US 4,905,818 AGranted

Single gripper conveyor system

AssigneeQuipp, Incorporated

InventorJ. D. Houseman

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Gripper assemblies are moved past a pick-up station by a chain conveyor. A conveyor overlapping signature stream moves past the pick-up station beneath the gripper assemblies at a faster linear velocity whereby the leading edge of each signature enters into the open jaws of a gripper assembly. A closing cam closes the cooperating gripper jaws which firmly grip the leading end of the signature as the gripper assemblies enter a curved path thereby abruptly accelerating the gripped signature and the next upstream signature resting thereon to facilitate and enhance its entry into the region between the open gripper jaws of the next upstream gripper assembly. The signature stream is delivered to the pick-up station by a conveyor having a cooperating vacuum source for retaining the signatures in proper alignment upon the conveyor belt as they approach the pick-up station, the vacuum condition terminating before the signatures are gripped by the jaws of a gripper assembly. Each gripper assembly includes a wrap spring which normally holds the gripper jaws closed and which is activated when a gripper assembly release ring engages an opening cam preparatory to receipt of a signature. A closing lever lifts the opened jaw, by engagement of its roller with a closing cam to firmly grip the signature therebetween. After the gripper jaws open, they are maintained open by the spring wrap clutch, enabling gripper assemblies to be slectively released at the drop station, if desired. Signatures are dropped at a drop station by engaging the release ring with an opening cam to drop the signatures onto a receiving conveyor.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A pick-up station for picking up signatures from a signature stream for delivery to a remote location comprising:

an elongated supporting conveyor having a substantially straight upper run for advancing a stream of signatures arranged in overlapping fashion toward and through the region of a pick-up station;
a conveyor chain comprised of interconnecting links;
means for moving said conveyor chain;
a gripper assembly secured to selected ones of said interconnecting links, each gripper assembly having a pair of movable jaws;
rotatably mounted opening means for moving said movable jaws to an open position when rotated in a first direction;
rotatably mounted closing means spaced from said opening means for moving said movable jaws to a closed position when rotated to move in a second direction opposite said first direction;
each of said links having guide rollers;
guide means engaged by said guide rollers for moving said conveyor chain along a substantially straight path substantially parallel to said substantially straight upper run for advancing said conveyor chain and each gripper assembly through said pick-up station and in close proximity to said supporting conveyor;
an opening cam having a cam surface of predetermined length engaging the opening means of each gripper assembly as it passes said opening cam to move one of said pair of movable jaws into sliding engagement with an upper surface of an associated signature moving along said conveyor;
a separate, independent closing cam positioned a predetermined distance downstream relative to said opening cam and having a cam surface of a predetermined length which is rollingly engaged by the closing means of each gripper assembly as it passes the closing cam surface and after the opening means leaves the influence of said opening cam;
said supporting conveyor including means for moving said signature stream at a first velocity which is greater than the movement of each gripper assembly as the signatures pass through the pick-up station causing the jaw of each gripper assembly in sliding engagement with an associated signature to be guided by said associated signature beneath the next upstream signature whereby the leading edge of each signature in said stream enters into a region between the open jaws of an associated gripper assembly prior to the closing of said jaws of each gripper assembly by said closing cam.

8 more elements

A pick-up station for picking up signatures from a signature stream for delivery to a remote location comprising:

an elongated supporting conveyor having an upper run for advancing a stream of signatures arranged in overlapping fashion toward a pick-up station;
a conveyor chain comprised of interconnecting links;
means for moving said conveyor chain;
a gripper assembly secured to selected ones of said interconnecting links, each gripper assembly having a pair of movable jaws;
rotatably mounted opening means for moving said movable jaws to an open position when rotated in a first direction;
rotatably mounted closing means spaced from said opening means for moving said movable jaws to a closed position when rotated to move in a second direction opposite said first direction;
each of said links having guide rollers;
guide means engaged by said guide rollers for moving said conveyor chain along a path for advancing said conveyor chain and each gripper assembly through said pick-up station and in close proximity to said supporting conveyor;
an opening cam having a cam surface of predetermined length engaging the opening means of each gripper assembly as it passes said opening cam;
a separate, independent closing cam positioned a predetermined distance downstream relative to said opening cam and having a cam surface of a predetermined length which is rollingly engaged by the closing means of each gripper assembly as it passes the closing cam surface and after the opening means leaves the influence of said opening cam;
said supporting conveyor including means for moving said signature stream at a first velocity which is greater than the movement of each gripper assembly as the signatures pass through the pick-up station whereby the leading edge of each signature in said stream enters into a region between the open jaws of an associated gripper assembly prior to the closing of said jaws of each gripper assembly by said closing cam;
said conveyor further including a belt supporting member and a plurality of conveyor belts each having an upper run slidably engaging the top surface of said belt supporting member and moving at said first velocity along said top surface;
said supporting surface having a plurality of openings;
vacuum means for drawing a vacuum at each of said openings in the region of said pick-up station to enhance the movement imparted to said signatures by said conveyor belts.

