CA1037979A - Pin type transfer apparatus for apertured-workpieces - Google Patents
Pin type transfer apparatus for apertured-workpiecesInfo
- Publication number
- CA1037979A CA1037979A CA244,571A CA244571A CA1037979A CA 1037979 A CA1037979 A CA 1037979A CA 244571 A CA244571 A CA 244571A CA 1037979 A CA1037979 A CA 1037979A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- pin
- transfer
- chain
- frame
- catcher
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
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- Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A transfer apparatus designed so that workpiece trans-fer pins are fixed at predetermined intervals to a chain circu-lating along a frame. The pins horizontally project through a lateral surface of the frame and are also circulated in conjunc-tion with the circulation of the chain so that apertured work-pieces may be caught by the pins projecting through the frame and be conveyed along with the travel of the pins. Along the path of travel of the pins and at the necessary locations, there are disposed workpiece inlet, outlet, bypass and delivery devices.
A transfer apparatus designed so that workpiece trans-fer pins are fixed at predetermined intervals to a chain circu-lating along a frame. The pins horizontally project through a lateral surface of the frame and are also circulated in conjunc-tion with the circulation of the chain so that apertured work-pieces may be caught by the pins projecting through the frame and be conveyed along with the travel of the pins. Along the path of travel of the pins and at the necessary locations, there are disposed workpiece inlet, outlet, bypass and delivery devices.
Description
~0379q~
BACKGROUND OF THE ~ ON
Field of the In~ention Th~ present invention relates to a pin type transfer apparatus for apertured wor~pieces, comprising a transfer chain . adapted to circulate in an endless :Eorm inside a conveyor frame - along a lateral surface thereof, and workpiece transfer pins ixed to said transfer chain~ said transfer chain and pins con~
stituting a main line. More particularly, a trans~er chain is provided which travels in an endless circulating form inside a ~;
conveyor frame along a lateral plane thereof and pins are fixed to said chain at predetermined equal or unequal intervals ana horizontally project be~yond the conveyor frame so that work- ``
pieces can be freely received by and removed from the revolving work?iece transfer pins. Inlet means and outlet means sccording to the present invention are provided with the ability to identi- ~
fy the type o~ workpieces in connection with the wo,kpiece ~ ;
transfer pins, so that the function as a transfer apparatus is enhsnced, thus providing for the storaqe of workpieces between work stations in addition to the mere interconnection of work stations.
Description of the Rrior Art -- several versions of pin type transfer apparatus com-prising a chain adapted to circulate in an endless form and ~ins `-~
attached to said chain and adapted to catch workpieces already are ~;nown. These conventional apparatuses, however, transfer workpieces simply rom below to above or in one direc.ion alone.
In recent years, manuacturers and others in the industry have begun to give serious attention to the increasing needs for com~lete autcmation of production processes, for labor saving ,........ ~ ~. . . . ... . .. . . ....
~ 379 ,9 and for ~ffective use of land and buildings~ In the field o~ the :
oin type transfer ap~aratus, reseaxches have been conducted and dr~w.baclis of ~he cOn~en~ ional forms have ~een detected. The con-ventional pin type transfer apparatusesl ~articularl~ those having a v~tical transfer portion and a horizontal transfPr portion, .have .~
-.been fDund to have the following.pr~blematical points. . .. .~: -Firstlv, in the conventional pin type trans~er appa~atus, ~ ~ :particularly when it has a horizon-tal transfer portion, ~ransfer ;~ ~-by the return side of the chain in the horizontal transfex portion ~.10 is impossi~leO secondly, when the direction of transfer o~ woxk~
.. pieces is turned downwardly from.the horizontal transfer portion, ~he workpiece becomes unstable and a fall-preventive plate or the . like is required. ~urthermoxe, it is necessary to adjust the - clearance ~etween such-fall-preventive plate and the frame to the .. . . ................. . ..
width dimension of the workpiece. Thirdly, because of the res~ric~
tion placed on the direction in which the pins are attached, it is ~. :
difficult to turn the direction of transfer of workpieces since . ~.
workpieces interfere ~ith the sproc~sets. Fourthly, the components in the workpiece reception and delivery sections must be grooved 1 20 and it is necessary to adjust the ~7idth of the grooves in accord~
! an~e with changes in the width dimension of workpleces. ~ :
BRIEF D~SCRIPTIO~ OF T~IE D~AWI~GS
- ~ ~
Figure 1 is a front vie~ sho~ing the whole of an e~bodi-ment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a section of a frame taXen along the line A-A in Figure l;
Figure 3 is a schematic view of an inlet unit;
Figure 4 is a schematic view OL an outlet unit;
~ Fi~ure 5 is a schematic view of a b~ass unit;
BACKGROUND OF THE ~ ON
Field of the In~ention Th~ present invention relates to a pin type transfer apparatus for apertured wor~pieces, comprising a transfer chain . adapted to circulate in an endless :Eorm inside a conveyor frame - along a lateral surface thereof, and workpiece transfer pins ixed to said transfer chain~ said transfer chain and pins con~
stituting a main line. More particularly, a trans~er chain is provided which travels in an endless circulating form inside a ~;
conveyor frame along a lateral plane thereof and pins are fixed to said chain at predetermined equal or unequal intervals ana horizontally project be~yond the conveyor frame so that work- ``
pieces can be freely received by and removed from the revolving work?iece transfer pins. Inlet means and outlet means sccording to the present invention are provided with the ability to identi- ~
fy the type o~ workpieces in connection with the wo,kpiece ~ ;
transfer pins, so that the function as a transfer apparatus is enhsnced, thus providing for the storaqe of workpieces between work stations in addition to the mere interconnection of work stations.
Description of the Rrior Art -- several versions of pin type transfer apparatus com-prising a chain adapted to circulate in an endless form and ~ins `-~
attached to said chain and adapted to catch workpieces already are ~;nown. These conventional apparatuses, however, transfer workpieces simply rom below to above or in one direc.ion alone.
In recent years, manuacturers and others in the industry have begun to give serious attention to the increasing needs for com~lete autcmation of production processes, for labor saving ,........ ~ ~. . . . ... . .. . . ....
~ 379 ,9 and for ~ffective use of land and buildings~ In the field o~ the :
oin type transfer ap~aratus, reseaxches have been conducted and dr~w.baclis of ~he cOn~en~ ional forms have ~een detected. The con-ventional pin type transfer apparatusesl ~articularl~ those having a v~tical transfer portion and a horizontal transfPr portion, .have .~
-.been fDund to have the following.pr~blematical points. . .. .~: -Firstlv, in the conventional pin type trans~er appa~atus, ~ ~ :particularly when it has a horizon-tal transfer portion, ~ransfer ;~ ~-by the return side of the chain in the horizontal transfex portion ~.10 is impossi~leO secondly, when the direction of transfer o~ woxk~
.. pieces is turned downwardly from.the horizontal transfer portion, ~he workpiece becomes unstable and a fall-preventive plate or the . like is required. ~urthermoxe, it is necessary to adjust the - clearance ~etween such-fall-preventive plate and the frame to the .. . . ................. . ..
width dimension of the workpiece. Thirdly, because of the res~ric~
tion placed on the direction in which the pins are attached, it is ~. :
difficult to turn the direction of transfer of workpieces since . ~.
workpieces interfere ~ith the sproc~sets. Fourthly, the components in the workpiece reception and delivery sections must be grooved 1 20 and it is necessary to adjust the ~7idth of the grooves in accord~
! an~e with changes in the width dimension of workpleces. ~ :
BRIEF D~SCRIPTIO~ OF T~IE D~AWI~GS
- ~ ~
Figure 1 is a front vie~ sho~ing the whole of an e~bodi-ment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a section of a frame taXen along the line A-A in Figure l;
Figure 3 is a schematic view of an inlet unit;
Figure 4 is a schematic view OL an outlet unit;
~ Fi~ure 5 is a schematic view of a b~ass unit;
- 2 -~a37s 7g Figure 6 is a sche~atic view of a collecting unit;
Fiyure 7 is a schematic view o means for identifying ;~
: th2 type of workpieces;
Figure 8 i9 a plan view ;howîng the relationship bet~een dogs a trans~er chain and transfer pins; -~
. Figur~ 9 is a perspective viev~ of a f.irst embodiment of the inlet means: :
Figure 10 is a side view of the ~ ~-rst embodiment of Figure 9; . . ~ ~
. Figure 11 is a side view of a second embodiment of the ~ ;
inlet means in the form of a roller type using roller type insertion means;
Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the entire arrangement o~ another embod1ment of the inlet means; :;
Figure 13 is a view looking laterally at a hand-over section shown in Figure 12; ` ;
` Figure 14 is a section of a bypass device used in the ~ -present invention;
Figure 15 is a side view of the bypass device;
Figure 16 is a bottom view of the bypass device; : .-. Figures 17 and 18 are explanatory views of a collecting device used in the present invention;
Figures 19 and 20 are explanatory views of an o~erative connection device used in the present invention Figure 21 is a plan vie~ of a workpiece delivery device - :
used in the present invention; and Figure 22 is a side view of the wor~piece delivery device.
Fiyure 7 is a schematic view o means for identifying ;~
: th2 type of workpieces;
Figure 8 i9 a plan view ;howîng the relationship bet~een dogs a trans~er chain and transfer pins; -~
. Figur~ 9 is a perspective viev~ of a f.irst embodiment of the inlet means: :
Figure 10 is a side view of the ~ ~-rst embodiment of Figure 9; . . ~ ~
. Figure 11 is a side view of a second embodiment of the ~ ;
inlet means in the form of a roller type using roller type insertion means;
Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the entire arrangement o~ another embod1ment of the inlet means; :;
Figure 13 is a view looking laterally at a hand-over section shown in Figure 12; ` ;
` Figure 14 is a section of a bypass device used in the ~ -present invention;
Figure 15 is a side view of the bypass device;
Figure 16 is a bottom view of the bypass device; : .-. Figures 17 and 18 are explanatory views of a collecting device used in the present invention;
Figures 19 and 20 are explanatory views of an o~erative connection device used in the present invention Figure 21 is a plan vie~ of a workpiece delivery device - :
used in the present invention; and Figure 22 is a side view of the wor~piece delivery device.
- 3 - :
1037~79 PREFERRED E~RODI~ NTS OF THE INVENTION ~ -The arran~ement of ~he present invention will now be described ~ith reference to an embodl~ent shown in Figures 1 through 6.
In Figure 1, 1~ designates a workpiece, 1 designates a drive motor, 2 designates a trans:~:er cha:Ln, and 3 designates trznsfer pins attached to one lateral surface of the transfer chain at predetermined intervals and projecting therefrom.
Attached to suitable places on a ~rame 4 conveyor of any desired shape are sprockets 50 The transfer chain 2 is constituted by a roller chain arranged in two rows, as better shown in Figl~re 2;
the transfer chain circulates in an endless form inside the frame
1037~79 PREFERRED E~RODI~ NTS OF THE INVENTION ~ -The arran~ement of ~he present invention will now be described ~ith reference to an embodl~ent shown in Figures 1 through 6.
In Figure 1, 1~ designates a workpiece, 1 designates a drive motor, 2 designates a trans:~:er cha:Ln, and 3 designates trznsfer pins attached to one lateral surface of the transfer chain at predetermined intervals and projecting therefrom.
Attached to suitable places on a ~rame 4 conveyor of any desired shape are sprockets 50 The transfer chain 2 is constituted by a roller chain arranged in two rows, as better shown in Figl~re 2;
the transfer chain circulates in an endless form inside the frame
4. One of the sprockets S is connected to the drive motor 1 ; ~-through a chain or the likeO Designated at 6 is an inlet unit by which, as shown in Figure 3, workpieces conveyed thereto by a belt conveyor or the like are handed over to the transfer pins 3.
