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US 4,006,002 AGranted
Glass sheet transfer apparatus
AssigneeLibbey-Owens-Ford Co.
InventorThomas Hetman, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sheet handling apparatus including means in the form of support feet for "catching" or receiving the bottom edge of a vertically descending sheet upon the release of the upper portion of the glass from gripping tongs which initially support the sheet in a vertical plane. The bottom edge of the sheet engages the support feet substantially simultaneously with the release of the tongs to effect a smooth transition without interruption during continuous downward movement of the sheet.
Claims18
An apparatus for handling sheet material comprising:
- means for gripping a sheet adjacent its upper edge to suspend the same in a substantially vertical plane, means moving said sheet bodily in a generally downwardly vertical path, a support below said sheet for receiving the bottom edge of said sheet, means for moving said support in the direction of movement of said sheet at an accelerating speed until said support reaches the same rate of speed as said sheet and is spaced in close proximity thereto, and means responsive to the close positioning of said support to the bottom edge of said sheet for releasing said sheet from said gripping means and effect a transfer of said sheet from said gripping means to said support without interruption of the downward movement of said sheet.
A method of handling sheet material comprising:
- gripping a sheet solely adjacent the upper edge thereof for suspending the same in a substantially vertical plane, moving said supported sheet bodily downwardly in a generally vertical path, moving a glass receiving support below said sheet in the direction of movement of said sheet at an accelerating speed until said support reaches the same rate of speed as the rate of speed of said sheet and is spaced in close proximity thereto, releasing the upper edge of said sheet, and receiving the bottom edge of said sheet on said support during continuous movement thereof in said vertical path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.