Mechanical side shift and tip apparatus

An article transfer apparatus, comprising:

• an elongate frame defining a plane;
• substantially parallel main guide rails longitudinally mounted on said frame;
• first and second transversely extending secondary guide rails located respectfully at opposite ends of said main guide rails;
• a shuttle mounted on and movable along said main guide rails;
• a pair of substantially parallel article carrier guide rails mounted on said shuttle and extending transversely with respect to said main guide rails;
• an article carrier assembly movably coupled to said article carrier guide rails for movement along said article carrier guide rails;
• an article holder pivotally mounted on said article carrier assembly;
• an elongated guide member extending longitudinally along said main guide rails;
• a first and second guide member support slidably mounted to said first and second secondary guide rails respectively;
• at least one push rod slidably mounted to each of said first and second guide member supports;
• a support block mounted to one end of each of said push rods and having said guide member coupled thereto;
• a first and second bracket coupled to the opposite end of said push rods;
• first and second independently operable powered drive means mounted to said first and second guide member support respectively and coupled to said first and second bracket respectively, and said first and second power drive means driving said first and second bracket, said push rods and said support blocks to provide movement of said guide member in a plane substantially normal to said plane of said frame;
• third and fourth independently operable power drive means mounted to said secondary guide rail means and driving said first and second guide member supports along said secondary guide rails thus moving said guide member in a plane substantially parallel to said plane of said frame;
• a hollow tubular sleeve slidably receiving said guide member;
• means for pivotally connecting said article holder to said sleeve for pivotal movement of said article holder about an axis substantially parallel to said plane of said frame when said guide member moves in a plane substantially normal to said frame, and said sleeve sliding longitudinally along said guide member when said shuttle means moves along said main guide rail means and said sleeve operable to position said article carrier assembly along said article carrier guide rails in accordance with the position of said guide member relative to said secondary guide rail means.

An article transfer apparatus, comprising:

• an elongate frame defining a plane;
• a substantially parallel main guide rail means longitudinally mounted on said frame;
• shuttle means mounted on, and moveable along said main guide rail means between opposite ends thereof;
• article carrier guide rail means mounted on said shuttle means and extending transversely with respect to said main guide rail means;
• article carrier assembly means movably coupled to said article carrier guide rail means for movement along said article carrier guide rail means;
• means, pivotally connected to said article carrier assembly means, for holding an article;
• sleeve means, pivotally coupled to said holding means;
• elongate guide member means having opposite ends and extending longitudinally in the direction of said main guide rail means and slidably received by said sleeve means;
• and
• means, mounted on said frame, for moving each of said opposite ends of said guide member means in a separate plane substantially normal to said plane of said frame to provide pivotal movement of said holding means relative to said article carrier assembly means and to provide movement of said article carrier assembly means along said article carrier guide rail means when said shuttle means is moved along said main guide rail means.

An article transfer apparatus, comprising:

• means for shuttling an article along a predetermined first path of travel;
• article carrier means for moving said article along a predetermined second path of travel extending transversely of said first path and for pivotally moving said article in at least one degree of motion;
• and
• guide member means, extending along said first path of travel and pivotally connected to said article carrier means, for providing pivotal movement of said article in said at least one degree of motion and for providing movement of said article along said second path of travel when said shuttle means is moved along said first path of travel.