Machine for picking up, transferring and placing parts

Claim 2

A parts handling machine comprising a support, transfer mechanism movable back and forth on said support and operable first to pick up a part at a loading station and then to move the part to and release the part at a delivery station spaced from said loading station, a pair of slots formed in said support and spaced from one another along the direction of movement of said transfer mechanism, said slots being similar in shape and defining the path of movement of said transfer mechanism, said transfer mechanism comprising a carriage having a pair of transversely extending guides spaced from one another along the direction of movement of said transfer mechanism and received within said slots to confine movement of said carriage to the path defined by said slots, a pair of opposed part holding jaws mounted on said carriage to move back and forth with the carriage between said loading and delivery stations and to move relative to the carriage between open and closed positions, and actuator means connected to said jaws and operable when the jaws are in each station to move the jaws relative to said carriage until the jaws stop upon reaching one of said positions and thereafter being operable to move said carriage on said support so as to move the jaws from one station to the other.

Claim 3

A parts handling machine as defined in claim 1 in which each of said slots is generally L-shaped whereby said jaws follow an L-shaped path in moving between said stations.

Claim 4

A parts handling machine as defined in claim 1 in which said carriage comprises a pair of transversely spaced members disposed on opposite sides of said support, said guides including means extending through said slots and connecting said carriage members together for movement in unison.

Claim 5

A parts handling machine as defined in claim 3 further including means located between said support and each of said carriage members for frictionally retarding movement of said carriage members relative to said support.

Claim 6

A parts handling machine as defined in claim 1 further including a cylinder on said support, a piston telescoped into said cylinder and movable relative to the cylinder in response to back and forth movement of said carriage, and pressure fluid within each end of said cylinder and acting against said piston for retarding movement of said carriage relative to said support.

Claim 7

A parts handling machine as defined in claim 1 in which each of said jaws is pivotally mounted on said carriage to move between its open and closed positions, a bellcrank associated with each jaw and mounted on said carriage to turn about a pivot paralleling the pivot axis of the jaw, a link pivotally connected between each jaw and one arm of the associated bellcrank, said actuating means comprising a reversible power-actuated member connected to the other arm of each bellcrank, said member being operable when actuated in one direction to turn said bellcrank about said pivot and move the associated jaw to one of its positions prior to moving the jaw between said stations, and being operable when actuated in the opposite direction to turn said bellcrank in the opposite direction about said pivot to move the associated jaw to the other of its positions prior to moving the jaw reversely between said stations.

Claim 8

A pick and place maChine comprising a support, transfer mechanism movable back and forth on said support and operable first to pick up a part at a loading station and then to place the part in and release the part at a delivery station spaced horizontally and vertically from said loading station, a pair of substantially L-shaped slots formed in said support, said slots being similarly oriented with one leg of each slot extending vertically, said slots being spaced horizontally and vertically from each other and defining the path of movement of said transfer mechanism, said transfer mechanism comprising a carriage having a pair of transversely extending guides spaced horizontally and vertically from each other and received within said slots to confine movement of the carriage to the path defined by the slots, a pair of opposed part holding jaws mounted on said carriage to move back and forth with the carriage between said loading and delivery stations and to move relative to the carriage between open and closed positions, and actuator means connected to said jaws and operable when the jaws are in each station to move the jaws relative to said carriage until the jaws stop upon reaching one of said positions and thereafter being operable to move said carriage on said support so as to move the jaws from one station to the other.

Claim 9

A pick and place maChine comprising a support, transfer mechanism movable back and forth on said support and operable first to pick up a part at a loading station and then to place the part in and release the part at a delivery station spaced horizontally and vertically from said loading station, a pair of substantially L-shaped slots formed in said support, said slots being similarly oriented with one leg of each slot extending vertically, said slots being spaced horizontally and vertically from each other and defining the path of movement of said transfer mechanism, said transfer mechanism comprising a carriage having a pair of transversely extending guides spaced horizontally and vertically from each other and received within said slots to confine movement of the carriage to the path defined by the slots, a pair of opposed part holding jaws mounted on said carriage to move back and forth with the carriage between said loading and delivery stations and to move relative to the carriage between open and closed positions, and actuator means connected to said jaws and operable when the jaws are in each station to move the jaws relative to said carriage until the jaws stop upon reaching one of said positions and thereafter being operable to move said carriage on said support so as to move the jaws from one station to the other.

