Mechanical hand for processing edges of a curved plate and an apparatus for processing the edges of the curved plate

Apparatus for processing edges of a curved plate, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a robot arm having an axial line and a distal end;
• (b) a movable bracket supported by said robot arm so as to be capable of tilting around a point of processing which is on the axial line of said robot arm and which is on the edge of a curved plate being processed;
• (d) a processing tool mounted on said movable bracket in position to face the edge of a curved plate being processed at said point of processing;
• and
• (e) a driving means for causing said movable bracket to tilt:
• (i) so that the posture of said processing tool coincides with a surface of an edge of a curved plate being processed at said point of processing;
• (ii) so that, when said robot arm is turned around the axial line of said robot arm to adjust the posture of said processing tool, said point of processing remains on the axial line;
• and
• (iii) so that, when said movable bracket is tilted relative to said robot arm, said point of processing is not displaced, whereby it is unnecessary to adjust the coordinates to the distal end of said robot arm during a teaching operation to specify the posture and position of said processing tool.