JPH1095527A - Device for transferring article from going conveyor to returning conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for transferring articles from a going conveyor to a returning conveyor, which is capable of performing the delivery of articles between the going conveyor and the returning conveyor by a single driving source, and which can be easily maintained. SOLUTION: A conveying arm 5 is reciprocated by an air cylinder 6 to carry a pallet 7 from a going conveyor 2 to a fixed table 4. Further, an interlocking mechanism composed of a cam 23 of a cam plate 22 operating integrally with the conveying arm 5, and a cam follower 34 of an article sending-out lever 9, oscillates the article sending-out lever 9 for the pallet 7 to be sent out from the fixed table 4 to a returning conveyor 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for transferring articles from a forward conveyor to a backward conveyor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A forward conveyor and a backward conveyor are arranged in parallel, a processing operation is performed on a work placed on a pallet or the like and conveyed by the forward conveyor, and a completed work, or A conveyor system is known in which a pallet or the like that has been emptied by taking out a work is placed on a return conveyor and returned.

In this type of conveyor system, a device for transferring pallets from the forward conveyor to the return conveyor is provided between the end of the forward conveyor and the end of the return conveyor, and the pallet is transferred. Operations must be performed, and particularly when applying this type of conveyor system to automation operations such as assembly, the pallets must be accurately positioned during processing operations on the pallets.

A pallet transfer device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-29326 has been proposed as a device for achieving such an object. In this device, a pallet transfer device and a return conveyor are vertically moved. In order to achieve pallet transfer between these conveyors, a driving cylinder for moving the pallet up and down and a torque actuator for rotating the pallet are required. In addition, the forward conveyor is constituted by two pallet feeding means, and the pallets to be handled are vertically and horizontally in relation to moving down the pallet between the two pallet feeding means and lowering the pallets to the reciprocating conveyor. Limited to those with different ratios. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-191748 discloses a transfer device in which a pallet is moved in a horizontal direction between a forward conveyor and a backward conveyor by a single drive source to perform a transfer operation. Are known. However, although this one employs a variety of links and cam interlocking mechanisms to make a single drive source, the vertical and horizontal feed mechanisms are only linked to the drive shaft, and these The mechanisms themselves are not interconnected. On the other hand, in a configuration in which the entire device is operated by a single drive source, as in this device, the structure is complicated, and a high degree of component processing accuracy is required during manufacturing, and linkage adjustment work is also complicated. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that maintenance is complicated.

[0005] What is transferred from the forward conveyor to the backward conveyor is not limited to a pallet, but can be generally called an article.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for transferring articles which can transfer articles between a forward conveyor and a backward conveyor with a single driving source. is there.

[0007]

The present invention includes a fixed table, a transfer arm, a drive source, a stopper, an article delivery lever, a biasing means, and a locking mechanism, each of which will be described in detail later. In addition, a positioning arm, a second urging means, and a second engagement mechanism may be added to this.

In this apparatus, two conveyor belts are arranged at the end of a forward conveyor and a backward conveyor, and the articles are transferred from the forward conveyor to the backward conveyor. I do. The two conveyors are located at different ends in plan view, and are operated by a different drive source from the apparatus of the present invention.

The fixed table is a flat plate made of metal or synthetic resin and is used for placing articles. The fixed table is provided in a state in which a conveying path is connected to the end of the rewinding conveyor.

The transfer arm is formed in an L-shape as a whole, and is provided between the outer end of the forward conveyor and the fixed table on the backward conveyor in a direction crossing the transport direction of each conveyor. The articles are transferred from the forward conveyor to the fixed table by reciprocating the upper part.

The term "outer end" means both sides of the side where the forward and backward conveyors arranged side by side are in contact.

The driving source is for reciprocatingly driving the transfer arm, and a motor can be used, but a linear operation actuator using air pressure and hydraulic pressure is often used.

A stopper is provided for preventing entry of an article into the end of the forward conveyor while the transfer arm operates, and is often driven by an electromagnetic solenoid and an air pressure actuator. .

An article delivery lever is pivotally mounted near the fixed table so as to be rotatable. A delivery completion portion located at a communication portion between the fixed table and the return conveyor, and an end opposite to the delivery completion portion. The upper part of the fixed table is swingably provided between the evacuation point and the evacuation point.

