on the sliding machine and having one or more vacuum cup formations in said face, each said vacuum cup formation comprising at least one continuous groove which opens on said face and which is defined by at least one rib formation spaced inwardly of the outer perimeter of said groove, said rib having a relatively sharp projecting edge adapted to bite into the product so as to form a closed chamber when a face of a product to be sliced is pressed against the same, said base member having means forming a plurality of passageways into said chamber for connecting said chamber to a vacuum supply source and a valve forming mechanism which is normally closed and which has means operable by pressure engagement to open the valve for applying vacuum so as to exhaust the associated chamber and hold the product face pressed against said vacuum cup formation.

Claim 3

A product gripping device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means forming said passageways includes a chamber adjoining said continuous groove, with relatively small passageways forming a plurality of connections between said groove and said chamber, and said valve forming mechanism having a valve body disposed in part in said chamber and in part in a passageway connecting said chamber and said groove, the latter part in the normally closed position protruding into said groove and constituting said means operable by pressure engagement of the product to move the valve toward open position.

Claim 4

A product gripping device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said vacuum cup formation comprises a plurality of concentric grooves separated by rigid rib formations in concentric spaced relation and each of said rib formations having a relatively sharp projecting edge which will serve to bite into the product, with the inner ribs terminating in a plane set in from the product engaging face of the gripping device.

Claim 5

A product gripping device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means forming a passageway for connecting the vacuum cup formation to a vacuum supply includes a chamber adjacent said vacuum cup formation which is connected by passageways with said vacuum cup formation and a spring pressed valve disposed in said chamber which valve has a body in the form of a pin with a radially extending plate portion intermediate the pin ends, one end of the pin being slidable in a bore in the wall separating the cup formation and said chamber, with the plate portion backed by a spring member and serving to normally close the remaining connecting passageways with one end of the pin positioned so as to extend to a point where engagement with a product face will force the valve body to a depressed position and open the passageways.

Claim 6

A product gripping device for incorporation in a product slicing machine so as to engage the trailing end of a product and hold it in a predetermined path as it is advanced toward a slicing blade, said gripping device comprising a base plate member with means for mounting the same on a movable carriage, a plurality of closely spaced vacuum cup formations in the vertically disposed forward face of said base plate, each said vacuum cup formation comprising a plurality of continuous grooves opening on said face, which are defined by spaced continuous ribs having relatively sharp projecting edges adapted to bite into a product pressed against the same so as to co-operate in forming said grooves into closed chambers of progressively larger size in the direction outwardly of the center of said vacuum cup formation when a product is engaged with said base pLate face, said vacuum cup formations each having an associated vacuum chamber back of the same with conduit forming bores connecting the grooves of each said cup formation and the associated chamber, conduit forming means connecting the vacuum chambers and adapted for connection to a vacuum source, and a valve means in each of said chambers which is spring pressed to normally close said connecting bores, said valve means comprising a stem member in the form of a pin and a web member extending radially of the axis of said pin, said valve pin and web member being positioned in said vacuum chamber with an end of said valve pin seated in slidable relation in one of said bores and with the end of said pin member projecting outwardly of the adjacent projecting rib edges when the valve is in the closed position so as to be moved to an open position when a product face is pressed against the associated cup formation.

Claim 7

A product gripping device for incorporation in a product slicing machine so as to engage the trailing end of a product and hold it in a predetermined path as it is advanced toward a slicing blade, said gripping device comprising a base plate member with means for mounting the same on a movable carriage, a plurality of closely spaced vacuum cup formations in the vertically disposed forward face of said base plate, each said vacuum cup formation comprising a plurality of continuous grooves opening on said face, which are defined by spaced continuous ribs having relatively sharp projecting edges adapted to bite into a product pressed against the same so as to co-operate in forming said grooves into closed chambers of progressively larger size in the direction outwardly of the center of said vacuum cup formation when a product is engaged with said base pLate face, said vacuum cup formations each having an associated vacuum chamber back of the same with conduit forming bores connecting the grooves of each said cup formation and the associated chamber, conduit forming means connecting the vacuum chambers and adapted for connection to a vacuum source, and a valve means in each of said chambers which is spring pressed to normally close said connecting bores, said valve means comprising a stem member in the form of a pin and a web member extending radially of the axis of said pin, said valve pin and web member being positioned in said vacuum chamber with an end of said valve pin seated in slidable relation in one of said bores and with the end of said pin member projecting outwardly of the adjacent projecting rib edges when the valve is in the closed position so as to be moved to an open position when a product face is pressed against the associated cup formation.