Workpiece transfer device

A workpiece transfer device for attachment to a transfer assembly comprising:

• an outer frame;
• an inner subframe slidably engaged to said outer frame;
• means for carrying a workpiece;
• means for moving said workpiece carrying means along a substantially level conveying plane, said moving means fixedly attached to said inner subframe;
• and
• means for rotating said outer frame about an axis normal to said conveying plane, said rotating means fixedly attached to said transfer assembly, said rotating means including at least one mounting assembly having a circumferential groove defining arc segments of a common circle with a central axis normal to said conveying plane, said mounting assembly slidably attachable to said transfer assembly within said groove.

A workpiece transfer device for attachment to a transfer assembly comprising:

• an outer frame;
• an inner subframe slidably engaged to said outer frame;
• means for carrying a workpiece;
• means for moving said workpiece carrying means along a substantially level conveying plane, said moving means fixedly attached to said inner subframe, said inner subframe having substantially an H-shape cross-section of opposing elongate sides and an intermediate member extending perpendicular to and between said sides, said inner subframe extending along said conveying plane and supporting said moving means about said intermediate member and having at least one gear rack fixedly attached to at least one of said opposing elongate sides of said inner subframe along an axis parallel with said intermediate member, said gear rack having teeth means on the upper side thereof, said moving means including a conveyor system having opposing end gears spaced apart and defining the outer limits of said conveyor system, a continuous belt extending about said end gears, said belt having teeth means on the inner side thereof meshed with said end gears for rotation about said end gears, said end gears rotatable about an axis parallel to said conveying plane, said belt extending around and rotating about said intermediate member;
• and
• means for rotating said outer frame about an axis normal to said conveying plane and having at least one mounting assembly having a circumferential groove defining arc segments of a common circle with a central axis normal to said conveying plane, said mounting assembly slidably attachable to said transfer assembly within said groove.

In a workpiece transfer apparatus for transferring workpieces from a first work station to a second work station, the workpiece transfer apparatus including an outer frame, an inner subframe slidably engaged with the outer frame, means for carrying a workpiece and means for moving the workpiece carrying means along a substantially level conveying plane, said moving means fixedly attached to the inner subframe, the improvement comprising:

• means for rotating the outer frame about an axis normal to the conveying plane, said rotating means fixedly attached to the outer frame, the rotating means including at least one mounting assembly having a circumferential groove defining arc segments of a common circle with a central axis normal to the conveying plane, the mounting assembly slidably attachable to the outer frame within the groove, the inner subframe having substantially an H-shaped cross-section of opposing elongate sides and an intermediate member extending perpendicular to and between the sides, the inner subframe extending along the conveying plane and supporting the moving means about the intermediate member, the moving means including a conveyor system having opposing end gears spaced apart and defining the outer limits of said conveyor system, a continuous belt extending about the end gears, the belt having teeth means on the inner side thereof meshed with the end gears for rotation about the end gears, the end gears rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the intermediate member of the inner subframe, the belt extending around and rotating about the intermediate member, at least one gear rack fixedly attached to at least one of the opposing elongate sides of the inner subframe along an axis parallel with the intermediate member, the gear rack having teeth means on the upper side thereof, locking means having an upper and lower member fixedly attached thereto wherein the upper member is fixedly attached to the outer frame and the lower member is fixedly attached to the belt, the carrying means fixedly attached to the belt opposite to the gear rack, and means for driving the inner subframe, the driving means including a motor, at least one idler roller, and a driving gear, the driving gear meshed with the gear rack for reciprocating the gear rack along the conveying plane, the reciprocating of the gear rack driving the conveying means along the conveying plane, whereby a workpiece is imparted with a reciprocal, essentially linear, first movement segment and a simultaneous second rotational movement segment about an axis perpendicular to said first movement segment for transporting the workpiece from the first work station to the second work station.