APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SPOOLS

Abstract: This invention relates to a handling apparatus designed to move on at least two orthogonal axes and, preferably, on three axes, said apparatus being capable of positively gripping spools at their axial bore with great precision and being particularly adapted to be associated with plants designed for automation of the loading and unloading operations of said spools, respectively, into and from wire winding machines and into and from feeding and collecting stations where said spools may be disposed with any orientation.

Description: The present invention relates to an apparatus for handling either empty and filled spools formed with an axial bore, according to the pre-characterizing part of claim 1. In the known apparatus of this type (US-A-4 226 567) the rotatable bushing is mounted on to a vertical shaft which is articulatingly connected to the free end of the arm pivoted to the turret, and the spool holder substantially consists of the only expansion spike carried by a vertical flange articulatingly connected to the free end of the forearm secured to the rotatable bushing. The aim of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the aforementioned type, by which a reliable clamping and an accurate trueing is ensured of the spool on the spool holder acting on the the axial bore in the spool, the said apparatus being particularly adapted for being associated with plants designed for automation of the loading and unloading operations of the empty and filled spools, into and from wire winding machines, and into and from feeding and collecting stations for said spools. The apparatus for handling spools, according to the invention, is characterized by the combination of the features as stated in the characterizing part of claim 1. Further improvements of the apparatus according to the invention, are characterized in the dependent claims. The apparatus according to the invention, may be fixedly mounted in proximity of one or more operative stations, for exclusively serving the same and the units cooperating therewith, otherwise it may be mounted either by itself or with other devices on a powered carriage, to be transferred, when required, to the operative stations to be served. One preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, will be described more in detail hereinafter, by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevational, and partly sectional view of an apparatus according to the invention. Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line II-II of figure 1, showing further constructional details; Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line III-III of figure 1, showing further constructional and operational details of the apparatus. With reference to the figures, the apparatus comprises a vertical column 1 secured to a suitable supporting structure 2 to be discussed below. The column 1 rotatably mounts, through the intermediary of bearings 3-103, a turret 4 having keyed to its lower end portion a co-axial toothed ring 5 meshing with a pinion 6 of a small hydraulic motor 7 which, in turn, is secured to a support member 8 integral with said supporting frame structure 2. The lower end portion of said turret 4 is formed with an enlarged portion 104 provided radially to said column with partly-conical seats 9 which, under command, may be engaged by a plug member 10 activated by a jack 11 which is mounted on a supporting member 12 integral with the frame 2. The plug member 10 will lock the turret 4 in the angular position to which said turret has been moved by the motor 7, the latter being activated with variable motion by conventional means. The top of the turret 4 mounts a horizontal shaft 13 pivotably supporting, through bearings 14-114, and end of an arm 15. Pivoted intermediately to the arm 15, as shown at 16, is the stem of a hydraulic jack 17 the body of which is pivoted at 18 to the frame 2. By the action of the jack 17, said arm 15 may be either positioned horizontally or lifted as far as to the limit position indicated with K in figure 1. Co-axially and rotatably mounted at the end of the arm 15, through the intermediary of bearings 19-19′, is a bushing 20 having co-axially keyed thereon a toothed gear ring 21 meshing with the pinion 22 of a hydraulic motor 23 which is secured to a plate 24 integral with the arm 15. Fixed to the body of said gear ring 21, parallelly to and equally spaced from the axis thereof, are partly conical seats 25 which, under command, may be engaged by a plug member 26 activated by a jack 27 which is suitably secured to the arm 15. By these provisions, the rotation of said bushing 20 may be locked at the desired points of the round angle, to which it is moved by the actuation of the motor 23, the latter being actuated with variable motion, similarly to the motor 7. Both motors are controlled by stop valves for the slipping-away loads, which is particularly required for the motor 23 which, for this purpose, might be associated with a non-reversible speed reducer, for example, of the worm gear type. In the accompanying drawings, the numerals 115 designate longitudinal ribs or gussets intended to increase the resistance of the arm 15 to bending stresses. Secured normally to the bushing 20 are two similar plates 28 having the configuration of an isosceles trapezium as shown in figure 3, the longer side of each said trapezium being welded substantially tangentially to a tubular forearm 29 which is perpendicular to the arm 15 and is provided with a longitudinal slot 30 traversed by a key 31 which is secured to the outside of said forearm by means of a base member 131 and co-operating as a guide with a longitudinal keyway 32 formed in a rod 33 