GB2143508A - Improvements relating to apparatus for positioning laminar components - Google Patents

Abstract

A positioning device for a succession of laminar articles of complex but identical shape comprises an inclined platform 10 having a series of parallel slots 13 through each of which projects a post 11 extending normally to the plane of the platform. Each post has connected to it below the platform a pneumatic motor, these motors being actuated to move the posts along the respective slots, under the control of a computer which is fed with a punched card or other information carrying element, into positions designed in relation to the shape of the laminar article to position the article in a preselected and unique position. A vibrator is connected to the platform and operates to shake each article when placed on the platform in approximately the correct position above the posts into contact with the posts. Thus the device can be set up for dealing with any laminar component of complex shape by merely feeding into the computer the information carrying element appropriate to that shape. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to apparatus for positioning laminar components This invention relates to apparatus for positioning laminar components and has an important but not exclusive application in mechanising the assembly of such components.

In one of its aspects the invention provides a positioning device for a laminar article of complex shape comprising a platform, a plurality of posts upstanding from the platform, and motor means operable to move each of the posts or one or more of the posts individually into predetermined positions relative to the platform according to the shape of the article, whereby the posts are disposed for contact with the periphery of the article.

The said means operable to position the posts may comprise respective air cylinders connected between the platform and the posts, the posts being movable rectilinearly into said predetermined positions by the air cylinders. The air cylinders may advantageously be controlled by a computer which is in turn controlled by a punched card or other instruction means, determining the positions of the posts relative to the platform.

In another aspect the invention provides apparatus for positioning sequentially laminar articles of substantially identical shape, comprising a first platform having thereon one or more upstanding posts capable of locating the articles approximately correctly in a predetermined attitude in a stack, a second platform disposed at an angle to the horizontal and having thereon a plurality of upstanding abutment surfaces or posts, a transfer device for picking up the top article in the stack and dropping it on to the second platform at a location above said abutments surfaces or posts, and means for vibrating said second platform, said abustment surfaces or posts being arranged to locate in a predetermined attitude and position on the second platform an article dropped on the second platform by said transfer means.

According to a preferred feature of this aspect of the invention, said upstanding abutment surfaces or posts are retractable below the surface of the second platform. Preferably the second platform can be swivelled into a horizontal position.

The transfer device may comprise a pair of shafts each of which carries a row of axially aligned radially projecting pointed pins and which are pivotable to and fro in opposite directions to each other so as alternatively to move the two shafts into gripping positions in which the pins on the two shafts are inclined away from each other and into release positions in which the pins on the two shafts are directed vertically downward. Where the articles are non-porous or substantially so, the transfer device may comprise a suction pad which is operable to pick up and retain and to drop the top article from said stack.

The invention will now be described in more detail as employed in forms of apparatus for accurately positioning shoe components which are in flat laminar form. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a positioning device according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of a vamp mounted on a support table, Figure 3 shows one form of transfer device, Figure 4 is a view on an enlarged scale of one of the components of the transfer device of Fig. 3, and Figure 5 is a view in the direction of arrow 5 in Fig. 4.

In a first form, an apparatus is provided for accurately locating a shoe component which is to be placed accurately on a moving belt to move beneath an ink jet machine of known design which marks at a predetermined place on the component the shoe size, styling and batch codes and any other required information. A stack of the components is initially placed by hand on a platform 10 (see Fig. 1) having thereon a number of upstanding posts 11, for example five posts, which are so disposed as to touch the external periphery of each article 1 2 in the stack and to position each of the articles in a uniquely correct attitude. The operator is required to ensure that the articles are disposed the correct way up if the two faces of the articles are not the same.The posts 11 are located for sliding movement along respective slots 1 3 which are in this instance parallel to each other, and each post is connected to the piston of a piston-and-cylinder air-motor (not shown) controlled by a transducer which is in turn controlled by a computer responsive to information contained on a punched card or other instruction-carrying element. When the appropriate instruction-carrying element is inserted in the computer and a command is given to the computer, the transducers are actuated to operate the respective air motor to move the posts along the slots into their correct positions appropriate to a particular shape of component.The platform is placed adjacent the moving belt, and the components in the stack are then transferred one by one onto the moving belt by a transfer device including a plate provided with an array of suction nozzles which is movable from a first position above the stack, in which position the top component in the stack becomes attached to the plate by suction nozzles, and a second position in which the transfer plate is disposed over the moving belt and the flow of the air through the suction nozzles is reversed to cause the component to drop onto the belt. It will be understood that the computer may be arranged to control the operation of the transfer plate, the speed of the conveyor and the operation of the ink jet marking device in dependence on information carried by the same punched card as determines the positions of the posts on the positioning device.

Similarly the particular suction nozzles on the said plate which are brought into operation are conveniently selected in accordance with the shape of the component and may be selected automatically in dependence on information carried by the punch card or other instruction-carrying element.

In another form of apparatus according to the invention, a shoe component in laminar form, e.g. a vam 1 5 as shown in Fig. 2 is required to be accurately placed to have a plurality of components accurately placed on it and secured to it. Such an apparatus can be used where a toe puff element is to be placed on and secured to the flesh side of the vamp.

The vamp 1 5, is cut from a flat sheet of leather or plastics material, has a relatively narrow rounded front end portion and widens in a rearward direction. At its rearward end the vamp has two wing portions 1 6 corresponding to the sides of the shoe and, between the two wing portions, a central portion 1 7 corresponding to the tongue of the shoe.

