US 4,056,188 A · Conveyor transfer apparatus pickup means reach-retract control

Abstract

A method of transferring an article carried by a first moving conveyor to a second moving conveyor and apparatus for effecting the same. The transfer is effected by lifting the article from the first conveyor, transporting it to adjacent the second conveyor, and permitting the second conveyor to receive the transported article for further conveying thereof by the second conveyor. The transferring apparatus may be provided at its distal end with a pickup device. To assure positive acquisition of the article by the transferring apparatus pickup device, the pickup device may be incrementally adjusted substantially perpendicular to and across the path of movement of the article at the pickup position, while at the same time moving along the path of movement of the article to be captured and picked up.

Claims11

Dependent claims

Apparatus for transferring an article from a conveyor wherein the article is moved along a preselected path, said apparatus comprising:

means for sensing the presence of an article carried by the first conveyor at a pickup position;
a carrier;
a pickup device mounted on the carrier;
means for translating the carrier to move the pickup device to said pickup position for picking up the article thereat, and subsequently from said pickup position to a delivery position;
and means for incrementally adjusting the position of the pickup device on the carrier while the carrier is being translated at said pickup position to cause the pickup device to move seriatim inwardly and outwardly transversely to said path to substantially follow said path at said pickup position and thereby be effectively disposed to pick up the article at said pickup position.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Conveyor transfer apparatus pickup means reach-retract control

Life of this patent

Conveyor transfer apparatus pickup means reach-retract control

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11