Material or article handling – Load carried along a horizontal linear path – Having gripper means
Patent
1992-02-14
1993-11-02
Huppert, Michael S.
Material or article handling
Load carried along a horizontal linear path
Having gripper means
1984684, B65G 2500
Patent
active
052578992
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a transfer feeder for use with a transfer press for conveying workpieces.
BACKGROUND ART
In one known type of transfer feeder incorporated in a transfer press and intended for conveying workpieces (mainly steel sheets) from one process station to another in the transfer press, workpiece suction means such as vacuum cups are employed and a workpiece is conveyed being absorbed by them.
Transfer feeders employing such workpiece suction means have been disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 46291/1990; Japanese Patent Applications Laid Open Nos. 284731/1990, 299729/1990, 5030/1991; and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 37463/1990.
In these known transfer feeders, in order to successively convey workpieces from one process station to another, it is necessary to synchronize the conveyance of each workpiece. Therefore, these known transfer feeders include a long beam on which a plurality of transfer bars having workpiece holding means such as suction cups are spaced at given intervals, and the operation for vertically moving all the transfer bars (cross bars) at a time and the operation for conveying workpieces by a specific distance are accomplished by such a construction that the long beam is connected, at one end thereof, to a rocking lever which is driven by a cam. In most of these transfer feeders, a gear mesh driving mechanism is used in combination with the above arrangement for the vertical or transverse movement of the beam.
Such conventional transfer feeders incorporated in a
(1) Since a plurality of transfer bars are moved up and down with the help of a long heavy beam, a considerable torque is generated on a cam shaft of a lift cam in the driving mechanism when the transfer bars are lifted. This requires a large driving force.
(2) When moving a plurality of transfer bars vertically, side play vibration occurs on a lift rod for supporting the long heavy beam, decreasing accuracy in positioning workpieces to be conveyed or causing noise.
(3) Further, dummy cams are required for eliminating the aforementioned undesirable torque generated on the lift cam shaft. This disadvantageously increases the manufacturing cost of a driving mechanism.
(4) High fabrication accuracy is required because of the provision of a gear meshing mechanism at a vertical driving region and at a transverse driving region for conveyance. This increases the manufacturing cost of a transfer feeder.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In consideration of the foregoing problems, the present invention aims to provide a transfer feeder of a simple structure which allows the moving operation of transfer bars with a small driving force.
According to the invention, a transfer feeder comprising a system for lifting and lowering workpieces by means of a cam the rotation of which synchronizes with the operations of a transfer press and a system for forwarding the workpieces lifted by the lifting and lowering system to the following process station is characterized in that: a plurality of feed carriers are arranged to travel freely along a feed rail and connected at given intervals by means of a feed equalizing bar, the feed carriers each have a bell crank shaped link rotatably attached thereto, the link supports one end of a transfer bar having workpiece holding means and is connected, at an adequate position thereof, to a lift equalizing bar arranged along the feed rail by means of a pin, one end of the feed equalizing bar is connected to the upper end of a feed lever, and one end of the lift equalizing bar is connected directly or through a relay link to a lift lever.
Preferably, the feed lever and the lift lever are arranged such that they are rocked by means of corresponding cams respectively within a required rotation range and are so disposed that they face each other. It is also preferable that the feed carriers freely movable along a feed rail are each provided with a bell crank shaped link the bent base part of which is pivotally attached thereto and that one end of the bel
REFERENCES:
patent: 4523889 (1985-06-01), Orii
patent: 4995505 (1991-02-01), Takahashi et al.
Asakura Haruo
Baba Kiyokazu
Huppert Michael S.
Komatsu Ltd.
Underwood Donald W.
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