Workpiece transfer

A multiple station workpiece transfer comprising:

• a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart fixed stations having workpiece supports constructed and arranged to receive and support workpieces thereon, a pair of laterally spaced apart and longitudinally extending workpiece carrier rails constructed and arranged to underlie the workpieces, guide means on which said rails are received and supported for generally horizontal reciprocation to extended and retracted positions with respect to said guide means, at least two longitudinally spaced apart lifts disposed adjacent each rail of said pair of rails with all of said lifts disposed laterally outside of said pair of rails and constructed and arranged to move generally vertically said guide means and hence said rails to a first position wherein said rails lift the workpieces above said stations sufficiently to clear them and to a second position below said stations sufficiently so that said workpieces are deposited on said supports and said rails clear the deposited workpieces, each said lift comprising a mechanism having a displaceable fulcrum, a long link pivoted on said fulcrum and pivotally connected to said guide means at a first distance from said pivot point on said fulcrum, said pivot point of said fulcrum being disposed such that said long link extends generally horizontally when said rails are half way between their first and second positions, a pivot fixed with respect to said stations, a short link pivotally carried by said fixed pivot and pivotally connected to said long link at a second distance from said fixed pivot and a third distance from said pivotal connection of said long link with said guide means, each of said second and third distances being at least substantially equal to one-half of said first distance, the axis of said fixed pivot at least substantially intersecting the generally vertical path of travel of said pivotal connection of said long link to said guide means at substantially the midpoint of its travel between said first and second positions of said rails such that when said rails are in said first position such pivotal connection of said guide means and long link is above said fixed pivot and when said rails are in said second position said pivotal connection between said guide means and long link is below said fixed pivot and said rails lie between all of said lifts, and drive means operably connected to the short links of all of said lifts to rotate said short link of each lift on its said fixed pivot and constructed and arranged to simultaneously actuate all of said lifts in unison to generally raise and lower said rails and guide means.

A multiple station workpiece transfer comprising:

• a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart fixed stations having workpiece supports constructed and arranged to receive and support workpieces, a shuttle having a generally horizontally reciprocable workpiece carrier constructed and arranged to underlie the workpieces and to be movable generally horizontally to extended and retracted positions relative to said stations, shuttle lifting means constructed and arranged to generally vertically raise said shuttle to a first position wherein the workpieces are received on said carrier and disengaged from and raised sufficiently above said supports to clear them when said carrier is extended generally horizontally to advance the workpieces carried thereby relative to the stations and to generally vertically lower said shuttle to a second position wherein the workpieces are received on said supports and the said carrier is disengaged from and lowered sufficiently below the workpieces to clear them when said carrier is moved generally horizontally to retract it with respect to the stations, said shuttle lifting means comprising longitudinally spaced apart lifts disposed adjacent to said shuttle, each said lift comprising a mechanism having a displaceable fulcrum, a long link pivotally carried by said fulcrum and pivotally connected to said shuttle at a first distance from the point at which said long link is pivotally carried by said fulcrum, said fulcrum being disposed such that said long link extends generally horizontally when said shuttle is half way between said first and second positions, a pivot fixed with respect to the stations, a short link pivotally carried by said fixed pivot and being pivotally connected to said long link at a point which is a second distance from said fixed pivot and a third distance from said pivotal connection of said long link to said shuttle, said second and third distances each being at least substantially equal to one-half said first distance, said fixed pivot being disposed immediately adjacent the generally vertical path of travel of said pivotal connection of said long link to said shuttle and adjacent the midpoint of such vertical path between said first and second positions of said shuttle such that when said shuttle is in said first position said pivotal connection thereof with said long link is above said fixed pivot and when said shuttle is in said second position said pivotal connection thereof with said long link is below said fixed pivot, and a drive means operably connected to the short links of all of said lifts to rotate said short link of each lift on its associated fixed pivot and constructed and arranged to simultaneously actuate all of said lifts in unison to generally vertically raise and lower said shuttle.

A multiple station workpiece transfer comprising:

• a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart fixed stations having workpiece supports constructed and arranged to receive and support workpieces thereon, a shuttle comprising a pair of laterally spaced apart and longitudinally extending workpiece carrier rails constructed and arranged to underlie the workpieces, guide means on which said rails are received and supported for generally horizontal reciprocation to extended and retracted positions with respect to said guide means, shuttle lifting means constructed and arranged to move generally vertically said guide means and hence said rails to a first position wherein said rails lift the workpieces above said stations sufficiently to clear them and to a second position below said stations sufficiently so that said workpieces are deposited on said supports and said rails clear the deposited workpieces, said shuttle lifting means comprising longitudinally spaced apart lifts disposed adjacent said rails, each said lift comprising a mechanism having a displaceable fulcrum, a long link pivoted on said fulcrum and pivotally connected to said guide means at a first distance from said pivot point on said fulcrum, said pivot point of said fulcrum being disposed such that said long link extends generally horizontally when said rails are half way between their first and second positions, a pivot fixed with respect to said stations, a short link pivotally carried by said fixed pivot and pivotally connected to said long link at a second distance from said fixed pivot and a third distance from said pivotal connection of said long link with said guide means, each of said second and third distances being at least substantially equal to one-half of said first distance, the axis of said fixed pivot at least substantially intersecting the generally vertical path of travel of said pivotal connection of said long link to said guide means at substantially the midpoint of its travel between said first and second positions of said rails such that when said rails are in said first position such pivotal connection of said guide means and long link is above said fixed pivot and when said rails are in said second position said pivotal connection between said guide means and long link is below said fixed pivot, and drive means operably connected to the short links of all of said lifts to rotate said short link of each lift on its said fixed pivot and constructed and arranged to simultaneously actuate all of said lifts in unison to generally raise and lower said rails and guide means.