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US 4,796,341 AGranted
Plate routing method and apparatus
AssigneeFMC Corporation
InventorJames A. Kuhn, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for routing a plurality of plates of predetermined size through at least one precision processing station for accurately and economically performing machining functions or the like on the plates. Aligned group of plates are presented to an input end of the apparatus by fork lift trucks and after processing the group of plates, the process plates are aligned, and removed from the apparatus by fork lift trucks or the like thereby greatly reducing labor costs and providing a more accurately machined product.
Claims50
A plate routing method comprising the steps of:
- moving a plurality of plates of equal size onto a conveyor one at a time;
- intermittently driving the conveyor for moving each plate in turn into a precision machining station having a power drive cutting tool therein;
- lifting the plates off the conveyor for supporting the plates above the conveyor at a precise height relative to the cutting tool;
- moving the plates in a direction longitudinally of the conveyor to a precise transverse machining position relative to the cutting tool;
- clamping the plates at said precise height and in said transverse machining position;
- driving the cutting tool to accurately machine the plates;
- releasing the machined plates for support on said conveyor;
- and
- moving the machined plates off the conveyor.
6 more elements
A plate routing method comprising the steps of:
- moving a stack of plates having longitudinal and transverse edges onto an unstacking mechanism at a feed station;
- intermittently pushing the uppermost plate off the stack onto a feed conveyor;
- indexing the stack upwardly a distance equal to the thickness of a plate after each plate is pushed onto the feed conveyor until the stacking mechanism is empty;
- cutting beveled edges on the longitudinal edges of the plate in response to moving the plates through a longitudinal edging station;
- cutting beveled edges on the transverse edges of the plates when the plates are held stationary at a transverse edging station;
- pivoting each edged plate from a horizontal to an upright position at a plate pivoting station;
- machining each plate at a precision machining station with at least one cutting tool when each plate is clamped in a precise location relative to a precision machine tool;
- pivoting each precision machined plate from an upright to a horizontal position;
- moving the machined plates off the feed conveyor onto a stacking mechanism at a restacking station;
- and
- moving the stack downwardly a distance equal to the thickness of one plate after each plate is added to the stack and until a full stack is present on the stacking mechanism.
8 more elements
A plate routing method comprising the steps of:
- moving a spaced upright plate supported in a plate storage carrier into a plate transfer position;
- transferring an upright plate onto a feed conveyor while retaining the plate in an upright position;
- moving the upright plate into alignment with an intermittently driven conveyor disposed normal to the feed conveyor;
- transferring the upright plate from the feed conveyor onto the intermittently driven conveyor for movement into a precision machining station;
- extending a plurality of vertically spaced pins into the path of the upright plate on the intermittently driven conveyor for stopping the plate in a precise longitudinal position to be machined;
- projecting a plurality of pointed horizontally spaced pins under the plate when in the machining station for raising the plate a short distance off the intermittently driven conveyor to the precise height to be machined;
- clamping the plate in turn in said precise position to be machined;
- machining the plate;
- unclamping the plate;
- retracting said vertically and horizontally spaced pins from the path of movement of the plate;
- moving the machined upright plate onto a discharge conveyor while retaining the plate spaced apart and in an upright position;
- moving the machined upright plate into alignment with an empty plate storage carrier;
- and
- transferring the machined upright plate off the discharge conveyor and into an empty plate storage carrier.
11 more elements
A plate routing method comprising the steps of:
- moving a plurality of spaced upright plates supported in a plate storage carrier into a plate transfer position;
- simultaneously transferring the plurality of upright plates onto a feed conveyor while retaining the plates spaced apart and in upright position;
- moving the upright plates one at a time into alignment with an intermittently driven conveyor disposed normal to the feed conveyor;
- transferring the upright plates one at a time from the feed conveyor onto the intermittently driven conveyor for movement into a precision machining station;
- extending a plurality of vertically spaced pins into the path of each upright plate on the intermittently driven conveyor for stopping the plates in turn in precise longitudinal position to be machined;
- projecting a plurality of pointed horizontally spaced pins under each upright plate when in the machining station for raising the plate a short distance off the intermittently driven conveyor to the precise height to be machined;
- clamping each plate in turn in said precise position to be machined;
- machining each plate in turn;
- unclamping each plate in turn;
- retracting said vertically and horizontally spaced pins from the path of movement of the plates;
- moving each machined upright plate in turn onto a discharge conveyor while retaining the plates spaced apart and in an upright position;
- moving a plurality of the machined upright plates into alignment with an empty plate storage carrier;
- and
- simultaneously transferring a plurality of machined upright plates off the discharge conveyor and into an empty plate storage carrier.
11 more elements
A plate routing apparatus comprising:
- intermittently driven conveyor means having a plate supporting surface for moving plates having longitudinal and transverse edges along a predetermined path;
- precision plate working means at a function performing station adjacent said path for performing a precise function on said plate when said conveyor means is stationary;
- lifting means at said function performing station for raising the plate at said function performing station off said conveyor means;
- precision support means at said function performing station movable into and out of plate supporting position for maintaining the plate at a precise elevation relative to said plate working means;
- precision edge locating means movable into and out of edge locating position for precisely locating one transverse edge of the plate at the function performing station relative to said plate working means;
- clamping means for rigidly clamping the plate in precise position to be worked;
- and
- means for repositioning the plate after being worked by the precision plate working means on said conveying means for subsequent discharge from said conveying means.
