Ruckers, reruckers, deruckers and/or skin brakes with stacked gripper layers and related grippers
AssigneeTipper Tie, Inc.
InventorMatthew D. Lowder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods, apparatus and associated devices for one or more of rucking, derucking, braking or rerucking sleeves of covering material off of and/or onto a chute body include a gripper with a stacked set of discrete gripper layers with forward facing protrusions. The grippers can have an automated stroke cycle whereby cooperating pairs of gripper assemblies can be configured to travel inwardly a distance sufficient to snugly abut an outer surface of a chute body and remain in contact with the chute body while traveling in a longitudinal and/or axial direction to contact covering and pull the covering along the chute body.
Claims19
A rucker, rerucker, derucker or skin break gripper comprising:
- at least one planar gripper layer with a perimeter having a front facing semi-circular side with a plurality of spaced apart teeth.
A gripper assembly, comprising:
- a stacked set of cooperating gripper layers having a perimeter with a forward facing semi-circular profile with a plurality of teeth.
A set of cooperating gripper assemblies, comprising:
- first and second cooperating gripper assemblies, each gripper assembly comprising a stacked set of cooperating gripper layers having a perimeter with a forward facing semi-circular profile with a plurality of teeth, the first gripper assembly oriented so that the forward facing semi-circular profile faces the second gripper assembly forward facing profile to substantially form a circle when the gripper assemblies are in a closed configuration residing adjacent each other, wherein the first and second cooperating gripper assemblies are configured to close against an outer wall of a horn or chute to contact covering material held thereon.
An apparatus for rucking, derucking, rerucking and/or braking covering material from or onto a chute body, comprising:
- a frame;
- a gripper assembly comprising first and second cooperating gripper subassemblies each having a perimeter with one side having a semi-circular shape, wherein the side having the semi-circular shape comprises a set of stacked planar gripper layers, at least some of the layers having spaced apart teeth;
- and
- at least one actuator attached to the gripper assembly and in communication with a controller, wherein the first and second gripper assemblies have an automated stroke cycle whereby each is configured to travel inwardly a distance sufficient to snugly abut an outer surface of a chute or horn body and remain in contact with the chute or horn body to pull covering material or brake the covering material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.