Single guide rod actuating unit

In an actuating unit for a workpiece gripping and transporting jaw assembly having an elongated hanger rod, a first mount boss depending from said rod, a pneumatic cylinder below and parallel to said rod and secured to said boss having a piston and a piston rod projecting from said cylinder;

• the improvement comprising an elongated guide rod spaced between and parallel to said cylinder and hanger rod and slidably positioned through said mount boss and projecting forwardly thereof;
• a jaw mount assembly including a second mount boss positioned forwardly of said cylinder and having a longitudinal bore;
• one end of said guide rod extending through said second mount boss and secured thereto;
• a stroke adjuster collar adjustably secured upon the other end of said guide rod adapted on a predetermined forward movement of said jaw mount assembly to operably engage said first mount boss;
• a rod adapter movably positioned through said bore axially of and at one end secured to said piston rod;
• a first mount flange upon the forward end of said second boss having a bore communicating with said longitudinal bore defining an annular stop shoulder;
• and a jaw assembly including a body having a longitudinal bore and an annular mounting flange at one end;
• said mounting flange being nested within said counter bore of said jaw mount assembly first mount flange and bearing against said shoulder and adjustably secured thereto;
• a pair of opposed workpiece gripping jaws pivotally mounted within and projecting forwardly of said body;
• a reciprocal plunger nested within the bore of said body axial to and at one end operably connected to the other end of said rod adapter;
• and a control means on said plunger operably engaging said jaws for successively closing and opening said jaws upon corresponding reciprocal movement of said plunger;
• said control means on said plunger including a roller shaft extending through said plunger;
• a first roller and a second roller mounted on said roller shaft;
• there being first and second acute angular slots formed through said jaws respectively, within said body;
• said first roller movably nested within said first angular slot and said second roller movably nested within said second angular slot, whereby forward movement of said plunger cams said jaws to a closed position and retraction of said plunger cams said jaws to an open position;
• one jaw including a pair of parallel outside jaw arms, with said first angular slots therein;
• the other jaw including a pair of parallel inner jaw arms with said second angular slots therein;
• there being additional rollers upon said roller shaft, with one roller in each of said angular slots;
• each angular slot having a first arcuate portion at one end and a second arcuate portion at its other end, said arcuate portions on one side of each slot having an interconnecting stop shoulder retainingly engaging said rollers respectively.

Apparatus for gripping a workpiece, comprising:

• a body;
• a plunger reciprocably mounted on said body and adapted to be coupled with a source of power for reciprocating said plunger;
• at least one workpiece gripping member pivotally mounted on said body for movement between an open position and a closed position;
• and
• a cam arrangement for controlling the movement of said gripping member, said cam arrangement including
• (1) a slot defined in said one gripping member, said slot including adjacent arcuate portions defining a cam track,
• (2) a shoulder between said arcuate portions and extending into said slot, and
• (3) a cam member connected with said plunger for reciprocation therewith, said cam member extending into said slot and being engagable with said shoulder to lock said gripping member in said closed position thereof upon loss power from said power source.

In a unit for gripping and transporting a workpiece and of the type including the combination of an actuating unit and a jaw assembly controlled by said actuating unit, said actuating unit including a fluid operated piston and cylinder assembly having a piston rod coupled with said jaw assembly, said jaw assembly and reciprocable between a first position in which said jaw assembly is open and a second position in which said jaw assembly is closed including a pair of jaws for gripping said workpiece therebetween, the improvement comprising:

• a cam mechanism drivingly connected with said piston rod for controlling the operation of said jaws, said cam mechanism including
• (1) first and second cam slots respectively associated with said jaws, each of said slots including first and second adjacent portions,
• (2) a pair of shoulders respectively associated with said first and second cam slots and between said adjacent portions, said shoulders extending into the corresponding slots, and
• (3) a pair of cam members respectively associated with said slots and extending into said slots, said cam members being connected to and driven by said piston rod, said cam members being engagable with the corresponding shoulders to lock said jaws in a closed gripping position when said rod is in said second position thereof and fluid pressure is lost in cylinder, said shoulders being shiftable away from said cam members when said rod is reciprocated from said second position to said first position.

In a device for gripping or clamping a workpiece, said device including the combination of a body, at least one gripping member pivotally mounted on said body for pivotal movement between an open, released position and a closed-gripping position, a plunger reciprocably mounted on said body and means for drivingly connecting said gripping member with said plunger, the improvement in said connecting means comprising:

• a cam mechanism including
• (1) a cam slot in said gripping member, said cam slot including first and second arcuate portions,
• (2) a stop shoulder on one side of said cam slot and between arcuate portions, and
• (3) a cam member connected with said plunger and disposed within said cam slot, said stop shoulder retainingly engaging said cam member to lock said gripping member in said closed gripping position thereof in response to force applied to said gripping member by said workpiece but allowing passage of said cam member to release said gripping member when force is applied to said gripping member by said plunger to pivot said gripping member to said open position.