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US 7,610,681 B2Granted
Window component stock indexing
AssigneeGED Integrated Solutions, Inc.
InventorsTom Calcei, Mohamed Khalfoun, Brian G. James, Timothy B. McGlinchy, John Grismer, Robert R. Shepherd, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stock supply station for use in a insulated glass unit component production line includes a plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils, an indexing mechanism, and an uncoiling mechanism. The indexing mechanism is coupled to the sheet stock coils for indexing a selected one of the sheet stock coils to an uncoiling position. The uncoiling mechanism selectively uncoils sheet stock from a sheet stock coil indexed to the uncoiling position to thereby provide sheet stock to a downstream processing station.
Claims34
A method of supplying sheet stock to a processing station in a window component production line, comprising:
- a) supporting a plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils of different width sheet stock on a moveable carriage;
- b) selecting a desired coil from the plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils;
- c) automatically indexing the desired coil to an uncoiling position by moving the carriage so that an end portion defined by a fixed stock edge of the sheet stock from the desired coil is aligned for subsequent movement for entrance to a processing station;
- d) moving an adjustable guide toward or away from a fixed guide so that the sheet stock from the desired coil passes between the fixed guide and the adjustable guide to accommodate different widths of said sheet stock, the adjustable and fixed guides being located on the moveable carriage;
- and
- e) automatically uncoiling sheet stock from the desired sheet stock coil that has been indexed to the uncoiling position to thereby provide sheet stock to a downstream processing station.
3 more elements
A method of automatically supplying and automatically feeding sheet stock to a processing station in a window component production line, comprising:
- a) selecting a desired sheet stock coil from a plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils on a moveable carriage;
- b) moving an end portion of the desired sheet stock coil to a pay out position between a fixed and an adjustable guide located on the movable carriage;
- c) moving a pair of drive rollers to a spaced apart position;
- d) moving an end portion of the desired sheet stock coil to a position between the pair of drive rollers;
- e) moving the pair of drive rollers into engagement with the coil end portion;
- and
- f) rotating the drive rollers to feed the sheet stock to a predefined position for entry into the processing station.
4 more elements
A method of supplying sheet stock to a processing station in a window component production line, comprising:
- a) supporting a plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils of different width sheet stock on a moveable carriage;
- b) selecting a desired sheet stock coil from the plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils and moving the desired sheet stock coil to an uncoil position with a fixed edge of the sheet stock aligned to move past a fixed guide;
- c) moving an adjustable guide to set a spacing between the adjustable and fixed guide, the fixed and adjustable guides being located on the moveable carriage;
- d) moving a pair of drive rollers to a spaced apart position;
- e) unwinding sheet stock from the desired sheet stock coil to pay out an end portion of the desired sheet stock between the fixed and adjustable guides so that the end portion extends between the pair of spaced apart drive rollers;
- f) moving the pair of drive rollers into the engagement with the end portion of the sheet stock;
- and
- g) rotating the drive rollers to feed the sheet stock into the processing station.
5 more elements
A method of automatically supplying sheet stock to a processing station in a window component production line, comprising:
- supporting a plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils of different width sheet stock on a moveable carriage situated on a track, the carriage movable on said track for positioning any one of said plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils to an uncoiling position for feeding the sheet stock on a desired sheet stock coil into the processing station;
- selecting said desired sheet stock coil from the plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils and moving the desired sheet stock coil to said uncoiling position with a fixed edge of the sheet stock aligned to move past a fixed guide;
- moving an adjustable guide to set a spacing between the adjustable and fixed guide;
- unwinding sheet stock from the desired sheet stock coil to pay out an end portion of the desired sheet stock between the fixed and adjustable guides;
- moving a drive wheel to engage the desired sheet stock coil;
- and
- rotating the drive wheel to feed the sheet stock into the processing station.
4 more elements
A method of supplying sheet stock to a processing station in a window component production line, comprising:
- supporting a plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils of different width sheet stock on a moveable carriage situated on a track, the carriage moveable in a linear direction along said track for positioning any one of said plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils to an uncoiling position for automatically feeding the sheet stock on a desired sheet stock coil into a processing station;
- establishing a home position for the moveable carriage along the track for a controller coupled to the moveable carriage as a specific location of the moveable carriage when at the home position;
- and
- under control of the controller, moving the moveable carriage along the track to position a desired sheet stock coil from the plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils to the uncoiling position for automatically feeding the sheet stock on the desired sheet stock coil into the processing station.
1 more element
A method of automatically feeding and automatically supplying sheet stock to a processing station in a window component production line, comprising:
- supporting a plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils of different width sheet stock on a moveable carriage situated on a track, the carriage moveable in a linear direction along said track for positioning any one of said plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils to an uncoiling position for automatically feeding the sheet stock on a desired sheet stock coil into a processing station;
- establishing a home position for the moveable carriage along the track for a controller coupled to the moveable carriage as a specific location of the moveable carriage when at the home position;
- under control of the controller, moving the moveable carriage along the track to position the desired sheet stock coil from the plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils to the uncoiling position for automatically feeding of the sheet stock on the desired sheet stock coil into the processing station;
- providing a fixedly located uncoiling mechanism that is controllable by the controller, the uncoiling mechanism comprising an uncoiling motor, a drive wheel, and an actuator at said uncoiling position, which uncoiling mechanism is selectively coupled to the desired sheet stock coil for uncoiling the desired sheet stock coil into the processing station such that actuating the actuator causes the drive wheel to engage the desired sheet stock coil for uncoiling the desired sheet stock coil into the processing station;
- rotating the drive wheel to feed the sheet stock of the desired sheet stock coil into the processing station through a pair of spaced apart drive rollers;
- and
- locating the sheet stock from the desired sheet stock coil prior to entry into the processing station into a clamping assembly comprising an adjustable guide and a fixed guide, the adjustable guide securing the sheet stock into contact with the fixed guide.
4 more elements
A method of automatically supplying sheet stock to a processing station in a window component production line, comprising:
- supporting a plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils of different width sheet stock on a moveable carriage situated on a track, the moveable carriage moveable on said track for positioning any one of said plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils to an uncoiling position for feeding the sheet stock on a desired sheet stock coil into a processing station;
- selecting said desired sheet stock coil from the plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils and moving the desired sheet stock coil along said track to said uncoil position with a fixed edge of the sheet stock aligned to move past a fixed guide;
- moving an adjusting guide to set a spacing between the adjustable and fixed guide;
- and
- unwinding sheet stock from the desired sheet stock coil to pay out an end portion of the desired sheet stock between the fixed and adjustable guides.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.