Method of and apparatus for automatically grinding cathode ray tube faceplates

Apparatus for distributing workpieces to a plurality of aligned workstations for the workpieces comprising a conveyor for workpieces for conveying workpieces along a path adjacent said plurality of workstations;

• a loader for transferring workpieces between said conveyor and said workstations;
• means to move said loader along said conveyor to transfer positions proximate each of said workstations for transferring workpieces between said conveyor and individual proximate workstations;
• a workpiece loading station for said conveyor;
• and a workpiece orienting station intermediate said loading station and a portion of said conveyor proximate a first of said workstations for orienting workpieces on said conveyor for engagement by said loader.

Apparatus for distributing workpieces to a plurality of equally spaced aligned workstations for the workpieces comprising a conveyor for conveying workpieces along a path adjacent said plurality of workstations having a feed section and a main section separate from said feed section;

• a loader for transferring workpieces between said conveyor and said workstations;
• means to move said loader along said conveyor to positions for transferring workpieces between said conveyor and individual workstations;
• an indexing drive means for said feed section of said conveyor for advancing workpieces on said feed section in feed increments of a length equal to the spacing of adjacent workstations of said plurality of workstations;
• and indexing drive means for said feed section and said main section of said conveyor indexed alternately with said feed section for advancing workpieces in a multiple of said feed increments.

Apparatus for distributing workpieces to a plurality of aligned workstations for the workpieces comprising a conveyor for workpieces for conveying workpieces along a path adjacent said plurality of workstations;

• a workpiece orienting station for said conveyor for positioning workpieces on said conveyor with a first orientation;
• a loader for transferring workpieces with the first orientation between said conveyor and said workstations;
• means to move said loader along said conveyor to positions for transferring workpieces between said conveyor and individual workstations;
• wherein said loader has a station for engagement of a workpiece which has been processed in a workstation and a station for release onto said conveyor of a workpiece which has been processed in a workstation;
• and means on said loader to reorient a workpiece received from said workstation for delivery to said conveyor in a second orientation whereby processed workpieces on said conveyor are distinguished from workpieces which have not been processed in a workstation.

Apparatus for distributing workpieces to a plurality of aligned workstations for the workpieces comprising a conveyor for workpieces for conveying workpieces along a generally horizontal path adjacent said plurality of workstations;

• a loader for transferring workpieces between said conveyor and said workstations;
• means to index said loader along said conveyor to positions for transferring workpieces between said conveyor and individual workstations;
• means to index said conveyor to locate workpieces at transfer stations associated with individual workstations to enable transfer of workpieces from said conveyor to said workstations by said loader;
• a vertical shaft on said loader;
• means to oscillate said shaft through a ninety degree arc around the vertical;
• four arms in quadrature extending generally horizontally from said shaft and arranged to oscillate with said shaft;
• a workpiece holding mechanism on each of said four arms;
• one pair of opposed arms extending perpendicular to the direction of advance of said conveyor when said shaft is at a first extreme of rotation;
• a second pair of opposed arms extending parallel with the direction of advance of said conveyor when said shaft is at a first extreme of rotation;
• workpiece supports on said loader beneath each of said second pair of opposed arms when said shaft is at the first extreme of rotation;
• a first arm of said one pair extending toward said conveyor and another arm of said one pair extending toward said workstation when said shaft is at the first extreme of rotation;
• means to actuate said holding means on said first arm to engage and pickup a workpiece on said conveyor;
• means to rotate said shaft with said one arm to a second extreme of rotation to a position above one of said workpiece supports on said loader;
• means ro release said holding means for a workpiece on said one arm while it is above said one of said workpiece supports;
• means to rotate said shaft with said one arm to said first extreme of rotation from said second extreme of rotation.

An automatic system for processing workpieces comprising:

• a workpiece conveyor;
• a plurality of workpiece processing machines aligned along one side of said conveyor;
• transfer mechanism adapted to transfer workpieces between said conveyor and said machines;
• moving means to move said transfer mechanism along said conveyor;
• means to control the motion of said conveyor to position workpieces adjacent said machines;
• means to control the motion of said moving means to position said transfer mechanism adjacent said machines;
• means to control said transfer mechanism to transfer a workpiece from said conveyor to an adjacent processing machine and simultaneously to transfer a processed workpiece from said processing machine to said conveyor;
• and
• control means to coordinate the operation of said conveyor motion control means, said moving means control means and said transfer mechanism control means with respect to said machines to transfer workpieces between said conveyor and said machines.

A conveyor having an elongate path for distribution of workpieces to a plurality of delivery stations along said conveyor path, said conveyor comprising a feed conveyor section;

• a main conveyor section;
• a feed drive to drive said feed section independent of said main section;
• a main drive to drive said feed and main sections together;
• feed drive control for said feed drive;
• main drive control for said main drive;
• a conveyor control for alternately and imtermittently activating said main drive control and said feed drive control;
• and a conveyor loader activated by said conveyor control to place a workpiece on a receiving position on said feed section preceding the actuation of each drive control.

A workpiece transfer mechanism comprising a pillar;

• a plurality of arms mounted radially on said pillar at equal spacings around said pillar;
• a workpiece pickup head mounted on each arm;
• a linkage mounting each pickup head for extension from and retraction toward its respective mounting arm;
• each of said arms having a home position at which a workpiece is picked up and being swingable through an arc around said pillar to a delivery position at which a workpiece is deposited;
• means to control said workpiece pick-up head;
• means to control said linkage extension and retraction;
• and means to oscillate said arms in unison through the arc around said pillar to successively transfer workpieces from the home to the delivery position of each arm around said pillar.