The urging means is generally an elastic body such as a coil spring that expands and contracts in a linear direction and a spiral spring that exerts elasticity in the rotating direction, and urges the article delivery lever from the delivery completion location to the retreat location.

The engagement mechanism mechanically connects the drive source to the transfer arm and the article delivery arm, and when the transfer arm is moved by the drive source, the article delivery arm moves over a predetermined timing and range in conjunction therewith. It is to be driven.

More specifically, a follower (for example, a cam follower) provided on the article delivery lever and a cam formed integrally with the follower are provided, and the transfer arm is provided outside the end of the forward conveyor. In a state where the article delivery lever is swung to a delivery completed portion against the biasing force of the biasing means, and the article delivery lever is moved to the urging means as the transfer arm moves toward the fixed table. Is a mechanism that swings toward the evacuation point by the urging force, and completes the evacuation operation of the article delivery lever at least until the articles on the forward conveyor enter the fixed table by the movement of the transfer arm. .

According to this configuration, the article delivery lever urged toward the retreat position by the urging means made of the elastic body is driven by the transfer arm via the engaging mechanism, so that the transfer arm is provided. The transfer of articles from the forward conveyor to the fixed table and the sending of articles from the fixed table to the return conveyor can be performed collectively by only the drive source for reciprocating the drive.

The operation timing of each part is mechanically determined, and there is no need to take steps such as taking a confirmation signal.
Further, since the operation is determined mechanically, the operation is reliable even if the speed is increased.

The engaging mechanism itself has a simple structure consisting of a follower provided on the article delivery lever and a cam formed integrally with the transfer arm, so that daily maintenance is easy.

If there is no problem with the sliding of the articles and the impact resistance of the articles themselves when the articles are conveyed, a roller conveyer or the like for conveying the articles by utilizing the inclination of the conveyer itself can be moved forward and backward. It can be used as

The positioning arm is slidably mounted in a direction protruding from the outside of the end of the fixed table to the upper part in the area of the fixed table, and has a cam surface on the base.

The second urging means is similar to the aforementioned urging means.
It is an elastic body such as a coil spring and biases the positioning arm from outside the end of the fixed table toward the area of the fixed table.

The second engaging mechanism is provided near the outside of the end of the fixed table so as to be rotatable at the center at a central portion thereof, and is provided integrally with the positioning arm and intersecting the biasing direction thereof. A follower provided at one end of the lever so as to slidably contact the cam surface, a cam surface of a second cam plate integrally formed with the transfer arm, and a lever of the lever so as to slidably contact the cam surface. And a follower provided at the other end. Then, when the transfer arm is located outside the end of the forward conveyor, the lever is swung against the urging force of the second urging means to move the positioning arm within the area of the fixed table. When the transfer arm is moved toward the fixed table beyond the position corresponding to the position where the retreat operation of the article delivery lever is completed,
The lever is swung by the urging force of the second urging means to cause the positioning arm to protrude into the upper portion in the area of the fixed table.

With this configuration, the positioning of the article on the fixed table is ensured, and the trouble in sending the article to the backward conveyor is eliminated. In addition, when an operation is performed on a work on a pallet at a fixed table position, which is an article or a pallet, handling of the work is stabilized because the position is accurate.

The positioning arm urged from the outside of the end of the fixed table toward the area of the fixed table by the second urging means made of an elastic body is driven by the transfer arm via the second engaging mechanism. The positioning arm can be driven only by the driving source for reciprocating the transfer arm.

Further, the second engagement mechanism itself is provided near the outside of the end of the fixed table so as to be rotatable at the center at a central portion thereof, and is provided integrally with the positioning arm so as to intersect in the biasing direction. A follower provided at one end of the lever so as to make sliding contact with the cam surface, a cam surface formed integrally with the transfer arm, and a follower provided at the other end of the lever so as to make sliding contact with the cam surface. It is a purely mechanical mechanism consisting of a follower and daily maintenance is easy.