Designated at 7 is an outlet unit by which, as shown in Fisure 4, workpieces retained by the transfer pins 3 are removed, whereupon they are transferred to another place by a belt conveyor or the ~ -like. Designated at 8 is a bypass-unit which is disposed at a ;~
suitable-position on the frame 4 and by which, as shown in Figure
Designated at 7 is an outlet unit by which, as shown in Fisure 4, workpieces retained by the transfer pins 3 are removed, whereupon they are transferred to another place by a belt conveyor or the ~ -like. Designated at 8 is a bypass-unit which is disposed at a ;~
suitable-position on the frame 4 and by which, as shown in Figure
5, predetermined ones o~ t~e woxkpieces being transferred axe removed from the associated transfer pins 3 at a place on ~he ~rame ~. Designated at 9 is a collecting unit which is disposed at a suitable place on the frame and by which, as shown in Figure `~
6, ~Jork~ieces transferred thereto are handed over to empty trans-fer pins, Details of the inlet unit 6, the outlet unit 7, the bypass unit 8 and the collecting unit 9 wiIl be described later.
; ~ :, - :. .. --~0379 . 9 The apparatus according to ~he present invention operates in the following mannerO
.
The sprockets 5 which are driven by t~e drive motor 1 mesh with the transfer chain 2 arld cooperatè with other s~veral sproc~ets 5 to circulate the trars~er chain vertically and horizontallyO The trans~er pins 3, which are directed in the direc~ion of the shafts of the sproc~ets 5, are attached to a lateral surface o~ the transfer ~hain 2 at predetermined inter-- -- vals. In addition, the pitch at which the transfer pins 3 are 1~ attached is not necessarily an equal distance. The frame 4 is box-shaped in cross section and the transfer chain 2 circulates inside it, One lateral surface of the ~rame 4 facing toward the shafts of the sprockets 5 lS provided with a slit or an opening through which the straight portions of the transfex pins attached to the trans~er chain 2 project, Ih addition, in some cases, the -~front end portions of the transfer pins 3 will be thickened in a taper form for the prevention of fall of workpieces W. Workpieces W conve~ed by the inlet unit 6 are picked up by inserting the -transfer pins 3 into the central apertures thereo~ and transferred -`
. .
by the transfer chain 2 to the destination where they are then taken out by suitable means. ~Dre speciically, workpieces W are - transerred to the location of the outlet unit 7 and are taken ou~
. ..
or desired workpieces W are transferred to another destination by the bypass device 8. Furthermore, by feeding workpieces W o~
other sizes onto transfer pins 3 by the collecting device 9, it is possible to transfer two or more types of workpieces at the same time, As described above, the transer pins 3 according to the present invention take part in the reception, the transfer or the ~`~
t~ ~ 5 ~
103~9 " 9 : : `
~livery of workpieces ~l and enable the transfer o~ workpieces W ~;
also on the return side of the transfer chain 2. Also, since the ~eshing between the transfer chain 2 and the sprockets 5 does not in~erfere with the transfer o~ workpieces W at any bends, it is possible to transfer workpieces free7y from a horizontal direction to a vertical direction a~d vice versa. Since the attitude of workpieces being transferred is always con~tant, stabilized trans-fer is possib1e even at the bends of the transfer chain 2~ Wit~
the apparatus according to the present invention serving as the main line, the use o the bypass device 8 and of the collecting unit 9 attached to the frame a enables workpieces to be ~aken in il~
and out at any places as re~uired, so that communication among a plurality of work stations is possible. Furthermore, two or more types of workpieces can be trans~erred at the same time and changes in the size of workpieces can be accommodated without the need to .
alter the arrangement of the apparatus, Since no sliding or roll-ing movement of workpieces is involved in their transfer, there is no unstableness due to such rolling or sliding and hence there is -~
~ no transfer trouble whatsoeverO Furthermore, there is no possi-i 20 bility of workpieces str~king the apparatus, and hence there is I no problem of pitting or of noise.
j A typical example of ~he method of identi~ying the type of workpieces will no~J be described ~ith reference to Figure 7 and 8. ~ ~
In Fi~ure 7, lO designates a detector~ 11 designates a ~-member for removing workpieces ~l from a transfer pin 3, and 12 desiqnates a chute whereby workpieces removed from transfer pins 3 are carried to a predetermined place. Designated at 13 is a ¦ de.ector æog provided aL a portion of the transfer chain 2 in ~ :
~ 6 -.,.~ . . . ,, . ~ . . ..
operative association with the trans~er pin3 3, and the posi.ion at which the dog is attached t~ill he shifted to the position o~
.
.~ ~ detector dog 14 or 15 sho~n in ~llantom lines in accord2nce ~ith .
thc t~e o~ workpieces W.
The transf~r chain 2 as shown in.Figure 8, consists o~
two rows o~ chains comprising links } including link plates 16, -~
; 16 between which bushings 18 having rollers 17 ~i~ted thereo~er are dis~osed, an~ links II interconnecting the links I with two pin link plates 1~, 19 inter~osed therebetween, said links I and II being alternately connected together by pins 20. The transfer ~ ` :
. chain is caused to circulate in an endless ~orm inside the frame . 4~ The dogs 13, 14 and 15 are each associa-ted with one o~ the . transfer pins 3 fixed to`and projecting ~rom one latexal surface .
. of the transfer chain 2 and are attached to the.transfer chain 2 ~ ~
; with their positions va~ied axially o~ the trans~er pins 3. .~ ~.
i Therefore, the dog 13 has a patn o~ travel different from those ~ .
. o~ the dogs 14, 15, and ~he dog 14 has a path o~ ~ravel di~ferent .~
fro~ those o~ the dogs 13 15. The detector 10 is attached by ~ :
t no.ching one lateral surface of the frame 4 and is disposed in ¦ 20 one o~ the paths of travel or the dogs 13 14 and 15. The releas~
3 - ~ng mem~er.l is a-~tached to the front end ol the Piston rod 22 of ;;:
: a cylinder 21 and sexves to remove workpieces W from the trans e `~
: pins 3 when the piston rod 22 is e;~tended~
The o2eratlon o~ the various parts will now be descrihed.
F~rst o~ all different types or workpieces ~l are trans-ferred by being placed on the transfer pins 3 associated with the dogs 13, 14, 15~ l~en the dog 13 is detected by the associated detector 10, the latter extends the pision rod 22 and the release member 11 pushes ~he workpiece 1l over the transfer pin 3 down into . ~ ~.
; ~ :, - :. .. --~0379 . 9 The apparatus according to ~he present invention operates in the following mannerO
.
The sprockets 5 which are driven by t~e drive motor 1 mesh with the transfer chain 2 arld cooperatè with other s~veral sproc~ets 5 to circulate the trars~er chain vertically and horizontallyO The trans~er pins 3, which are directed in the direc~ion of the shafts of the sproc~ets 5, are attached to a lateral surface o~ the transfer ~hain 2 at predetermined inter-- -- vals. In addition, the pitch at which the transfer pins 3 are 1~ attached is not necessarily an equal distance. The frame 4 is box-shaped in cross section and the transfer chain 2 circulates inside it, One lateral surface of the ~rame 4 facing toward the shafts of the sprockets 5 lS provided with a slit or an opening through which the straight portions of the transfex pins attached to the trans~er chain 2 project, Ih addition, in some cases, the -~front end portions of the transfer pins 3 will be thickened in a taper form for the prevention of fall of workpieces W. Workpieces W conve~ed by the inlet unit 6 are picked up by inserting the -transfer pins 3 into the central apertures thereo~ and transferred -`
. .
by the transfer chain 2 to the destination where they are then taken out by suitable means. ~Dre speciically, workpieces W are - transerred to the location of the outlet unit 7 and are taken ou~
. ..
or desired workpieces W are transferred to another destination by the bypass device 8. Furthermore, by feeding workpieces W o~
other sizes onto transfer pins 3 by the collecting device 9, it is possible to transfer two or more types of workpieces at the same time, As described above, the transer pins 3 according to the present invention take part in the reception, the transfer or the ~`~
t~ ~ 5 ~
103~9 " 9 : : `
~livery of workpieces ~l and enable the transfer o~ workpieces W ~;
also on the return side of the transfer chain 2. Also, since the ~eshing between the transfer chain 2 and the sprockets 5 does not in~erfere with the transfer o~ workpieces W at any bends, it is possible to transfer workpieces free7y from a horizontal direction to a vertical direction a~d vice versa. Since the attitude of workpieces being transferred is always con~tant, stabilized trans-fer is possib1e even at the bends of the transfer chain 2~ Wit~
the apparatus according to the present invention serving as the main line, the use o the bypass device 8 and of the collecting unit 9 attached to the frame a enables workpieces to be ~aken in il~
and out at any places as re~uired, so that communication among a plurality of work stations is possible. Furthermore, two or more types of workpieces can be trans~erred at the same time and changes in the size of workpieces can be accommodated without the need to .
alter the arrangement of the apparatus, Since no sliding or roll-ing movement of workpieces is involved in their transfer, there is no unstableness due to such rolling or sliding and hence there is -~
~ no transfer trouble whatsoeverO Furthermore, there is no possi-i 20 bility of workpieces str~king the apparatus, and hence there is I no problem of pitting or of noise.
j A typical example of ~he method of identi~ying the type of workpieces will no~J be described ~ith reference to Figure 7 and 8. ~ ~
In Fi~ure 7, lO designates a detector~ 11 designates a ~-member for removing workpieces ~l from a transfer pin 3, and 12 desiqnates a chute whereby workpieces removed from transfer pins 3 are carried to a predetermined place. Designated at 13 is a ¦ de.ector æog provided aL a portion of the transfer chain 2 in ~ :
~ 6 -.,.~ . . . ,, . ~ . . ..
operative association with the trans~er pin3 3, and the posi.ion at which the dog is attached t~ill he shifted to the position o~
.
.~ ~ detector dog 14 or 15 sho~n in ~llantom lines in accord2nce ~ith .
thc t~e o~ workpieces W.
The transf~r chain 2 as shown in.Figure 8, consists o~
two rows o~ chains comprising links } including link plates 16, -~
; 16 between which bushings 18 having rollers 17 ~i~ted thereo~er are dis~osed, an~ links II interconnecting the links I with two pin link plates 1~, 19 inter~osed therebetween, said links I and II being alternately connected together by pins 20. The transfer ~ ` :
. chain is caused to circulate in an endless ~orm inside the frame . 4~ The dogs 13, 14 and 15 are each associa-ted with one o~ the . transfer pins 3 fixed to`and projecting ~rom one latexal surface .
. of the transfer chain 2 and are attached to the.transfer chain 2 ~ ~
; with their positions va~ied axially o~ the trans~er pins 3. .~ ~.
i Therefore, the dog 13 has a patn o~ travel different from those ~ .
. o~ the dogs 14, 15, and ~he dog 14 has a path o~ ~ravel di~ferent .~
fro~ those o~ the dogs 13 15. The detector 10 is attached by ~ :
t no.ching one lateral surface of the frame 4 and is disposed in ¦ 20 one o~ the paths of travel or the dogs 13 14 and 15. The releas~
3 - ~ng mem~er.l is a-~tached to the front end ol the Piston rod 22 of ;;:
: a cylinder 21 and sexves to remove workpieces W from the trans e `~
: pins 3 when the piston rod 22 is e;~tended~
The o2eratlon o~ the various parts will now be descrihed.
F~rst o~ all different types or workpieces ~l are trans-ferred by being placed on the transfer pins 3 associated with the dogs 13, 14, 15~ l~en the dog 13 is detected by the associated detector 10, the latter extends the pision rod 22 and the release member 11 pushes ~he workpiece 1l over the transfer pin 3 down into . ~ ~.
