Patent ID: 7001138

Claim:
A robot assembly for removing molded items from a molding machine, the robot assembly comprising: a support shaft; an arm extending away from the shaft; a connecting collar pivotally mounted on the support shaft and connected to the arm to connect the arm to the support shaft; and a tool connected to the arm for engaging the molded items and for removing the molded items from the molding machine; wherein the collar includes: i) first and second sections, the first section having an arcuate shape to seat against a first side of the shaft, the second section also having an arcuate shape to seat against a second side of the shaft, opposite the first section, and ii) connecting means to connect together the first and second sections to form a substantially continuous ring extending around the shaft; and wherein, the first collar section includes a pair of end portions defining a pair of end faces and a pair of sockets extending inward from the end faces the second collar section includes a pair of end portions defining a pair of end faces and a pair of sockets extending inward from the end faces of the second collar section; when the collar sections are connected together, the end faces of the first collar section abut against the end faces of the second collar section, with sockets of the first collar section aligned with sockets of the second collar section; and the connecting means includes a pair of pins positioned in the sockets of the first and second collar sections to hold the collar sections together against axial and transverse movement.