[0028]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a part of an assembly line in which a workpiece placed on a pallet is assembled by a pick-and-place machine or the like while being transported, from a forward conveyor to a return conveyor according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied. Apparatus 1 for transferring articles (hereinafter simply referred to as apparatus 1)
FIG. 2 is a left side view showing the device 1,
FIG. 3 is a front view showing the device 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the forward conveyor 2 and the backward conveyor 3 are arranged in parallel in the same horizontal plane, and the device 1 is disposed between the end of the forward conveyor 2 and the end of the backward conveyor 3. Has been deployed.

The device 1 is generally provided with a fixed table 4 for placing articles, a transfer arm 5 having a substantially L shape, an air cylinder 6 as a drive source, a stopper 8, an article delivery lever 9, and an article delivery lever 9. A spring 10 serving as a biasing means, and a first engagement mechanism 11 for operating the article delivery lever 9 by following the transfer arm 5;
In addition, a positioning arm 12 for accurately positioning an article (a pallet 7 in the embodiment) carried on the fixed table 4 by the transfer arm 5 from the end 2b of the forward conveyor 2, and a second arm for biasing the positioning arm 12. And a second engagement mechanism 14 for operating the positioning arm 12 by following the transfer arm 5.

In this embodiment, the forward conveyor 2
A motor-driven belt conveyor is used for both the backward conveyor 3 and the backward conveyor 3, and the forward conveyor 2 goes from right to left in FIG. 1, and the backward conveyor 3 is left to right in FIG. Direction.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 (b), the fixed table 4 comprises a forward conveyor 2 and a backward conveyor 3.
Are fixed by bolts or the like to the support members 15 and 16 for horizontally arranging them, and do not move at all. In FIG. 1, the end 3a of the backward conveyor 3 and the fixed table 4 seem to interfere with each other. This is because the radius of the driven roller 17 located at the end of the backward conveyor 3 is fixed. 4, because there is no actual interference between the two.

An end piece 18 formed of a substantially rectangular steel plate as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is integrally fixed to the ends of the support members 15 and 16, and the outside of the end piece 18 is fixed. In addition, FIG.
A prismatic linear guide 19 as shown in FIG. 2 is fixed. The direction of the axis of the linear guide 19 is orthogonal to the transport direction of the forward conveyor 2 and the backward conveyor 3 and is parallel to the article transport surfaces of the forward conveyor 2 and the backward conveyor 3.

A plate-like parts mounting plate 21 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is fixedly mounted on a saddle 20 slidably mounted on the linear guide 19. Is a transfer arm 5 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.
A cam plate 22 having a cam 23 for causing the article delivery lever 9 to follow the operation of the transfer arm 5 is fixed to the upper surface of the other end of the part mounting plate 21.
The cam 23 should be referred to as a sliding engagement body.
2 protrudes toward the fixed table 4 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement. The cam plate 22 is also a part of the engaging mechanism 11.

1 and FIG. 2
A second cam plate 24 as shown in FIG. 1 is spaced below the cam plate 22 and is bolted to the lower surface of the cam plate 22 in FIG. In FIG. 1, the shape of the second cam plate 24 cannot be clearly shown because it is blocked by the cam plate 22, but its planar shape is as shown in FIGS. 7, 9, and 11. The second cam plate 24 is also a part of the second engaging mechanism 14.

Further, a long rectangular pad 25 as shown in FIG. 1 is integrally fixed to the upper surface of the end piece 18,
The pallet 7 which is conveyed to the end 2b of the forward conveyor 2 is brought into contact with the pallet 7 to regulate the stop position of the pallet 7 and is transferred by the transfer arm 5 from the end 2b of the forward conveyor 2 to the fixed table 4. Is regulated from the side in the moving direction. Note that the overall height of the pallet 7 is larger than the thickness of the pad 25.