11 more elements

A pick-up station for picking up signatures from a signature stream for delivery to a remote location comprising:

an elongated supporting conveyor having an upper run for advancing a stream of signatures arranged in overlapping fashion toward a pick-up station;
a conveyor chain comprised of interconnecting links;
means for moving said conveyor chain;
a gripper assembly secured to selected ones of said interconnecting links, each gripper assembly having a pair of movable jaws;
rotatably mounted opening means for moving said movable jaws to an open position when rotated in a first direction;
rotatably mounted closing means spaced from said opening means for moving said movable jaws to a closed position when rotated to move in a second direction opposite said first direction;
each of said links having guide rollers;
guide means engaged by said guide rollers for moving said conveyor chain along a path for advancing said conveyor chain and each gripper assembly through said pick-up station and in close proximity to said supporting conveyor;
an opening cam having a cam surface of predetermined length engaging the opening means of each gripper assembly as it passes said opening cam;
a separate, independent closing cam positioned a predetermined distance downstream relative to said opening cam and having a cam surface of a predetermined length which is rollingly engaged by the closing means of each gripper assembly as it passes the closing cam surface and after the opening means leaves the influence of said opening cam;
said supporting conveyor including means for moving said signature stream at a first velocity which is greater than the movement of each gripper assembly as the signatures pass through the pick-up station whereby the leading edge of each signature in said stream enters into a region between the open jaws of an associated gripper assembly prior to the closing of said jaws of each gripper assembly by said closing cam;
each of said gripper assemblies selective retaining means further comprising clutch means for imparting a substantial locking force upon each movable jaw when in an engaged condition and said opening means comprising a release ring for disengaging the clutch means when the release ring is rotated by said opening cam.

9 more elements

A pick-up station for picking up signatures from a signature stream for delivery to a remote location comprising:

an elongated supporting conveyor having an upper run for advancing a stream of signatures arranged in overlapping fashion toward a pick-up station;
a conveyor chain comprised of interconnecting links;
means for moving said conveyor chain;
a gripper assembly secured to selected ones of said interconnecting links, each gripper assembly having a pair of movable jaws;
rotatably mounted opening means for moving said movable jaws to an open position when rotated in a first direction;
rotatably mounted closing means spaced from said opening means for moving said movable jaws to a closed position when rotated to move in a second direction opposite said first direction;
each of said links having guide rollers;
guide means engaged by said guide rollers for moving said conveyor chain along a path for advancing said conveyor chain and each gripper assembly through said pick-up station and in close proximity to said supporting conveyor;
an opening cam having a cam surface of predetermined length engaging the opening means of each gripper assembly as it passes said opening cam;
a separate, independent closing cam positioned a predetermined distance downstream relative to said opening cam and having a cam surface of a predetermined length which is rollingly engaged by the closing means of each gripper assembly as it passes the closing cam surface and after the opening means leaves the influence of said opening cam;
said supporting conveyor including means for moving said signature stream at a first velocity which is greater than the movement of each gripper assembly as the signatures pass through the pick-up station whereby the leading edge of each signature in said stream enters into a region between the open jaws of an associated gripper assembly prior to the closing of said jaws of each gripper assembly by said closing cam;
and further comprising means for resiliently mounting the portion of the conveyor positioned adjacent to the pick-up station;
and
stationary guide means positioned upstream relative to said pick-up station and extending beyond the gripper assemblies and being normally displaced a predetermined distance from the adjacent surfaces of the signatures in the signature stream moving adjacent thereto and for exerting a force upon said signature stream and conveyor means for overcoming the holding force of said means for resiliently mounting upon the occurrence of a significant increase in stream thickness to enable the conveyor to move downwardly to prevent damage to the pick-up station due to the occurrence of a build-up or wad of signatures upon said conveyor.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/136,744Filed 21 Dec 1987 · division
Priority: 20 Feb 1986
Granted: 6 Mar 1990
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B65H 29/669
Advancing articles in overlapping streams: ending an overlapping stream
B65G 17/323
Individual load-carriers: grippers, e.g. suction or magnetic
B65H 29/003
Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles: by grippers
B65H 29/24
Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles: by air blast or suction apparatus