- 7 ~
379~;`g the chute 12 standing in readiness therebelowO The dogs 1~, 15 o~erate in tlle same mann~r as the do~ 130 Since the dogs 13, 1~
15 do not travel in th~ same path, t~ere is no poss~bility of the de,ecto 10 for tile dog 13 detect~lg the ot~er dogs 1~, 15.
Tnere~ore, the pre~et~rmined dog can be detected at tlle position ,~
of the detector 13, and the identification o~ work~ieces W can be effected easilyO ~`
Whiile the above description has ~een given with work- -: .
pieces l~ initially placea on the transfer pins 3, it is pos~ible to place several types of workpieces on empty pins 3 by using dogs and detectors in the same manner.
As described above, the transfer chain 2 is provided with a dog mechanism comprising several detector do~s each paired with one of the trans~er ~ins 3 and facing in ~he direction in ~;
which the transer pins 3 project, with their positions of attach~
ment ~hifted with respect to each other. The detection of the shift o~ the position of the dogs enables the identification of ~
the type of dogs and hence of the type of workpieces retained by ~ -transfer pins 3 paired with said dogs. Thus, by carrying work-pieces o~ predetermined type numbers on the transfer pins 3, it is possible to transfer several tvpes of workpieces at the s~me . .
time. Therefore, by using a single trans~er line, several types of work~ieces can be trans~erred and the reception and delivery of workpieces can automatically beeffectedat predetermined posi-tions, I~ the dis,ance between the constitutent chains or the number of rows of chains in increased, a larger number of dogs can be provided and hence a corresponding number of types of workDieces can be transferred at the same time, Also~ since ~he identification of the type of workDieces i~ not by their shapes
379~;`g the chute 12 standing in readiness therebelowO The dogs 1~, 15 o~erate in tlle same mann~r as the do~ 130 Since the dogs 13, 1~
15 do not travel in th~ same path, t~ere is no poss~bility of the de,ecto 10 for tile dog 13 detect~lg the ot~er dogs 1~, 15.
Tnere~ore, the pre~et~rmined dog can be detected at tlle position ,~
of the detector 13, and the identification o~ work~ieces W can be effected easilyO ~`
Whiile the above description has ~een given with work- -: .
pieces l~ initially placea on the transfer pins 3, it is pos~ible to place several types of workpieces on empty pins 3 by using dogs and detectors in the same manner.
As described above, the transfer chain 2 is provided with a dog mechanism comprising several detector do~s each paired with one of the trans~er ~ins 3 and facing in ~he direction in ~;
which the transer pins 3 project, with their positions of attach~
ment ~hifted with respect to each other. The detection of the shift o~ the position of the dogs enables the identification of ~
the type of dogs and hence of the type of workpieces retained by ~ -transfer pins 3 paired with said dogs. Thus, by carrying work-pieces o~ predetermined type numbers on the transfer pins 3, it is possible to transfer several tvpes of workpieces at the s~me . .
time. Therefore, by using a single trans~er line, several types of work~ieces can be trans~erred and the reception and delivery of workpieces can automatically beeffectedat predetermined posi-tions, I~ the dis,ance between the constitutent chains or the number of rows of chains in increased, a larger number of dogs can be provided and hence a corresponding number of types of workDieces can be transferred at the same time, Also~ since ~he identification of the type of workDieces i~ not by their shapes
- 8--~ ()379 ~ g or si~es, there is no need to change the detectors or other arrangements even if the type numbers of w~rkpieces ~o be trans-ferred by the transfer pins are to be chan~ed~
The inle. uni~ used in the ~resent invention ~ill no--be described ~ith reference to Figures 9 through 11 . The system according to Figures .9 and 10 is concerned ..
with the movement OI worXpieces from a horizontal to a verticai .~
direction or from a vertical to a horizontal direction and is ~.
. constituted by a vertical pin ty~,e transCer device XI and a ., 10 horizontal conveyor device ~II. The vertical pin type transfer .. ~ :
~: - device ~I comprises a .rame a, a transfer cnain 2 adapted to :~
circulate inside the frame, and transfer ~ins 3 carried upwardly `~
and downwardly by the transfer chain 29 The conveyor device XII .
. comprises two conveyor beits 24, 24' oprosed to the transfer chain 2 and horizontally disposed close to each other .to de~ine a clear-, ance therebetween so as to allo~ the transfer pins attached to the transfer chain to pass therethrough, and means (not sho~m) for driving the belts 24, 2 ' in forward and re~erse directions.
In this embodiment, a worlcpiece W conveyed on the con~
20 veyor belts 24, 24' to their front-ends is caught by a transfer pin 3 on the up~ard trans*er chain 2 traveling inside the ortho-I gonal vertical ~rame a and is c-arried to an upper position, . Furthermore, a ~orkpiece r.-J retained by a do~mward trans~er pin 3. .............................................................. ...
on the downward transfer chain 2 travelling inside the verlical ~ :
frame 4 mav be placed on the conveyor belts 24, 2 ' as the work-piece W is ~7ithdra~n from the dotmwardly moving transfer pin 3, and it may then be carried to a horizontal predetermined position.
~ addition, the conveyor device ~II may be replaced by a some~hat inclined chute (not shown) or a horizontal plate-like _ 9 _ ~ ' .
J `' `,~ ~a379 ' 9 chute (not shown) provided with pusher r.leans (not shown). - :
The device shown in Figure 11 includes a workpiece insertion m~ans XIII attached to the frame 4. ~ this case, ....
the device is intended for the transfer o~ workpieces ~ :
upwardly from a horizontal direc~ic~n. ~hus, the workpiece :;
insert ion means XIII is fixed on the above-described frame 4 .
astride the transfer chain 2 and comprises two rollexs 25, 25' having a central clearance therebetween through which the up~
ward transfer pins 3 pass, swing arms 26, 26' and stops 27/ 27'.
10 The swing arms 26, 26' are pivotally connected at their roots to the frzme 4 and are provided at their front ends with rollers . ~5, 25'. The stops 27, 27' are fixed on the frame 4 below the swing arms 26, 26', the front end surfaces 28, 28' thereof . normally contacting the o`uter peripheral surfaces of the .
. rollers 25, 25'.
. . In this embodiment, the rollers 25, 25' serve to urg~
a workpiece W against the root of an upward transfer pin 3 as ;~
said workpiece is conveyed by conveyor belts 24, 241 and is raised by the transfer pin 3~ In this case, the xollers 25, 25' ~ `
are arranged so that they can be rotated and that they can be ~ ~
- ..
moved slightly up and down by the swing arms 26, 26'. However, it is not always necessary to rotate the rollers 25, 25'. ~t is.only necessary for them to have smooth surfaces highly resis~
tant to wear. Also~ it is not always necessary to use a cylin- ::
drical roller, and instead an inclined plate or a semilunar plate may be used.
As described above in connection with the two embodi-ments, the inlet means is constituted by transfer maans such as conveyor belts or chutes having a central clearance allowin~ the -- 10 _ .
`. ~037g~;9 passage of tr~nsfer pins 3 therethrough, a transfer chain circu-la~ing along a frame ortho~onal to said transfer means, and transfer pins fixed to said trans~er chain. The position~l relationship between the compon~nts is so versatile r~lative to the shape and the size of workpieces to be transferred that there is no need to make adjustments in connection with some change of type nu~bers. Furthermore, workpieces can be extremely easily and securely moved vertically from a horizontal direction or horizontally from a vertical direction~ Moreover, the device ~, 0 lS simple in constructionO
Figures 12 and 13 show another embodiment of an inlet device, comprising a vertical pin type transfer device XXI, a chute XXII, a pusher XXIII, hand-over dish means XXlV, and insertion means XXVI~ The pin'type transfer device XXI comprises a vertical frame 4 defining a path of travel for transfer pins 3, a transfer chain 2 adapted to move vertically inside the frame 4, and transfer pins 3 attached to the transfer chain 2 ~ ' for vertical movement therewith~ The chute XXII comprises a flat ~ ' conveyor or plate 37 provided with upright guides 36, 36 on both sides, there being provided a loading position 38 at the terminal end thereof. The pusher XXIII comprises a v-notched pusher plate ' 39'and a piston 40 and it is positioned in the same plane as that of the loading position 38 of the chute xxII and is set so as to push forwardly and horizontally a workpiece W lo~ated at the load~
ing position 38 on the chute XXII. The hand-over dish means comprises a dish 43 provided with upright flanges or walls 41 , 41 ', 42, 42', and an arm 44 supporting the dish 43 and adapted to be revolved by a cam or by other means (not shown3. The front portion of the dish 43 intimately engages upward transfer pins 3 on the - ' ~0379 ~ 9 ~ ~
pin typ~ transfer device X~I and has a notched groove 45 allow-ing upward transfer pins 3 to pass therethrough upwardly rom ~ i below. In addition, defined between th~ front flanges or walls ' 41 and 41' on the dish a3 is a clearance corresponding to the ~
clearance in the notche~ groove 45 of the dish 43. The adjusting '. ~:
means XXV comprises a V-notched adjusting plat~ 46 and a mechanism ~ :
47 for resiliently forwardly pushing the adjusting plate 46, and it i~ disposed somewhat above the level of the workpiece hand-over dish 43, the arrangement being such that when a workpiece W
at the loading position 38 on the chute XXII is pushed onto the .. . . . ~ .
dish 43, the a~m 44 supporting the dish 43 is rearwardly revolved by the action of cam means (not shown) and the workpiece W on the ~ ~
. ~ :
- dish 43 is pushed forwardly by the adjusting plate 46 until it . assu,mes its normal position. The insertion means XXVI comprises two rota~able rollers 48, 48', swing arms 49, 49' supporting the ,~
rollers 48, 48' for vertical movement, and a stop 50, and it is mounted on the frame 4 and astride the transfer chain 2. More particularly, the essential arrangement of this device is as ~: :
j follows. The front end of the chute XXII and the dish 43 of the 20 hand-over means XXIV extend close to the attachment region of transfer pins 3 a,pproximately perpendicularly to the vertical 1 ' transfer section of the pin type transfer device XXI. The chute XXII and the dish 43 are provided with notched grooves 45, 45' ~ ~
through which the transfer pins pass. Above t~e dish 43, there ~' are rollers 48, 48' supported by swing arms 49, 49', and the swing arms 49, 49' are pivotally connected to the frame 4. As shown in Figure 13, the distance 1 from the upper surface of the i dish 43 to the lower side of the outer diameter of the rollers j 48, 48' is about 1/2 - 2/3 of the outer diameter of a workpiece .,, ~ .. ... . .
gL a~379~9 ~I to be processed. The rollers 48, 48' can be revolved verti-cally around the pivot at which the swing arms ag, a,g ~ are attached to the frame 4. ~ stop 50 is prov:ided i.ntermediate the swing arms 49, 49' and the dish ~3, and the controlled clearance between the ...
frame 4 and the rollers 48, a8' is about 1/2 - 1 of the wid~h ! dimension of workpieces ~. Also, the rollers 48, 48' are supported by bearings (not sho~inj so as to be rotatable~ The dish 43 is provided with flanges or walls 41, 41', 42' so that a workpiece W to be transferred can be positioned substantially at the middle~
The adjusting plate 46 for determining the normal position W' for ~. a workpiece W when the latter is to be picked up from the dish 43 -~ by a transfer pin 3 is supported by a support shaft 51 which is ~ ~
guided by a guide 52. The adjusting plate 46 is urged forwardly ~ ~ ;
by a spring 53. .