A driving source for reciprocating the transfer arm 5 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of conveyance of the forward conveyor 2 and the backward conveyor 3 is constituted by an air cylinder 6 fixed on an end piece 18. Air cylinder 6
As shown in FIG. 2, the cylinder head portion is fixed on the end piece 18 via an L-shaped stay, and the tip of the piston rod 26 is connected to the end portion 18 in FIGS.
As shown in (1), it is fixed to the lower end of the transfer arm 5 by a nut. The fixing is performed by a floating method in which the transfer arm 5 side can be inclined to some extent with respect to the piston rod 26 so as not to cause twisting. The air cylinder 6 is a pull-type air cylinder that maintains the protruding state of the piston rod 26 in a non-operating state, retracts the piston rod 26 in response to an operation command, and then protrudes the piston rod 26 again to return to the original position. In this embodiment, one reciprocating operation takes approximately one second.

Note that stays 2 are provided at both ends of the end piece 18.
Bolts 29, 30 attached via 7, 28
This is for adjusting the protrusion limit and the contraction limit of the piston rod 26, that is, the stroke end of the transfer arm 5, by abutting the left and right ends (see FIG. 2) of the part mounting plate 21.
By changing the amount of protrusion of the bolts 29, 30 with respect to the stays 27, 28, the stop position of the transfer arm 5 at the stroke end can be adjusted.

The article delivery lever 9 has a substantially L-shaped planar shape as shown in FIG. 1, and is attached to a mounting piece 31 fixed on the support member 15 so as to be slightly offset from the fixed table 4 to the outside. , And are rotatably connected via pins 32. The other end of the spring 10 (biasing means) having one end locked on the cam plate 22 is attached to the tip end of the article delivery lever 9, and constantly rotates clockwise in FIG. The rotation position of the article delivery lever 9 is restricted by the engagement relationship between the cam 23 fixed to the cam plate 22 and the cam follower 34 rotatably supported on the article delivery lever 9. Have been. The cam follower 34 is a member that constitutes the engaging mechanism 11 together with the cam plate 22. The cam follower 34 is one of the followers, and a wear-resistant pin or the like may be used as the follower. Hereinafter, it is simply referred to as a cam follower.

In FIG. 1, the case where the piston rod 26 of the air cylinder 6 projects most, the transfer arm 5 is located at the outer end 2a of the forward conveyor 2 and the article delivery lever 9 is located at the delivery completion point 35 is shown. Although the position of the cam 23 changes with the movement of the transfer arm 5 due to the retraction of the piston rod 26, the article delivery lever 9 is moved to the retracted position (3) shown by the broken line in FIG.
It is possible to swing up to 6).

From the state shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the article delivery lever 9 is pulled by the spring 10 and swings clockwise when the contraction of the cam is started, as is apparent from the engagement relationship between the cam 23 and the cam follower 34 shown in FIG. Also, the pivoting position of the pin 32 with respect to the mounting piece 31 and the mounting position of the cam follower 34 with respect to the article delivery lever 9 are completed when the transfer arm 5 has moved to the position shown in FIG. The state of FIG. 8) is adjusted so that the tip of the article delivery lever 9 is attached to the edge of the pallet 7 which is pushed by the transfer arm 5 and moves from the end 2 b of the forward conveyor 2 to the fixed table 4. There is no interference. A cylindrical cushioning member 37 made of an elastic material such as rubber is attached to the tip of the article delivery lever 9 so as to absorb the impact when the pallet 7 is delivered from the fixed table 4 to the rewinding conveyor 3. Has become. However, if some impact is allowed, a metal or hard plastic roller may be used.

The transfer arm 5 moves from the position shown in FIG. 8 to the position shown in FIG. 10 because the pallet 7 needs to be transferred from the end 2b of the forward movement conveyor 2 to the fixed table 4. Since a pin 38 for regulating the swing limit of the article delivery lever 9 is provided upright, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, even if the cam 23 is separated from the cam follower 34, the article delivery lever 9 does not swing beyond the position shown in FIG. 8 or FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 (a), a guide rod 40 fixed to a mounting plate 39 on which the positioning arm 12 is fixed is attached to the support member 15 of the backward moving conveyor 3. Sleeve 42 for slidably supporting 41
(Not shown), 43 are integrally fixed by bolts. Taking the guide rod 41 and the sleeve 43 as an example, the mounting state of the guide rod to the sleeve on the support member 15 side is shown in FIG. The relationship between the other guide rod 40 and the corresponding sleeve 42 (not shown) is the same as in FIG. 4A, and these two guide rods 40 and 41 and the corresponding sleeves are used. 4
The attachment plates 39 allow the attachment plate 39 to freely move in and out of a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyors 2 and 3 while keeping the attachment member 39 parallel to the support member 15.

