Abstract:
The invention relates to a transfer device ( 15 ) for transferring an article ( 9 ) in a printing machine ( 2 ), the device comprising a hinged manipulator arm ( 20 ), a hinged gripper clamp ( 22 ), and drive means adapted to drive both the manipulator arm ( 20 ) and the gripper clamp ( 22 ) together in rotation. The drive means include synchronization means adapted to inhibit the rotary movement of the gripper clamp ( 22 ) relative to the rotary movement of the manipulator arm ( 20 ), temporarily as a function of the position of the manipulator arm ( 20 ). The invention also provides a printing machine ( 2 ) including such a transfer device ( 15 ), and to an associated method.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a transfer device for transferring an article in a printing machine, the device being of the type including: a support structure; a manipulator arm carried by the support structure and hinged relative to the support structure about a pivot axis; a clamp for gripping the article carried by the manipulator arm and hinged relative to the manipulator arm about a tilt axis that is angularly offset relative to the pivot axis; and drive means adapted to drive both the manipulator arm and the gripper clamp in rotation during an intermediate rotation stage. 
   Silkscreen printing machines are used for performing repetitive printing on identical articles presenting an axis of circular symmetry. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In such silkscreen printing machines, printing takes place in a printing station by rotating the articles about their axis of symmetry while simultaneously moving a screen in a plane tangential to the articles, with ink being transferred through the screen by the pressure of a squeegee against the screen, the screen then being pinched between the articles and the squeegee. 
   In the printing station, articles are held and driven in rotation by a retention and rotary drive assembly comprising a socket for receiving the bottom of the article and a plunger mounted to move axially relative to the socket and suitable for being inserted in the neck of the article. 
   Articles for printing are brought to the vicinity of the printing station by a feed conveyor, and are then transferred from said conveyor to the printing station by a transfer device. Another transfer device in a symmetrical disposition serves to transfer printed articles from the printing station to a removal conveyor. 
   On the feed and removal conveyors, the articles for printing are generally placed with an orientation that is different from that of the articles when in the printing station. 
   More precisely, when the articles for printing are bottles or flasks, they are stood vertically on the surface of the conveyor with their axes of symmetry extending perpendicularly to the surface of the conveyor. In contrast, in the printing station, the articles are disposed with their axes of symmetry extending generally horizontally, i.e. perpendicularly to the initial orientation of the articles on the conveyor. 
   The transfer device interposed between the feed conveyor and the printing station is suitable for moving articles in general from the outlet end of the conveyor to the retention and drive assembly while simultaneously titling the articles. Opposite movement is imparted by the other transfer device in order to transfer printed articles from the printing station to the removal conveyor. 
   Such a transfer device for loading and/or unloading articles relative to a printing station is described for example in patent document FR 2 775 471. 
   In that document, the transfer device is adapted to tilt each article all along the path it follows from the conveyor to the retention and drive assembly. Such a transfer device comprises an article gripper clamp constituted by two hinged jaws that pivot to open through an angle that is sufficient to enable the article to be gripped while ensuring that the periphery of the base of an article does not strike the surface of the article feed conveyor during the initial stage of the article being moved towards the printing station. 
   Nevertheless, such a device presents an article transfer rate that is low because of the time needed to open the jaws, which time is made necessary by the length of the angular stroke over which the hinged jaws move. Unfortunately, jaws of that type are made necessary by the small amount of space available for moving articles between the article feed conveyor and the articles placed thereon. 
   An object of the invention is to provide a transfer device presenting a faster transfer rate. 
   To this end, the invention provides a transfer device of the above-specified type, characterized in that the drive means comprise synchronization means suitable for inhibiting tilting of the gripper clamp relative to the manipulator arm about the tilt axis, temporarily as a function of the position of the manipulator arm during at least one terminal rotation stage before and/or after the intermediate rotation stage. 