.In operation, when a workpiece W is positioned on the ~ .
loading position 38 on the chute XXII, the piston 40 of the pusher .~ :
XXIII is extended so that the workpiece W is pushed by the pusher plate 39 fixed to the front end of the piston 40 until it is placed on the dish 43 of the hand-over means XXIII~ However~ it .;
! 20 does not necessarily follow that the workpiece ~ assumes the normal position W' on the dish 43. Then, the arm 44 supporting the dish 43 is revolved rearwardly by a cam or by other means ~not shown). Disposed rearwardly of the dish 43 is the adjusting ~ -plate 46, and the workpiece ~l abuts against the V-shaped notch in the adjusting plate.so that the workpiece is pushed xelatively forwardly into contact with the V-shaped flanges or walls 41, 41' and is placed at the normal position ~' on the dish 43. If the workpiece has a large outer diameter, the adjusting plate 46 is retracted, but when the dish 43 is moved ~orwardly again, the ~3 , ' .
, . . . . . .
. ~ ~ -- . - ' . .. .,, . , :. ' : ' : ' . ' `` 1~3~9~79 : a~justing plate is pushed back to its original position by the s~ri~g 53. The dish 43 then is moved forwardly by the arm 44 under the action o~ the cam or of other ~eans (not shown) until ~.
it assumes a position opposed to the transfer chain 2 in ~he frame 4. At this time, the notched groove 45 in the dish 43 assumes a position opposed to an upward ~ransfer pin 3 being con-.. veyed by the transfer chain 2. Since the upward transfer pin 3 being conveyed by the transfer chain 2 can pass through the notched groove 45 in the dish 43, the workpiece W on the dish 43 is caught and transfexred upwardly by the transfer pin 3 which ~
- has passed through the notched grooYe 45 in the dish 43. At a ~ ~ :
` position above the dish 43 and astride the transfer chain 2, : there exist the rollers 48, 48' attached to ~he ~rame 4 through : ~
the swing arms 49, 49' and cooperating with the ~rame to def me ~.
a clearance therebetween. Therefore, when the workpiece W caught and removed from the dish 43 by the upward transfer pin 3 ~asses between the rollers 48, 48' and the frame 4, it is pushed in fully to the root of the upward transfer pin ~nd is conveyed up~
wardly~ The dish 43 is brought back to its original position by the arm 44 under t~e action of the cam or of other means (not shown)~
- As has been described so far, the inlet means consists essentially of hand-over means including a dish for receiving a workpiece W pushed out from the loading position 38 by the pusher XXII, provided with a notched groove ~5 at the front central xegion ~:
thereof and supported for swinging back and forth, an adjusting member disposed rearwardly of the hand-over dish whereby a work- :
piece ~7 on said hand-over dish is positioned at the normal position, and insertion means for workpieces W attached to the frame so as to be disposed above said hand-over dish and astride the transfer ; . .. : . . ... . . ,:
` ` ~037979 ~:
ch~in 2 and the transrer pins 3, th~ arrangement being such that a workpiece ~1 on said hand-over dish is caught by a tran~er pin and thereby conveyed to a Fredetermin~d place~ Therefore, work-pieccs being fed in ~i.h thelr end ~aces do~m can be extremely easily handed over to transfer pins upwardly moving along the vertical frame~ ~Ioreover, the positional relationship of the ~;
various parts is very versatile relative to changes in the shape .
and the size o workpieces and some chang~ in the shape or 5 ize ` ~:
does not necessitate adjustments.
A bypass device according to the bypass unit used in the present invention will now be described with reference to ~ -~
Figures 14 through 16.
~n these Figures, the bypass device comprises a transfer device XI for transferring workpieces, and a discharge device XXXI ~or discharging workpieces ~rom the transfer device XI~
The transfer devlce XI comprises a trans~er chain 2 having roller chains 5d arranged in two ro~Js adapted to be circulated inslde a frame 4, transfer pins 3 for retaining workPieces at ached to every several lin~s o~ said transfer chain 2 so as to ~roject from one side of said trans~er chain, and a detector dog 73 ~-associated with the transfer chain 2~ The dog 13 is variable in its posi,ion axially of the transfer chain 2. The discharge device XXXI is attached through a base 55 to tne lateral surface of .he frame 4 where the transfer pins 3 do not project, as sho~n in Fi~ure 1~. Fixed on the base 55 is a slide guide 56 which is ~arallel to the transfer chain and in which a slide 57 is axially moved. The lateral surface of the slide 57 has a catcher arm 59 pivotally connected thereto by a pin 60 and provided at its ~ront end with a rotatable catcher 58 fox detecting the dog 13 attached ~, . . .
- 1~37~9 to the transfer chain 2~ The catcher arm 59 is ursed constantly up~ax~ by a push-up spring int~rposed between the catch~r arm and an ar~l 61 fixed to the slidc 57, wllile the catcher 58 is urged constantl~ against a stop 5~' on th_ catcher arm 59 b~ a bufrer spring 63 interposed 'ne.~ieen t~e catcher and ,he catc~.er ar~. The catch~ arm S9 has a catcher roller 64 at.ache~ ~o th~ c~n~ral re~ion thereof and contacting the base 55 to facili-tate the movement of the catcher arm 59. The front end of the catcher 58 projects into the path of travel of the iransfer chain 2 througn an elon~ated notch 65 formed in the bottom of the rram~e 4 and in the base 55, and waits for a dog 13 to arrive.
The catcher roller 64 is movable longitud~nally together with the catcher arm 59 into contact with a wedge-shaped cam 66 attached to .he inner surface o the base 55 to depress the catcher arm 59 against the orce of the push-up spring 62 to thereby release the catcher 58 from the dog 13~ The slide 57 and the catcher arm 59 are pulled bac~ by a return spring 68 interposed be.ween a ~-~ fixed shaft 67 on the base 55 and an æ m 61 fixed to the slide 57.
I Disposed rearwardly o~ the slide guide 56 is a cushion unit 69 for j 20 absorbin~ a shock when the slide 5~ returns to its original posi-tion. The base 55 is proviaed with a revolving shaft 70, which is provided with a swing member 73 having attached there ~o an ejec-! tor 71 and a swing arm 72 for drop~ing workpieces ~J from the trans-fer pins 3. A revolving return spring 74 is inter~osed between the swing member 73 and the lower surface of the base 55 for ~ositioning the ~j~ctor ~late 71 in a notch 4' in the frame 4 to maintain it in parallel relationship with th~ frame 4. An arm 61 fixed to the slide 57 is provided with a cam follower 75 which contacts the swin~ arm 72 at its side adjacent ~he position wnere - ~ 16 -.... . .
~37979 J the swing arM 72 and the swing ~em~er 73 are connected together.
The swiny arm 72 is attached in such an attitude that it e~tends obliquely with respect ~o ~he direction of travel o ~he transfer chai.n 2 so as to inter~ere ~ith the forward movement of the cam follo~ler 75 7h~ch is moved along ~lith the transfer chain 2. Tlle ;~
cam ~ollo~Jer 75, by being moved along with the slide 57 in the `~
direction of the transfer chain 2, urges the swing arm 72 against ~he force of the revolving spring 74 to s~ling the s~ing mem~er 73 ;`
for actuating the ejector plate.
The operations of the various parts will no~l be des-cribedO ~orkpieces W are retained by the transfer pins 3 which are transferred by the transfer chain 20 When a dog 13 attached ~
to the transfer chain 2 stri~;es the catcher 58 projecting into ~.
the path of tra~el o the trans.er chain, it p~shes and advances - the catcher 58. The slide 57 retaining the catcher 58 through the catcher arm 59 is then moved at the same speed as that of the ~ ; .
transfer chain 2. Since the cam follower 75 connected to the slide 57 urges the s~7ing arm 72 as the slide 57 is moved, the ¦ swing arm 72 is gradually -evolved as shown in phanto~ lines in . ~`
Figure 16 and hence the s~ing member 70 joined to the _wing arm ¦ 72 revolves around the axis of the revolving shaft 70 so that the ejector plate 71 attached to the front end of the swing member - - .
t 73 is opened as sho~Jn in phantom lines in Figure 16, thereby ` -:
drop~ing the ~orkpiece ~7 from the transfer pin 3.:into a chute 76.
As the slide 57 is moved further, the catcher roller 6a on the catcher arm 59 reaches the cam 66 on the slide guide 56 and rolls therealong, ~hereupon the catcher arm 59 is ~epressed against the force of the push-up spring to release the catcher 58 from the dog 13. As the catcher 58 is released from the dog 13, the slide .
10379't7~
57, the catcher arm ss and th~ cam follower 75 are returned to their original positions by the tension in the return sprin~ 68.
Further, the ejector plate 71, the swing arm 72 and the swing member 73 are also returned to their original positions by the revolving return sprins 74. The cushion unit 69 absorbs the shock produced ~hen the slide 57 is quickly returned by the return spring 68. As for the action of the ejector plate 71, its degree .
o~ opening is determined by the amount the swing arm ?2 is pushed by the cam follower 75O In other words, the degree of opening of . 10 the ejector plate 71 is determined by the amount of slid~ N the catcher roller 64 is moved to reach ~he cam 66~ If the distance ! between the transfer pin 3 and the ~og 13 is expressed by L, since . it follows that the workpiece being conveyed by the transfer pin 3 passes through the position of the ejector plate 71 when the latter is opened, the ejector plate 71 causes the workpieces to ~ :
fall down into the chute 76. By this method, workpieces being - :~
. .. ~.
transferred can be removed from the pin type transfer apparatus :~
and discharged outside the machine. Furthermore, when workpieces which do not need to be discharged by the discharge device XXXI ~ ~
pass through this position, since the ejector plate 71 i9 closely ~`
¦ contacted with the frame 4, they, without being discharged there, go to a predetermined discharge area where they are discharged outside the machine by the action of another dog and cat~her.
I As an alternative embodiment, instead of the above-described mechanlcal method of detection of a dog 13 by a catcher 58, it is possible to use a contactless relay, a microswitch or the like for electrical detection and to effect the opening and closing of the ejector plate 71 by an electrical or pneumatic actuator. Furthermore, it is also possible to use a weight in , : . - , - ~ ~ : . - -37~7~ ~
place of the return spring for the slide 57 or th~ ejector plate 71. If an actuator is used for the operation o~ the ejector plate 71, rectilinear motion may ble used instead of rotative motion~ .
~ s has been described so far; this bypass devioe c~m-prises a transfer chain which is provided with workpiece transfer ~ :
pins and detector dogs disposed at predetermined intervals and -~ :.
w hich is adapted to be circulated in an ~ndless ~orm inside a ~ .
frame, a catcher carried on said transfer chain and adapted to `~.
10 engage a dog when a transfer pin holding a workpiece reaches a . -- predetermined position, a slide retaining a catcher through a catcher arm, connected to a return spring and movable a predeter-mined distance in the direction of travel of the transfer chain, a cam follower and a swing arm whereby a swing member having a .
workpiece ejecting plate positioned parallel to the frame is ~.
or~hogonally parallelly opened around the axis of a revolving shaf~, and a wedge-shaped cam positioned so that when said catcher : :
has traveled said predetermined distance, the catchex.is disengased from the dog. With this arrangement, desired workpieces extremely easily and securely can be discharged from the transfer apparat~s, . .
and there is no need to stop the movement of the pin type transfer apparatusO The discharge device itself has no-power source and .:
operates on the basis of mechanical memory and detection, so that there is no difficulty in detection and control. Furthermore~ the positional relationship and the amount of movement of the components ;.
are independent of the size of workpieces, so that there is no need to make adjustments or to alter the arrangement even if there ' is a change of workpieces4 A collecting device according to the collecting unit used . .
in the present invention will now ~e described with re~erence toFisures 17 through 22.
As shown in these Figures, the collecting device comprises .
a vertical transfer device XXXXI for workpieces, an operative connection devicP XXXXII, and a workpiece delivery device XXXXIII.
