Patent GB-1418565-A (GB)
Title: Device for handling plates and for executing polygonal paths  or tracks
IPC: E06B3/673
Filed: 1973-08-09
Abstract: 1418565 Blanks transferring SAINTGOBAIN INDUSTRIES 9 Aug 1973 37791/73 Heading B3B [Also in Division C1] A device for feeding a polygonal, particularly rectangular, plate such as a glass plate 2 to a working station 0, which may be a milling station 54 such that successive sides of the plate are presented to the working station 0 in the same translatory direction f, comprises a gripping member, such as a suction cap 1, for gripping the plate 2 so that the plate is constrained to move in the single plane of the plate, the gripping member 1 being mounted on two independently movable arms 4, 5 at the point of intersection thereof, the member 1 being lockable to either arm in turn, one arm 4 being movable in a rectilinear path parallel to the plane of the plate and the other arm 5 being pivotally movable about an axis 22<SP>1</SP> perpendicular to that plane. The working station 0 may be situated on the axis 22<SP>1</SP> or offset a set distance. As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5, for single glass plates, a glass plate 2a is fed on edge to the device on a conveyer 3 at a slight angle to the horizontal in the plane YY<SP>1</SP>, the arms 4, 5 being movable in a plane parallel thereto and in addition, arm 5 being pivotable about an axis through a corner of the plate. The arm 4 comprises vertical tubular uprights 6 fixed to a carriage 7 movable on a guide bar 8 and a top bearing against an upper rail 9, the carriage 7 being operated by a motor 11 thereon having a gear 12 and brake 13 for driving a pinion 14 to engage a rack 15 on the main frame 16. The arm 5 is mounted on a shaft 17 which pivots about the axis ZZ<SP>1</SP> under the control of a motor 18 which drives through a gear arrangement 19b and, shaft 52, a pinion 21 which engages a sprocket wheel 22 keyed to shaft 17. The arm 5 is supported by a buttress 48 attached to a collar 49 on shaft 17 and a counterweight 51 on the end of shaft 17 compensates for most of the weight of the arm 5 and plate 2. When gripping cup 1 is locked to arm 4 which moves in direction f, arm 5 is moved thereby in direction C<SP>1</SP> and when locked to arm 5 which moves in direction G, arm 4 is moved thereby in direction f<SP>1</SP>. Suction cup 1, which is placed near the centre of glass plate 2, is mounted on a shaft 23 passing through slides 24, 25 carried by arms 4, 5 respectively to which the shaft 23 is locked alternately. Slide 24 comprises plates 24a, 24b connected by a sleeve 29, slide plate 24a being mounted by slide members 31a, 31b on slide bars 28a, 28b fixed to the uprights 6 of arm 4. The disc 32a of an electromagnetic gear 32 is keyed to shaft 23 so that activation of gear 32 locks the shaft 23 to slide plate 24b. To stop sliding of the suction cup 1 along the arm 4 (for accurate positioning thereof) the slide plate 24b can be locked to arm 4 by a further gear 36 with disc 36a keyed to a shaft 35 having a gear 34b meshing with gear 34a on shaft 23 which is operated by a rack 33 on arm 4. Slide 25 comprises a plate 25a mounted by slide members 38a, 38b on slide bars 37a, 37b and is locked to shaft 23 by a further gear 39 and to arm 5 by a gear 41, the disc 41a of which has a pinion 42 engaging a rack 43 on arm 5. Vacuum for suction cup 1 is supplied through shaft 23 via a connection 44. Automatic operation by limit switches is disclosed and apparatus for accurately centrally positioning the cup 1 on the plate 2. As shown in Figs. 7, and 8 and a multiple pane 61 consists of three plates 61a, 61b, 61c which are spaced apart and connected together by spacers 62a, 62b of an adhesive plastic material so that movement by a single suction cup 1 may be effected. At the working station 0, thermoplastic sealing material 64 is supplied by an applicator 63 with double orifice to supply the spaces 68a, 68b under the spacers 62a, 62b. An electrically operated valve 65 controls the supply from a pressurized supply 66 via duct 67. The edges of the pane 61 are completed by an adhesive strip 71 from a spool 72 which is applied to the edge by rollers 69a, 69b and bent up round the edge and secured by rollers 73a, 73b.