Material or article handling – Elevator or hoist and loading or unloading means therefor – Grab
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-25
2001-01-16
Bratlie, Steven A. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Elevator or hoist and loading or unloading means therefor
Grab
C204S198000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174123
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mechanically positioned gripping device which is used in the transfer arrangements of sheet-like objects, such as electrodes needed in electrolysis, for transferring objects from one position to another.
During electrolysis, metal is precipitated, by means of electric current, onto the surface of an electrode serving as the cathode. In order to perform the precipitation in an advantageous manner, the electrodes, i.e. the anode and the cathode, should be positioned as near to each other as possible. In large electrolytic tanks, the anodes and cathodes are placed in an alternating fashion. When electrodes must be replaced, for instance in order to recover a precipitate created on the cathode, the replacement is carried out by means of an automatic charging machine which first removes from the tank a desired number of electrodes, such as cathodes, and replaces them with the same number of electrodes. Now, in order to avoid shortcircuits, the charging machine and particularly the gripping device provided in the charging machine must be arranged in an advantageous position with respect to the electrodes for preventing any contact between the electrodes, i.e. the anode and the cathode. In order to avoid said contact, there are designed various different devices utilizing either members attached to the electrolytic tank itself or to a transfer device, said members attempting to adjust the gripping device in an advantageous position.
From the DE patent application Ser. No. 3,508,195, there is known a device where the target of positioning is provided with mechanical guide cones which perform the precise positioning while the gripping device is lowered down. The precise positioning motion takes place on sliding or rolling surfaces that also support the load and the gripping device. Due to this structure, the loading machinery of the transfer arrangement obtains a remarkably bigger loading than the load and the gripping device as such.
In an apparatus according to the Fl patent application No. 870,285, the loading member is provided with a stationary conduit, along which a separate housing moves, supported by the loading machinery. The gripping device is suspended from this housing by means of turnbuckles, and the gripping device is moved in relation to the housing in order to achieve a precise positioning. The separate housing causes an extra load for the loading machinery. The turnbuckles participate in supporting the load and the gripping device, wherefore they must be essentially stronger. Owing to their location, the turnbuckles are short, and the shortening of the turnbuckles in turn leads to worse and worse height alterations and inclinations caused by the positioning movements in connection with the turnbuckle suspension. In the apparatus according to the Fl patent application No. 870,285, said height alterations, and inclinations are directly focused to the gripping device and the load, wherefore the play of positioning remains essentially shorter, and an essentially advanced positioning accuracy is required of the loading member.
From the Fl patent No. 82,435, there is known an automatic charging member for positioning anodes and cathodes in electrolytic tanks. The charging member is provided with members for charging and gripping the load, and with a control frame installed in between the loading member and the gripping device, as well as position sensors for positioning the load. By means of the position sensors, the location of position signs installed in the electrolytic tanks is detected, so that on the basis of the information obtained from the position sensors, the positioning of the gripping device is carried out by moving the control frame. However, the use of position sensors is not possible in all applications.
Moreover, the publications referred to in the above specification do not at all describe how the electrodes immersed in the electrolytic tank are loaded from the electrode handling machine to the transfer system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to eliminate some of the drawbacks of the prior art and to achieve an improved and more feasible, mechanically positioned gripping device that can be used for moving sheet-like objects, such as anodes and cathodes needed in electrolysis, from one position to another, so that by means of the transfer apparatus, the gripping device can be maintained in an advantageous position with respect to the electrodes to be loaded.
The transfer apparatus for sheet-like objects, including the gripping device according to the invention, comprises a loading member, a control frame and a gripping device; members connected to the loading member and designed for moving the control frame and the gripping device in an essentially vertical direction, as well as members for moving the loading member and for performing the transferring of the sheet-like objects from one position to another. In the loading member, there can be permanently attached a protecting member that prevents the control frame, the gripping device and the transferable load suspended from the gripping device from moving essentially in the horizontal direction during transfer. During the transfer, the loading member moves from one position to another and supports the transferable load composed of sheet-like objects, as well as other members of the transfer system.
The gripping device according to the invention is installed so that it is movable in an essentially vertical direction with respect to both the loading member and the control frame. The gripping device is connected to the loading member by means of at least one essentially vertically movable moving member, so the the gripping device is movable essentially vertically also with respect to the control frame. The control frame is advantageously connected to the loading member by means of a moving member that the control frame and the gripping device have in common. The control frame can also be connected to the loading member by means of at least one moving member that is separate from the gripping device and moves in an essentially vertical direction. The gripping device according to the invention is further arranged, in relation to the control frame, so that it is movable in an essentially vertical direction by means of at least one control member connected to the control frame and one control member counterpart connected to the gripping device. The control member can also be arranged in the gripping device, in which case the counterpart of the control member must be installed in the control frame.
The gripping device according to the invention and the control frame connected thereto by intermediation of the control member are both provided with at least one positioning member in order to position the gripping device with respect to the loading or unloading position of the load under transfer. Advantageously the positioning member is arranged in the gripping device so that the positioning member of the gripping device can be arranged, with the control frame positioning member, in the same position member connected to the unloading and loading position of the load under transfer. Thus the gripping device can be rendered essentially immovable with respect to the control frame in the unloading and loading position of the load under transfer, and it can also be locked in the unloading and loading position.
The positioning member of the gripping device according to the invention can also be installed in the gripping device so that the positioning member of the gripping device is either arranged, with respect to the positioning member of the control frame, in a separate positioning member connected to the unloading and loading position of the load under transfer, or it can be left unlocked with respect to the unloading and loading position. Even if the gripping device itself is left unlocked in the unloading and loading position, it is important from the point of view of the gripping device according to the invention that the c
Bratlie Steven A.
Outokumpu Oyj
Smith-Hill and Bedell
LandOfFree
Gripping device for positioning sheet-like objects does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Gripping device for positioning sheet-like objects, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Gripping device for positioning sheet-like objects will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2498487