US 4,005,782 A · Picker

Abstract

A picker for removing articles from a remote location, including an open frame carrier secured to a molding machine for linear movement along support rods in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of one of the mold platens, i.e., a Y-axis direction, under control of a first fluid cylinder. The carrier, in turn, mounts a carriage for linear movement in a direction normal thereto, i.e. an X-axis direction, under the control of a second fluid cylinder. The carriage includes a third fluid cylinder for controlling linear movement in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, i.e. a Z-axis direction. Depending from the carriage is a gripping unit coupled to the third cylinder, the gripping unit including a picker arm under control of a fourth fluid cylinder for movement in the X-axis direction and which picker arm terminates at its inner end in a pair of jaws or fingers, the opening and closing of which are under control of a fifth cylinder. The carriage also includes a mechanism for rotating the picker arm about the Z-axis. A limit switch is mounted on the mold machine for actuation when the movable mold platen obtains its open position. Actuation of the limit switch initiates the operation of the logic circuit, which automatically controls the operation of the picker, by operating the fluid cylinders in a predetermined sequence, thereby removing the article from a remote location and then returning the picker to its initial state.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A picker for grippng and moving an article, comprising a mounting unit;

a carrier carried by said mounting unit for movement along a first predetermined path;
a first fluid actuated cylinder coupled between said mounting unit and said carrier for moving said carrier in opposite directions along said first predetermined path;
carriage means slidably mounted on said carrier for movement along a second predetermined path perpendicular to said first predetermined path;
a second fluid actuated cylinder coupled between said carrier and said carriage means for moving said carriage in opposite directions along said second predetermined path;
gripping means mounted on said carriage means for movement along a third predetermined path perpendicular to said first and second predetermined paths;
a third fluid actuated cylinder coupled between said carriage and said gripping means for moving said gripping means in opposite directions along said third predetermined path;
said gripping means including a pair of gripping elements for gripping said article, said gripping elements having open and closed positions, operating means for moving said gripping elements between said open and closed positions, and a fourth fluid actuated cylinder for moving said gripping elements along a fourth predetermined path;
and logic circuit means for controlling the operation of said first, second, third and fourth cylinders and said operating means, and rotating means coupled to said carriage means for rotating said gripping means about said third predetermined path.

5 more elements

An apparatus for retrieving an article from between the mold platens of a molding machine, one of which platens is movable comprising a mounting unit on said molding machine;

a carrier carried by said mounting unit for movement along a first predetermined path perpendicular to the direction of movement of said movable platen;
a first fluid actuated cylinder coupled between said mounting unit and said carrier for moving said carrier in opposite directions along said first predetermined path;
carriage means slidably mounted on said carrier for movement along a second predetermined path perpendicular to said first predetermined path;
a second fluid actuated cylinder coupled between said carrier and said carriage means for moving said carriage in opposite directions along said second predetermined path;
gripping means mounted on said carriage means for movement along a third predetermined path perpendicular to said first and second predetermined paths;
a third fluid actuated cylinder coupled between said carriage and said gripping means for moving said gripping means in opposite directions along said third predetermined path;
said gripping means including a pair of gripping elements for gripping said article, said gripping elements having open and closed positions, operating means for moving said gripping elements between said open and closed positions, and a fourth fluid actuated cylinder for moving said gripping elements along a fourth predetermined path;
logic circuit means for controlling the operation of said first, second, third and fourth cylinders and said operating means and actuator means positioned with respect to said movable platen for actuating said logic circuit means when said movable platen is in an open position.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Picker

Life of this patent

Picker

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9