The vertical transfer device XXXXIo as shown in Figures 17 a~d 18, comprises a hollow cylindrical guide pipe 77 provided with a ~:
straight or a curved guide groove 78 along the longitudinal axis thereofO a box 79 supporting the guide pipe 77, a motor 80 mounted on the lateral surface of the box 79 and having a rotary shaft 81 projecting into the box, the rotation o the motor 80 being trans-mitted from the rotary shaft 81 through a drive mechanism 82 to a screw shaft 83 inserted in the guide pipe 77, thereby rotating the screw shaft 83, so that a transfer arm member 85 engaging the screw shaft 83 through a nut member 84 is moved up and down.. The ~ :
drive mechanism 82 comprises a spur gear 87 and a bevel gear 88, both being fixed on a drive shaft 86, the spur gear 87 meshing with a spur gear 89 fixed on the rotary shaft 81 of the motor 80, the bevel gear 88 meshing with a bevel gear 90 fixed on the lower end portion of the screw shaft 83 to transmit the rotation of the motor 80 to the screw shaft 83. ~he nut member 84 has an outer ring 91 rotatably mounted on the outer periphery thereof~ and the ~:
- transfer arm member 85 is attached to said outer ring by screws 92 or the like by making use of the ~uide groove 78 in the guide pipe 77~ A cam follower 93 disposed in the guide groove 78 is fixed to the transfer arm member 85. Therefore, when the screw shaft 83 is rotated, the engagement between the cam follower 93 and the guide groove 78 causes the transfer arm member 85 to be moved upwardly or downwardly to control the range of movement of the - 20 - ;
~C~37~79 i transfer arm member 85~ The transfer arm member 85 preerably has a large width so as to be prevented from chattering~ but its shape is optional. A transf~r pin 94 for retaining a workpiece is ::~ -firmly fixed to the front end port:ion o the transf~r arm me~.ber 85.
Provided on the lower surface of the box 79 is swing means 9S
whereby the device .YXX~I for upwardly ~ransferring apertured work~
pieces is swung along the transfer chain~ The swing means includes a shaft 99 extending centrally through a support member 97 fixed ~ -on a frame 96 which is used for installation of the transfer device XXXXI, and through an attaching member 98 fixed to the lower surface of the box 79. The movement of the transfer device in the direction of travel of the trans.er chain is effected by the chain, and its movement in the opposite direction bac~ to its original - position is effected by a return spring 100 associated with a cushion device 101 and attached to a projection 79' formed on one side of the upper sur~ace of the box 79. The device XXXXII for operatively connecting the transer device to the chain comprises a guide portion 102 and a coupling portion 103, as shown in Figures 19 and 20. The guide portion 102 comprises a guide roller 105 inserted in a guide frame 104 with its lower end open and fixed to the lateral sur~ace of the frame 4 where the transfer pins . do not project, the guide roller 105 being mounted on a support frame 106 fixed to the upper lateral surface of the guide pipe 77. ~ :
Thus, the guide roller 105 is slid inside the guide frame 10~ to ::
facilitate the swing motion of the guide pipe 77.
The coupling portion 103 comprises a guide member 107 disposed on the upper end of the guide pipe 77 so as to be vertically movable, and a catcher arm 110 swingably attached to :`
the slide member 107 and having a catcher 109 rotatably attached ; .. , . . . :
~ ~Lo37~79 to the front end tilereof. A catcher roller 111 is rotatably attaclled to the intermediate region of the catcher arm 110.
With the above described arrangement, as the nut member 84 moves upwardly in the guide pipe 77, the slide member 85 is lifted by the slide membPr 107 through a predetermined distance, :`
so that the catcher 109 attached tc) the slide member 107 throuyh ~ ~.
the catcher arm L10 enters the frame 4 through an elongated open- ;~
ing 112 formed in the lower surface thereof and projects into the pa~h of travel of the detector dog 13 attached to the transfer ;~
: 10 chain 2. The dog 13 attached to the transfer chain 2 engages the catcher lC9, and thereafter the guide pipe 77 is tilted by the transfer chain 2 in the direction of travel of the transfe~ chain 2. The catcher roller 111 on the catcher arm 110 has abutted - against the lower surface of the frame 4. In addition, the catcher arm 110 is forced constantly upwardly by a spring 113.
When the catcher 1~9 abutting against the dog 13 is n~oved through a predetermined distance, the catcher roller 111 runs on a cam ..
114 having a slope and attached to the lower surface of the frame 4, as shown in Figure 21, with the result that the catcher arm.llO
is depressed against the orce of the spring 113 to release the catch OE 109 from the dog 13. The ~orkpiece delivery device XXXXIII, as shown in Figure 22, comprises a workpiece vibration-, , ~ , . ~preventive plate 114 and a worXpiece guide plate 115, which are mounted on the lat~ral surface of the frame 4 for the horizontal .
transfer device XI where the transfer pins 3 project, so as to ~ .
be located below the level of the transfer pins 3 and opposed to .~ ;
the above described operative connection device XXXXII. The guide plate 115 has a taper 116 extending from the rear end to the ~ .
middle, coming closer to the lateral side of the frame 4 as it is :~
~)379r~9 traced from the rear end to the front end. ~et~een the ~ront end portion of the guide plate 115 and the lateral side of the ~rame 4, there is a width sufficient for woxkpieces W to pass without hindrance. The rear end of the guide plate 115 i9 located ~pp~ox~
im~ately at` the position where the l:ransfer pin 94 is ~ttached.
W~en the vertical transfer pin 94 retaining a workpiece ~ is moved in the direction of travel of the transfer chain 2 while it is in opposed relationship with the hcrizontal trans~er pin 3, the work-piece W is gradually pushed toward the frame 4 along the taper 116 until it is delivered from the vertical transfer pin 94 onto the horizontal transfer pin 3. `
The function of the collecting device will now be describedO ~ !, ' When a workpiece is placed on the vertical transfer pin ~ ;
94 of the transfer device XXXXI by any suitable method, the motor 80 is started manually or automatically, so that the rotary shaft ~;
81 is rotated, whereupon the spur gear 87 meshing with the spur gear 89 fixed on the rotary shaft 81 is rotated to rotate the dri~e mechanism 86~ The bevel gear 90 provided in the drive mechanism 86 is rotated and hence the screw shaft 83 is rotated.
` As the screw shaft 83 is rotated, the nut member 84 engaged with ~
the screw shaft 83 tends to be rotated, but the presence of the ; -`
cam follower 93 in the guide pipe 77 prevents the rotation of ~he nut member, so that the latter is caused to move upwardly along ~
the screw shaf. 83. As the cam follower 93 is moved upwardly ~ ;
sliding in the guide groove 78, the transfer pin 94 attached to the ;~
,,~, . ..
front end of the transfer axm member 85 reaches a position where it is horizontally aligned with the transfer pin 3 and these two pins are opposed to each other. when the arm member 85 is just about to reach th~ upper end of its stroke, it pushes up the slide :
member 107 of th~ oper2tive connect:ion device XXXXII, whereupon the upper end of the catcher 109 at:tached to the slide member 107 throush the catcher arm 110 projects into the frame 4 of the horiz¢ntal transfer device XI through the elongated opening 112 formed in the lower surface of the frame 4 until it enters the path of travel of the transfer chain 2 to provide for the detection of a predetermined detection dog 13. SUCh detection dogs 3 are attached to the transfer chain 2 so as to be associated with the detection dogs 13, and when such dog 13 abuts against the catcher 109, the horizontal transfer pin 3 reaches a position where it is aligned with the transfer pin 94~ when the dog 13 abuts against the catcher 109~ the latter is retained by the dog 13 and thereby pushed in the direction of travel of the transfer chain 2. As the catcher 109 is moved, the transfer device XXXXI is swung around the axis of the swing means 95 at the lower end thereof in the direction of travel of the transfer chain 2, causing the guide roller 105 to run in the guide frame 104. At this time, the vertical transfer pin 94 and the horizontal transfer pin 3 are moved at-the same speed in the same direction in opposed relation-ship with each other, and the workpiece W retained hy the vertical transfer pin ~4 comes in contact with the taper 116 of the guide plate 115 during movement and is gradually urged toward the frame 4 until it is delivered onto the horizontal transfer pin 3 and thereby transferred. Although the vertical transfer pin 94 moves ~ -in an arcuate path while the horizontal transfer pin 3 moves in a straight path, there will not be any difficulty in the delivery of workpieces so long as the greatest amount of shift between the two paths is smaller than the aperture size o~ workpieces. Upon - 24 - :
3797~
completion of delivery of the workpiece, the catchex roller 111 attached to the catcher arm 110 is depressed by the'cam 114 provided on the lower surface of the ~rame 4 and th~ catcher arm 110 is moved downwardly against the force of the spring 113, so that the catcher 109 attached to the front end of the catcher arm 110 is also lowered and released from the dog 13. When the catcher 109 is released from the dog 13, the transfer device XXXXI
which has swung i5 returned to its original position by the return spring 100. The inertia of the transfer device XXXXI in returning ~
~' :
movement is absorbed by the cushion device 101 to allow the trans-fer device XXXXI to stop quietly. When the trans~er device XXXXI
returns to its original position, this is detected by an electric detector or the like (not shown), the ~atter then producing a signal to reverse the direction of rotation oS the motor 80 so as to lower the transfer arm member 85. When the transfer arm member 8S is lowered, the motor 80 is stopped by a position detector ~
(not shown~ and all is ready for the next transfer. ~-The drive source to be used in this collecting device may be an electric motor or a fluid motor. Also, the drive mechanism 82 is not limited to one using gears and it may be of the direct .
connection type using belts or couplings.
As has been described so far, according to this collect~
ing device, a workpiece to be transferred is retained by the trans- `~
fer pin of the vertical transfer device and thereby upwardly trans-ferred and the catcher of the operative connection device attached to the upper end of the transfer device is ca~sed to abut against the dog of the pin type transfer device. The vertical transfer pin and the horiæontal transfer pin are opposed to each other and in this condition they are moved at the same speed in the same ~ ~3797~
~irection through a pre~etermincd distance along the frame, during which mov~ment -the guide plate attached to the frame causes the wor~piece to move from the horizontal transfer pin onto the vertical transfer pin. After the workpiece has been moved fully, the catcher is released from the dog and the operative connection device and vertical transfer device are returned to their original positions to be ready for the next transfer operation. Furihermore, it is so arranged that the catcher will not abut against the detection dogs associated with the horizontal transfer pins which are no~J transferring workpieces. Thus, without stopping the horizontal transfer device, workpieces can be placed in the transfer~
line and they can be efficiently transferred. Moreover, all but -~the vertical movement control are mechanically operatively connected together and since there is no need to use a complicated control mechanism, there is little trouble in connection with con~xol~
Furthermore, since the transfer is simply by catching a workpiece by a transfer pin, there is no need to alter the arrangement of the apparatus when the size of workpieces is changed. Also~ as the direction in which the transfer pin of the ver~ical transfer device extends at the lower end can be freely changed by changing the shape of the guide groove formed in the guide pipe, the -direction in which workpieces are taken in onto the vertical trans- ~`
fer pin is optional.
The inle. uni~ used in the ~resent invention ~ill no--be described ~ith reference to Figures 9 through 11 . The system according to Figures .9 and 10 is concerned ..
with the movement OI worXpieces from a horizontal to a verticai .~
direction or from a vertical to a horizontal direction and is ~.
. constituted by a vertical pin ty~,e transCer device XI and a ., 10 horizontal conveyor device ~II. The vertical pin type transfer .. ~ :
~: - device ~I comprises a .rame a, a transfer cnain 2 adapted to :~
circulate inside the frame, and transfer ~ins 3 carried upwardly `~
and downwardly by the transfer chain 29 The conveyor device XII .
