Patent DE-3163022-D1 (DE)
Title: Automatic article transfer device
Inventor: POULET GERARD
IPC: B65G61/00
Filed: 1981-01-28
Granted: 1984-05-17
Abstract: 1. Device (1) for the automatic transfer of objects or parts (2) arranged in a pile, especially a vertical pile (3) on a support plate (5) towards an operation position such as a machine-tool (6) or respectively reverse transfer of the operation position (6b) towards the support plate (5), of the type comprising a transfer arm (7) borne by a mobile support (8) in a housing (9) and provided at its end with at least one prehension mechanism (10) of the object (2) from a constant starting position, at least one preadjusted detector member (21) being borne by the transfer arm (7) or the prehension mechanism (10) and adapted to detect the approach of the top of the pile of objects (3) by the prehension mechanism (10) and the support (8) of the arm (7) being displaced, from a constant starting position in a substantially vertical plane under the action, on the one hand, of guiding means such as at least one fixed vertical column (12) and, on the other hand, of at least one pressure fluid jack (13) of which one of the elements (piston (14) or respectively cylinder (18)) is connected directly or through the intermediary of transmission members to the support (8) of the arm (7), characterized in that the piston (14) of the jack (13) is subjected in stop position to the action of the fluid of at least one fluid chamber (17 or 18) the fluid having a great elasticity such as compressed air and that for controlling, from the constant starting position, the approach movement of the prehension mechanism (10) towards the object (2) to be seized positioned at variable heights in its pile (3), the device comprises, on the one hand, valve means (16) adapted to connect at least one of the two pressure chambers (17 or 18) of the jack (13) delimited by the piston (14) to a pressure fluid (19) such as compressed air or respectively to the exhaust (20) in order to provoke the relative displacement of the piston (14) of the jack (13) and the approach of the prehension mechanism (10) towards the object (2) and, on the other hand, the preadjusted detector member (21) that indicates the approach from the top of the pile (3) of objects by the prehension mechanism (10) and acts on the valve means (16) to initiate the isolation of the said chamber (17 or 18) from the fluid supply (19) or respectively the exhaust (20) to provoke in the same way the "elastic" stop of the piston (14) of the jack (13) with respect to its cylinder (15) under the resulting action of the differential fluid pressure acting on it combined with other forces acting on the prehension mechanism (10) such that the gravity and the rubbing and contact reactions and, by way of consequence, the stop under the resulting action of at least one volume of elastic fluid such as compressed air, of the prehension mechanism (10) in a manipulation position where it receives the order to seize or respectively release the object (2) on the top of the pile (3) of objects and in that to disengage the transfer arm (7) of the pile (3) of objects, after seizing or respectively releasing the object (2), the valve means (10) are able to reverse the connections of the two pressure chambers (17 or 18) of the jack (13) and thus to connect the pressure chamber (17 or 18) of the jack to the exhaust (20) or respectively to the fluid supply (19) to provoke the return of the support (8) accompanied by the arm (7) and the prehension mechanism (10) towards the constant starting position.