US 4,301,641 AGranted

Article transfer apparatus

AssigneeCaterpillar Tractor Co.

InventorsMerle G. McElwain, Gary D. Keckler

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Abstract

An article transfer apparatus (10) is provided for transferring articles (16) from a predetermined first position to a varying second position and discharging the articles (16) at the second position. Difficulty is often encountered in controlling the drop height of articles (16) delivered by a conveyor (18) for random placement at varying levels in a container (12). It is desirable to minimize the drop height to prevent damage to the article (16). A carriage (36) on the article transfer apparatus (10) is controllably operated to controllably discharge articles (16) at a preselected distance above either the bottom of the container (12) or articles (16) predisposed within the container (12). The invention is particularly useful for transferring finished metal piston pins (16) from a conveyor (18) to a tote box (12).

Claims8

Dependent claims

In an article transfer apparatus (10) for sequentially transferring electrically conductive articles (16), said apparatus (10) having a frame (20), a vertically movable carriage (36) disposed within the frame (20), means (104) for moving the carriage (36) between a predetermined first position and a varying second position, and means (64) for discharging the articles (16) from the carriage (36) and into a container (12) in response to said carriage (36) being at the second position located a preselected distance above one of the bottom of the container (12) and articles (16) within the container (12), the improvement comprising:

first means (158) for sensing the location of said varying second position and delivering a signal in response to said means being at said varying second position, said first means (158) being a plurality of spaced apart flexible members (160) depending from said carriage (36);
second means (170) for receiving said delivered signal and discharging said article (16) in response to receiving said signal, said signal being an electrical signal passing from said first means (158) through the container (12) and to the second means (170);
and,
sensor means (154) for detecting the presence of an article (16) in said carriage (36) in response to said carriage (36) being at the first position.

1 more element

An article transfer apparatus (10), comprising:

a frame (20);
a carriage (36) having a pair of sidewalls (40,42), an end wall (44) and a bottom member (48) movable between an open and a closed position, said carriage (36) being movably mounted on said frame (20);
means (104) for vertically moving said carriage (36) between a predetermined first position and a varying second position within a container (12);
means (64) for moving the bottom member (48) of said carriage (36) between said open and closed positions;
first means (158) for sensing said varying second position and delivering a signal in response to said means (158) being at said varying second position, said first means (158) being a plurality of spaced apart flexible members (160) depending from said carriage (36);
second means (170) for receiving said delivered signal and discharging said article (16) in response to receiving said signal, said signal being an electrical signal passing from said first means (158) through the container (12) and to the second means (170);
and,
sensor means (154) for detecting the presence of an article (16) in said carriage (36) in response to said carriage (36) being at the first position.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.