Patent GB-764985-A (GB)
Title: A mechanical loader and unloader for production machines
IPC: B21D43/10
Filed: 1954-11-12
Abstract: 764,985. Conveyers. HAUTAU, L. A., and HAUTAU, C. F. Nov. 12, 1954 [June 2, 1954], No. 32906/54. Class 78 (1). In mechanism for transferring workpieces comprising clamping means mounted on radial arms which are carried by a vertical pivotal support movable vertically and rotatably about its axis, a continuously rotating motor drives a cam which actuates vertically and horizontally reciprocable carriers, the movements of which are transmitted by mechananism passing upwardly through a vertical column providing a pivotal axis of rotation for the arms, the operation of the damping means, the rotation of the arms and their vertical adjustment being effected automatically in sequence by mechanical means. Conveyers IC, OC, Fig. 1, bring the workpieces to and take them away from a press A. Arms A1, A2 mounted on a shaft 98 have workpiece engaging devices 130 at their ends and transfer the workpieces from the conveyer IC to the press and from the press to the conveyer OC. The horizontal and vertical movements of the arms A1, A2 and the clamping and unclamping of the workpieces are carried out by rotational and vertical movements of concentric shafts 200, 81, 98, 86 and 96, Fig. 2, caused by the movements of a horizontally reciprocable carrier 53, Fig. 4, and a vertically reciprocable carrier 54. The carriers are actuated by cams 49, 50, each carrier being moved while the other remains stationary. All the operations on two workpieces are effected by rotation of the cams through three revolutions. A driving motor 15 drives a gear 39 which is keyed to a shaft 40, Fig. 4, having flanges formed integral with it to which the cams 49, 50 are secured. The carrier 53 travels along fixed horizontal shafts 55, 56 and 57 and engages the cam 50 by roller-type followers 59, 60. One vertical face of the carrier has a horizontal rack 65, Fig. 5, cut on it which is engaged by a gear 85 formed integral with the lower end of the shaft 81. The vertical carrier 54 travels on vertical shafts 66, 67 and engages the cams 49, 50 by roller followers 71, 72 and 73, 74, respectively. The shaft 86 carries a gear 94 immediately below the gear 85 and this gear meshes with the rack 65 when the shaft 86, which moves with the vertical carrier 54, is in its lower position. The shaft 96 is connected to the shaft 86 by splines and its upper end is journalled in the top plate 107A of the housing 107, Fig. 10. This shaft has a gear 109 secured to it which is retained by sleeves 111, 112 placed between it and the top plate and a shoulder on the shaft. The gear 109 drives gears 114, 115, Fig. 11, which actuate the clamping mechanism of the arms. This mechanism is identical for each engaging device 130. The shaft 116 of the gear 115 carries a cam 119 which is engaged by a roller 120 mounted in the end of a rod 123. This rod is slidably mounted in ball-bearings in a sleeve 125 and is connected to a cross-head 126. A spring maintains contact between the roller and cam. Two clamping arms 130 are mounted on a pivot 131 and are formed with slots 133 through which pass pins 132 mounted on the ends of the cross-head. The shaft 98 is connected by splines to the shaft 81 and is separated from the shaft 96 at its lower end by a sleeve 100. The upper end of the shaft 98 is flanged at 135 and is bolted to the housing 107. A collar 101 is fixed to the shaft 81 and has holes 102 drilled in it. When the shaft 81 rises with the vertical carrier, one of the holes is engaged by a pin 104 mounted in the housing 7 and the rotation of the shaft is prevented. The vertical carrier 54 is connected by a link 146 to one end of a bell-crank lever 137, the other end of which is connected by a link 150 to an adjustable stroke mechanism 156. This mechanism comprises a block which is formed at one side with a cylindrical neck 157, Fig. 7, which is journalled in ball-bearings in a housing 164 fixed to a side wall of the upper housing 12. A shaft 167 passes through the neck 157 and has one end 168 formed polygonal and the other end secured to a bevel gear 169. A bevel gear 173 connects the gear 169 to a shaft 174, one end 176 of which is threaded into a block 177 of dovetail cross-section which is slidable in a slot in the block. A pin 179 integral with the block 177 engages a bearing 181 which is slidable along a groove in the arm 180. The cylindrical end 186 of this arm is pivoted on a shaft 187 mounted in projections on the housing. The other end of the arm surrounds the shaft 81 and is formed with slots 190 in which pins 191 are mounted. These pins are passed through connecting links 193, 194, the upper ends of which are connected to forked segments 198, 199 on the shaft 200. The position of the block 177, and consequently the radius of rotation of the pin 179, is varied by turning a handle applied to the end 168 of the shaft 167. In this way the vertical movement of the head 107 is varied.