Patent ID: 9604796
Date: 2017-03-28
CPC Classifications: B65G

Claim:
1. A system for transporting work pieces, the system comprising: a frame, the frame including a first end and a second end; a moving conveyor belt supported on the frame and extending between the first end and the second end of the frame, the conveyor belt comprising a plurality of orifices therethrough; a magnetic system supported on the frame operable to generate a magnetic force sufficient to vertically retain a work piece against the moving conveyor belt; a vacuum system supported on the frame, the vacuum system including a vacuum generator and a plurality of vacuum units, the vacuum system operable to generate a vacuum at at least a portion of the plurality of orifices through the conveyor belt sufficient to vertically retain the work piece against the moving conveyor belt; and a stacker unit supported on the frame, the stacker unit configured to selectively neutralize the first magnetic force generated by the first magnet to release the work pieces from the moving conveyor belt at a transport location, the stacker unit operable to selectively interrupt the first vacuum pulled by the first vacuum unit to release the work pieces from the moving conveyor belt at the transport location; wherein the vacuum generator comprises a first vacuum generator supported on the frame; wherein the plurality of vacuum units comprise a first vacuum unit supported on the frame and a second vacuum unit supported on the frame; and wherein the first vacuum unit and the second vacuum unit are in communication with the first vacuum generator via a first header duct, the first vacuum generator operable to draw a first vacuum through the first vacuum unit and a second vacuum through the second vacuum unit to lift and vertically retain at least one of the work pieces against the moving conveyor belt.