   In particular embodiments, the transfer device includes one or more of the following characteristics: 
   the synchronization means are suitable for stopping the gripper clamp from tilting relative to the manipulator arm during at least one terminal rotation stage before and/or after the intermediate rotation stage; 
   the drive means comprise:
         a drive system for driving the manipulator arm and the gripper clamp;   a drive system for driving the gripper clamp;   a single drive motor for driving the drive system for the manipulator arm and the gripper clamp;   a controllable mechanism for modifying the drive of the drive system for the gripper clamp; and   means for mechanically coupling the drive motor to the controllable mechanism for modifying the drive of the gripper clamp;       

   the manipulator arm includes a shell, and the drive means include a first drive shaft carrying an angle transmission, and a second drive shaft co-operating with said angle transmission, which second drive shaft is fastened securely to the clamp; 
   a single drive motor suitable for driving both the shell to cause the manipulator arm to pivot about the pivot axis, and the first drive shaft to cause the gripper clamp to tilt about the tilt axis; 
   the drive means are carried by the support structure, and said single drive motor is adapted to drive the manipulator arm and the gripper clamp during the intermediate rotation stage, and to drive only the manipulator arm during the or each terminal rotation stage; 
   the drive means comprise first transmission means for transmitting pivoting movement of the manipulator arm relative to the support structure, and second transmission means for transmitting tilting movement of the gripper clamp relative to the manipulator arm, the second transmission means co-operating with the synchronization means; 
   the first transmission means comprise a drive disk secured to a drive shaft adapted to turn the drive disk, a pivot wheel secured to the drive disk, a crank secured to the manipulator arm and provided with a guide slot extending radially relative to the pivot axis, the guide slot being adapted to co-operate with the pivot wheel to turn the manipulator arm during the terminal rotation stages and during the intermediate rotation stage; 
   the second transmission means include an angle transmission disposed in the manipulator arm having one end carrying the gripper clamp and having its other end connected to the synchronization means for driving the angle transmission in order to turn the gripper clamp during the terminal rotation stages and the intermediate rotation stage; 
   the synchronization means include a cam path formed in the drive disk, the cam path including at least one end portion presenting a shape adapted to cause the angle transmission to turn relative to the manipulator arm, and the synchronization means include a drive carriage supporting a control wheel slidably received in the or each middle portion to drive the carriage in translation relative to the support structure and to prevent the gripper clamp from turning relative to the manipulator arm during the terminal rotation stage; 
   the cam path includes at least one middle portion presenting a shape adapted to drive the carriage in translation relative to the support structure and to turn the gripper clamp relative to the manipulator arm during the intermediate rotation stage; 
   the gripper clamp comprises a support element, two jaws mounted on the support element and movable in translation along an axis perpendicular to the tilt axis, and means for moving the jaws in translation in order to take hold of and/or to release the article; and 
   the gripper clamp further includes at least two indentations each presenting a specific profile adapted to co-operate with the particular shape of an article and formed in pieces having means for being secured to the jaws. 
   The invention also provides a printing machine comprising a frame and an above-mentioned transfer device carried by the frame, the machine being characterized in that the support structure is mounted to move relative to the frame, and in that the drive means are also adapted to move the support structure relative to the frame in an axial direction relative to the pivot axis during a stage of movement in translation 
   In particular embodiments, the printing machine includes one or more of the following characteristics: 
   it includes a transfer device of the above-specified type, and it further includes at least one guide cylinder secured to the frame and provided with a guide shoe, and the drive means of the transfer device include third transmission means for transmitting movement in translation of the support structure relative to the frame, the third transmission means including a groove formed in the edge face of the drive disk and provided with at least a first segment extending axially relative to the drive shaft, the guide shoe being adapted to engage in the first segment of the groove to move the support structure relative to the frame in translation parallel to the pivot axis during the stage of movement in translation; and 
   the groove includes a second segment that is circular and concentric with the drive shaft, and the guide shoe is adapted to engage in the second segment of the groove during the terminal rotation stage and the intermediate rotation stage to allow the support structure to be held in position while allowing the manipulator arm to move in rotation. 