The mounting state of the positioning arm 12 with respect to the mounting plate 39 is as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 (b), and the pallet 7 is easily received inside the tip of the positioning arm 12 facing the pad 25. Tapered surface 44 is formed.

Further, as shown in FIG.
The other end of a spring 13 that is locked at one end by a support member 16 located at the boundary between the forward conveyor 2 and the backward conveyor 3 and that passes through the support member 15 is locked. The mounting plate 39 and the positioning arm 12 fixed to the mounting plate 39 are constantly urged toward the area of the fixed table 4. Support member 15
, The distance of the positioning arm 12 into the area of the fixed table 4,
It can be adjusted by changing the amount of protrusion of the bolt 45 screwed to the mounting plate 39 so as to abut the support member 15.

As shown in FIG. 1, a second engaging mechanism 14 for engaging the positioning arm 12 with the operation of the transfer arm 5 is provided on the pin 32 on the mounting piece 31 together with the article delivery lever 9, A lever 33 (FIG. 7), which is rotatably supported independently of this, and a cam surface 4 formed on an inner surface of a mounting plate 39 integrally fixed to the positioning arm 12.
6 and a cam follower 47 provided at one end of the lever 33 so as to be in sliding contact with the transfer arm 5, and a cam follower 47 provided at the other end of the lever 33 so as to be in sliding contact with the cam surface 24a of the second cam plate 24 formed integrally with the transfer arm 5. And a cam follower 48 provided.

In FIG. 1, it is not possible to confirm the entirety of the lever 33, but as shown in FIG. It is supported by a pin 32 and can rotate independently of the article delivery lever 9. If the article delivery lever 9 located on the upper side is removed to show the engagement relationship between the lever 33 and the cam surface 46 of the mounting plate 39 and the cam surface 24a of the second cam plate 24, FIG.
It is as follows.

First, as shown in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7, the transfer arm 5 is located at the outer end 2a of the forward conveyor 2 and the article delivery lever 9 is located at the delivery completion location (35). In this state, the cam follower 48 of the lever 33 is supported at the upper end of the straight portion on the cam surface 24a of the second cam plate 24 (see FIG. 7).
The lever 33 cannot swing further clockwise. Accordingly, in this state, the mounting plate 39 urged by the spring 13 is held at the position furthest away from the support member 15 by the cam follower 47 attached to one end of the lever 33, and the tip of the positioning arm 12 is Are completely evacuated from the area.

As described above, if the retracting of the piston rod 26 is started from the state shown in FIG. 1, the movement of the transfer arm 5 and the swinging of the article delivery lever 9 in the clockwise direction are immediately started. The straight portion is formed over a considerable length on the cam surface 24a of the second cam plate 24 which moves integrally with the arm 5, so that this straight portion passes through the position of the cam follower 48. During this period, the posture of the lever 33 and the position of the positioning arm 12 are maintained in the state shown in FIG. The retreat operation of the article delivery lever 9 described above is completed before the straight portion of the cam surface 24a passes the position of the cam follower 48.

The start of the leading end of the positioning arm 12 into the area of the fixed table 4 due to the urging force of the spring 13 is caused by the contraction of the piston rod 26 and the movement of the transfer arm 5 as shown in FIG. As a result, the tapered portion of the cam surface 24a approaches the position of the cam follower 48, and the clockwise rotation of the lever 33 is allowed. Since the tapered portion of the cam surface 24a is formed with a steep gradient, once the rush operation of the positioning arm 12 is started, the time required until the rush operation is completed is short.

The transfer arm 5 moves from the position shown in FIG. 9 to the position shown in FIG. 11 because the pallet 7 needs to be transferred from the end 2 b of the forward conveyor 2 to the fixed table 4. Since a pin 49 for restricting the swing limit of the lever 33 is provided upright, the lever 33 is moved upward as shown in FIG.
Or do not swing beyond the position shown in FIG.
Therefore, the positioning arm 12 does not protrude into the area of the fixed table 4 beyond the position shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, the pin 49 is formed to be slightly shorter than the pin 38 that regulates the swing limit of the article delivery lever 9, so that the article delivery lever 9 is
9 does not interfere.

