Material or article handling – Article reorienting device – Article reoriented while fully supported by stationary...
Patent
1980-03-24
1982-11-23
Blix, Trygve M.
Material or article handling
Article reorienting device
Article reoriented while fully supported by stationary...
414783, 414766, B65G 700
Patent
active
043603130
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a material handling device for lifting and locating a workpiece and, more particularly, to such a device which grips and centers the workpiece without scuffing.
2. Background Art
Grawey U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,272, entitled "Apparatus and Method for Forming a Tube Article on a Core," issued Oct. 11, 1977 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses an exemplary apparatus for forming on a disintegrable sand core a tube article made from uncured elastomeric material, such as rubber. This sand core, during the manufacturing operation, must be lifted from a transporting pallet or conveyor, moved to and from the apparatus and turned so that layers of rubber material may be applied to both sides of the core.
Of particular importance in the manufacture of such tubes or tires is the proper formation of the oval, toroidal sand core in preparation for the wrapping of material thereabout. Obviously, handling and wrapping of the core at all stages of manufacture must be done with great care and accuracy to ensure that an unwrapped or partially wrapped core will have a properly prepared surface for further wrapping so that the final manufactured tire will be free from blemishes and perfectly balanced.
Thus, any material handling mechanism used to move or turn the core cannot damage or scuff the core. Otherwise, the finished tube or tire will be out of round or defective. Yet, sufficient force must be applied by the handling mechanism to lift and locate the core. Heretofore, material handling mechanisms employed for this purpose have not been entirely satisfactory in the automated production of these tubes. No mechanism has been found which is capable of use with cores of various size, which does not scuff the core, and which allows exact positioning of the core at a work station.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
To overcome the problems associated with prior art constructions, a lift fixture is provided with self-centering holding mechanisms including pads which are movable relative to the lift fixture tangentially with respect to the surface of a workpiece that may be of varying size. When the workpiece is lifted, the action of the centering means automatically shifts the workpiece to the center of the lift fixture without undesirable scuffing of the surface in contact with the holding pads.
In accordance with the invention, the lift fixture includes a yoke and a movably mounted clamp slide which extends between the yoke arms so as to define a handling ring, the clamp slide being driven to a closed position by a fluid motor. The lift fixture has three or more angularly spaced pads, a portion of which are movably mounted on the yoke and a portion of which are mounted on the clamp slide.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the holding devices have resilient pads which are carried on carriages which, in turn, are mounted for linear movement on the yoke and clamp slide. The resilient pads make intimate contact with and minimize scuffing of the core as the holding mechanisms are moved against the core.
In one aspect of the invention, the carriages engage and move along a linear slide rod and the resilient pads are pivotally mounted to the carriage. Preloaded springs acting on opposite sides of the carriage maintain the carriage in a centered position on the rod and bias the holding device toward a workpiece centering position when the workpiece floats between the self-centering pads.
In another aspect of the invention, the lift fixture is mounted on a support apparatus having horizontal, vertical, swinging, and rotational movement such that the lift fixture can be moved to any desired position. As a result, the lift fixture can transport the workpiece to any desired location or turn the workpiece over.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top view partially in section of an exemplary lift fixture constructed in accordance with the pres
REFERENCES:
patent: 1672808 (1928-06-01), Hansel
patent: 1918439 (1933-07-01), Warman
patent: 2889912 (1959-06-01), Franklin et al.
patent: 3915311 (1975-10-01), Ball et al.
Blix Trygve M.
Caterpillar Tractor Co.
Smith Harry A.
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