5 more elements
A plate routing apparatus comprising:
- intermittently driven roller conveyor means having wide inlet and discharge portions and a narrow intermediate portion;
- unstacking means for supporting a stack of plates to be processed and for intermittently raising the stack in increments equal to the thickness of each plate, said plates having longitudinal and transverse edges;
- power means for pushing the uppermost plate off said stacking means onto said wide inlet portion of said roller conveyor means;
- longitudinal edging means for edging the longitudinal edges of each plate as the plate is advanced between said edging means by the conveyor means;
- transverse edging means including means moving said edging means transversely of said conveyor means for edging the transverse edges of each plate when the plate is maintained stationary on said intermittently driven conveyor means;
- first plate pivoting means for pivoting each edged plate from a horizontal to a vertical position when said conveying means is stationary;
- precision machinery means disposed on one side of said narrow intermediate portion of said conveyor means and having at least one plate engagable tool thereon;
- plate locating and clamping means opposing said precision machinery means on the opposite side of said narrow portion of said conveyor for elevating each plate of said conveying means and rigidly securing each plate in a precise position for being machined by said at least one tool, and after being machined, releasing and lowering the machined plate upon said conveyor means for movement out of said narrow portion and into said discharge portion of said conveying means;
- second plate pivoting means for pivoting each machined plate from a vertical to a horizontal position when said conveying means is stationary;
- stacking means for receiving machined plates from said conveying means and for intermittently lowering the stack in increments equal to the thickness of each plate;
- and
- power means for assisting said conveyor means for pulling the machined plates onto said stacking means.
9 more elements
A plate routing apparatus comprising:
- an intermittently driven roller conveyor for supporting and guiding upright oriented plates thereon from a feed end to a discharge end;
- a plate processing mechanism disposed intermediate of said roller conveyor for performing work on plates when aligned therewith;
- a first plate supporting means having at least a pair of upright plate guides thereon and having an upright plate therebetween in alignment with said roller conveyor;
- a first plate transfer means for transferring the plate in said first plate supporting means onto a feed end of said roller conveyor for movement into said plate processing mechanism to be processed;
- second plate supporting means having at least a pair of upright plate guides thereon adapted to receive a processed plate therebetween;
- and
- second plate transfer means for transferring the processed plate when in an upright position into said second plate supporting means for movement out of alignment with said narrow roller conveyor.
4 more elements
A plate routing apparatus comprising:
- a driven feed conveyor having a plurality of evenly spaced plate separators thereon;
- a driven discharge conveyor having a plurality of evenly spaced plate separators thereon;
- a narrow roller conveyor having a plurality of short horizontal intermittently driven plate supporting rollers thereon and a plurality of tall idler rollers for guiding vertically oriented plates thereon;
- a plate processing mechanism disposed intermediate said roller conveyor for performing work on plates aligned therewith;
- a plurality of plate storage carriers each having a plurality of spaced upright plate guides thereon;
- one of said carriers having a plurality of upright plates to be processed therein disposed in plate transfer position adjacent one side of said feed conveyor with the plate guides in said one storage carrier being in planar alignment with corresponding plate guides on the upper surface of the feed conveyor;
- first plate transfer means for transferring a plate in said one storage carrier into an empty space on said feed conveyor between said spaced separators thereon;
- second plate transfer means for transferring a single plate from said feed conveyor onto said narrow roller conveyor for movement into position to be processed by said plate processing mechanism;
- means for pulling the processed plate fully off said roller conveyor and onto said discharge conveyor;
- and
- second plate transfer means for transferring the processed plate out of said discharge conveyor into another one of said empty storage carriers.
8 more elements
A plate routing apparatus comprising:
- a driven feed conveyor having a plurality of short evenly spaced plate separators thereon;
- a driven discharge conveyor having a plurality of evenly spaced plate separators thereon;
- a narrow roller conveyor having a plurality of short horizontal intermittently driven plate supporting rollers thereon and a plurality of tall idler rollers for guiding vertically oriented plates thereon;
- a plate processing mechanism disposed intermediate said roller conveyor for performing work on plates aligned therewith;
- a plurality of plate storage carriers each having a plurality of spaced upright plate guides thereon, a first storage carrier filled with upright plates into a plate being movable in transfer position adjacent one side of said feed conveyor with the plate guides in said first storage carrier being in planar alignment with corresponding plate guides on the upper surface of the feed conveyor;
- first multiple plate transfer means for simultaneously transferring all plates in said first storage carrier into empty spaces on said feed conveyor between said spaced separators thereon;
- single plate transfer means for transferring a single plate from said feed conveyor onto said narrow roller conveyor for intermittent movement into position to be processed;
- means for pulling each processed plate fully off said roller conveyor and sequentially onto said discharge conveyor;
- and
- second multiple plate transfer means for simultaneously transferring a plurality of processed plates out of said discharge conveyor onto one of said empty storage conveyors.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.