Pallet registry mechanism
OwnerJohn H. Bremsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multiple station transfer machine using work-carrying pallets which move along transfer rails from station to station and are located, i.e., brought into registry, at each station and clamped in place for a work operation including a mechanism for operating pallet locating means and clamping means which eliminates cams and wedges and utilizes high efficiency levers operating independently of any change in dimension due to wear. A single energy storage means at each station operates both the locator lever and the clamping lever sequentially through an interconnecting mechanism. A common release mechanism underlies the stations and is operable to act against the energy storage means to effect release of the registry means and the clamping means while pallets are moving between stations.
Claims28
In a multiple station transfer machine in which workpieces are located and supported in pallets, and in which said pallets are moved in sequence through said machine, interrelated registry mechanisms for locating and clamping said pallets, each of which comprises:
- (a) a registry frame,
- (b) one or more locating pin means slideably mounted in said frame to engage corresponding locating holes in said pallet,
- (c) clamping means for said pallet movably mounted in said frame to contact said pallet on a contact surface,
- (d) elastic energy storage means individual to and mounted in said registry frame,
- (e) mechanical means on said frame interconnecting said energy storage means with said locating pin means and with said clamping means to sequentially engage said locating pins in said holes in said pallet and clamp said pallet to said registry frame independently of outside forces, and
- (f) external power means interconnected with said mechanical means operable only to retract said clamping means from said pallet and thereafter to disengage said locating pin means from said holes in said pallet after engagement by said energy storage means.
In a multiple station transfer machine in which workpieces are supported and located in pallets, and in which said pallets are moved in sequence through said machine, registry mechanisms for locating and clamping said pallets, each of which comprises:
- (a) a registry frame,
- (b) locating means on each said registry frame to locate said pallet thereon,
- (c) clamping means on each said registry frame to clamp said pallet thereon, and
- (d) actuating means on each said registry frame to actuate in sequence said locating means and said clamping means comprising one or more interconnected high efficiency mechanism,
- (e) an elastic stored energy mechanism individual to each registry means to actuate said locating and clamping means, and
- (f) a mechanical means selectively operable only to overcome the action of said stored energy means and to retract said locating and clamping means.
In automation equipment using multiple station transfer machines for moving pallets from station to station for the purpose of having work done thereon, a registry system including a locator pin and a clamp for locating and clamping each pallet at a station which comprises:
- (a) a first lever to actuate a locator pin,
- (b) a second lever to actuate a clamp,
- (c) means operatively associating said levers wherein a sequential location and clamping action will progress,
- (d) elastic means at each station to bias said levers respectively in a locating and clamping position, said elastic means being the only motativating force to effect said clamping and locating, and
- (e) means to actuate one of said levers at each station to overcome the bias of said elastic means acting on said first and second levers to effect the release of the pallets at each station from its respective locator pin and clamp.
In a multiple station transfer machine in which workpieces are supported and located on pallets, and in which said pallets are moved in sequence through said machine, registry mechanisms for locating and clamping said pallets, each of which comprises:
- (a) a registry frame,
- (b) locating means on said registry frame to locate said pallet thereon,
- (c) clamping means for said pallet comprising one or more clamp members each of which has a portion to apply a clamp force to said pallet along a first axis substantially perpendicular to the contact surface between said clamp member and said pallet, and a reaction portion positioned so that said clamp force is reacted by said registry frame along a second axis substantially parallel to and closely disposed to said first axis, thereby minimizing the reactive bending moment applied to said registry frame by said clamping member,
- (d) actuating frame on each registry frame to actuate in sequence said locating means and said clamping means,
- (e) an elastic stored energy mechanism individual to each registry means to actuate said locating and clamping means, and
- (f) a mechanical means selectively operable only to overcome the action of said stored energy means and to retract said locating and clamping means.
In a multiple station transfer machine in which workpieces are located and supported in pallets, and in which said pallets are moved in sequence through said machine, mechanism for clamping said pallets, comprising:
- (a) a registry frame,
- (b) a clamp for said pallet movably mounted in said frame having a first portion to engage a pallet in a clamping relationship with one face of a rigid section of said frame, and having a second portion to receive a clamping force to move said first portion into a clamping position, said second portion being opposed to and located on the opposite side of said frame section from said first portion,
- (c) a clamp actuator means to cause engagement of said clamp with said pallet which comprises:
- (1) a clamp lever pivotally connected to said frame movable from a non-clamping position to a clamping position,
- (2) a first fulcrum portion on said clamp lever to contact said second portion of said clamp along a first axis, the pivotal connection between said frame and lever comprising a reaction fulcrum portion on said lever positioned to contact said frame on a face of said frame section opposite said one face along a second axis substantially parallel to and closely disposed to said first axis, to place said frame section in compression between said pallet and said reaction fulcrum portion, thereby minimizing the reactive bending moment applied to said registry frame by said clamp,
- (d) mechanical means for actuating said clamp and actuator means to move said clamp lever from a non-clamping position to a clamping position, and
- (e) means operatively connected with said clamp for returning said clamp from the clamping position to the non-clamping position when said clamp lever is moved from a clamping position to a non-clamping position.
In automation equipment using multiple station transfer machines for moving pallets from station to station for the purpose of having work done thereon, a registry system including a locator pin and a clamp for locating and clamping each pallet at a station which comprises:
- (a) a first lever to actuate a locator pin,
- (b) a second lever to actuate a clamp,
- (c) means operatively associating said levers wherein a sequential location and clamping action will progress,
- (d) means to bias said levers in a locating and clamping position,
- (e) means to actuate one of said levers against said bias to release a pallet from a locator pin and a clamp,
- (f) a resiliently mounted C-clamp having one arm to contact a positioned pallet at a predetermined first point on a contact axis,
- (g) a second arm to contact an arm of said second lever at a predetermined point on said same contact axis spaced from said first point, and
- (h) said second lever being fulcrummed at a point directly above said second arm and adjacent but offset from said contact axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.