AU625587B2

AU625587B2 - Shuttle apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU625587B2
Application number: AU64636/90A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Max Stegman
Original assignee: HELP INDUSTRIES Ltd
Current assignee: HELP INDUSTRIES Ltd
Priority date: 1990-10-16
Filing date: 1990-10-16
Publication date: 1992-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 2010-10-16
Also published as: AU6463690A

Description

Dennis E Barr A 111 Si

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;4) i 625587 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1P52 Name of Applicants Address of Applicants -r 4 4 Actual Inventor Address for Service MAX STEGMAN and HELP INDUSTRIES

LIMITED

S Lot 5, Thornbill Drive, Upper Caboolture, Queensland, 4510 and 293 Fison Avenue, Eagle Farm, Queensland, 4007, Australia respectively MAX STEGMAN S GRANT ADAMS COMPANY Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 9 NATIONAL MUTUAL CENTRE 144 Edward Street BRISBANE QUEENSLAND 4000

AUSTRALIA

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED 1 SHUTTLE APPARATUS The following statement is a full description of the invention including the best method of performir j it known to the applicant.

i: ;4 !1 9 iplr i m i iir INDU4'RIESA LIMITED, (Max STEGMAN Chief E ecutive Officer) THIS INVENTION relates to a shuttle apparatus used in the assembly of clothes pegs and, in particular, to the assembly of clothes pegs of the type where two peg members are joined by a spring.

It has been the custom to assemble clothes pegs by hand utilising simple jigs thereby limiting the output of clothes pegs and incurring operatives in tedious repetitive work processes. Attempts have been made to provide an automated assembly but what machines have been produced have not provided a satisfactory performance.

It is an object of this invention to provide a means to automatically assemble clothes pegs. Other aspects of the invention will hereinafter become apparent.

The invention provides a shuttle apparatus for use in the assembly of pegs comprising: a peg member loading station whereat pairs of peg members are loaded to a shuttle plate; a spring loading station whereat a spring may be engaged with a pair of peg members held to a shuttle plate to complete assembly of a peg; a shuttle plate being moved in use between a first position operatively associated with the peg t member loading station and a second position operatively associated with the spring loading station; and a shuttle plate motive means to move the shuttle plate between its first and second positions to pick up peg members, enable springs to be engaged thereto, and to eject pegs when the process may be repeated.

In practice, it is found advantageous to provide two peg member receiving and clamping structures on the shuttle plate, the shuttle plate moving back and forth between two spaced spring member loading stations, U each loading a respective peg member clamping structure I

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r, 4 4444 44 I 4 4 4 o se 4 4 4,44 0404 o 0 1 444 4 4 44,4 4444 4 44 4 4444 4 .444 444 tC 4 4 44 4 4 4444 4444 41 4 4 on the shuttle plate, the spring member loading stations being spaced apart with the peg member loading station midway between the two spring loading stations so that when one clamping structure on the shuttle plate is aligned at one spring loading station, the other clamping structure is aligned with a peg member loading means. This way, a pair of peg members held on the shuttle plate may have a spring applied thereto whilst another pair of peg members is loaded at the other clamping means. The output of the shuttle apparatus may be increased by this means, relative to the number of cycles its shuttle plate performs in moving between the spring loading station and the peg member loading station. The actual rate of production will depend upon 15 speeds set for associated apparatus used to deliver pegs to the shuttle apparatus. Of course, the shuttle speed might be separately regulated independently of the other apparatus.

The invention will be described with regard to preferred embodiments as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGS 1A to 1E illustrate the component parts of a clothes peg as might be assembled in the present invention and FIG 1E indicates an assembled peg; 25 FIG 2 indicates schematically the operation of a shuttle apparatus in accordance with the invention; FIG 3 tabulates the sequencing of the shuttle apparatus of FIG 2; FIGS 4 to 6 show in greater detail a shuttle 3Q apparatus in accordance with the invention.

To assist in the understanding of the operation of the invention, FIGS 1A to 1E, show views of the convoluted profile of a peg member from front, side, back and end. Two peg members are joined in opposing attitude to make one complete unit as in FIG 1E, two peg members 10 being joined by spring 11. The two peg 3

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tI members may be identical in shape and proportion. In assembly of pegs using the shuttle apparatus of this invention, the pegs may comprise peg members having the following features: a molded nipple 12; and an orifice 13 molded in the peg member body adjacent the nipple 12 in such a manner that in the assembled position. In use of these peg members, in joining pairs of peg members, jthe nipple on each peg member enters the opposing orifice of the other peg member. The remaining features 14 of opposing profiles form gripping jaws and other related familiar features for temporary fastening of clothes to clothes lines. The nip 15 of spring 11 locks behind a recess of the back face of the peg to lock it C C in place as is seen in FIG 1E.

