Delivery system and receiver for moving workpieces
AssigneeMidaco Corporation
InventorsMichael Paul CAYLEY, SR., Timothy J. HILGER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for delivering and retrieving workpieces to and from a machine table. This invention also relates to an apparatus for receiving at the machine table workpieces which are delivered to and retrieved by the delivery system. Carriers move along a conveyor without a loading arm rotating with respect to a supply table and also without the supply table rotating with respect to the loading arm. The receiver has pivot arms that act in a scissor-like manner to open and close an opening that lockingly engages a connector connected to a pallet.
Claims19
An apparatus for receiving at a machine table workpieces delivered to and retrieved by an actuator of a delivery system, the apparatus comprising:
- a receiver having a receiver body removably mounted with respect to the machine table, the receiver body forming a cavity and a bore in communication with the cavity, at least one pivot arm pivotally mounted with respect to the receiver and movable to expose the bore, a spreader movably mounted with respect to the receiver body, the spreader contacting the at least one pivot arm, a bias element mounted with respect to the receiver body and normally forcing the at least one pivot arm into a locked position to interfere with and detachably lock within the bore a male connector of the delivery system.
A method for receiving at a machine table workpieces delivered to and retrieved by a delivery system, the method including the steps of:
- removably mounting a receiver with respect to the machine table;
- moving an actuator of the delivery system and engaging the actuator with a spreader and moving the spreader with respect to at least one pivot arm pivotally mounted with respect to the receiver and exposing a bore of the receiver;
- moving the actuator and a male connector and engaging the male connector within the bore;
- and
- moving the at least one pivot arm into a locked position to interfere with and detachably lock the male connector within the bore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.