Gripper apparatus for stacking a batch of sheets
AssigneePilkington Brothers Limited
InventorJohn J. Jago
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Gripper apparatus for stacking a batch of sheets, for example glass sheets, comprises a gripper head having a sheet support for movement to grip the batch of sheets. A roller stop at the bottom of the sheet support engages behind one side of the batch and at least one clamp is movable to grip the batch against the support between that clamp and the stop. Tilting members at the bottom of the support are operable, when the support is in a substantially vertical position, to lift the batch over the roller stop as it is stacked.
Claims21
Gripper apparatus for stacking a batch of sheets comprising a gripper head having a sheet support for movement into position relative to a batch of sheets to be gripped, lower support means for the bottom of the batch, a stop associated with said lower support means and spaced from said sheet support for engaging behind one face of the batch of sheets, at least one clamp movable relative to said sheet support for engaging the batch to grip the batch against said sheet support between that clamp and said lower support means, tilting means associated with said lower support means at the bottom of said sheet support, and means for operating said tilting means, when the gripper head is in a substantially vertical stacking position, to cause said tilting means to come from beneath said lower support means and lift the batch of sheets from said lower support means and over the stop as the batch is stacked.
Gripper apparatus for stacking a batch of sheets, comprising a gripper head having a support plate for movement into position relative to a batch of sheets to be gripped, support brackets at the bottom of said support plate for supporting the bottom of said batch of sheets, a roller stop carried by said support brackets at the bottom of said support plate and spaced from said support plate for engaging behind one face of the batch of sheets, at least one clamp movable relative to said support plate for engaging the batch to grip the batch against said support plate between said clamp and said support brackets, at least one tilting member located at the bottom of said support plate and associated with said support brackets, and means for operating said at least one tilting member, when the gripper head is in a substantially vertical stacking position, to cause said tilting member to come from beneath said support brackets and lift the batch over said roller stop as the batch is stacked.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.