Patent ID: 7462148

Claim:
A transfer apparatus comprising: a drive disk rotatable at a transfer station about a central axis and defining an eccentric axis offset from the central axis; an inner drive shaft centered on the eccentric axis and rotatably journaled in the drive disk at the eccentric axis; an inner arm fixed to and extending angularly from the inner drive shaft and having an outer end; an outer arm pivoted at the inner-arm outer end and having an outer end; a grab pivoted on the outer-arm outer end; drive means for rotating the drive disk about the central axis and thereby orbiting the inner arm, the outer arm, and the grab about the central axis; inner control means including an inner cam disk having a cam formation, and an inner cam follower riding on the formation and coupled to the outer arm for changing an inner angle formed between the inner arm and the outer arm; and outer control means an outer cam disk having a cam formation, and an outer cam follower riding on the outer-disk formation and coupled to the outer arm for changing an outer angle formed between the inner arm and the outer arm, the inner and outer cam disks axially flanking the drive disk.