which is axially slidable within said forearm with the intermediary of bearing 50-150 of low-friction material. Secured normally to an end of the rod 33 is a baseplate 34 shaped as shown on the figures 1 and 2 and having affixed thereto, at two diametrically opposite points with respect to the forearm 29, the stems of two similar jacks 35-135, arranged parallelly to said forearm and secured thereto with their bodies, for example, as indicated at 36 in figure 2. These jacks are of the double-acting type, so as to cause the displacement of the rod 33 in both directions. At the end opposite from the baseplate 34, the rod 33 is formed with at least three longitudinal slots 37 which are equally spaced apart angularly. Pivoted at an end thereof in said slots, as shown at 38, normally to the axis of said rod 33, are respective straight and identical jaws or barbs 139 which are urged by springs or any other suitable resilient means (not shown) against respective shoulders 140 which are slidable within said slots 37 and are secured to a common member 40 which, in turn, is secured to an end of a stem 41 axially movable within the rod 33 and connected at the other end thereof to an actuating double-acting jack 42 the body of which is secured to said baseplate 34. As a result of the activation of said stem 42, the member 40 is moved from the position shown with solid lines to the position shown with dotted lines in figure 2, or vice versa, with resulting bunching together or spreading apart of the jaws 139 of the spike 39, as shown with dotted lines and with solid lines in figure 2. The apparatus of the invention comprises, finally, a conical slider 43 which is slidably mounted on the portion of the rod 33 that protrudes from the forearm 29 and carries the spike 39, the taper of the conical slider 43 being directed toward said spike. The slider 43 in connected to the stem of one or more jacks 44 which are parallel to the forearm 29 and are secured with their bodies to said forearm at 45. When the apparatus is at rest, the conical slider 43 is in the position shown with solid lines in figure 2, substantially abutting against the forearm 29, while the rod 33 is completely retracted so that said jaws or barbs 139 of the spike 39, bunched together and, therefore, in their most compacted condition, are closely spaced from said conical slider 43. The operation of the apparatus described above is simple and readily apparent. By acting on the various articulation and rotation points, through a pre-established and automatic program of movements, the rod 33 is axially aligned with the axial bore C of a spool B which, as shown in figure 3, may be arranged immaterially with its axis either horizontally or vertically, and so that said bore C is free from any hindrance. If the spool is arranged with its axis in a vertical condition, it rests with its lower flange on a support leaving the lower end of said axial bore C completely open and unobstructed. After said aligning operation - that in combination with or alternatively to what stated above may be effected by a suitable displacement of the spool with respect to the apparatus of the invention, pre-arranged with its rod 33 in the desired initial position - said rod 33 is extended and inserted into the axial bore of the spool until the end portion provided with the jaws or barbs 139 will protrude out therefrom. Thereafter, said member 40 is retracted and the jaws 139 will be spread apart centripetally until they contact the edge of the adjacent end of the axial bore of said spool, as a result of the previous suitable insertion of said rod 33 throughout said bore. Alternatively, said jaws 139, even spread apart completely, might not contact the spool B, and the contact might be obtained successively by suitably retracting the rod 33. Thereafter, the conical slider 43 is moved to engage the other end of the axial bore C of said spool, which is thus firmly clamped on the rod 33 and its axis is perfectly aligned therewith. Suitable sensors, for example of the pressure-responsive type, detect the limit conditions of said jaws and conical slider. These sensors, together with the other components of the electrical and fluid circuits for control and detection of the apparatus of the invention, are not shown in the accompanying drawings in that they may be easily conceived and constructed by those skilled in the art. When the spool has been clamped, the arm 15 is raised to the position K by the jack 17 and the turret 4 is rotated about its vertical axis to a pre-established position after which, through movements opposite to those described previously or through any other suitable movements, said spool is laid down onto the desired spot and is left free from the jaws 139, cone 43 and rod 33. Also in this discharge step, the axis of the spool may be oriented immaterially at any angle to the horizontal and the vertical. It is to be understood that many changes and modifications, especially of constructional nature, may be made to the apparatus described above. For example, the jack 17 may be replaced by any other driving means for oscillating the arm 15. If the apparatus is intended to pick up and to discharge spools the axes of which are arranged only horizontally or only vertically, the forearm 29 may be fixedly secured to the arm 15 without any interposed rotation means 19-27 described above. The apparatus of the invention may be installed stationarily near one or more operative stations in order to exclusively serve these stations or other stations suitably approaching thereto. Alternatively, said apparatus may be mounted, either alone or together with other operative units, on a powered carriage so as to be transferred each time to a different spot for utilization.