S 15 The assembly of peg members utilising the invention consists essentially of three primary steps, these being the supply of peg member components; the t supply of spring clip components; and the assembly a process utilising the shuttle apparatus of the invention. Assembly is provided by a traversing shuttle plate complete with a peg member holding means and a system for insertion of the spring clip. FIGS 2 S'and 3 indicate the sequence of events.

In FIG 2 the shuttle apparatus (described below in greater detail) comprises a rectangular shuttle ttt plate 19 carrying thereon two peg member receiving and clamping means 17 and 18. The shuttle plate is shown in a first position to the left and in a second position r (in phantom to the right). The shuttle plate moves between these two positions whereat the two peg member clamping means 17 and 18 are placed identically at a central position whereat peg members are loaded thereto and carried to the left and the right respectively.

When peg members are being loaded at one of the two clamping means, a spring is being injected at the other 4 I i by the spring insertion means 20 and 21. FIG 3 tabulates the sequence of events.

Component supply to the assembly process involves supply of peg members and spring clips in required orientation through suitable transport means.

Assembly is effected by entry of two opposed peg members into the clamping and holding means 17 and 18 in the shuttle plate 19 (of FIG 2) then a single traverse of the shuttle plate to place the clamped peg members immediately below a fixed spring injection station for spring clip injection into slots provided in the peg member. The assembled clothes peg is next ejected from the shuttle plate by a moving ejection pin.

The shuttle apparatus (FIG 2) may include an air cylinder powered sliding plate 19 of rectangular proportions mounted on suitable bearings allowing movement to the right and a return movement left.

Termination of a traverse to the left or the right maybe determined by reed switches acting on the cylinder powering the shuttle plate, supplemented for positive positioning by opposite stops. In this manner, the shuttle plate traverses within pre-determined limits of travel. The bearings may be free to slide in a horizontal direction along two round horizontal shafts located one above the other in spaced horizontal parallel attitude and supported by attachment to a vertical holding means.

The peg member clamping means 17 and 18 may consist of air cylinder operated clamping jaws between which are located an air cylinder ejector pin moveable in a direction of travel outwards 90V to the plane of a shuttle plate surface, and two fixed peg member locating mandrel pins, all contained within the area encompassed by two pneumatically operated clamping jaws (see below).

In FIGS 4 to 6 is seen the components of a shuttle apparatus in greater detail. A frame 24 supports two shafts 25 and 26 along which plate 27 slides between two spring injection stations 29 and under control of ram 28. At each spring injection station the spring is inserted into a chamber from which it is applied to the peg members. The spring is supported and guided prior to and during insertion. Feed and insertion of springs is effected by rams such as 31 to 38 (rams 31 to 36 are seen in FIG 4; and 37 and 38 in FIG Clamping jaws 39 and 40 (FIG 6) are operated by rams 36 and 35. Between the clamping jaws are ejection pins 41 and 42 controlled by rams 43 and 44 (FIG 6).

The clamping jaw means 39 and 40 (see FIG 4) may be formed with jaws 45 and 46 (clamping jaw means mounted on sliding tracks that are angled to each other so that action of ram 35 in moving the jaws up and down relative to the plate causes them to close and open respectively. When the jaws are relaxed or open, a peg member pair may be moved therebetween when the jaws may be moved up to close on the pair which are held firm against vertical movement by pins 47 and 48 fitted into the hollows between the members. When the peg members are assembled with a spring, an ejector pin 41 may be actioned after jaws 45 and 46 are relaxed.

A spring may be inserted into a peg member pair between the shuttle plate 27, clamping jaws as seen in FIG 5. Spring clips, properly aligned, are delivered by chute 49 to the point at which clip block 1 30 50, actioned by ram 37, may push the clip into the path of clip ram rod 51 (shown in its actioned position whereat a spring will have been pushed into engagement with a pair of peg members). To load a clip, ram 33 withdraws ram rod 51 when a clip may be advanced into its path, pushed by block 50 from chute 49 by ram 37.

