Sagger loading apparatus and a method of loading a sagger
OwnerGeorge A. Harrowinventor
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Abstract
Sagger loading apparatus, for loading unfired ceramic sparking plug bodies (3) into a sagger (37), includes a clamp (8) for removing the bodies from a conveyor (2) and depositing the bodies on pins (14) in an array, which form an intermediate store. A gripper assembly having four inwardly and outwardly movable walls (22) grips the bodies on the pins and removes them and moves them simultaneously into the sagger, where the walls of the gripper are moved apart to leave the sparking plug bodies in the sagger, ready for firing.
Claims34
Apparatus for loading a sagger with a plurality of unfired ceramic bodies, which apparatus comprises:
- (a) at least one array of pins arranged such that each said pin can receive a respective one of said bodies;
- (b) first transfer means for taking said unfired ceramic bodies individually and in succession each to one of said pins in said array to be located thereby;
- and
- (c) second transfer means for simultaneously removing a plurality of said bodies located on said array of pins, and for subsequently depositing said bodies into said sagger.
Sagger loading apparatus including an array of locators, a first transfer means for taking unfired ceramic bodies in succession each to one of the locators in the array, to be located thereby, and second transfer means including at least two gripper members which are movable towards each other to grip a plurality of said bodies located by the array and remove them simultaneously to the sagger.
A method of loading unfired ceramic bodies into a sagger, including the steps of operating a first transfer means to transfer the bodies in succession each to one of an array of pins, then operating a second transfer means to remove simultaneously a plurality of the bodies from the array and to deposit the bodies into the sagger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.