Article transporting and escapement device
AssigneeRichard M. Amendolea
InventorRichard M. Amendolea
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transporting and escapement device includes an internal guide member extending along the conveying path and extending through an aperture in each conveyed article. The guide member will serve to guide the article along the conveying path. The guide member is supported by at least one escapement assembly. Each escapement assembly includes at least two independently operated guide member engaging supports which can selectively engage the guide member at spaced locations along the guide member. At least one support of at least one escapement assembly will be engaged with the guide member at any given time.
Claims40
An article transporting and escapement device, comprising:
- a guide member extending along a conveying path of an article wherein said guide member is adapted to be received through an aperture of the article;
- and
- at least one escapement assembly comprising at least two guide member supports for selectively engaging said guide member at spaced locations along said guide member, at least one of said supports being engaged with said guide member at any given time, wherein at least a portion of said guide member is mechanically driven by said guide member support.
A article transporting and escapement device, comprising:
- a guide member extending along a conveying path of an article wherein said guide member is adapted to be received through an aperture of the article;
- and
- at least one escapement assembly comprising at least two guide member supports for selectively engaging said guide member at spaced locations along said guide member, at least one of said supports being engaged with said guide member at any given time, wherein each of said guide member supports include a pair of gripping arms simultaneously engaging opposite sides of said guide member, and wherein said guide member includes at least one recess and at least one of said gripping arms of each said pair of gripping arms includes a guide pin adapted to engage said at least one recess in said guide member.
A article transporting and escapement device, comprising:
- a guide member extending along a conveying path of an article wherein said guide member is adapted to be received through an aperture of the article and said guide member is a hollow rod;
- and
- at least one escapement assembly comprising at least two guide member supports for selectively engaging said guide member at spaced locations along said guide member, at least one of said supports being engaged with said guide member at any given time, wherein each of said guide member supports includes a pair of gripping arms simultaneously engaging opposite sides of said guide member.
A article transporting and escapement device, comprising:
- a guide member extending along a conveying path of an article wherein said guide member is adapted to be received through an aperture of the article;
- and
- at least one escapement assembly comprising at least two guide member supports for selectively engaging said guide member at spaced locations along said guide member, at least one of said supports being engaged with said guide member at any given time, and wherein said guide member is electrically connected to said guide member support when said support engages said guide member providing an electrical power supply to said guide member when said support engages said guide member.
A article transporting and escapement device comprising:
- at least two substantially parallel guide members extending along a conveying path of an article wherein each said guide member is adapted to be received through an aperture of the article;
- and
- at least one escapement assembly comprising at least two guide member supports for selectively engaging said guide members at spaced locations along said guide members, at least one of said supports being engaged with each said guide member at any given time, wherein each of said guide member supports includes a pair of gripping arms simultaneously engaging opposite sides of said guide members.
An escapement assembly for use in a device for transporting articles having apertures defined therethrough along a guide member over an extended length, wherein the guide member is received through at least one of the apertures of the article, comprising:
- at least three guide member supports for selectively engaging the guide member at spaced locations along said extended length of guide member, at least one of said supports being engaged with and supporting the guide member at any given time.
An escapement assembly for use in a device for transporting articles having apertures defined therethrough along a guide member received through at least one of the apertures, comprising:
- at least two guide member supports for selectively engaging the guide member at spaced locations along said guide member, at least one of said supports being engaged with and supporting the guide member at any given time, wherein each of said guide member supports includes a pair of gripping arms simultaneously engaging opposite sides of the guide member, and wherein each said guide member support includes at least one linear actuator for moving said gripping arms of each said pair of gripping arms along a linear path to engage said guide member.
An escapement assembly for use in a device for transporting articles having apertures defined therethrough along a guide member received through at least one of the apertures, comprising:
- at least two guide member supports for selectively engaging the guide member at spaced locations along said guide member, at least one of said supports being engaged with and supporting the guide member at any given time, wherein each of said guide member supports includes an actuator and a pair of modular gripping arms simultaneously engaging opposite sides of the guide member, and wherein each of said modular gripping arms is independently, removably attached to said guide member support and wherein said gripping arms include a matching recess on a front face thereof which is sized to specifically engage said guide member.
An escapement assembly for use in a device for transporting articles having apertures defined therethrough along a guide member received through at least one of the apertures, comprising:
- at least two guide member supports for selectively engaging the guide member at spaced locations along said guide member, at least one of said supports being engaged with and supporting the guide member at any given time, and wherein at least a portion of said guide member is mechanically driven by said guide member support.
An article transporting device for articles having at least one aperture therethrough, comprising:
- at least one guide member extending along a conveying path and extending through the aperture of each article, wherein a change in the orientation of said guide member rotationally orientates the article about an axis parallel to said guide member in a desired position along the conveying path.
An article transporting device for articles having at least one aperture therethrough, comprising:
- at least two guide members extending along a conveying path and each extending through an aperture of each article, wherein a change in the orientation of said guide member orientates the article in a desired position along the conveying path, wherein said at least two guide members are substantially parallel and extend along the conveying path and extend through selected apertures of each article, said guide members being positionable with respect to the other so as to orientate the article in a desired position along the conveying path.
A method of conveying a workpiece along a conveying path comprising the steps of:
- a) positioning a workpiece on at least one internal guide member, wherein the guide member is received within an aperture of the workpiece;
- b) conveying the workpiece along the guide member along the conveying path;
- c) selectively engaging the guide member at spaced locations along the conveying path by at least three guide member supports, wherein at least one guide member support is engaging and supporting the guide member at any given time.
An article transporting and escapement device, comprising:
- a guide member extending along a conveying path of an article wherein said guide member is adapted to be received through an aperture of the article;
- at least one escapement assembly comprising at least two guide member supports for selectively engaging said guide member at spaced locations along said guide member, at least one of said supports being engaged with said guide member at any given time;
- and
- a separating member attached to and extending from one said guide member support, said separating member engaging articles on said guide member upstream of said guide member supports.
An article transporting and escapement device, comprising:
- a guide member extending along an extended curved conveying path of an article wherein said guide member is adapted to be received through an aperture of the article and is curved along its length to follow the extended curved conveying path to deposit articles at the point of use;
- and
- at least one escapement assembly comprising at least two guide member supports for selectively engaging and supporting said guide member at spaced locations along said guide member, at least one of said supports being engaged with said guide member at any given time.
An article transporting and escapement device, comprising:
- a guide member extending along a conveying path of an article wherein said guide member is adapted to be received through an aperture of the article;
- at least one escapement assembly comprising at least two guide member supports for selectively engaging said guide member at spaced locations along said guide member, at least one of said supports being engaged with said guide member at any given time;
- and
- a non-gravity article transporting means for moving the articles along said guide member.
A method of conveying a series of workpieces along a conveying path and delivering a series of workpieces to a desired location with an escapement assembly comprising the steps of:
- a) positioning a series of workpieces on at least one internal guide member, wherein the guide member is received within an aperture of each workpiece;
- b) conveying each workpiece along the guide member along the conveying path;
- c) selectively engaging the guide member at spaced locations along the conveying path by at least two guide member supports, wherein at least one guide member support is engaging and supporting the guide member at any given time;
- and
- d) releasing a plurality of said workpieces at one time from said guide member at a desired location, whereby said guide member and said guide supports form an escapement assembly for delivering a series of workpieces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.