Patent ID: 6425617
Filing Date: 2002-07-30
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A gripper mechanism for devices for handling sheet-like or plate-like articles, particularly for mail-processing machines, comprising:a gripper arm which can be pivoted about a gripper arm pivot axis, the gripper arm having a pivot end for pivoting about the pivot axis and a free gripper arm end; a pivot drive which is coupled to the gripper arm; a gripper hand located on the free gripper arm end and having a first gripper claw member fixed on it and a second gripper claw member arranged pivotably on it, which second gripper claw member cooperates with the fixed first gripper claw member for handling articles, the second gripper claw member having a gripper claw pivot axis for pivoting into a plurality of positions including an open position and a closed position; a gripper claw actuating mechanism having a gripper claw actuating mechanism pivot axis for pivoting the pivotable second gripper claw member about the gripper claw pivot axis which is parallel to the gripper arm pivot axis; and tensioning means for tensioning the pivotable second gripper claw member in the closed position against the fixed first gripper claw member in such a way that the gripper claw actuating mechanism moves the pivotable second gripper claw member into the open position counter to the tensioning of the tensioning means, wherein the gripper arm has a longitudinal axis along an axis from the pivot end to the free gripper arm end; the first and second claw members forming a contact area for handling the articles that lie in a plane which is oriented approximately perpendicular to the gripper arm longitudinal axis when the second claw member is in the closed position; wherein the articles to be handled may be subject to external tensile forces at least partially in the plane wherein friction force may be exerted between the articles and the second gripper claw member; wherein the plane is at a first distance, in the direction of the gripper arm longitudinal axis, from the gripper claw pivot axis thereby causing the tensile forces to produce an additional pivoting moment to act on the second gripper claw member to force the second claw member toward the closed position.