. comprises two conveyor beits 24, 24' oprosed to the transfer chain 2 and horizontally disposed close to each other .to de~ine a clear-, ance therebetween so as to allo~ the transfer pins attached to the transfer chain to pass therethrough, and means (not sho~m) for driving the belts 24, 2 ' in forward and re~erse directions.
In this embodiment, a worlcpiece W conveyed on the con~
20 veyor belts 24, 24' to their front-ends is caught by a transfer pin 3 on the up~ard trans*er chain 2 traveling inside the ortho-I gonal vertical ~rame a and is c-arried to an upper position, . Furthermore, a ~orkpiece r.-J retained by a do~mward trans~er pin 3. .............................................................. ...
on the downward transfer chain 2 travelling inside the verlical ~ :
frame 4 mav be placed on the conveyor belts 24, 2 ' as the work-piece W is ~7ithdra~n from the dotmwardly moving transfer pin 3, and it may then be carried to a horizontal predetermined position.
~ addition, the conveyor device ~II may be replaced by a some~hat inclined chute (not shown) or a horizontal plate-like _ 9 _ ~ ' .
J `' `,~ ~a379 ' 9 chute (not shown) provided with pusher r.leans (not shown). - :
The device shown in Figure 11 includes a workpiece insertion m~ans XIII attached to the frame 4. ~ this case, ....
the device is intended for the transfer o~ workpieces ~ :
upwardly from a horizontal direc~ic~n. ~hus, the workpiece :;
insert ion means XIII is fixed on the above-described frame 4 .
astride the transfer chain 2 and comprises two rollexs 25, 25' having a central clearance therebetween through which the up~
ward transfer pins 3 pass, swing arms 26, 26' and stops 27/ 27'.
10 The swing arms 26, 26' are pivotally connected at their roots to the frzme 4 and are provided at their front ends with rollers . ~5, 25'. The stops 27, 27' are fixed on the frame 4 below the swing arms 26, 26', the front end surfaces 28, 28' thereof . normally contacting the o`uter peripheral surfaces of the .
. rollers 25, 25'.
. . In this embodiment, the rollers 25, 25' serve to urg~
a workpiece W against the root of an upward transfer pin 3 as ;~
said workpiece is conveyed by conveyor belts 24, 241 and is raised by the transfer pin 3~ In this case, the xollers 25, 25' ~ `
are arranged so that they can be rotated and that they can be ~ ~
- ..
moved slightly up and down by the swing arms 26, 26'. However, it is not always necessary to rotate the rollers 25, 25'. ~t is.only necessary for them to have smooth surfaces highly resis~
tant to wear. Also~ it is not always necessary to use a cylin- ::
drical roller, and instead an inclined plate or a semilunar plate may be used.
As described above in connection with the two embodi-ments, the inlet means is constituted by transfer maans such as conveyor belts or chutes having a central clearance allowin~ the -- 10 _ .
`. ~037g~;9 passage of tr~nsfer pins 3 therethrough, a transfer chain circu-la~ing along a frame ortho~onal to said transfer means, and transfer pins fixed to said trans~er chain. The position~l relationship between the compon~nts is so versatile r~lative to the shape and the size of workpieces to be transferred that there is no need to make adjustments in connection with some change of type nu~bers. Furthermore, workpieces can be extremely easily and securely moved vertically from a horizontal direction or horizontally from a vertical direction~ Moreover, the device ~, 0 lS simple in constructionO
Figures 12 and 13 show another embodiment of an inlet device, comprising a vertical pin type transfer device XXI, a chute XXII, a pusher XXIII, hand-over dish means XXlV, and insertion means XXVI~ The pin'type transfer device XXI comprises a vertical frame 4 defining a path of travel for transfer pins 3, a transfer chain 2 adapted to move vertically inside the frame 4, and transfer pins 3 attached to the transfer chain 2 ~ ' for vertical movement therewith~ The chute XXII comprises a flat ~ ' conveyor or plate 37 provided with upright guides 36, 36 on both sides, there being provided a loading position 38 at the terminal end thereof. The pusher XXIII comprises a v-notched pusher plate ' 39'and a piston 40 and it is positioned in the same plane as that of the loading position 38 of the chute xxII and is set so as to push forwardly and horizontally a workpiece W lo~ated at the load~
ing position 38 on the chute XXII. The hand-over dish means comprises a dish 43 provided with upright flanges or walls 41 , 41 ', 42, 42', and an arm 44 supporting the dish 43 and adapted to be revolved by a cam or by other means (not shown3. The front portion of the dish 43 intimately engages upward transfer pins 3 on the - ' ~0379 ~ 9 ~ ~
pin typ~ transfer device X~I and has a notched groove 45 allow-ing upward transfer pins 3 to pass therethrough upwardly rom ~ i below. In addition, defined between th~ front flanges or walls ' 41 and 41' on the dish a3 is a clearance corresponding to the ~
clearance in the notche~ groove 45 of the dish 43. The adjusting '. ~:
means XXV comprises a V-notched adjusting plat~ 46 and a mechanism ~ :
47 for resiliently forwardly pushing the adjusting plate 46, and it i~ disposed somewhat above the level of the workpiece hand-over dish 43, the arrangement being such that when a workpiece W
at the loading position 38 on the chute XXII is pushed onto the .. . . . ~ .
dish 43, the a~m 44 supporting the dish 43 is rearwardly revolved by the action of cam means (not shown) and the workpiece W on the ~ ~
. ~ :
- dish 43 is pushed forwardly by the adjusting plate 46 until it . assu,mes its normal position. The insertion means XXVI comprises two rota~able rollers 48, 48', swing arms 49, 49' supporting the ,~
rollers 48, 48' for vertical movement, and a stop 50, and it is mounted on the frame 4 and astride the transfer chain 2. More particularly, the essential arrangement of this device is as ~: :
j follows. The front end of the chute XXII and the dish 43 of the 20 hand-over means XXIV extend close to the attachment region of transfer pins 3 a,pproximately perpendicularly to the vertical 1 ' transfer section of the pin type transfer device XXI. The chute XXII and the dish 43 are provided with notched grooves 45, 45' ~ ~
through which the transfer pins pass. Above t~e dish 43, there ~' are rollers 48, 48' supported by swing arms 49, 49', and the swing arms 49, 49' are pivotally connected to the frame 4. As shown in Figure 13, the distance 1 from the upper surface of the i dish 43 to the lower side of the outer diameter of the rollers j 48, 48' is about 1/2 - 2/3 of the outer diameter of a workpiece .,, ~ .. ... . .
gL a~379~9 ~I to be processed. The rollers 48, 48' can be revolved verti-cally around the pivot at which the swing arms ag, a,g ~ are attached to the frame 4. ~ stop 50 is prov:ided i.ntermediate the swing arms 49, 49' and the dish ~3, and the controlled clearance between the ...
frame 4 and the rollers 48, a8' is about 1/2 - 1 of the wid~h ! dimension of workpieces ~. Also, the rollers 48, 48' are supported by bearings (not sho~inj so as to be rotatable~ The dish 43 is provided with flanges or walls 41, 41', 42' so that a workpiece W to be transferred can be positioned substantially at the middle~
The adjusting plate 46 for determining the normal position W' for ~. a workpiece W when the latter is to be picked up from the dish 43 -~ by a transfer pin 3 is supported by a support shaft 51 which is ~ ~
guided by a guide 52. The adjusting plate 46 is urged forwardly ~ ~ ;
by a spring 53. .
.In operation, when a workpiece W is positioned on the ~ .
loading position 38 on the chute XXII, the piston 40 of the pusher .~ :
XXIII is extended so that the workpiece W is pushed by the pusher plate 39 fixed to the front end of the piston 40 until it is placed on the dish 43 of the hand-over means XXIII~ However~ it .;
! 20 does not necessarily follow that the workpiece ~ assumes the normal position W' on the dish 43. Then, the arm 44 supporting the dish 43 is revolved rearwardly by a cam or by other means ~not shown). Disposed rearwardly of the dish 43 is the adjusting ~ -plate 46, and the workpiece ~l abuts against the V-shaped notch in the adjusting plate.so that the workpiece is pushed xelatively forwardly into contact with the V-shaped flanges or walls 41, 41' and is placed at the normal position ~' on the dish 43. If the workpiece has a large outer diameter, the adjusting plate 46 is retracted, but when the dish 43 is moved ~orwardly again, the ~3 , ' .
, . . . . . .
. ~ ~ -- . - ' . .. .,, . , :. ' : ' : ' . ' `` 1~3~9~79 : a~justing plate is pushed back to its original position by the s~ri~g 53. The dish 43 then is moved forwardly by the arm 44 under the action o~ the cam or of other ~eans (not shown) until ~.
it assumes a position opposed to the transfer chain 2 in ~he frame 4. At this time, the notched groove 45 in the dish 43 assumes a position opposed to an upward ~ransfer pin 3 being con-.. veyed by the transfer chain 2. Since the upward transfer pin 3 being conveyed by the transfer chain 2 can pass through the notched groove 45 in the dish 43, the workpiece W on the dish 43 is caught and transfexred upwardly by the transfer pin 3 which ~
- has passed through the notched grooYe 45 in the dish 43. At a ~ ~ :
` position above the dish 43 and astride the transfer chain 2, : there exist the rollers 48, 48' attached to ~he ~rame 4 through : ~
the swing arms 49, 49' and cooperating with the ~rame to def me ~.
a clearance therebetween. Therefore, when the workpiece W caught and removed from the dish 43 by the upward transfer pin 3 ~asses between the rollers 48, 48' and the frame 4, it is pushed in fully to the root of the upward transfer pin ~nd is conveyed up~
wardly~ The dish 43 is brought back to its original position by the arm 44 under t~e action of the cam or of other means (not shown)~
- As has been described so far, the inlet means consists essentially of hand-over means including a dish for receiving a workpiece W pushed out from the loading position 38 by the pusher XXII, provided with a notched groove ~5 at the front central xegion ~:
thereof and supported for swinging back and forth, an adjusting member disposed rearwardly of the hand-over dish whereby a work- :
piece ~7 on said hand-over dish is positioned at the normal position, and insertion means for workpieces W attached to the frame so as to be disposed above said hand-over dish and astride the transfer ; . .. : . . ... . . ,:
` ` ~037979 ~:
ch~in 2 and the transrer pins 3, th~ arrangement being such that a workpiece ~1 on said hand-over dish is caught by a tran~er pin and thereby conveyed to a Fredetermin~d place~ Therefore, work-pieccs being fed in ~i.h thelr end ~aces do~m can be extremely easily handed over to transfer pins upwardly moving along the vertical frame~ ~Ioreover, the positional relationship of the ~;
various parts is very versatile relative to changes in the shape .
and the size o workpieces and some chang~ in the shape or 5 ize ` ~:
does not necessitate adjustments.
A bypass device according to the bypass unit used in the present invention will now be described with reference to ~ -~
Figures 14 through 16.
~n these Figures, the bypass device comprises a transfer device XI for transferring workpieces, and a discharge device XXXI ~or discharging workpieces ~rom the transfer device XI~
The transfer devlce XI comprises a trans~er chain 2 having roller chains 5d arranged in two ro~Js adapted to be circulated inslde a frame 4, transfer pins 3 for retaining workPieces at ached to every several lin~s o~ said transfer chain 2 so as to ~roject from one side of said trans~er chain, and a detector dog 73 ~-associated with the transfer chain 2~ The dog 13 is variable in its posi,ion axially of the transfer chain 2. The discharge device XXXI is attached through a base 55 to tne lateral surface of .he frame 4 where the transfer pins 3 do not project, as sho~n in Fi~ure 1~. Fixed on the base 55 is a slide guide 56 which is ~arallel to the transfer chain and in which a slide 57 is axially moved. The lateral surface of the slide 57 has a catcher arm 59 pivotally connected thereto by a pin 60 and provided at its ~ront end with a rotatable catcher 58 fox detecting the dog 13 attached ~, . . .
