Line of manufacturing units for carrying out machining operations, provided with modular translating devices for the transfer of workpieces form one unit to another of the line

A line of manufacturing units for carrying out a sequence of machining operations on a set of workpieces, which are fed in, in succession, at one loading end of the line and proceed along the line up to an unloading end of the line,

• in which said line comprises means for transfer of the workpieces from the loading end to a first unit of the line, from each unit to the next one in the line, and from the last unit in the line to the unloading end,
• wherein said transfer means include:
• a fixture made up of a plurality of horizontal supporting and guide beams, which are set in a superelevated position with respect to the floor on which the line is set, said beans extending in a longitudinal direction of the line, each one of which in a position corresponding to a space comprised between one manufacturing unit and another adjacent one;
• a transfer device mounted on each of the aforesaid supporting and guide beams, said device comprising:
• a first mobile slide, which can move along the respective supporting and guide beam in the longitudinal direction of the line;
• a vertical upright mounted upon said first mobile slide;
• pick-up means, which are mounted on a bottom end of said vertical upright and which can be oriented about a vertical axis;
• motor means for controlling the first slide and said pick-up means of each transfer device;
• and
• control means designed for controlling the motor means of each transfer device of the line independently of one another, but according to a sequence co-ordinated together.