Transport unit for flexible assembly system

A transport unit having floor-engaging wheels for use in a flexible assembly system for a plurality of different models of lawn and garden vehicles wherein the transport unit travels selectively and sequentially between a plurality of stations and comprising, in combination:

• an automatic guided vehicle having said floor-engaging wheels and controllable to travel between stations;
• a work carrier having a U shape with a base and a pair of spaced legs each having a free end and extending upwardly from opposite ends of said base associated with the automatic guided vehicle for holding a frame member of a selected one of said tractors to which additional components are to be assembled at a plurality of said stations;
• tooling adjacent the free ends of said legs;
• means, including a rotatable member, for mounting said tooling to said work carrier for rotation about an axis extending lengthwise of and parallel to said base and through said legs adjacent the free ends thereof;
• means operatively connected to said tooling for engaging said frame member adjacent the ends thereof and constructed and arranged to hold the frame member for selective rotation about said axis and to have said axis extend approximately through the center of gravity of said selected lawn and garden tractor;
• means, operatively connected to said automatic guided vehicle and to one of said legs of at least said work carrier adjacent its said free end, for selectively vertically adjusting said work carrier;
• and means, connected to said rotatable member, for selectively rotating said tooling relative to said work carrier and about said axis to position said frame member with one side facing up for assembly of wheel structures and with said frame member facing down for assembly of an engine and other structure therewith and with the frame member at variable heights for ease of assembly by a workman.

A transport unit having floor-engaging wheels for use in a flexible assembly system wherein the transport unit travels selectively and sequentially between a plurality of stations and comprising, in combination:

• an automatic guided vehicle having said floor-engaging wheels and uncontrollable to travel between stations;
• a work carrier having a U shape with a base and a pair of spaced legs each having a free end and extending from opposite ends of said base associated with the automatic guided vehicle for holding a component of a device to which additional components are to be assembled at a plurality of said stations;
• tooling adjacent the free ends of said legs;
• means for mounting said tooling to said work carrier for selective 360 degree rotation about an axis extending lengthwise of and parallel to said base and through said legs adjacent the free ends thereof;
• and
• means for selectively moving said work carrier up and down.

A transport unit having floor-engaging wheels for use in a flexible assembly system wherein the transport unit travels selectively and sequentially between a plurality of stations, said transport unit comprising:

• an automatic guided vehicle having said floor-engaging wheels and controllable to travel between stations;
• means, operatively connected to said vehicle, for supporting a component of a device to which a plurality of additional components are to be assembled at a plurality of said stations, said means having a base and a pair of spaced legs, each having a free end extending from opposite ends of said base, said means having a U-shape;
• tooling means, operatively connected to said supporting means, for securing said first component to said supporting means;
• means, operatively connected to said supporting means, for mounting said tooling means to said supporting means for 360.degree. rotation about an axis extending lengthwise of and parallel to said base and through said legs adjacent said free ends thereof;
• means, operatively connected to said supporting means, for selectively moving said supporting means up and down;
• and
• means, operatively connected to said tooling means, for selectively rotating said tooling means relative to said supporting means and about said axis to a plurality of positions such that said additional components may be operatively connected to said first component when said first component is positioned in any one of a plurality of said rotated positions.

A transport unit having floor-engaging wheels for use in a flexible assembly system wherein the transport unit travels selectively and sequentially between a plurality of stations and comprising:

• an automatic guided vehicle having said floor-engaging wheels and controllable to travel between stations;
• a work carrier carried by the automatic guided vehicle for holding a component of a device to which additional components are to be assembled at a plurality of said stations, said work carrier having a U shape and of unitary construction with an elongate narrow base extending lengthwise of the transport unit and a pair of spaced legs extending at right angles from opposite ends of said base and each having a free end remote from said base;
• tooling means adjacent the free ends of said legs for releasably engaging said component adjacent opposite ends thereof with the component extending lengthwise of said base;
• means for mounting said tooling means to said work carrier for rotation about an axis extending in spaced parallel relation to said base and through said legs adjacent the free ends thereof;
• vertically movable means on the automatic guided vehicle connected to one of said legs adjacent the free end thereof for mounting the work carrier for up and down movement with said means being substantially within the automatic guided vehicle when the work carrier is in a lowermost position and extendable upwardly from the automatic guided vehicle when the work carrier is elevated;
• means for moving said vertically movable means to locate said work carrier at a height wherein the component will be at a desired elevation;
• means for selectively rotating said tooling means about said axis to rotate said component to achieve the desired rotative orientation thereof;
• a full length narrow frame extending from the automatic guided vehicle for the full length of said work carrier to establish a constant overall length for the transport unit regardless of the elevated position of the work carrier;
• and
• at least one floor-engaging wheel on said frame.

A transport unit having floor-engaging wheels for use as a movable assembly platform wherein the transport unit travels between a plurality of stations, said transport unit comprising:

• an automatic guided vehicle having said floor-engaging wheels, said vehicle being controlled to travel between said stations;
• a work carrier, operatively connected to said vehicle, for supporting at least one initial component to which at least one additional component is assembled thereto at said stations, said work carrier having a single base and a pair of spaced legs operatively connected to opposite ends of said base, said work carrier having a U-configuration;
• tooling means, operatively connected to the end of each of said spaced legs, for securing said initial component to said work carrier;
• rotational means, operatively connected to said tooling means, for rotating said initial component in either direction about an axis, said axis extending lengthwise of and parallel to said work carrier base and through the ends of said spaced apart legs, said rotational means being operative to allow rotation of said initial component 360.degree. in either direction when no element of said initial component exceeds the distance between said axis and said base;
• and
• means, operatively connected to said work carrier, for selectively vertically adjusting said work carrier relative to said automatic guided vehicle.