- 1~37~9 to the transfer chain 2~ The catcher arm 59 is ursed constantly up~ax~ by a push-up spring int~rposed between the catch~r arm and an ar~l 61 fixed to the slidc 57, wllile the catcher 58 is urged constantl~ against a stop 5~' on th_ catcher arm 59 b~ a bufrer spring 63 interposed 'ne.~ieen t~e catcher and ,he catc~.er ar~. The catch~ arm S9 has a catcher roller 64 at.ache~ ~o th~ c~n~ral re~ion thereof and contacting the base 55 to facili-tate the movement of the catcher arm 59. The front end of the catcher 58 projects into the path of travel of the iransfer chain 2 througn an elon~ated notch 65 formed in the bottom of the rram~e 4 and in the base 55, and waits for a dog 13 to arrive.
The catcher roller 64 is movable longitud~nally together with the catcher arm 59 into contact with a wedge-shaped cam 66 attached to .he inner surface o the base 55 to depress the catcher arm 59 against the orce of the push-up spring 62 to thereby release the catcher 58 from the dog 13~ The slide 57 and the catcher arm 59 are pulled bac~ by a return spring 68 interposed be.ween a ~-~ fixed shaft 67 on the base 55 and an æ m 61 fixed to the slide 57.
I Disposed rearwardly o~ the slide guide 56 is a cushion unit 69 for j 20 absorbin~ a shock when the slide 5~ returns to its original posi-tion. The base 55 is proviaed with a revolving shaft 70, which is provided with a swing member 73 having attached there ~o an ejec-! tor 71 and a swing arm 72 for drop~ing workpieces ~J from the trans-fer pins 3. A revolving return spring 74 is inter~osed between the swing member 73 and the lower surface of the base 55 for ~ositioning the ~j~ctor ~late 71 in a notch 4' in the frame 4 to maintain it in parallel relationship with th~ frame 4. An arm 61 fixed to the slide 57 is provided with a cam follower 75 which contacts the swin~ arm 72 at its side adjacent ~he position wnere - ~ 16 -.... . .
~37979 J the swing arM 72 and the swing ~em~er 73 are connected together.
The swiny arm 72 is attached in such an attitude that it e~tends obliquely with respect ~o ~he direction of travel o ~he transfer chai.n 2 so as to inter~ere ~ith the forward movement of the cam follo~ler 75 7h~ch is moved along ~lith the transfer chain 2. Tlle ;~
cam ~ollo~Jer 75, by being moved along with the slide 57 in the `~
direction of the transfer chain 2, urges the swing arm 72 against ~he force of the revolving spring 74 to s~ling the s~ing mem~er 73 ;`
for actuating the ejector plate.
The operations of the various parts will no~l be des-cribedO ~orkpieces W are retained by the transfer pins 3 which are transferred by the transfer chain 20 When a dog 13 attached ~
to the transfer chain 2 stri~;es the catcher 58 projecting into ~.
the path of tra~el o the trans.er chain, it p~shes and advances - the catcher 58. The slide 57 retaining the catcher 58 through the catcher arm 59 is then moved at the same speed as that of the ~ ; .
transfer chain 2. Since the cam follower 75 connected to the slide 57 urges the s~7ing arm 72 as the slide 57 is moved, the ¦ swing arm 72 is gradually -evolved as shown in phanto~ lines in . ~`
Figure 16 and hence the s~ing member 70 joined to the _wing arm ¦ 72 revolves around the axis of the revolving shaft 70 so that the ejector plate 71 attached to the front end of the swing member - - .
t 73 is opened as sho~Jn in phantom lines in Figure 16, thereby ` -:
drop~ing the ~orkpiece ~7 from the transfer pin 3.:into a chute 76.
As the slide 57 is moved further, the catcher roller 6a on the catcher arm 59 reaches the cam 66 on the slide guide 56 and rolls therealong, ~hereupon the catcher arm 59 is ~epressed against the force of the push-up spring to release the catcher 58 from the dog 13. As the catcher 58 is released from the dog 13, the slide .
10379't7~
57, the catcher arm ss and th~ cam follower 75 are returned to their original positions by the tension in the return sprin~ 68.
Further, the ejector plate 71, the swing arm 72 and the swing member 73 are also returned to their original positions by the revolving return sprins 74. The cushion unit 69 absorbs the shock produced ~hen the slide 57 is quickly returned by the return spring 68. As for the action of the ejector plate 71, its degree .
o~ opening is determined by the amount the swing arm ?2 is pushed by the cam follower 75O In other words, the degree of opening of . 10 the ejector plate 71 is determined by the amount of slid~ N the catcher roller 64 is moved to reach ~he cam 66~ If the distance ! between the transfer pin 3 and the ~og 13 is expressed by L, since . it follows that the workpiece being conveyed by the transfer pin 3 passes through the position of the ejector plate 71 when the latter is opened, the ejector plate 71 causes the workpieces to ~ :
fall down into the chute 76. By this method, workpieces being - :~
. .. ~.
transferred can be removed from the pin type transfer apparatus :~
and discharged outside the machine. Furthermore, when workpieces which do not need to be discharged by the discharge device XXXI ~ ~
pass through this position, since the ejector plate 71 i9 closely ~`
¦ contacted with the frame 4, they, without being discharged there, go to a predetermined discharge area where they are discharged outside the machine by the action of another dog and cat~her.
I As an alternative embodiment, instead of the above-described mechanlcal method of detection of a dog 13 by a catcher 58, it is possible to use a contactless relay, a microswitch or the like for electrical detection and to effect the opening and closing of the ejector plate 71 by an electrical or pneumatic actuator. Furthermore, it is also possible to use a weight in , : . - , - ~ ~ : . - -37~7~ ~
place of the return spring for the slide 57 or th~ ejector plate 71. If an actuator is used for the operation o~ the ejector plate 71, rectilinear motion may ble used instead of rotative motion~ .
~ s has been described so far; this bypass devioe c~m-prises a transfer chain which is provided with workpiece transfer ~ :
pins and detector dogs disposed at predetermined intervals and -~ :.
w hich is adapted to be circulated in an ~ndless ~orm inside a ~ .
frame, a catcher carried on said transfer chain and adapted to `~.
10 engage a dog when a transfer pin holding a workpiece reaches a . -- predetermined position, a slide retaining a catcher through a catcher arm, connected to a return spring and movable a predeter-mined distance in the direction of travel of the transfer chain, a cam follower and a swing arm whereby a swing member having a .
workpiece ejecting plate positioned parallel to the frame is ~.
or~hogonally parallelly opened around the axis of a revolving shaf~, and a wedge-shaped cam positioned so that when said catcher : :
has traveled said predetermined distance, the catchex.is disengased from the dog. With this arrangement, desired workpieces extremely easily and securely can be discharged from the transfer apparat~s, . .
and there is no need to stop the movement of the pin type transfer apparatusO The discharge device itself has no-power source and .:
operates on the basis of mechanical memory and detection, so that there is no difficulty in detection and control. Furthermore~ the positional relationship and the amount of movement of the components ;.
are independent of the size of workpieces, so that there is no need to make adjustments or to alter the arrangement even if there ' is a change of workpieces4 A collecting device according to the collecting unit used . .
in the present invention will now ~e described with re~erence toFisures 17 through 22.
As shown in these Figures, the collecting device comprises .
a vertical transfer device XXXXI for workpieces, an operative connection devicP XXXXII, and a workpiece delivery device XXXXIII.
The vertical transfer device XXXXIo as shown in Figures 17 a~d 18, comprises a hollow cylindrical guide pipe 77 provided with a ~:
straight or a curved guide groove 78 along the longitudinal axis thereofO a box 79 supporting the guide pipe 77, a motor 80 mounted on the lateral surface of the box 79 and having a rotary shaft 81 projecting into the box, the rotation o the motor 80 being trans-mitted from the rotary shaft 81 through a drive mechanism 82 to a screw shaft 83 inserted in the guide pipe 77, thereby rotating the screw shaft 83, so that a transfer arm member 85 engaging the screw shaft 83 through a nut member 84 is moved up and down.. The ~ :
drive mechanism 82 comprises a spur gear 87 and a bevel gear 88, both being fixed on a drive shaft 86, the spur gear 87 meshing with a spur gear 89 fixed on the rotary shaft 81 of the motor 80, the bevel gear 88 meshing with a bevel gear 90 fixed on the lower end portion of the screw shaft 83 to transmit the rotation of the motor 80 to the screw shaft 83. ~he nut member 84 has an outer ring 91 rotatably mounted on the outer periphery thereof~ and the ~:
- transfer arm member 85 is attached to said outer ring by screws 92 or the like by making use of the ~uide groove 78 in the guide pipe 77~ A cam follower 93 disposed in the guide groove 78 is fixed to the transfer arm member 85. Therefore, when the screw shaft 83 is rotated, the engagement between the cam follower 93 and the guide groove 78 causes the transfer arm member 85 to be moved upwardly or downwardly to control the range of movement of the - 20 - ;
~C~37~79 i transfer arm member 85~ The transfer arm member 85 preerably has a large width so as to be prevented from chattering~ but its shape is optional. A transf~r pin 94 for retaining a workpiece is ::~ -firmly fixed to the front end port:ion o the transf~r arm me~.ber 85.
Provided on the lower surface of the box 79 is swing means 9S
whereby the device .YXX~I for upwardly ~ransferring apertured work~
pieces is swung along the transfer chain~ The swing means includes a shaft 99 extending centrally through a support member 97 fixed ~ -on a frame 96 which is used for installation of the transfer device XXXXI, and through an attaching member 98 fixed to the lower surface of the box 79. The movement of the transfer device in the direction of travel of the trans.er chain is effected by the chain, and its movement in the opposite direction bac~ to its original - position is effected by a return spring 100 associated with a cushion device 101 and attached to a projection 79' formed on one side of the upper sur~ace of the box 79. The device XXXXII for operatively connecting the transer device to the chain comprises a guide portion 102 and a coupling portion 103, as shown in Figures 19 and 20. The guide portion 102 comprises a guide roller 105 inserted in a guide frame 104 with its lower end open and fixed to the lateral sur~ace of the frame 4 where the transfer pins . do not project, the guide roller 105 being mounted on a support frame 106 fixed to the upper lateral surface of the guide pipe 77. ~ :
Thus, the guide roller 105 is slid inside the guide frame 10~ to ::
facilitate the swing motion of the guide pipe 77.
The coupling portion 103 comprises a guide member 107 disposed on the upper end of the guide pipe 77 so as to be vertically movable, and a catcher arm 110 swingably attached to :`
the slide member 107 and having a catcher 109 rotatably attached ; .. , . . . :
~ ~Lo37~79 to the front end tilereof. A catcher roller 111 is rotatably attaclled to the intermediate region of the catcher arm 110.
With the above described arrangement, as the nut member 84 moves upwardly in the guide pipe 77, the slide member 85 is lifted by the slide membPr 107 through a predetermined distance, :`
so that the catcher 109 attached tc) the slide member 107 throuyh ~ ~.
the catcher arm L10 enters the frame 4 through an elongated open- ;~
ing 112 formed in the lower surface thereof and projects into the pa~h of travel of the detector dog 13 attached to the transfer ;~
: 10 chain 2. The dog 13 attached to the transfer chain 2 engages the catcher lC9, and thereafter the guide pipe 77 is tilted by the transfer chain 2 in the direction of travel of the transfe~ chain 2. The catcher roller 111 on the catcher arm 110 has abutted - against the lower surface of the frame 4. In addition, the catcher arm 110 is forced constantly upwardly by a spring 113.
