GB2056406A

GB2056406A - Mounting bar and gripper jaw assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2056406A
Application number: GB7929229A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: ATO Inc
Current assignee: Scott Technologies Inc
Priority date: 1979-08-22
Filing date: 1979-08-22
Publication date: 1981-03-18
Also published as: GB2056406B

Abstract

Apparatus for casing and uncasing articles comprises a mounting bar and gripper jaw assembly used for article engaging and transport action and including a mounting bar 16 adapted to extend transversely of a longitudinal axis of the apparatus and engage in use a driving means for movement through a fixed course and a plurality of gripper jaw means 22 carried by each mounting bar. A pair of positioning members 40, 42 and connecting means 44 therefor are provided for each gripper jaw means and the mounting or carrier bar has an entrance and release opening in a bottom lateral portion thereof for such pair of members to permit engagement and disengagement of the gripper jaw means in relation to the mounting bar. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mounting bar and gripper jaw assembly This invention relates to a mounting bar and gripper jaw assembly.

Heretofore there have been many different types of gripper jaw assemblies provided for engaging articles for transport in article or bottle processing apparatus. These gripper jaw assemblies, as used in the present invention, can be of any known types. However, there always are problems involved in positioning these gripper jaw assemblies properly for engaging with articles in a case so that the apparatus can remove the articles from the cases and transport them to a remote area.

One prior U.S. Patent Specification No.

3,951,285 shows laterally movable gripper jaws of one type.

Apparatus has been proposed which is adjustable in the manner of positioning gripper jaw carrier bars in the apparatus to adjust the apparatus easily and rapidly to variations in the numbers of articles in a given case being processed and/or to different spacing and relationships of the articles in the case, or to the number of spacings of transversely extending rows of articles to be processed. The number of articles in a case and the spacing and locations thereof in the case may vary widely. It has been somewhat difficult in apparatus as made heretofore to adjust the individual gripper jaw assemblies transversely of the case and position the gripper jaws in proper operative relationship with the articles to be engaged.

According to the invention there is provided a mounting bar and gripper jaw assembly for use in article processing apparatus comprising a carrier bar for extending transversely of a longitudinal axis of the apparatus and engaging in use a driving and positioning means for movement through a fixed course, a plurality of gripper jaw means operatively carried by and dependnet from said carrier bar, and a pair of positioning members and a connecting shaft therefor for each of said gripper jaw menas, said carrier bar being contoured to operatively engage said members with said shaft engaging an individual gripper jaw means, and said carrier bar having an entrance and release opening for said members in a bottom area thereof.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a gripper jaw means and carrier bar assembly and showing such apparatus in partial association with conveyor and drive means for the carrier bars and a partially diagrammatic view showing the lateral position adjustment of a gripper jaw assembly on the carrier bar; Fig. 2 is a right side elevation, partially shown in vertical section, of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan of the carrier bar assembly of Fig. 1.

With reference now to the details of the structure shown in the drawings, a mounting assembly for a gripper jaw is indicated as a whole by the numeral 10. This mounting assembly is particularly adapted for use with article processing apparatus including members such as driven conveyor means positioned for movement through a fixed course extending longitudinally of a bottle or article processing apparatus, usually a bottle uncaser adapted to pick up bottles from cases and remove them from the cases and deposit them at a remote spot for further processing. Thus, in the drawings, a pair of conveyors 12 and 14 are shown for engaging and moving members, particularly carrier or mounting bars 1 6 through a fixed course extending longitudinally of the apparatus.

An individual gripper jaw means 22 is indicated in the drawings and such gripper jaw means has a frame 24 with a pair of gripper jaws 26 and 28 pivotally positioned thereon for article engaging and transport action as desired. The positions of these gripper jaws are normally controlled and biased to article engaging positions by spring means 47. Control fingers 30 extend upwardly of the gripper jaw assemblies to control the article release action or to prepare for article engaging action of the gripper jaws 26 and 28. A control bar or rod 32 extends vertically upwardly of the gripper jaw assembly and it has a vertically extending slot 34 provided therein used to recieve means to secure the gripper jaw assemblies to the carrier bars.

