GB1289431A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1289431 Transferring articles in presses L SCHULER GmbH 19 April 1971 [31 Jan 1970] 20718/71 Heading B3Q In a press in which a cup-shaped workpiece 3 is conveyed from one tool to the next by grippers 12, 13, opening and closing in a direction transverse to that in which they convey the workpiece, a suction member 6 lifts the workpiece from each tool and continues its lifting movement until the grippers have moved into close proximity with or into sliding engagement with the workpiece. Means such as a shoulder 20, Fig. 4, ultimately prevents further upward movement of the workpiece whilst continued upward movement of the suction member 6 detaches it from the workpiece. Then the grippers grip the workpiece and convey it to the next tool in the press. In Fig. 3, the suction member 6 has descended on to the base portion of the inverted workpiece 3 and is lifting the workpiece from the tool 1. In Fig. 4 the gripper members (only the gripper 12 being shown) have approached the workpiece so that as the latter is lifted upwardly by the sucker 6 a flange 14 on the workpiece engages the shoulder 20 on the gripper assembly so preventing further upward movement of the workpiece and causing the sucker to disengage, whereupon the workpiece falls until it engages a stop surface 22 on the gripper. The grippers then grip the workpiece and convey it to the next tool. The surface 22 may be provided with a protective lining material, e.g. foam rubber, to prevent damage to the workpiece. The sucker 6 is one which is operative without a source of vacuum. The link motions providing the movement of the gripper arms are described (Fig. 7).