Apparatus for feeding bars through a bending or like processing station

Apparatus for feeding a bar or a plurality of bars along a predetermined path extending through a processing station such as a bar bending station, comprising:

• (a) a first conveyor extending between a loading end of the predetermined path and the processing station;
• (b) a first gripper assembly mounted to the first conveyor thereby to be reciprocably transported between the loading end and the processing station, the first gripper assembly being capable of releasably gripping a bar or a plurality of bars in a vertical pile for transporting same from the loading end to and through the processing station where the bar is processed;
• (c) a second conveyor arranged collinearly with the first conveyor and extending between the processing station and an unloading end of the predetermined path;
• (d) a carriage mounted to the second conveyor thereby to be reciprocably transported between the processing station and the unloading end;
• (e) a second gripper assembly mounted to the carriage on the second conveyor for up and down motion relative to the carriage, the second gripper assembly being also capable of releasably gripping a bar or a plurality of bars in a vertical pile for transporting same through the processing station in coaction with the first gripper assembly and further for transporting the processed bar or bars away from the processing station to the unloading end;
• (f) lift means for moving the second gripper assembly up and down on the carriage, the second gripper assembly gripping the processed bar or bars while being lowered and being subsequently raised with the processed bar or bars preparatory to transportation thereof to the unloading end;
• wherein each of the first and second gripper assemblies includes,
• (a) pair of gripping jaws pivotable relative to each other;
• (b) a plurality of interchangeable sets of gripping teeth for gripping bars of different diameters, each set being comprised of at least one pair of gripping teeth to be replaceably mounted one to each gripping jaw in opposed relation to each other for engaging a bar or bars therebetween;
• and
• (c) means for pivoting one of the gripping jaws toward and away from the other for the engagement and disengagement of the bar between and from the opposed gripping teeth;
• and
• wherein the pair of gripping jaws of each gripper assembly have a pair of undercut grooves formed in their opposed faces for slidably engaging a selected set of a pair or pairs of gripping teeth, each pair of gripping teeth partly protruding from the undercut grooves for gripping a bar or bars therebetween, and wherein the apparatus further comprises means for retaining the gripping teeth engaged in the undercut grooves.