It particularly should be noted that the carrier bars 1 6 are of a predetermined box-like or closed channel shape and elongate slots or openings 36 and 38 are formed in the top and bottom of the carrier bar 1 6. The bar 1 6 may be of any conventional construction and these slots 36 and 38 extend over the centre portion of the carrier bars but not for the full bar length, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. A top closure bar 39 is suitably welded to the channels forming the bar 1 6 at each lateral margin of the bar to close the slot 36.

In order to mount the individual gripper jaw means 22 in the carrier bars, but yet to provide lateral adjustment of these gripper jaw means on the carrier bars, suitable mounting means, particularly a pair of slides 40 and 42 are positioned in and are complementary in shape to the inner lateral contours of the channel shaped carrier bar 1 6. One of the slides 40 or 42 is positioned on each side of the upper portions of the control fingers 30 and gripper jaw means. The slides 40 and 42 engage the gripper jaw means by a positioning rod or shaft 44 suitably engaging the slides 40 and 42 and extending therebetween through the slot 34 in the control rod 32 to retain the gripper jaw in engagement with such pair of slides for movement therewith.Normally the slides and bar 16 and the gripper jaws are made from a lubricated plastics or other material that slides readily in relation to the other. Thus, the gripper jaw means are mounted on the carrier bars for convenient lateral movement by any suitable means (not shown) to position the jaws to align with article rows in cases being processed.

When it is necessary to remove one of the gripper jaws for inspection or repair, or to assemble a gripper jaw on the carrier bar, the gripper jaw means 22 is moved laterally outwardly into alignment with slots or openings 46 provided in the laterally outer part of the bottom surface of the carrier bar. Such slots 46 are formed under the laterally inner ends of the closure bars 39. The slots 46 are of suitable length for the slides 40 and 42 to pass therethrough whereby the assembly of the pair of slides and individual gripper jaws can be inserted into the carrier bar or be removed therefrom, as desired. But for such actions, the tops of the control fingers 30 and the control bar 32 must be pushed downwardly to slide under the closure bar and move the slides 40 and 42 over to the slot 46 for gripper jaw assembly removal. To engage the bar, the procedure must be reversed to thread the slides into engagement with the carrier bar. The gripper jaw can be slid along to a central portion of the carrier bar for article engaging and carrying action, as desired, and will retain a given position on the carrier bar 1 6. Normally the shaft 44 engages the top of the slot 38 to support the gripper jaw assembly with a shoulder 25 of the frame 24 resiliently abutting on the lower surface of the carrier bar. The fingers 30 and frame 24 can be forced downwardly in relation to the control bar 32 to change the gripper jaw position and open the jaws when desired.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modifications of this particular embodiment may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appendant claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A gripper jaw and mounting- bar assembly for use in article processing apparatus and comprising a carrier bar for extending transversely of a longitudinal axis of the apparatus and engaging in use a driving and positioning means for movement through a fixed course, a plurality of gripper jaw means operatively carried by and dependent from said carrier bar, and a pair of positioning members and a connecting shaft therefor for each of said gripper jaw means, said carrier bar being contoured to operatively engage said members with said shaft engaging an individual gripper jaw means, and said carrier bar having an entrance and release opening-for said members in a bottom area thereof.

2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each said gripper jaw means is movable laterally of said carrier bar.

3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein each said gripper jaw means has a vertically extending slotted control bar extending up into said carrier bar, and each said shaft extends through a said slot in a said carrier bar.

4. An assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said carrier bar is of substantially closed shape in vertical section, said gripper jaw means has vertically extending control fingers extending up into and through a centre slotted portion of said carrier bar, and said control fingers are resiliently urged upwardly and are movable to positions below the top of said carrier bar.

5. An assembly as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said carrier bars have top and bottom surfaces and each said carrier bag has centre slots in both its top and bottom surfaces at centre portions thereof and said entrance and release openings are spaced laterally of said centre slots, said gripper jaw means having control means extending through said centre slots but being movable to a position below said top surface.

6. An assembly as claimed in Claim 5, wherein each gripper jaw means extends above and below the carrier bar, and wherein the positioning members are received in said bar on opposite sides of said gripper jaw means and operably engage a said gripperjaw means for movement therewith longitudinally of said carrier bars.

7. An assembly as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said carrier bar engages in use a said driving and positioning means at both ends of said carrier bar for movement through a fixed course, the assembly comprising a cover means on each said carrier bar on the top thereof and positioned over a release slot therein, said control fingers being depressible to a level below said cover means.

8. A gripper jaw and mounting assembly, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.