   The invention also provides a method of transferring an article between first and second locations in a printing machine as mentioned above, the method comprising the following steps: 
   at least one terminal rotation stage during which the manipulator arm is driven in rotation about the pivot axis while the gripper clamp is stationary relative to the tilt axis; 
   an intermediate rotation stage during which the manipulator arm is driven in rotation about the pivot axis and the gripper clamp is driven in rotation about the tilt axis; and 
   a stage of movement in translation during which the support structure is moved towards and away from the frame in translation parallel to the pivot axis, the manipulator arm is stationary relative to the pivot axis, and the gripper clamp is stationary relative to the tilt axis. 
   In a particular implementation, the method includes a stage of moving the jaws during which the jaws are moved in translation to take hold of or to release the article, and during which the manipulator arm is stationary relative to the pivot axis and the gripper clamp is stationary relative to the tilt axis. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention can be better understood on reading the following description given purely by way of example and made with reference to the drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a portion of a printing machine of the invention and including a transfer device, also of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a section view of the transfer device on plane II-II of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portion of the drive means for a manipulator arm of the transfer device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view, partially in section, showing a portion of the means for driving the manipulator arm of the transfer device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a drive disk of the transfer device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a drive carriage of the transfer device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the transfer device shown in  FIG. 1 , in a position during an initial terminal rotation stage of the manipulator arm over an article feed conveyor; 
       FIG. 8  is a view similar to the view of  FIG. 7  in an intermediate rotation stage of a gripper clamp and of the manipulator arm; and 
       FIG. 9  is a view similar to  FIG. 7  in a position during a stage of putting the article into place in a retention and drive assembly of the printing machine. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The printing machine  2  of the invention includes a frame  4  represented solely by a portion of its front face  6  in  FIG. 1 , a retention and rotary drive assembly  8  secured to the frame  4 , and a printing station (not shown) mounted on the frame  4  facing the retention and drive assembly  8 . 
   In the description below, orientations such as “up”, “down”, “front”, and “rear” correspond to the orientation of the printing machine  2 . 
   The retention and drive assembly  8  includes a socket  10  defining a recess of shape complementary to the shape of the bottom of an article  9  that is to receive printing, and a plunger  12  for retaining the neck of the article, placed facing the socket  10 . This plunger  12  is slidably movable towards and away from the front face  6  of the frame in order to hold the article  9  axially between the socket and the plunger. The socket  10  is driven axially in rotation while the article is being printed. Unlike the plunger, the socket  10  is stationary in translation in a direction perpendicular to the front face  6  of the frame. 
   The printing machine  2  further includes a feed conveyor  14  for feeding articles  9  to be printed, and a transfer device  15  carried by the frame  4  and adapted to move the articles  9  for printing from the feed conveyor  14  to the retention and drive assembly  8 . It further includes, symmetrically relative to a vertical midplane of the printing machine  2 , a conveyor (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) for removing printed articles, and a transfer device (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) for unloading printed articles from the retention and drive assembly  8  to the removal conveyor. 
   The feed conveyor  14  includes a conveyor belt  16  closed in a loop and held between two parallel belt-deflecting cylinders, one of which is motor-driven. On this conveyor, articles  9  for printing are disposed in succession and in alignment with their axes of symmetry extending vertically, perpendicularly to the conveyor belt  16 . 
   On the retention and drive assembly  8 , the articles  9  for printing are disposed with their axis of symmetry extending horizontally. The socket  10  is positioned in a vertical plane that is closer to the front face  6  of the frame than is the vertical plane containing the conveyor  14 . 
   The transfer device  15 , shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , includes moving equipment  17  mounted to move in translation in a direction perpendicular to the front face  6  of the frame. 
   The moving equipment  17  comprises a support structure  18  carrying a manipulator arm  20  hinged about a pivot axis A-A′ perpendicular to the front face  6  of the frame, and fitted at its end with a gripper clamp  22  hinged about a tilt axis B-B′ extending perpendicularly to the axis A-A′. 
