Mechanical workstation skillet lift

An autonomous skillet lift adapted for use with a workstation and a skillet having a frame and a vertically translatable table relative to the frame, wherein the skillet is translatable through the workstation so as to define a through-station translation, said lift comprising:

• first and second elevation adjustment elements securely positioned at first and second respective locations within the workstation;
• an elevation adjustment device fixedly connected to the skillet, drivenly coupled to the table, and configured to asynchronously engage each element during the translation,
• said elements and device being cooperatively configured to mechanically convert the translation of the skillet into predetermined first and second changes in table elevation during engagement;
• said device including a first pinion and a second pinion, each rotatable in response to the longitudinal translation of the device relative to the element, wherein the device further includes a longitudinal shaft intermediate and drivenly coupled with the first and second pinions, the shaft being caused to rotate in a selected clockwise or counterclockwise direction depending upon which pinion is engaged, wherein the first change in table elevation achieves a desired table elevation position, and the second change in table elevation returns the table to a home position.

A multi-elevation conveyor assembly system comprising:

• a plurality of workstations each presenting a desired work elevations, at least a portion of said plurality of workstations including at least one elevation adjustment element securely positioned at a first location within the workstation;
• a plurality of skillets each including a frame, a portion of said skillets further including a vertically translatable table relative to the frame, wherein said table is translatable between each of the work elevations and a fully recessed position, and a device configured to engage the element of the respective station for an engagement period, during the translation;
• and
• a translation drive operable to cause a translation of each skillet through a respective workstation,
• said pluralities of workstations and skillets being cooperatively configured such that said each of at least a portion of the skillets concurrently engage the respective stations,
• each of said element and device being cooperatively configured to mechanically convert the translation of the skillet into a predetermined change in table elevation equal to the desired work elevation, during the engagement period;
• wherein each of the at least one elevation adjustment element includes an adjustable longitudinal length, with the change in table elevation controlled by adjusting the longitudinal length of the at least one elevation adjustment element;
• and
• the device including a first pinion and a second pinion, each rotatable in response to the longitudinal translation of the device relative to the at least one elevation adjustment element, wherein the device further includes a longitudinal shaft intermediate and drivenly coupled with the first and second pinions, the shaft being caused to rotate in a selected clockwise or counterclockwise direction depending upon which pinion is engaged to raise or lower the skillet respectively.