Claims: An apparatus for handling either empty and filled spools (B) formed with an axial bore (C), comprising: a) a vertical turret (4) rotatably mounted on a frame structure (1, 2) by actuating means (5, 6, 7), b) an arm (15) pivoted to said turret (4) at its top, on a horizontal shaft (13), and which by the action of motivating means (17) may be orientated in different directions, c) a rotatable bushing (20) provided near the free end of said arm (15), and which by the action of motivating means (21, 22, 23) may take various orientated positions in the round angle, d) a forearm (29) which is secured to said bushing, orthogonally to said arm (15), and which is connected with a spool holder, one end of said spool holder supporting an expansion spike (39) operated by actuating means (42), e) the arrangement being such that the said spool holder with the spike (39) in its retracted condition, can be introduced throughout the axial bore (C) in a spool (B) arranged anyway with its axis, whereafter said spike (39) is expanded so that said spool (B) will be firmly clamped off the spike and, therefore, will be disposed coaxially with the said spool holder, whereafter the assembly arm/forearm is lifted and is then rotated about the vertical axis of said turret (4), after which by means of appropriate movements of the components (4, 15, 20, 29) of said apparatus, said spool (B) is laid down onto the desired spot, with its axis disposed either horizontally or vertically, characterized by the following features: f) the bushing (20) is mounted on the free end of the arm (15) coaxially therewith, g) the spool holder consists of a rod (33) which is telescopically mounted in the forearm (29), the free end of said rod (33) mounting the expansion spike (39), h) a conical slider (43) which is slidably mounted on the portion of the rod (33) that protrudes from the forearm (29), the taper of the conical slider (43) being directed toward the spike (39), i) actuating means (44) for moving the conical slider (43) longitudinally along the rod (33) from a retracted position adjacent to the forearm (90), into an advanced position towards the spool (B), after the spike (39) has been introduced throughout the bore (C) in the spool (B) and after the said spike (39) has been expanded, to firmly clamp the spool (B) between the expanded spike (39) and the advanced conical slider (43). The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at the end opposite to that provided with the expansion spike (39), the rod (33) comprises a baseplate (34) having connected thereto the stems of jacks (35) arranged parallel to said rod and secured by their bodies to said forearm (29), the said forearm having also connected thereto the bodies of jacks (44) for axially moving the conical slider (43) longitudinally along the said rod (33). The apparatus according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the said spike (39) comprises jaws or barbs (139) which by resilient means are urged against a cam (40) which is keyed to the one end of a stem (41) which is axially movable in the rod (33) and is connected at the other end thereof to a small jack (42) whose body is fixed to said baseplate (34). The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises safety devices of the plug type (10-26), to lock the various components of the apparatus in the various positions into which they are each time moved by the respective actuating means. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the said vertical turret (4) may be mounted on a displaceable supporting frame (2), so that the said apparatus may serve one or more spaced apart operative spool holders. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the said forearm (29) may be secured in a fixed and pre-established orientation with respect to said arm (15), for example, either horizontal or vertical.

Inventors: MACCAFERRI, ANGELO
Applicants: S.A.M.P. S.P.A. MECCANICA DI PRECISIONE
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B65H67
IPC codes: B25J15, B66C1, B65H67, B25J9