   The moving equipment  17  further comprises drive means  23  for driving the clamp relative to the frame  4 . 
   The support structure  18  is formed by a support plate  24  extending in a plane parallel to the front face  6  of the frame, and a box  26  for protecting a portion of the mechanism for driving the transfer device  15 . 
   The support plate  24  has a rear face  27  facing the front face  6  of the frame, and a front face  28 , opposite from the rear face  27 . The box  26  is secured to the rear face  27  of the support plate. An opening  29  formed in the rear face of the box  26  gives access to the components of the drive mechanism. This opening  29  is closed by a cover  30 . 
   The support structure  18  is mounted to move in translation in a direction perpendicular to the front face  6  of the frame. For this purpose, the structure  18  includes bearings  31  in its bottom portion, which bearings have two support cylinders  32 ,  34  passing therethrough. The support cylinders  32 ,  34  are engaged in the bearings to carry the moving equipment  17  while allowing it to slide along the cylinders. 
   The support cylinders  32 ,  34  are secured to the front face  6  of the frame via retaining blocks  36 ,  38 . The blocks  36 ,  38  support the cylinders  32 ,  34  so that their axes extend perpendicularly to the front face  6  of the frame. A guide shoe  40  is secured to the top peripheral face of the support cylinder  32 . 
   A motor and gearbox unit  42  is mounted in a casing on the front face  28  of the support face. A drive shaft  44  from the motor and gearbox unit  42  passes through a bore formed in the intermediate and central portion of the support plate  24 . Its end is secured to the center  45  of a drive disk  46  arranged in the box  26 . 
   The drive disk  46 , shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5 , presents a front face  48  placed facing the rear face  27  of the support plate, and a rear face  50  opposite from its front face  48 . It includes a groove  52  formed in its edge face  54  and a cam path  56  arranged in its rear face  50  towards the margin of the disk. A rotary pivot wheel  58  is mounted on the front face  48  close to the margin of the disk. The axis  59  of the wheel is parallel to the axis of the disk. 
   In the cylindrical edge face of the disk, the groove  52  presents an L-shaped profile. The longer branch  60  extends concentrically about the center  45  of the disk in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the disk, and the shorter branch  62  departs from this plane towards the front face  48  of the disk. 
   The guide shoe  40  secured to the support cylinder  32  is engaged in the groove  52  to constitute a fixed point enabling the moving equipment  17  to move relative to the support cylinders  32 ,  34  under drive from rotation of the disk  46 . 
   The cam path  56  has two opposite end segments  64 ,  66  of non-circular shape disposed generally concentrically about the center  45  of the disk but at slightly different radii, and a central segment  68  of substantially concave shape and of curvature that is opposite to the curvature of the end segments  64  and  66 . 
   The shape of the end segments  64 ,  66  is such that it compensates for the relative movement between the clamp  22  and the arm  20  so that the clamp  22  remains stationary relative to the arm while the arm is being rotated about the axis B-B′ during an initial terminal rotation stage  70 , and during a final terminal rotation stage  71 , as explained below. 
   The shape of the central segment  68  is such that the clamp  22  tilts around the arm  20  through an angle of 90° during an intermediate rotation stage  72  over a stroke of the arm that extends angularly along a circular arc of less than 90°. 
   A drive carriage  74  is mounted to move vertically in translation relative to the box  26  facing and in a top portion of the rear face  50  of the disk. Rollers  76  are interposed between the flanks of the carriage  74  and the side walls of the box  26  to allow the carriage to move in translation. 
   As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , the carriage  74  is generally in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped having a U-shaped opening  78  at its top end. A vertical inside edge  80  of the opening  78  carries a rack (not shown in the figures). A driving pinion  82  housed in the box  26  meshes with the rack. 
   The carriage  74  is provided with a control wheel  84  positioned on its front face  86  near the bottom of the carriage and facing the rear face  50  of the disk. This wheel  84  is received in the cam path  56  and co-operates with the flanks thereof. 
