Transfer mechanism

Claim 1

For a transport system wherein a conveying means is provided for carrying thereon an article from at least one location therealong to a second location therealong, an improved device for removing an article from said conveying means at said second location to an adjacent work station comprising: A. a first platform located below said conveying means; B. means for raising said first platform a vertical height sufficient to raise an article residing on said first platform above and out of contact with the conveying means; C. a second platform located on approximately the same horizontal plane as the first platform and between said first platform and the work station; D. means for raising said second platform a vertical height approximately equal to the vertical height of said first platform when said first platform is in a raised position; E. belt means forming a closed loop and located above and below said first and second platforms such that when said platforms are in their raised positions, said belt means is in contact with the upper surface of each platform and in further contact with the article to be conveyed; and F. a fluid driven cylinder located below said first and second platforms functionally connected to said belt means such that when said first and second platforms are raised said belt means moves said article toward or away from said adjacent work station in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of travel of the fluid driven cylinder.

Claim 7

A method of removing an article from the conveying means of a transport system and onto a work station located adjacent the conveying means comprising: A. locating the article on said conveying means above a first platform; B. providing a second platform between the first platform and work station; C. providing a belt means as a closed loop located above and below the first and second platforms; D. providing a fluid driven cylinder below said first and second platforms functionally connected to said belt means; E. providing means for raising said first and second platforms a vertical height sufficient to raise said article above and out of contact with said conveying means; F. raising said first and second platforms a vertical height sufficient to raise said article above and out of contact with said conveying means; and G. actuating said fluid driven cylinder away from the work station to move said article to said work station.

Claim 8

A method of removing an article from the conveying means of a transport system and onto a work station located adjacent the conveying means comprising: A. locating the article on said conveying means above a first platform; B. providing a second platform between the first platform and work station; C. providing a belt means as a closed loop located above and below the first and second platforms; D. providing a fluid driven cylinder below said first and second platforms functionally connected to said belt means; E. providing means for raising said first and second platforms a vertical height sufficient to raise said article above and out of contact with said conveying means; F. raising said first and second platforms a vertical height sufficient to raise said article above and out of contact with said conveying means; and G. actuating said fluid driven cylinder away from the work station to move said article to said work station.