US3915312A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Workpiece transfer system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-02-19
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Granted: 1975-10-28
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Expires: 1994-02-19
Abstract
Abstract A system for transferring workpieces, such as press blanks, from an operator''s work station first to a transfer station and then to a receiving station in a modifying machine, such as a press, along two different paths such that the operator''s hand cannot be transferred from the work station into the receiving station of the press or other modifying machine, is disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Harry S Clark
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 16:29
CPC Classifications
B; B21; B21D; B21D43/00; B21D43/02; B21D43/026; B21D55/00; B21J; B21J13/00; B21J13/08; B23; B23Q; B23Q7/00; B23Q7/04; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/647; Y10T83/654
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
242 words
For use in combination with a workpiece modifying machine which includes a workpiece receiving station into which the workpiece must be placed in a specific orientation and means proximate said station for modifying a workpiece, a transfer system for transferring a workpiece from a safe, external loading station to such a receiving station comprising: a transfer nest including position defining means corresponding to the shape of one side of a workpiece for receiving a workpiece only in predetermined relationship with respect to the position in which said workpiece is to be positioned at said receiving station for being modified; a nest transfer system for transporting said transfer nest from said loading station to a transfer station spaced from said receiving station; a feeder nest including position defining means corresponding to the shape of another side of a workpiece for receiving said workpiece from the transfer nest only in said relationship; means for transferring the workpiece from the transfer nest to the feeder nest in said relationship; the feeder nest being adjacent to the transfer nest during transfer and a feeder transfer system for transporting said feeder nest, with said workpiece received therein, from the transfer station to the receiving station in said position for being modified, whereby the workpiece can be placed only in said relationship in the transfer nest and said transfer means transports the workpiece to the receiving station in proper position for being modified by the workpiece modifying machine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
242 words
For use in combination with a workpiece modifying machine which includes a workpiece receiving station into which the workpiece must be placed in a specific orientation and means proximate said station for modifying a workpiece, a transfer system for transferring a workpiece from a safe, external loading station to such a receiving station comprising: a transfer nest including position defining means corresponding to the shape of one side of a workpiece for receiving a workpiece only in predetermined relationship with respect to the position in which said workpiece is to be positioned at said receiving station for being modified; a nest transfer system for transporting said transfer nest from said loading station to a transfer station spaced from said receiving station; a feeder nest including position defining means corresponding to the shape of another side of a workpiece for receiving said workpiece from the transfer nest only in said relationship; means for transferring the workpiece from the transfer nest to the feeder nest in said relationship; the feeder nest being adjacent to the transfer nest during transfer and a feeder transfer system for transporting said feeder nest, with said workpiece received therein, from the transfer station to the receiving station in said position for being modified, whereby the workpiece can be placed only in said relationship in the transfer nest and said transfer means transports the workpiece to the receiving station in proper position for being modified by the workpiece modifying machine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
A transfer system of the type defined in claim 1 wherein: the feeder transfer system includes means for moving the feeder nest from the transfer station to the receiving station and for applying a pick up force to the workpiece at the transfer station and releasing the pick up force at the receiving station to thereby deposit the workpiece in proper position at the receiving station.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
203 words
A workpiece transfer system for transferring workpieces from a safe work station to a receiving station in a modifying machine without risk of injury by the modifying machine to the operator, said workpieces being positioned in the receiving station of the modifying machine in exact radial and angular orientation for being modified by said machine comprising: a transfer assembly including means which conforms to one side of a workpiece for receiving a workpiece at the work station only in exact radial and angular relationship as defined by the position the workpiece must be at when the workpiece is received at the receiving station; means for transferring the transfer assembly to a transfer station spaced from both the work station and the receiving station; a feeder assembly including means which conforms to another side of a workpiece for receiving a workpiece from the transfer assembly at the transfer station only in said predeterMined relationship; means for transferring the workpiece from the transfer assembly to the feeder assembly; and means for transferring the feeder assembly from the transfer station to the receiving station for thereby transferring the workpiece to the receiving station in exact radial and angular orientation for being modified by the modifying machine.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
203 words
A workpiece transfer system for transferring workpieces from a safe work station to a receiving station in a modifying machine without risk of injury by the modifying machine to the operator, said workpieces being positioned in the receiving station of the modifying machine in exact radial and angular orientation for being modified by said machine comprising: a transfer assembly including means which conforms to one side of a workpiece for receiving a workpiece at the work station only in exact radial and angular relationship as defined by the position the workpiece must be at when the workpiece is received at the receiving station; means for transferring the transfer assembly to a transfer station spaced from both the work station and the receiving station; a feeder assembly including means which conforms to another side of a workpiece for receiving a workpiece from the transfer assembly at the transfer station only in said predeterMined relationship; means for transferring the workpiece from the transfer assembly to the feeder assembly; and means for transferring the feeder assembly from the transfer station to the receiving station for thereby transferring the workpiece to the receiving station in exact radial and angular orientation for being modified by the modifying machine.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
134 words
A transfer system as defined in claim 3 wherein: a transfer assembly includes a transfer nest having means of a size and configuration to receive workpieces only in a position relative to the proper position of the workpiece in the receiving station such that when transferred the workpiece will arrive at the receiving station in said proper position for being modified; the means for transferring the transfer assembly transports the workpiece in said position along a first path which does not lead to the receiving station; the feeder assembly includes a feeder nest having means of a size and configuration to receive workpieces only in proper position; and the means for transferring the feeder assembly transports the workpiece in said position along a second path which is different in direction from the first path.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
238 words
A transfer system as defined in claim 3 wherein: the transfer assembly includes a recessed transfer nest in which the recess is of a size and a shape to receive a portion of the workpiece to be transported only in a position and orientation such that when transported the workpiece arrives at the receiving station in proper position and means supporting the transfer nest for generally horizontal movement to the transfer station; the means for transferring the transfer assembly comprises means for moving the transfer assembly along a first generally horizontal path which does not lead to the receiving station, whereby the operator''s hand cannot be carried from the work station into the receiving station, to a position in the transfer station and returning the transfer nest to the work station; the feeder assembly includes a recessed feeder nest in which the recess is of a size and shape to receive a different portion of the workpiece in said proper position and a feeder head for carrying the feeder nest to the receiving station; the means for transferring the feeder assembly comprises means for transferring the feeder head from a position at the transfer station over the transfer assembly when the latter is at the transfer station, along a second generally horizontal path to a position in the receiving station, for depositing the workpiece at the receiving station in said proper position, and back to the transfer station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
A transfer system as defined in claim 5 wherein: the means for transferring the workpiece from the transfer assembly to the feeder assembly include the feeder nest and means for moving the feeder nest down and over the workpiece for receiving said other portion of the workpiece in the recess in the feeder nest and lifting the workpiece, carried by the feeder nest, out of the transfer nest and upwardly before the transfer head begins travel along said second path.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
108 words
A transfer system as defined in claim 6 wherein: the means for transferring the workpiece from the transfer assembly to the feeder assembly includes means to apply pick up force to the workpiece; and the transfer and feeder nests, the transfer and feeder assemblies, and the means for transferring said assemblies are so constructed and disposed that the workpiece is maintained in such proper orientation and position during transfer such that the workpiece is received at the receiving station in proper position and orientation to be modified and such that the operator''s hand cannot be transported from the work station to the receiving station by the transfer system.
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) | 1978-10-27 | 1979-04-28 | 1979-10-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-10-27 | 1983-04-28 | 1983-10-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-10-27 | 1987-04-28 | 1987-10-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |