Patent ID: 6203084
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: B65H,Y10S

Abstract:
An arm assembly for gripping a sheet of material from a station comprising:an arm including one end adapted for securement to a drive shaft and an opposite end including a first jaw and a second opposed jaw mounted to said arm for movement relative to said first jaw;a drive assembly operably associated with said second jaw for moving said second jaw between an open position and a closed position where the sheet of material is gripped between said first and second jaws;a sensor assembly for detecting a change in the thickness of the material gripped between said jaws including:a sensor mounted to the side of said arm; andan elongate lever including a proximal end operatively associated with said second jaw and a distal end operatively associated with said sensor for pivotal movement towards and away from said sensor in response to a change in the thickness of the material gripped by said jaws, said sensor being continuously responsive to change in the distance between said sensor and said distal end of said lever for detecting change in the thickness of the material between said jaws.