Two rearwardly opening slots are thus formed between the central tongue and the two wing portions respectively. A stack of such vamps is hung by the operator on two posts 18 disposed side by side and projecting normally from the surface of an inclined support table 1 9. The vamps are placed with the flesh side of the material uppermost, and the act of so placing the vamps on the posts brings them all into substantially the same attitude, hanging on the posts, the toe end of the vamp being directed upward on the inclined table and pointing in the direction of travel of the vamps through the apparatus.

A platform similar to that shown in Fig. 1 and oppositely inclined to the support table 19 is disposed immediately downstream thereof has its upper edge substantially level with and adjacent the upper edge 20 of the support table 1 9. The posts 11 are arranged for contact with the outer curved edge portion 21 of the vamp, their positions being selected in relation to the shape of the vamp to position each vamp in an identical position relative to the support platform. The posts are positioned by respective air-motors and transducers under the control of a punched card and computer in the same manner as described above in relation to the first embodiment, and are additionally retractable below the surface of the support platform by any convenient means.The support platform is however in this arrangement hinged about its upper edge and is movable by means of an air cylinder or any other convenient device from its inclined attitude into a horizontal attitude.

An arm (not shown) is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis disposed vertically be low and parallel to the top edge 20 of the support table and has at its upper end dis posed above the upper edges of the support table and support platform an extension which overhangs the support plates and which car ries a transfer device having air nozzles under the control of a valve whereby the nozzles can be selectively connected to a vacuum source and to atmosphere. In operation the arm osciliates between positions in which its exten sion is alternately over and adjacent the table and platform 10.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings the transfer device comprising a transfer plate 20 to the underside of which is attached an array of suction nozzles 31 (for example ten nozzles) which are suitably connected to a vacuum source (not shown) through valve means (not shown) which enables a selection to be made between different patterns of the nozzles in use, according to the shape of a non-porous component to be picked up.

For use in assisting the picking up of the vamp 1 5 from the table 1 9 there are mounted on the underside of plate 30 two pressure pads 32 which project .8mm or 1 /32" below the suction nozzles 31. On the top surface of the plate 30 are mounted two guide blocks 34 having each an inclined guide bore in which a needle rod is slidably mounted. The bores are inclined away from each other in the downward direction at an angle of approximately 10 to 15 , and the needle rods 35 extend through apertures in the pressure pads and have each two needle members 36 mounted in them side by side and projecting from the bottom face of the rod by about 1 mm. The bottom faces of the rods extend parallel to the plate 30.For reciprocating the needle rods in their bores, a pneumatic cylinder motor 38 is mounted on the top face of plate 30 and its piston rod 39 has pivotally connected to its upper end one end of each two bell crank levers 40 pivotally mounted on posts 41 on the plate 30 and having slotted stirrups 42 on their other ends, the slots in which carry the projecting ends of pins 43 secured in transversely extending holes in the upper ends of the rods. As the piston rod 39 reciprocates the movement is thus transmitted by the bell crank levers 40 to the needle rods, the total reciprocating movement of which in this instance is about 3mm or 1/8".

To pick up the vamp the plate 30 is lowered by supporting means (not shown) on the arm so that the two pressure pads press down on the vamp. The motor 38 is then operated to actuate downward movement of the needle rods to cause the needles to engage the vamp. The plate 30 is then lifted away from the stack, the inclination of the needles away from each other imposing a tension in the vamp and preventing It from dropping off the needles. When the transfer plate is disposed over the platform 10 by the arm, the motor 38 is operated to retract the needle rods 1 5 and the pressure pads 32 then operate to strip the vamp from the needles, allowing it to drop on to the platform 10 at a position above the posts 11.The vibrator (not shown) connected to the platform 10 causes the vamp 1 5 to move into engagement with the posts 11 where, as mentioned above, it takes up a unique position with respect to the platform. The vibrator is stopped and the air motor is operated to move the support platform into a horizontal attitude, after which the posts 11 are retracted below the surface of the platform. In its horizontal position, the free edge of the platform is disposed close to and flush with a support table, and a transfer rod (not shown) operating in synchronism with the movement of the platform engages the vamp 1 5 and draws it into a predetermined position beneath a dispensing device of known type which placed on the vamp a toe puff element made from or coated on both faces with a thermoplastic material capable of serving as an adhesive for subsequent heating and pressing on to the vamp.

Claims (8)

1. A positioning device for a laminar article of complex shape comprising a platform, a plurality of posts upstanding from the platform, and motor means operable to move each of the posts or one or more of the posts individually in predetermined positions relative to the platform according to the shape of the article, whereby the posts are disposed for contact with the periphery of the article.

2. A positioning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the platform is inclined and wherein means is provided for vibrating the platform.

3. A positioning device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the motor means for each movable post is controlled by a computer which is in turn controlled by a punched card or other instruction means determining the position of such post relative to the platform.

4. A positioning device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a transfer device for transferring an article positioned on the platform by said posts to another position.

5. A positioning device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the transfer device comprises a pair of shafts each of which carries a row of axially aligned radially projecting pointed pins and which are pivotable to and fro in opposite directions to each other so as alternately to move the two shafts into gripping positions in which the pins on the two shafts are inclined away from each other and into release positions in which the pins on the two shafts are directed vertically downward.

6. A positioning device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the transfer device comprises a suction pad which is operable to pick up and retain and to drop the top article from said stack.

7. A positioning device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the motor means comprises air cylinders connected between the platform and the posts, the posts being movable rectilinearly into said predetermined positions by the air cylinders.

8. A positioning device as claimed in claim 5, wherein each post projects through a rectilinear slot in the platform and wherein the posts -are movable along the slots by the respective air cylinder.