   The manipulator arm  20  comprises a shell  88  carrying the clamp  22 . The shell  88  is constituted by a drive sheath  90  carried by the plate  24  and containing an angle transmission  92 . 
   The sheath  90  is mounted on the plate  24  to be free to rotate about its own axis, by means of bearings. The axis of the sheath  90  extends perpendicularly to the plate  24  and coincides with the pivot axis A-A′ of the arm  20 . Another end of the sheath  90  is secured to the angle transmission  92 . 
   The sheath  90  is secured to a radial crank  96  (visible in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) having a rectilinear slot  98  formed therein. The slot  98  extends radially relative to the pivot axis A-A′ of the sheath  90 . The pivot wheel  58  carried by the disk  46  is engaged in the slot  98 . 
   The angle transmission  92  comprises a first shaft  100  for driving the clamp that is mounted free to rotate inside the sheath  90 . One end of this shaft  100  is secured to the drive pinion  82 . The other end of this shaft  100  carries a bevel gear of the angle transmission that co-operates with a complementary bevel gear carried by a second drive shaft  102  of the angle transmission. 
   The clamp  22  includes a support  104  mounted to rotate by means of bearings about the axis B-B′ on an outer peripheral surface  106  of the shell  88 . 
   The support  104  is firmly secured to the second drive shaft  102  for driving the clamp. It carries two jaws  107 ,  108  placed facing each other so as to form a gripper, and a mechanism  110  for actuating the jaws  107 ,  108 . 
   The mechanism  110  for actuating the jaws has rectilinear slideways  112  in alignment mounted at the distal end of the support  104  perpendicularly to the axis B-B′, and pneumatic actuators for driving the two jaws  107 ,  108 . The actuators are suitable for moving the two jaws  107 ,  108  apart and towards each other along the slideways  112  in translation on either side of the axis B-B′ in order to release, to grip, and to hold an article  9  between them. 
   Each jaw  107 ,  108  has an indentation  114 ,  116  in its face that faces the other jaw, the profile of the indentations corresponding to the shape of an article  9  for printing. For each transfer device  15  there are provided a plurality of different indentations  114 ,  116  corresponding to different possible shapes of article for printing. These indentations  114 ,  116  are provided in pieces adapted to be secured to the jaws  107 ,  108 . 
   The operation of the transfer device  15  is described below with reference to  FIGS. 7 to 9 . The transfer device takes an article  9  for printing standing on the feed conveyor  14  and moves it so as to place it in the socket  10  of the retention and drive assembly  8 . 
   Initially, the gripper clamp  22  is disposed facing the feed conveyor  14 . The jaws  107 ,  108  surround the article  9  for printing. 
   During a stage  120  of moving the jaws  107 ,  108 , the mechanism  110  actuates the jaws  107  and  108  along the slideways  112  so that they move towards each other and take hold of an article  9  situated on the conveyor  14 . During this stage, the motor and gearbox unit  42  does not turn the drive disk  46 . The moving equipment  17 , the arm  20 , and the clamp  22  are stationary. 
   Once the article  9  is held between the jaws  107  and  108 , the manipulator arm  20  pivots solely about the pivot axis A-A′ during an initial terminal rotation stage  70 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
   For this purpose, the motor and gearbox unit  42  turns the drive shaft  44  which drives the drive disk  46 . The pivot wheel  58  situated on the disk  46  is guided in the slot  98  and turns the crank  96  together with the shell  88  so that the arm  20  and the clamp  22  turn together about the axis A-A′. 
   In parallel, during the initial terminal rotation stage  70 , the control wheel  84  of the carriage  74  is guided along the first end segment  64 . 
   Since the segment  64  is not exactly circular and since its shape is designed to ensure that the clamp  22  remains stationary relative to the arm  20 , the carriage  74  moves in slow upward vertical translation relative to the box  26  over a short stroke such that the pinion  82  and the shaft  100  pivot just enough to compensate for the relative movement between the clamp  22  and the arm  20 . 