Claim 10

A pick and place machine as defined in claim 7 in which each of said jaws is pivotally mounted on said carriage to move between its open and closed positions, a bellcrank associated with each jaw and mounted on said carriage to turn about a pivot paralleling the pivot axis of the jaw, a link pivotally connected between each jaw and one arm of the associated bellcrank, said actuating means comprising a reversible power-actuated member connected to the other arm of each bellcrank, said member being operable when actuated in one direction to turn said bellcrank in one direction about its pivot and move the associated jaw to one of its positions prior to moving the jaw downwardly between said stations, and being operable when actuated in the opposite direction to turn said bellcrank in the opposite direction about its pivot to move the associated jaw to the other of its positions prior to moving the jaw upwardly between said stations.

Claim 11

A pick and place machine as defined in claim 8 in which each bellcrank is positioned on its pivot with said one arm oriented so as to cause pivoting of the associated jaw to its closed position when said member is actuated in said one direction to move said jaw downwardly.

Claim 12

A pick and place machine as defined in claim 8 in which each bellcrank is positioned on its pivot with said one arm oriented so as to cause pivoting of the associated jaw to its open position when said member is actuated in said one direction to move said jaw downwardly.

Claim 13

A parts handling machine comprising a support, transfer mechanism movable back and forth on said support and operable first to pick up a part at a loading station and then to move the part to and release the part at a delivery station spaced horizontally and vertically from said loading station, said transfer mechanism comprising a carriage mounted on said support for back and forth movement, a pair of opposed part holding jaws mounted on said carriage to move back and forth with the carriage between said loading and delivery stations and to pivot relative to the carriage between open and closed positions, a bellcrank associated with each jaw and mounted on said carriage to turn about a pivot paralleling the pivot axis of the jaw, a link pivotally connected between each jaw and one arm of the associated bellcrank, and a reversible power-actuated member connected to the other arm of each bellcrank and operable when the jaw is in each station to move the jaw relative to the carriage until the jaw stops upon reaching one of its positions and thereafter being operable to move said carriage on said support so as to move the jaw from one station to the other.

Claim 14

A parts handling machine comprising a support, transfer mechanism movable back and forth on said support and operable first to pick up a part at a loading station and then to move the part to and release the part at a delivery station spaced horizontally and vertically from said loading station, said transfer mechanism comprising a carriage mounted on said support for back and forth movement, a pair of opposed part holding jaws mounted on said carriage to move back and forth with the carriage between said loading and delivery stations and to pivot relative to the carriage between open and closed positions, a bellcrank associated with each jaw and mounted on said carriage to turn about a pivot paralleling the pivot axis of the jaw, a link pivotally connected between each jaw and one arm of the associated bellcrank, and a reversible power-actuated member connected to the other arm of each bellcrank and operable when the jaw is in each station to move the jaw relative to the carriage until the jaw stops upon reaching one of its positions and thereafter being operable to move said carriage on said support so as to move the jaw from one station to the other.

Claim 15

A parts handling machine as deFined in claim 11 in which said member is operable when actuated in one direction to turn said bellcrank in one direction about its pivot and move the associated jaw to one of its positions prior to moving the jaw downwardly between said stations, and said member being operable when actuated in the opposite direction to turn said bellcrank in the opposite direction about its pivot to move the associated jaw to the other of its positions prior to moving the jaw upwardly between said stations.

Claim 16

A parts handling machine as defined in claim 12 in which said bellcrank is positioned on said pivot with said one arm oriented so as to cause pivoting of the associated jaw to its closed position when said member is actuated in said one direction to move said jaw downwardly.

Claim 17

A parts handling machine as defined in claim 12 in which said bellcrank is positioned on said pivot with said one arm oriented so as to cause pivoting of the associated jaw to its open position when said member is actuated in said one direction to move said jaw downwardly.

Claim 18

A parts handling machine as defined in claim 12 in which the pivot axes of each jaw and each bellcrank are fixed relative to said carriage, each bellcrank being capable of being connected between said power-actuated member and said link when said bellcrank is oriented in a first position with said one arm extending in one direction and also when oriented in a second position with said one arm extending in the opposite direction.