Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Reciprocating conveying surface
Patent
1996-03-12
1998-03-17
Valenza, Joseph E.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Reciprocating conveying surface
B65G 2500
Patent
active
057276730
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an apparatus for transporting elongated mechanical pieces having one larger end, in particular for transporting connecting rods along at least a longitudinal feeding direction, comprising a support structure, a pair of upper supporting bars coupled to the support structure, the supporting bars being mutually parallel and defining upper resting surfaces, for supporting the larger ends of the mechanical pieces, lower longitudinal guiding elements coupled to the support structure and arranged between the upper bars and beneath them, for defining constraint surfaces for cooperating along transversal directions with second end portions of the mechanical pieces, a pair of feeding bars, parallel to the supporting bars, for performing cyclic displacements with respect to the support structure and cooperating with the mechanical pieces, and at least one motor and mechanical transmission elements coupled to the feeding bars for controlling said cyclic displacements.
BACKGROUND ART
The known apparatuses for transporting mechanical pieces having a particular geometrical shape, like connecting rods, are arranged, for example, next to machine tools or measuring machines, in particular at the exit of said machines, where the piece machining or measuring operations have been performed.
Some known apparatuses for checking connecting rods include a piece support and guide structure and a feed device with elements that, by performing a cyclic displacement with respect to the support structure, cause the step by step feed of the connecting rods.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,104 discloses an apparatus of this kind, wherein the connecting rods are supported, at their larger end, or big end, by a pair of upper longitudinal rail members, and, at the opposite end, or small end, by a movable lower bar that causes the step by step feed.
Another known method involves a structure similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,104, but foresees a different embodiment of the feed device. According to this method, schematically shown in FIG. 1, the connecting rods B, each consisting of a big end T, an elongated portion F and a small end P, are supported by a pair of upper guide and support bars 2 and laterally constrained by a pair of flat bars 3, both of said pairs being fixed with respect to a support structure, not shown in the figure. A pair of movable additional bars 4, parallel to the upper bars 2, is coupled to drive and transmission devices, not shown, for performing cyclic translation displacements, according to the trajectory indicated by the arrows, upwards, forwards (arrow A), downwards and backwards, for the step by step feed of the connecting rods B. The big ends T are raised by the movable bars 4, brought forward, and placed upon the guide bars 2 again. The lower flat bars 3 cooperate with the small ends P of the connecting rods, and serve to limit both the transversal and the rotary displacements of the pieces B. The function of the flat bars 3 is fundamental as, in the course of the step by step feed displacement and owing to the vibrations of the apparatus, the pieces B are subject to unbalances and these, in absence of transversal limit stops might cause rotational displacements and fall of the pieces through the upper bars 2 (and 4).
A disadvantage of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is the need to adjust, as the dimensions of the pieces to be transported change, the mutual position of the flat bars 3 because, in order to ensure the proper "antirotation" constraint of the pieces B, it is necessary that the transversal clearance between the small ends P and the flat bars 3, also in view of the limited thickness of pieces B, be limited as far as possible. This requirement implies the use of adjusting devices that increase the complexity and the costs of the transporting apparatus, and involve a considerable amount of time for performing the associated operations. The hereinbefore mentioned disadvantages are particularly serious and burdensome when the transporting apparatus for
REFERENCES:
patent: 4042104 (1977-08-01), Fulette et al.
patent: 4155443 (1979-05-01), Schuright
patent: 4586253 (1986-05-01), Souchi et al.
patent: 5033609 (1991-07-01), Long
patent: 5449062 (1995-09-01), McTaggart
Gabbi Luca
Nanni Pier Paolo
Marposs Societa ' per Azioni
Valenza Joseph E.
LandOfFree
Apparatus for transporting mechanical pieces does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus for transporting mechanical pieces, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus for transporting mechanical pieces will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-950420