Flat workpiece pickup

Claim 1

In combination, a compliant table surface for supporting a flat workpiece thereon, said compliant table surface comprising a rigid base member and a plurality of vertical upstanding closely spaced bristle-like elements affixed at the lower ends thereof to said rigid base member, the free upper ends of said bristle-like elements forming a level work surface; and an end-effector for firmly grasping said workpiece for transportation to a different location, said end-effector comprising a lower member having a plurality of tines extending forwardly from a block, each of said tines being rectangular in cross-section over their entire length up to their forward ends, the forward ends of each of said tines being curved upwardly from the bottom surface of said tines to the top surface of said tines, a handle portion extending rearwardly from said block, and a single upper member having a flat planar grasper corresponding in size to the said plurality of tines positioned substantially parallel to said upper surface of each of said plurality of tines with a handle portion extending rearwardly therefrom, the rearward end of the handle of said lower member being pivotally attached to the rearward end of the handle of said upper member to form said end-effector whereby the tines on the lower member of said end-effector can be inserted into the compliant table surface and moved under the workpiece, the grasper on the upper member of said end-effector being pivotable downward to firmly grasp the workpiece thereby allowing the workpiece to be picked up for transportation to a different location without disturbing the original orientation of the workpiece.