Transfer apparatus and method for testing facility

A method of moving parts from a conveyor to a test rig for testing and returning tested parts to the conveyor, comprising the steps of:

• rotating a rotatable shaft carrying first and second pick-up heads each oriented at an angle of 45.degree. to the shaft and perpendicular to one another into a first position in which the first pick-up head is positioned above a conveyor and the second pick-up head faces a test rig;
• extending the first pick-up head in a first direction to the conveyor to pick up at least one part to be tested;
• retracting the first pick-up head and part;
• rotating the rotatable shaft in the opposite direction into a second position in which the second pick-up head is positioned above the conveyor and the first pick-up head faces the test rig;
• incrementing the conveyor to position at least one part on the conveyor below the second pick-up head;
• extending the second pick-up head in the first direction to pick up the part;
• retracting the second pick-up head and picked up part;
• simultaneously with the extension and retraction of the second pick-up head, extending the first pick-up head in a second direction up to the test rig;
• testing the or each carried part;
• retracting the first pick-up head and tested part;
• rotating the rotatable shaft back in the first mentioned direction into the first position where the first pick-up head is positioned above the conveyor and the second pick-up head faces the test rig;
• extending the first pick-up head to deposit the tested part on the conveyor, incrementing the conveyor to position a new part below the pick-up head, picking up the new part and retracting the first pick-up head and picked up part;
• simultaneously extending the second pick-up head to the test rig, testing the part on the second pick-up head, and retracting the second pick-up head and tested part;
• rotating the rotatable shaft back to the second position;
• and
• repeating the process to pick up parts from the conveyor with one head while parts on the other head are tested at the test rig until all parts have been tested.

A method of picking up parts from a conveyor for testing at a test rig and returning tested parts to the conveyor, comprising the steps of:

• rotating a rotatable shaft back and forth between first and second end positions, the rotatable shaft carrying first and second pick-up heads at its free end, the pick-up heads being mounted on opposite sides of the shaft and oriented perpendicular to each other and at angles of 45.degree. to the shaft;
• the first pick-up head being aligned with at least one part position on the conveyor belt and the second pick-up head being aligned with a test rig in the first position of the rotatable shaft, and the second pick-up head being aligned with at least one part position on the conveyor belt and the first pick-up head being aligned with a test rig in the second position of the rotatable shaft;
• when the shaft is in the first position, extending the first pick-up head up to the conveyor belt and simultaneously extending the second pick-up head up to the test rig;
• depositing any tested parts on the first pick-up head onto the belt, incrementing the belt, and picking up at least one new part from the belt, and simultaneously testing any parts on the second pick-up head;
• retracting both the first and second pick-up heads and rotating the shaft to the second position;
• when the shaft is in the second position, extending the second pick-up head to the conveyor belt and simultaneously extending the second pick-up head to the test rig;
• depositing any tested parts on the second pick-up head onto the belt, incrementing the belt, and picking up at least one new part on the second pick-up head, and simultaneously testing any parts on the first pick-up head;
• and
• retracting both the first and second pick-up heads and rotating the shaft to the first position.

A transfer apparatus for transferring parts back and forth between a conveyor and a test rig to one side of the conveyor, comprising:

• a mounting frame located above a conveyor and facing a test rig;
• a transfer head device rotatably mounted on the frame for rotation back and forth about an axis of rotation between first and second end positions;
• a first pick-up head movably mounted on the transfer head for movement back and forth between extended and retracted positions, along a first axis;
• a second pick-up head movably mounted on the transfer head device for movement back and forth between extended and retracted positions along a second axis perpendicular to and offset from the first axis;
• the first and second axes being oriented at angles of 45.degree. to the axis of rotation;
• the first and second pick-up heads each having at least one suction cup for picking up items from the conveyor;
• the first pick-up head being positioned above the conveyor and the second pick-up head facing the test rig in said first position of the transfer head, and the second pick-up head being positioned above the conveyor and the first pick-up head facing the test rig in said second position of the transfer head;
• a drive motor for rotating the transfer head back and forth between the first and second positions;
• a first hydraulic ram aligned with a pick-up head in the first and second positions for driving the aligned pick-up head to the conveyor to pick up items from the conveyor and deposit tested items onto the conveyor;
• and
• a second hydraulic ram aligned with a pick-up head in the first and second positions for driving an aligned pick-up head to the test rig for placing a part in a test position at the test rig.

A transfer apparatus for transferring parts back and forth between a conveyor and a test rig to one side of the conveyor, comprising:

• a mounting frame located above a conveyor and facing a test rig;
• a transfer head rotatably mounted on the frame;
• drive means for rotating the transfer head about a first axis back and forth between first and second positions;
• a first pick-up head movably mounted on the transfer head for movement back and forth along a second axis between extended and retracted positions;
• a second pick-up head movably mounted on the transfer head for movement back and forth along a third axis between extended and retracted positions;
• the second and third axes being offset from one another and perpendicular, and the first axis extending at an angle of 45.degree. to the second and third axes;
• one of the pick-up heads being positioned above the conveyor and in said first position and facing the test rig in said second position, and the other pick-up head facing the test rig in said first position and positioned above the conveyor in said second position;
• and
• pick-up head drive means for driving said pick-up heads between their retracted and extended positions to extend one of the pick-up heads to the conveyor to pick up or deposit parts on the conveyor and extend the other pick-up head to the test rig to position a part in a test position in each of said first and second positions.