Apparatus for centering sheets of glass on the platform of a machine

Claim 2

Apparatus for centering sheets of glass and the like on the platform of a machine for finishing the edges or surface of the sheet including a plurality of centering pins movable into contact with the sheet at spaced points on the periphery thereof, and drive mechanism for said pins which comprises a frame, a pin-carrying support carrying at least one of the pins and being mounted on the frame for movement between a rest position situated away from the platform at which the pin is turned down below the plane of the sheet on said platform and a second position situated adjacent said platform wherein the pin and support are moved to an upright position so that the pin engages the edge of the sheet, drive means connected to said support for turning said support and pin to the upright position whenever the support is advanced toward said platform and for retracting the support away from the platform, to thereby turn the pin and the support down to their rest position, guide means for guiding said support during said turning, advancing and retracting movements, and adjustable stop means for limiting the advance of said support toward the platform.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the pin in its upright position is substantially perpendicular to a sheet on said platform and the pin in its turned down position is approximately parallel to the sheet.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the pin-carrying support is guided for movement substantially parallel to the plane of the sheet during the portions of the advancing and retracting movements adjacent the sheet.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said guide means includes rollers means mounted for rotation about a fixed axis with respect to said frame, and said pin-carrying support includes two guide planes having an included angle equal to the angle between the upright and rest positions of the pin, said guide planes and said roller means cooperating to turn the support from the rest to the upright positions of the pin and vice versa during the advancing and retracting of the support.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the angle between said guide planes is 90°.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said drive means includes a carriage mounted on said frame for rectilinear movement therealong, and means for driving said carriage in reciprocal directions, said carriage being coupled to said pin-carrying support to advance and retract the support.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said guide means includes two rectilinear guides fixedly mounted on said frame, and said pin carrying support includes rollers cooperating with said rectilinear guides respectively, said pin-carrying support pivoting about one of said rollers during said advancing and retracting thereof.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the guide engaged by said one roller includes a detent for releasably detaining the roller during initial movement of the pin-carrying support from the rest position thereof.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said drive means includes connecting rod means pivoted to said pin-carrying support on one side of the axis of said one roller and spring means attached to the support on the other side of said axis for biasing the support to the upright position of the pin carried thereby.

Claim 11

Apparatus for centering sheets of glass and the like on the platform of a machine for finishing the edges or surface of the sheet including a plurality of centering pins movable into contact with the sheet at spaced points on the periphery thereof, and drive mechanism for said pins which comprises a frame, a pin-carrying support carrying at least one of the pins and being mounted on the frame for movement between a rest position situated away from the platform at which the pin is turned down below the plane of the sheet on said platform and a second position situated adjacent said platform wherein the pin and support are moved to an upright position so that the pin engages the edge of the sheet, drive means connected to said support for turning said support and pin to the upright position whenever the support is advanced toward said platform and for retracting the support away from the platform, to thereby turn the pin and the support down to their rest position, guide means for guiding said support during said turning, advancing and retracting movements, and adjustable stop means for limiting the advance of said support toward the platform, said guide means includes roller means mounted for rotation about a fixed axis with respect to said frame, and said pin-carrying support includes two guide planes having an included angle equal to the angle between the upright and rest positions of the pin, said guide planes and said roller means cooperating to turn the support from the rest to the upright positions of the pin and vice versa during the advancing and retracting of the support.

Claim 12

Apparatus for centering sheets of glass and the like on the platform of a machine for finishing the edges or surface of the sheet including a plurality of centering pins movable into contact with the sheet at spaced points on the periphery thereof, and drive mechanism for said pins which comprises a frame, a pin-carrying support carrying at least one of the pins and being mounted on the frame for movement between a rest position situated away from the platform at which the pin is turned down below the plane of the sheet on said platform and a second position situated adjacent said platform wherein the pin and support are moved to an upright position so that the pin engages the edge of the sheet, drive means connected to said support for turning said support and pin to the upright position whenever the support is advanced toward said platform and for retracting the support away from the platform, to thereby turn the pin and the support down to their rest position, guide means for guiding said support during said turning, advancing and retracting movements, and adjustable stop means for limiting the advance of said support toward the platform, said guide means includes roller means mounted for rotation about a fixed axis with respect to said frame, and said pin-carrying support includes two guide planes having an included angle equal to the angle between the upright and rest positions of the pin, said guide planes and said roller means cooperating to turn the support from the rest to the upright positions of the pin and vice versa during the advancing and retracting of the support.

Claim 13

Apparatus for centering sheets of glass and the like on the platform of a machine for finishing the edges or surface of the sheet including a plurality of centering pins movable into contact with the sheet at spaced points on the periphery thereof, and drive mechanism for said pins which comprises a frame, a pin-carrying support carrying at least one of the pins and being mounted on the frame for movement between a rest position situated away from the platform at which the pin is turned down below the plane of the sheet on said platform and a second position situated adjacent said platform wherein the pin and support are moved to an upright position so that the pin engages the edge of the sheet, drive means connected to said support for turning said support and pin to the upright position whenever the support is advanced toward said platform and for retracting the support away from the platform, to thereby turn the pin and the support down to their rest position, guide means for guiding said support during said turning, advancing and retracting movements, and adjustable stop means for limiting the advance of said support toward the platform, said guide means incudes two rectilinear guides fixedly mounted on said frame, and said pin-carrying support includes rollers cooperating with said rectilinear guides respectively, said pin-carrying support pivoting about one of said rollers during said advancing and retracting thereof.

Claim 14

Apparatus for centering sheets of glass and the like on the platform of a machine for finishing the edges or surface of the sheet including a plurality of centering pins movable into contact with the sheet at spaced points on the periphery thereof, and drive mechanism for said pins which comprises a frame, a pin-carrying support carrying at least one of the pins and being mounted on the frame for movement between a rest position situated away from the platform at which the pin is turned down below the plane of the sheet on said platform and a second position situated adjacent said platform wherein the pin and support are moved to an upright position so that the pin engages the edge of the sheet, drive means connected to said support for turning said support and pin to the upright position whenever the support is advanced toward said platform and for retracting the support away from the platform, to thereby turn the pin and the support down to their rest position, guide means for guiding said support during said turning, advancing and retracting movements, and adjustable stop means for limiting the advance of said support toward the platform, said guide means incudes two rectilinear guides fixedly mounted on said frame, and said pin-carrying support includes rollers cooperating with said rectilinear guides respectively, said pin-carrying support pivoting about one of said rollers during said advancing and retracting thereof.