1 8: i 6: ti614 In operation of the shuttle plate, at the commencement of the assembly process, the shuttle plate is located at one end of its traverse so a peg member clamping means 39 or 40 is located under a spring clip injection station, 40 with 29 or 39 with 30. At this point, the other peg member clamping means is located opposite the in-line peg member feeder. The clamping jaws are relaxed there with the ejector pin retracted.

Two opposed peg members enter the clamping jaws, the jaws clamp the two members firmly about the positioning mandrels or pins 47 and 48 between the jaws. Under control of a programmed logic controller (PLC) the shuttle is moved to its other position. A reed switch may signal completion of the shuttle movement. An air cylinder ram pushes a spring clip from the magazine into the supporting channel of a vertically mounted spring .oft clip injection guide. At the same time, the clip block 'al 50 is so shaped that as it begins to move the spring f. clip out of the race it cuts off the movement downwards of the spring clip in the race above. At completion of the entry of the spring clip into its downward guide, the transverse motivating ram is withdrawn from the 3extended direction to clear the spring clip race permitting movement into position of the next spring 25 clip for injection. The spring clip injection guide 52 4.tt and spring clip injection ram 33 move forward together St to guide and inject the spring clip into slots provided in the peg members. The spring clip guide 52 actioned by ram 31 is connected into the same compressed air 30 circuit as the ram 33 but it is designed to move at a faster rate than the ram 33 to ensure effective guidance of the spring clip into the peg members.

Immediately after the completion of the injection stroke the injection mechanism is retracted.

After spring insertion, the clamping jaws are relaxed and the ejector pin behind to the rear of the ii 7

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-1 1 assembled peg moves outwards to a position whereby the outer surface of the ejector pin 41 occupies a position in the same plane as the surface of the shuttle plate and clamping jaws. This action ejects the complete clothes peg into a collection means. Then the master cylinder via the PLC moves the shuttle plate to repeat the operation at the other station. At the completion of this shuttle stroke, the ejector pin is retracted to facilitate entry of the next pair of opposed peg members. The other clamping jaws now firmly clamp two peg members about its locating mandrels. The cycle is now complete and the shuttle under the control of the PLC moves to the left to commence a new cycle.

The peg members may be plastic or be produced from materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, wood or other suitable material.

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Claims

2. A shuttle apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the shuttle plate supports clamping jaws wherein 20 a pair of peg members may be loaded at the first position, the clamping jaws holding the pair of peg members during movement to the second position and application of a spring thereto, an ejection pin being provided between the jaws being retracted during peg member loading and spring insertion, the ejection pin being operative to push an assembled peg from between the jaws.
3. A shuttle apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 whetein the clamping jaws comprise a pair of mirror 30 image identical opposed peg member engaging blocks each slidably mounted within opposed intersecting linear tracks, the blocks being moved along their tracks by a suitable ram connected therebetween.
4. A shuttle apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the shuttle plate is mounted for linear motion on a pair of support rods and it is reciprocated thereon by a double acting ram. A shuttle apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the shuttle plate is reciprocated between its first and second positions with position sensors and end stops to define the first and second positions and align the shuttle plate at the loading stations.
6. A shuttle apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the shuttle plate incorporates two sets of peg member clamping jaws, there being one peg member loading station and two spring loading stations, the peg member loading station being between the spring loading stations, peg members being loaded to one pair of peg member engaging jaws at the first position from the peg member loading station and to the other pair of peg member engaging jaws at the second position from the same peg member loading *r station.
7. A shuttle apparatus as claimed in any one of Oft. kt the preceding claims wherein at the spring loading i station an oriented spring is loaded to a chamber which is aligned with the peg members when a ram pushes the spring into engagement with the peg members in f! association with a spring injection guide. I
8. A shuttle apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the spring is loaded to the chamber by a block 25 pushed by a ram to move a spring from a supply of .4 springs to the chamber.
9. A shuttle apparatus as claimed in any one of the previous claims wherein the various rams are pneumatic and their respective operation and timing is governed by programmed control logic stored in a controller to which is coupled the output of reed switches activated by movement of the shuttle plate. 10i L b r 1' i 4 I t-I 4I*~ tilt 4 @1 04 *44 I 4l4~ 4. t~. O 44 t~ t 4 I IL I (I a t 64 C 4t(~ 4 1 C I A shuttle apparatus substantially S~ hereinbefore described with reference to the drawiings. DATED this sixteenth day of October 1990. MAX STEGMAN and HELP INDUSTRIES By Their Patent Attorneys GRANT ADAMS COMPANY K