When the catcher 1~9 abutting against the dog 13 is n~oved through a predetermined distance, the catcher roller 111 runs on a cam ..
114 having a slope and attached to the lower surface of the frame 4, as shown in Figure 21, with the result that the catcher arm.llO
is depressed against the orce of the spring 113 to release the catch OE 109 from the dog 13. The ~orkpiece delivery device XXXXIII, as shown in Figure 22, comprises a workpiece vibration-, , ~ , . ~preventive plate 114 and a worXpiece guide plate 115, which are mounted on the lat~ral surface of the frame 4 for the horizontal .
transfer device XI where the transfer pins 3 project, so as to ~ .
be located below the level of the transfer pins 3 and opposed to .~ ;
the above described operative connection device XXXXII. The guide plate 115 has a taper 116 extending from the rear end to the ~ .
middle, coming closer to the lateral side of the frame 4 as it is :~
~)379r~9 traced from the rear end to the front end. ~et~een the ~ront end portion of the guide plate 115 and the lateral side of the ~rame 4, there is a width sufficient for woxkpieces W to pass without hindrance. The rear end of the guide plate 115 i9 located ~pp~ox~
im~ately at` the position where the l:ransfer pin 94 is ~ttached.
W~en the vertical transfer pin 94 retaining a workpiece ~ is moved in the direction of travel of the transfer chain 2 while it is in opposed relationship with the hcrizontal trans~er pin 3, the work-piece W is gradually pushed toward the frame 4 along the taper 116 until it is delivered from the vertical transfer pin 94 onto the horizontal transfer pin 3. `
The function of the collecting device will now be describedO ~ !, ' When a workpiece is placed on the vertical transfer pin ~ ;
94 of the transfer device XXXXI by any suitable method, the motor 80 is started manually or automatically, so that the rotary shaft ~;
81 is rotated, whereupon the spur gear 87 meshing with the spur gear 89 fixed on the rotary shaft 81 is rotated to rotate the dri~e mechanism 86~ The bevel gear 90 provided in the drive mechanism 86 is rotated and hence the screw shaft 83 is rotated.
` As the screw shaft 83 is rotated, the nut member 84 engaged with ~
the screw shaft 83 tends to be rotated, but the presence of the ; -`
cam follower 93 in the guide pipe 77 prevents the rotation of ~he nut member, so that the latter is caused to move upwardly along ~
the screw shaf. 83. As the cam follower 93 is moved upwardly ~ ;
sliding in the guide groove 78, the transfer pin 94 attached to the ;~
,,~, . ..
front end of the transfer axm member 85 reaches a position where it is horizontally aligned with the transfer pin 3 and these two pins are opposed to each other. when the arm member 85 is just about to reach th~ upper end of its stroke, it pushes up the slide :
member 107 of th~ oper2tive connect:ion device XXXXII, whereupon the upper end of the catcher 109 at:tached to the slide member 107 throush the catcher arm 110 projects into the frame 4 of the horiz¢ntal transfer device XI through the elongated opening 112 formed in the lower surface of the frame 4 until it enters the path of travel of the transfer chain 2 to provide for the detection of a predetermined detection dog 13. SUCh detection dogs 3 are attached to the transfer chain 2 so as to be associated with the detection dogs 13, and when such dog 13 abuts against the catcher 109, the horizontal transfer pin 3 reaches a position where it is aligned with the transfer pin 94~ when the dog 13 abuts against the catcher 109~ the latter is retained by the dog 13 and thereby pushed in the direction of travel of the transfer chain 2. As the catcher 109 is moved, the transfer device XXXXI is swung around the axis of the swing means 95 at the lower end thereof in the direction of travel of the transfer chain 2, causing the guide roller 105 to run in the guide frame 104. At this time, the vertical transfer pin 94 and the horizontal transfer pin 3 are moved at-the same speed in the same direction in opposed relation-ship with each other, and the workpiece W retained hy the vertical transfer pin ~4 comes in contact with the taper 116 of the guide plate 115 during movement and is gradually urged toward the frame 4 until it is delivered onto the horizontal transfer pin 3 and thereby transferred. Although the vertical transfer pin 94 moves ~ -in an arcuate path while the horizontal transfer pin 3 moves in a straight path, there will not be any difficulty in the delivery of workpieces so long as the greatest amount of shift between the two paths is smaller than the aperture size o~ workpieces. Upon - 24 - :
3797~
completion of delivery of the workpiece, the catchex roller 111 attached to the catcher arm 110 is depressed by the'cam 114 provided on the lower surface of the ~rame 4 and th~ catcher arm 110 is moved downwardly against the force of the spring 113, so that the catcher 109 attached to the front end of the catcher arm 110 is also lowered and released from the dog 13. When the catcher 109 is released from the dog 13, the transfer device XXXXI
which has swung i5 returned to its original position by the return spring 100. The inertia of the transfer device XXXXI in returning ~
~' :
movement is absorbed by the cushion device 101 to allow the trans-fer device XXXXI to stop quietly. When the trans~er device XXXXI
returns to its original position, this is detected by an electric detector or the like (not shown), the ~atter then producing a signal to reverse the direction of rotation oS the motor 80 so as to lower the transfer arm member 85. When the transfer arm member 8S is lowered, the motor 80 is stopped by a position detector ~
(not shown~ and all is ready for the next transfer. ~-The drive source to be used in this collecting device may be an electric motor or a fluid motor. Also, the drive mechanism 82 is not limited to one using gears and it may be of the direct .
connection type using belts or couplings.
As has been described so far, according to this collect~
ing device, a workpiece to be transferred is retained by the trans- `~
fer pin of the vertical transfer device and thereby upwardly trans-ferred and the catcher of the operative connection device attached to the upper end of the transfer device is ca~sed to abut against the dog of the pin type transfer device. The vertical transfer pin and the horiæontal transfer pin are opposed to each other and in this condition they are moved at the same speed in the same ~ ~3797~
~irection through a pre~etermincd distance along the frame, during which mov~ment -the guide plate attached to the frame causes the wor~piece to move from the horizontal transfer pin onto the vertical transfer pin. After the workpiece has been moved fully, the catcher is released from the dog and the operative connection device and vertical transfer device are returned to their original positions to be ready for the next transfer operation. Furihermore, it is so arranged that the catcher will not abut against the detection dogs associated with the horizontal transfer pins which are no~J transferring workpieces. Thus, without stopping the horizontal transfer device, workpieces can be placed in the transfer~
line and they can be efficiently transferred. Moreover, all but -~the vertical movement control are mechanically operatively connected together and since there is no need to use a complicated control mechanism, there is little trouble in connection with con~xol~
Furthermore, since the transfer is simply by catching a workpiece by a transfer pin, there is no need to alter the arrangement of the apparatus when the size of workpieces is changed. Also~ as the direction in which the transfer pin of the ver~ical transfer device extends at the lower end can be freely changed by changing the shape of the guide groove formed in the guide pipe, the -direction in which workpieces are taken in onto the vertical trans- ~`
fer pin is optional.
Claims (3)
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A pin type transfer apparatus for apertured workpieces com-prising frame means, slot means vertically disposed in said frame means, endless chain means, operatively positioned for movement around said frame means in a vertical plane and in vertical alignment with said slot means of said frame means, a plurality of pin means attached at one end to one lateral surface of said chain means at spaced points therealong, and projecting outwardly therefrom and extending through the slot means of said frame means for vertical movement therein, horizontally disposed hand-over dish means operatively associated with said frame means, said dish means having horizontally disposed slot means positioned centrally thereon from one edge thereof and in registry with the vertically disposed slot means of said frame means to permit the pin means to move therethrough, said hand-over dish means including means for moving said dish means back and forth, means to push a workpiece laterally from a loading position onto said hand-over dish means and in registry with the horizontally dis-posed slot positioned therein, adjusting means positioned rear-wardly of said hand-over dish means for positioning a workpiece thereon in a normal position and insertion means mounted on said frame means and positioned above said hand-over dish means, said frame means straddling said chain means and said pin means there-by permitting a workpiece positioned on the hand-over dish means to be firmly caught by the transfer pin means and thereafter trans-ferred upwardly to a predetermined place.
2. A pin type transfer apparatus for apertured workpieces com-prising frame means, a plurality of sprocket means positioned at spaced intervals along the frame means, power means operatively associated with said sprocket means for rotating same, endless chain means mounted on said sprocket means for endless movement around said frame means upon rotation of said driven sprocket means, a plurality of pin means attached at one end to one lateral surface of said chain means at spaced points therealong and projecting outwardly therefrom in a horizontal plane, inlet feed means operatively associated with said chain means for feeding apertured workpieces for reception by said pin means, outlet feed means operatively associated with said chain means for receiving apertured workpieces discharged from said pin means and by-pass means for removing workpieces from said pin means at selected point, said by-pass means including position detecting dog means attached to said chain means in axially variable relationship thereto at spaced intervals therealong and each being in opera-tive association with a corresponding pin means, catcher means operatively associated and engageable with said dog means, means for moving said catcher means into the path of travel of said chain means to engage said dog means and to move the catcher means for a predetermined distance axially with said chain means while in engagement with said dog means, ejector means mounted on said frame means and actuatable by said catcher means to engage and remove a workpiece carried on said pin means, and cam means engage-able with said catcher means after its movement for a predeter-mined distance to disengage same from said dog means.
3. A pin type transfer apparatus for apertured workpieces com-prising frame means, a plurality of sprocket means positioned at spaced intervals along the frame means, power means operatively associated with said sprocket means for rotating same, endless chain means mounted on said sprocket means for endless movement around said frame means upon rotation of said driven sprocket means, a plurality of horizontal pin means attached at one end to one lateral surface of said chain means at spaced points there-along and projecting outwardly therefrom in a horizontal plane, a plurality of dog means mounted on said chain means and in opera-tive relationship with said pin means, inlet feed means operatively associated with said chain means for feeding apertured workpieces for reception by said pin means, outlet feed means operatively associated with said chain means for receiving apertured work-pieces discharged from said pin means, and collection means for transferring a workpiece from a second pin means to said horizontal pin means, said collection means comprising transfer-arm means, second pin means secured at one end to one end of said arm means for carrying a workpiece thereon, means to move said transfer arm means up or down in the direction of travel of the endless chain means, catcher means mounted for operable engagement with said dog means, means for moving said catcher means into the path of travel of said dog means to engage same and to move the catcher means for a distance sufficient to bring said second pin means into registry with a horizontally disposed pin means, to permit a workpiece positioned on said second pin means to be transferred to the horizontally disposed pin means, and means to disengage said catcher means from said dog means after the workpiece has been transferred.
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP13704975A JPS5261060A (en) | 1975-11-13 | 1975-11-13 | Method of judging types of products having through hole in a pin type carriage |
| JP13760575A JPS5851844B2 (en) | 1975-11-14 | 1975-11-14 | I can't help it, I can't do anything about it. |
| JP13741475A JPS5917691B2 (en) | 1975-11-15 | 1975-11-15 | I can't wait to see what's going on. |
| JP13910375A JPS5262876A (en) | 1975-11-17 | 1975-11-17 | Exhaust apparatus of article having through hole while horizontal conv ey of pin conveyor |
| JP14211775A JPS5264763A (en) | 1975-11-26 | 1975-11-26 | System of supplying through-holed articles to horizontal transport lin e |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1037979A true CA1037979A (en) | 1978-09-05 |
Family
ID=27527476
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA244,571A Expired CA1037979A (en) | 1975-11-13 | 1976-01-28 | Pin type transfer apparatus for apertured-workpieces |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1037979A (en) |
-
1976
- 1976-01-28 CA CA244,571A patent/CA1037979A/en not_active Expired
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