Gripper-accumulator
AssigneeTime Inc.
InventorJames W. Flannery, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gripper-accumulator and system for gripping, accumulating and transporting two or more pieces along an production line. The gripper-accumulator is particularly useful in accomplishing higher production speeds in the production of periodicals and magazines. The gripper-accumulator has two or more gripper-fingers and a fixed support extending radially out of a hub. The gripper-fingers are capable of rotating around the hub from a initially open to a eventually closed position adjacent to the fixed support. At the closed position a piece is gripped between the fixed support and the gripper-finger, or between two adjacently located gripper-fingers. Thus, a single gripper-accumulator is provided that is capable of holding several pieces thereby speeding production.
Claims29
A gripper-accumulator for releasably gripping and accumulating a plurality of pieces, said gripper-accumulator comprising:
- a hub extending substantially along an axis;
- a fixed support extending radially outward from said hub;
- a plurality of gripper-fingers rotatably affixed to said hub and angularly spaced about said axis, each being movable between a respective releasably secured open position remote from said fixed support and a respective closed position adjacent to said fixed support;
- and
- a plurality of force-applying members, each of said force-applying members biasing a respective one of said gripper-fingers toward said respective closed position;
- whereby:
- one of said plurality of pieces is held between said fixed support and a first one of said plurality of gripper-fingers, and each additional one of said plurality of pieces is held between two angularly adjacent ones of said gripper-fingers.
A system for collating and transporting a plurality of pieces along a production line, said system comprising:
- a plurality of gripper-accumulators for releasably gripping and accumulating said plurality of pieces;
- a first transportation device for transporting said plurality of gripper-accumulators along said production line;
- a plurality of piece-presenters for presenting said pieces to said gripper-fingers as said gripper-accumulators pass by;
- wherein:
- said gripper-accumulator comprises:
- a hub extending substantially along an axis;
- a fixed support extending radially outward from said hub;
- a plurality of gripper-fingers rotatably affixed to said hub and angularly spaced about said axis, each being movable between a respective releasably secured open position remote from said fixed support and a respective closed position adjacent to said fixed support;
- and
- a plurality of force-applying members, each of said force-applying members biasing a respective one of said gripper-fingers toward said respective closed position;
- whereby:
- one of said plurality of pieces is held between said fixed support and a first one of said plurality of gripper-fingers, and each additional one of said plurality of pieces is held between two angularly adjacent ones of said gripper-fingers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.