Automatic Load Table
AssigneeAdvanced Machine & Engineering Co.
InventorWilly Goellner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic load table and related method are provided. The automatic load table utilizes a movable loading arm and a riser assembly with a stepped configuration. The movable loading arm is operable to move billets in a loading direction along the stepped configuration of the riser assembly. The movable loading arm is capable of lifting and separating adjacent billets in a single lifting motion.
Claims20
An automatic load table for loading billets into a machine, the automatic load table comprising:
- a conveyor for advancing the billets in a feed direction;
- at least one riser assembly positioned adjacent the conveyor for moving the billets in a loading direction which is transverse to the feed direction onto the conveyor, wherein the at least one riser assembly comprises:
- a riser body;
- a loading arm movable relative to the riser body;
- wherein the riser body includes a plurality of billet support portions for supporting the billets from an underside of the billet and a plurality of ramped portions arranged such that one ramped portion is positioned between adjacent billet support portions, the billet support portions being at different elevations relative to one another;
- and
- wherein an extension height of each ramped portion successively decreases when progressing in the loading direction towards the conveyor.
An automatic load table for loading billets into a machine, the automatic load table comprising:
- a conveyor for advancing the billets in a feed direction;
- at least one riser assembly positioned adjacent the conveyor for moving the billets in a loading direction which is transverse to the feed direction onto the conveyor, wherein the at least one riser assembly comprises:
- a riser body defining a first plurality of steps, wherein a height of each one of the plurality of steps successively decreases when progressing in the loading direction towards the conveyor;
- a loading arm movable relative to the riser body, the loading arm defining a second plurality of steps;
- wherein the loading arm is movable relative to the riser body such that the loading arm advances the billets in the feed direction up the first plurality of steps.
A method for feeding a billets into a machine, the method comprising:
- moving the billets along a loading direction through a plurality of loading segments;
- separating a single billet from a remainder of the billets at at least one of the loading segments by lifting the single billet away from the remainder of the billets positioned at the loading segment, wherein each loading segment includes a billet support portion and a named portion, wherein a height of each ramped portion successively decreases along the loading direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.