Patent GB-801637-A (GB)
Title: Server or handler for transferring articles from one machine or position to another
IPC: B21D43/10
Filed: 1956-04-16
Abstract: 801,637. Feeding mechanism for stamping presses. BUDD CO. April 16, 1956 [April 15, 1955], No. 11558/56. Class 83 (4). Article-handling apparatus comprises in combination a reciprocating carriage, a plurality of article engaging and moving means on said apparatus for engaging and moving articles through a distance caused by the movement of said carriage, and means carried by said carriage for imparting to an article engaging and moving means a separate vertical movement independently of that imparted by said carriage. In an embodiment for handling metal sheets, the handler comprises a main frame 30 supported by legs 31 provided with telescopic foot units 32 consisting of hydraulicaly - operated castor mountings 35 and screw-operated foot pads 44. Carriage operation.-The main frame 30 has ways 50 for a carriage 51 reciprocated by a crankshaft 52 operated by a motor 53 through reduction gearing and a clutch brake 53a. The shaft turns a crank arm 54 which is connected to the carriage by a pivoted rod 56, one end of which has a cam roller 60 co-operating with ,flared-end cams 61 on the frame. Electrical controls for co-ordinating the action of various elements of the apparatus are governed by a cam-shaft 65 driven from the crank-shaft by a sprocket belt 66. Workpiece snpport rails.-Vertically adjustable track rails 70 are secured to the frame above the carriage to support the workpiece W the ends 70a of the rails being hinged for raising or lowering. Extensible and retractable bridging rails 75 (Fig. 2) operated by an hydraulic cylinder 76 are provided at one or both ends of the handler for supporting the workpiece as it moves between the handler and the machine. Means for vertically moving workpiece.-This is necessary to enable workpiece holders to move beneath the workpiece on the return stroke. The means comprise a bar 85 adjacent the rails 70 reciprocated by hydraulic cylinders 86. Guides 87 at each end of the bars embrace the workpiece. The workpiece is held on the carriage by bars 90 provided with adjustable guides 91 (Fig. 1). Workpiece engaging means.-In this embodiment grippers 95 are carried on hydraulically retractable arms 96. There are two such grippers at each end of the machine and the two pairs are operated together by adjustable hydraulic cylinders 97. Each gripper comprises a channelshaped base 116 secured to the arm 96, said base having a bifurcated support 118 on which is pivoted the lower jaw 120 of the gripper. The lower jaw has slots 122 embracing rollers 123 mounted on the support 118. An upper jaw 125 is pivoted to the lower jaw at 126 and also to a jaw operating piston rod 128 attached to the piston of an hydraulic cylinder 129. Nylon pads on the upper jaws ensure a secure grip. In operation when the gripper approaches the workpiece the upper jaw is swung far back and the lower jaw stands below the workpiece. Outward movement of the piston rod first closes the upper jaw and then the lower jaw to grip the workpiece. In another embodiment for handling channel-shaped workpieces W1 (Fig. 20) suction cups 95<SP>1</SP> are mounted on the arms 96<SP>1</SP> instead of the grippers. Each suction cup is provided with an injector served by a compressed-air line. The hinged hydraulic cylinder 97<SP>1</SP> for operating the suction cups is not only vertically adjustable but also moves up and down at each stroke to raise and lower the cups to engage or pass the workpiece. This is effected by a roller 137 on the cylinder engaging a cam 101<SP>1</SP> on the carriage. In this embodiment the carriage bars 90<SP>1</SP> as well as the lift bars 85<SP>1</SP> move up and down to accommodate the workpiece. Hydraulic cylinders 92 operate the carriage bars and their movement is controlled by adjustable stop collars 94 on the piston rods. In a further embodiment (Figs. 33 and 35) the suction cups 95<SP>11</SP> and arms 96<SP>11</SP> are provided on only one end of the handler and a conveyer belt 140 is provided at the other end. The belt is supported on rollers 142 and driven by a motor 144. Supplemental pusher elements 91a are provided on the carriage bars 90<SP>11</SP> to push workpieces along the rails 70<SP>11</SP>. Handler operation-general.-From the rest position as the carriage moves away from the press the arms 96<SP>1</SP> on the pull-out end of the carriage move up and outward toward the press for engaging the workpiece. Simultaneously the bridge rails 75<SP>1</SP> are pushed out towards the press. Shortly after the carriage starts moving the arms on the push-in end move out and up to engage a workpiece resting on the track rails 70<SP>1</SP> at the second fixed index station, the guides moving down to release the workpiece. The carriage guides move up to engage a workpiece resting on the rails at the first index station as the guides of the fixed station move down to place it on the rails and disengage it. The movement of the workpieces on both the pull-out and push-in ends is indicated automatically by limit switches to assure that the workpieces are present and correctly orientated. Towards the end of the carriage stroke the workpieces are released. The workpiece on the pull-out end is engaged by the guide means at the first index station and the workpiece on the push-in end continues to move into the press by inertia but the suction cups follow it to push it if necessary. The intermediate workpiece carried by the carriage guides is transferred to the fixed station guides at the second fixed index station. Before the carriage starts to return the pull-out arms are retracted and lowered so that the cups move back behind the bottom flange of the workpiece and below the workpiece being held at the first fixed index station so as to pass under it on the return stroke. The push-in arms are retracted and lowered to pass beneath the workpiece being held at the second fixed index station on the carriage return movement. The carriage is normally stopped in the position where all parts of the handler are clear of both presses and a workpiece is positioned on the guides of each of the two fixed index stations. The carriage drive motor 53 is started and runs continuously and its clutch is engaged automatically by an electric control circuit or on a manual impulse if under hand control. Cam-operated switches are provided on the handler for assuring that the bridge rails are retracted before the press can be operated and also that the ejector of one press has been retracted to leave the workpiece resting on the bridge rails and that the ejector of another press is up to receive a workpiece from the push-in arms and then retracted to seat it in the press.