US 4,938,337 AGranted

Removing a can from a rotating turret

AssigneeMetal Box Public Limited Company

InventorsFrederick W. Jowitt, Robert H. Harrison, Keith West, Kevin J. Pope

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Abstract

An outfeed transfer device has a rotatable turret from which radiate a plurality of can grippers each of which is arranged to grip a can delivered to it at an outfeed station of an electro-coating apparatus, and then to rotate the can, so as to empty fluid still remaining in it, before releasing it in the inverted draining position on to an outfeed conveyor. Each can gripper comprises a jaw assembly carried on a radial shaft which is mounted for rotation in a turret side wall. A pinion fixed on that shaft is rotated by a vertical rack which is slidably carried in transverse walls of the turret. Each jaw assembly is operated by a slidable shaft carried co-axially in the associated radial shaft. The respective racks and co-axial shafts are driven by cam followers biased against stationary cams disposed within the turret.

Claims14

Dependent claims

Transfer apparatus for removing a container, or other article, from a rotating turret, which apparatus comprises:

(a) a transfer wheel mounted for rotation adjacent the turret on a stationary support;
(b) a driving shaft rotatably carried in said support and drivingly connected to said transfer wheel;
a plurality of container holding means mounted at circumferentially spaced positions around said transfer wheel, each said container holding means comprising
(i) a radial shaft rotatably mounted in said transfer wheel for rotation about its longitudinal axis and incorporating a gear pinion;
(ii) a jaw assembly carried at the outer end of said radial shaft and comprising opposed jaw members mounted on said radial shaft for relative movement between gripping and relaxed positions thereby to grip and release a said container, and jaw actuating means extending co-axially through said radial shaft and carrying a first spring biased cam follower, for effecting said relative movement of said jaw members;
(iii) a gear rack slidably mounted in said transfer wheel for movement normal to said radial shaft and carrying a second spring biased cam follower, said gear rack engaging said gear pinion for effecting rotation of said radial shaft;
(d) a first cam mounted to said stationary support and engaging said first cam follower, said first cam being shaped to effect operation of said jaw members in a predetermined manner during rotation of said transfer wheel relative to said stationary support;
and
(e) a second cam mounted to said stationary support and engaging said second cam follower, said second cam being shaped to effect rotation of said radial shaft through 180.degree., thereby to rotate said jaw members from a container pick-up condition to a container release condition and back again during rotation of said transfer wheel relative to said stationary support;
wherein:
said transfer wheel comprises a hollow drum member comprising spaced upper and lower transverse walls and a peripheral side wall connecting them;
said radial shafts are rotatably carried in said side wall with said gear pinions disposed within said drum member;
said gear racks are disposed within said drum member, and are slidably carried in said upper and lower transverse walls;
said gear racks penetrate said upper transverse wall;
a fluid-tight protective cover is provided on said upper transverse wall to prevent ingress within said drum member of fluid from outside, and
said driving shaft extends upwardly through said lower and upper transverse walls and is drivingly connected to said upper transverse wall.

13 more elements

Transfer apparatus for removing a container, or other article, from a rotating turret, which apparatus comprises:

(a) a transfer wheel mounted for rotation adjacent the turret on a stationary support;
(b) a driving shaft rotatably carried in said support and drivingly connected to said transfer wheel;
(c) a plurality of container holding means mounted at circumferentially spaced positions around said transfer wheel, each said container holding means comprising
(i) a radial shaft rotatably mounted in said transfer wheel for rotation about its longitudinal axis and incorporating a gear pinion;
(ii) a jaw assembly carried at the outer end of said radial shaft and comprising opposed jaw members mounted on said radial shaft for relative movement between gripping and relaxed positions thereby to grip and release a said container, and jaw actuating means extending co-axially through said radial shaft and carrying a first spring biased cam follower, for effecting said relative movement of said jaw members;
(iii) a gear rack slidably mounted in said transfer wheel for movement normal to said radial shaft and carrying a second spring biased cam follower, said gear rack engaging said gear pinion for effecting rotation of said radial shaft;
(d) a first cam mounted to said stationary support and engaging said first cam follower, said first cam being shaped to effect operation of said jaw members in a predetermined manner during rotation of said transfer wheel relative to said stationary support;
and
(e) a second cam mounted to said stationary support and engaging said second cam follower, said second cam being shaped to effect rotation of said radial shaft through 180.degree., thereby to rotate said jaw members from a container pick-up condition to a container release condition and back again during rotation of said transfer wheel relative to said stationary support;
wherein:
said transfer wheel comprises a hollow drum member comprising spaced upper and lower transverse walls and a peripheral side wall connecting them;
said radial shafts are rotatably carried in said side wall with said gear pinions disposed within said drum member;
said gear racks are disposed within said drum member, and are slidably carried in said upper and lower transverse walls;
and
each said jaw assembly comprises a first arcuate jaw member mounted on the associated radial shaft for rotation therewith, a second arcuate jaw member having a pivotal connection on said first jaw member, and said jaw actuating means includes a jaw actuating shaft coupled to said second jaw member and movable axially through said radial shaft thereby to move said second jaw member between said gripping and relaxed positions.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.