Portable gantry robot

An automated industrial plant comprising:

• a plurality of work stations;
• at least one rail suspended above said work stations having at least one displaceable rail section;
• at least one portable gantry robot capable of being suspended by said rail;
• means for moving said robot along said rail;
• means for transporting said robot horizontally to and from said displaceable rail section, said transporting means including a transfer rail section of the same length and size as said displaceable rail section, said robot being removably suspended from said transfer rail section;
• means for displacing and replacing said displaceble rail section;
• means for aligning said transfer rail section with said rail at a location adjacent said displaceable rail section;
• and
• means for locking and unlocking said transfer rail section onto said rail at said location adjacent said displaceable rail section.

A transporter for transporting a portable robot between said rail systems having a cross-sectional size, said transporter comprising:

• a base;
• a frame extending upwards from said base for suspending a portable robot above the base;
• means for moving said transporter in a horizontal plane;
• and
• transport rail means mounted on said frame for suspending said robot while said robot is being transported on said transporter, said transport rail means being substantially identical in cross-sectional size to said rail systems.

An automated printing plant having a press room and a bindery area, said plant comprising:

• at least one portable robot;
• a plurality of press delivery stations in the press room positioned in a row;
• at least one press rail system supported above said delivery stations, said rail system having a cross-sectional size;
• means on one of said robot and said rail system for suspending said robot from said press rail system;
• means for moving said robot along said press rail system;
• a transporter having a transfer rail section affixed thereto for suspending said robot therefrom, said transfer rail section being the same cross-sectional size as said press rail system;
• means for moving said robot between said transfer rail section and said press rail system;
• a plurality of binding lines in the bindery area;
• a bindery rail system above each of said binding lines identical in cross-sectional size to said press rail system;
• means on one of said robot and said binding rail system for suspending said robot from said bindery rail system;
• means on said press rail system and said bindery rail system for receiving said transfer rail section for transfer of said robot between said rail systems and said transporter;
• means on the transporter for aligning said transfer rail section with said receiving means;
• means for locking and unlocking said transfer rail section onto said receiving means;
• means for moving said robot in a suspended position in a horizontal plane between said transfer rail section and each of said bindery rail systems;
• and
• means for moving said robot along said bindery rail system.

A method of transferring a robot between locations on a overhead rail system, said method comprising the steps of:

• (1) providing a displaceable rail section in said rail system;
• (2) providing a transporter having a transfer rail section thereon for suspending a robot;
• (3) transporting the robot on the transporter in a suspended position to said displaceable rail section;
• (4) displacing said displaceable rail section;
• (5) aligning and locking said transfer rail section suspending said robot with said rail system at the former location of said displaceable rail section;
• (6) moving said robot off of said transfer rail section and onto a suspended position on said rail system;
• (7) unlocking and moving said transporter from said location of said displaceable rail section;
• and
• (8) moving said displaceable rail section back into alignment with said rail system.

A method of automating an industrial plant, comprising the steps of:

• (1) providing portable robots capable of performing tasks;
• (2) organizing work areas for said robot in areas in the plant having said tasks performed by said robots;
• (3) arranging a plurality of said work area into rows;
• (4) suspending a plurality of substantially identical rail systems over said work areas capable of suspending said robots while said robots are performing said tasks;
• (5) providing at least one displaceable rail section in at least one of said rail systems;
• (6) horizontally transporting said portable robots on a transporter between non-contiguous rail systems and a displaceable rail section within said one of said rail systems, said transporter having a transfer rail section substantially identical in size and form to said displaceable rail section from which the robot is suspended;
• and
• (7) moving said robot between said transfer rail section and said work area:
• by displacing said displaceable rail section;
• and
• locking into place said transfer rail section at the location where said displaceable rail section was displaced.