   More precisely, when the carriage  74  moves vertically, the rack  80  meshes with the pinion  82 , thereby turning it. The angular movement of the pinion  82  is transmitted to the support  104  by the clamp via the first drive shaft  100 , the angle transmission  92 , and the second drive shaft  102 . 
   Consequently, the arm  20  and the clamp  22  pivot about the axis A-A′, and the clamp  22  is held in a position that is stationary relative to the arm about the axis B-B′. 
   Similarly, during the initial terminal rotation stage  70 , the guide shoe  40  is guided in the branch  60  of the groove in the drive disk. Since the branch  60  is concentric about the center  45  of the disk, the moving equipment  17  remains stationary relative to the frame  4  of the printing machine. 
   Thereafter, during an intermediate rotation stage  72 , shown in  FIG. 8 , the manipulator arm  20  continues to turn about the pivot axis A-A′ and only then is the gripper clamp  22  driven about the tilt axis B-B′simultaneously with the rotary movement of the arm  20 . 
   For this purpose, the motor and gearbox unit  42  continues to drive the drive shaft  44  and the drive disk  46 . 
   The pivot wheel  58 , guided in the slot  98  continues to drive the crank  96  and the shell  88 . Consequently, the shaft  102  of the angle transmission  92  turns relative to the shell  88  as does the clamp  22  secured to the shaft  102 , generally through an angle of 90° about its axis of rotation B-B′. 
   In parallel, the carriage  74  moves back to its initial position because of the shape of the segment  98  guiding the wheel  84  into a radial position that is identical to the radial position it had at the beginning of the cycle. 
   The jaws  107  and  108  secured to the support  104  and holding the article cause the article to pivot about the tilt axis B-B′ so that the article  9  tilts through an angle of 90° about the tilt axis B-B′ during the intermediate rotation stage  72 . 
   In parallel, while the intermediate rotation stage  72  is taking place, the shoe  40  is also guided in the branch  60  of the groove  52  so that the moving equipment  17  is stationary relative to the frame. 
   The intermediate rotation stage  72  is followed by a final terminal rotation stage  71  during which the gripper clamp  22  remains stationary relative to the axis B-B′ because of the action of the carriage  74  controlled by the wheel  84  co-operating with the profile  66  of the drive disk  46  and during which the manipulator arm  20  finishes rotating about the pivot axis A-A′ so as to follow a total angular stroke of 90°. 
   Consequently, the manipulator arm  20  pivots through a total angle of 90° about the pivot angle A-A′ during the three rotation stages, the intermediate stage  72 , the initial terminal stage  70 , and the final terminal stage  71 , while the clamp  22  also pivots overall through 90° about its axis B-B′, but solely during the intermediate rotation stage  72 . 
   During a stage  124  of movement in translation, shown in  FIG. 9 , the moving equipment  17  is moved in translation parallel to the axis A-A′ towards the front face  6  of the frame in order to insert the bottom of the article  9  into the socket  10  of the retention and drive assembly  8 . 
   For this purpose, the motor and gearbox unit  42  continues to turn the disk  46 . The guide shoe  40  is guided in the branch  62  so that the rotary movement of the disk  46  is transformed into movement of the moving equipment  17  in translation relative to the frame  4  along the cylinder  32 . 
   At the end of the stage  71  and during the stage  124  of movement in translation, since the profile  98  at the end of the crank  96  is concentric on said portion about the axis  45  of the drive disk  46 , the arm  20  is no longer driven in rotation. 
   Once the bottom of the article  9  is in position in the socket  10 , the mechanism  110  drives the jaws  107  and  108  so that they move apart, away from the article during a jaw-displacement stage  130 . 
   Finally, the plunger  12  slides so as to hold the article in place, and the retention and drive assembly  8  is moved towards the printing machine. 
   During the initial terminal rotation  70 , intermediate rotation  72 , and final terminal rotation stages  71 , and during the stage  124  of movement in translation, the jaws  107 ,  108  do not move relative to the clamp support  104 . 
   In order to return and take another article, the transfer device  15  repeats the above-described displacement stages in the reverse order, i.e. the moving equipment  17  is initially moved in translation away from the frame  4  during a stage  124  of movement in translation. 
   Thereafter, the manipulator arm  20  pivots about the axis A-A′ during the final terminal rotation stage  71 , during which the clamp  22  does not turn about its axis of rotation B-B′. 
   Thereafter, the clamp  22  pivots about the axis B-B′ simultaneously with the arm  20  turning about the axis A-A′, during the intermediate rotation stage  72 . 
   Finally, in the vicinity of the feed conveyor  14  and to avoid causing an article  9  standing on the conveyor, the clamp  22  stops pivoting about the axis B-B′ and the arm  20  finishes turning about the axis A-A′, during the initial terminal rotation stage  71 . 
   Finally, the jaws move apart during a stage  130  to take another article  9  placed on the conveyor  14 . 
   Consequently, the motor and gearbox unit  42  and the drive shaft  44  drive both the moving equipment  17  in translation and the arm  20  and the clamp  22  in rotation to perform the entire movement of taking hold of the article  9  on the feed conveyor  14  until the article  9  has been positioned in the socket  10  of the drive and retaining assembly. 
   The means for synchronizing movement of the manipulator arm  20  and of the clamp  22  prevent the clamp  22  from tilting relative to the arm during the terminal rotation stages  70 ,  71 , i.e. while the arm  20  is close to the retention and drive assembly  8  and while the arm  20  is close to the feed conveyor  14 , so as to ensure that the clamp  22  or the article carried thereby does not strike the retention and drive device  8  prior to the article being put into place therein and while the clamp moves away therefrom in order to take hold of another article. 
   In a particular embodiment, the synchronization means completely prevent the clamp  22  from tilting relative to the arm  20  during the terminal rotation stages  70 ,  71 . 
   The pivot wheel  58 , the shell  88 , the crank  96 , and the slot  98  in the crank constitute a drive system for driving the manipulator arm  20  and the gripper clamp  22 . The drive pinion  82  and the drive shaft  100  constitute a drive system for driving the gripper clamp  22 . The drive carriage  74 , the cam path  56 , and the control wheel  84  constitute a controllable mechanism for modifying the drive imparted by the system for driving the gripper clamp  22 . The drive disk  50  constitutes means for providing mechanical coupling between the motor  42  and the controllable mechanism for modifying the drive of the drive system of the gripper clamp  22 . 
   A single drive motor  42  can drive both the manipulator arm  20  and the clamp  22 . Nevertheless, the displacement of the arm extends over an angular range that is different from the angular range of the displacement of the clamp  22  and the speed of rotation of the arm is different from the speed of rotation of the clamp  22 . For this purpose, mechanical coupling means and a mechanism for modifying the kinematics (i.e. the speed) applied to the clamp are introduced between the clamp  22  and the motor  42 . 
   The mechanism for modifying kinematics is controlled by the speed of the motor  42 . 
   The cam path  56 , the carriage  74 , and the control wheel  84  constitute means for synchronizing the movements of the arm  20  and of the clamp  22 . 
   Advantageously, the transfer device is suitable for moving the articles at a high rate, while ensuring that the articles do not strike the surface of the feed conveyor or the surface of the retention and drive assembly, and ensuring that the jaws do not strike the article during stages of retrieving an article. 
   Furthermore, a clamp having jaws that are guided in translation is easier to make than a clamp having hinged jaws. 
   Furthermore, the use of such a clamp requires a jaw-displacement stroke that extends at least over a few millimeters more than the width of the article to be moved. 
   In addition, the 90° rotation of the gripper clamp takes place away from the zone where it is close to the feed conveyor and away from the zone where it approaches or moves away from the position in which the article is placed between the socket and the plunger.