The contact plate 50 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 (b) regulates the stop position of the pallet 7 carried on the fixed table 4 by the transfer arm 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the forward conveyor 2 is located on the outer end 2a side of the forward conveyor 2.
A stopper 8 is provided on the support member 51 for supporting the pallet 7 sent from the upstream side of the forward conveyor 2 to enter the end 2b of the forward conveyor 2. The stopper 8 has a protruding / retractable restricting piece 52 at the distal end thereof, and is engaged with the transfer arm 5 (FIG. 1). The restricting piece 52 is constantly urged in a protruding direction by an internal spring, and protrudes when the transfer arm 5 moves to the reciprocating conveyor 3 side, and is set to the retracted position when returning to the reciprocating conveyor 2 side.

Further, a light emitting portion 54a of the optical sensor is fixed on the support member 51 via a stay 53,
Above the light receiving portion 54 of the optical sensor
b is fixed. Hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as the sensor 54.
That. The arrangement position of the sensor 54 is adjusted so that its optical path intersects a part of the pallet 7 which is located at the end 2 b of the forward conveyor 2 and is in contact with the abutment 25. Here, the detection characteristic of the sensor 54 is dark ON.

As described above, the air cylinder 6 is an OF cylinder.
The extended state is maintained in the F state, and one reciprocating operation from the contraction to the extension (return to the original position) is performed by one operation command.

Hereinafter, an outline of the overall operation of the apparatus 1 on the line, including the operation of the forward conveyor 2 and the backward conveyor 3, will be described. It is assumed that the forward conveyor 2 and the backward conveyor 3 operate constantly.

Since the forward conveyor 2 is always operating,
When the pallet 7 is placed on the upstream side of the forward conveyor 2, the pallet 7 is transported downstream and reaches the position of the stopper 8. In the initial state, the transfer arm 5 is on the forward conveyor side and the restricting piece 52 of the stopper 8 is in a retracted state, so that the pallet 7 passes through the position of the stopper 8 as it is, and the end 2b of the forward conveyor 2 And the pallet 7 blocks the optical path of the sensor 54, and the sensor 54 outputs a detection signal.

The sequencer which has detected the detection signal from the sensor 54 outputs an operation command to the air cylinder 6 to retract the piston rod 26, that is, transfer the pallet 7 from the end 2b to the fixed table 4 by the transfer arm 5. Start the operation. At this time, since the wedge-shaped projection provided at the tip of the transfer arm 5 is adapted to engage with the corner of the pallet 7, there is no unexpected shift in the transporting posture of the pallet 7. In addition, the transfer arm 5 is
By starting the movement to the side, the stopper 8 protrudes,
The pallet 7 other than that received at the end 2b in this process is prohibited from entering the end 2b of the forward conveyor 2 (FIG. 8).

At the same time when the transfer arm 5 is operated, the spring 1
0 starts the swinging operation of the article delivery lever 9 in the clockwise direction, but by the time the transfer arm 5 moves to the position shown in FIG. The position of the pivot 32 of the pin 32 with respect to, the position of attachment of the cam follower 34 to the article delivery lever 9 and the like are adjusted, so that the pallet 7 is pushed by the transfer arm 5 and moves from the end 2b of the forward conveyor 2 to the fixed table 4. And the tip (buffer member 37) of the article delivery lever 9 does not interfere.

At the same time, the second cam plate 24 also starts to move together with the transfer arm 5, but the cam surface 24 of the second cam plate 24
Since a considerable length of the straight portion is formed in the lever 33 a, the lever 33 is actually actuated by the biasing force of the spring 13.
Swings clockwise and the positioning arm 12 starts to enter the area of the fixed table 4 after the retreat operation of the article delivery lever 9 as shown in FIG. 8 is completed.

When the transfer arm 5 reaches the position shown in FIG. 9 and the straight portion on the cam surface 24a of the second cam plate 24 exceeds the position of the cam follower 48 of the lever 33, the spring 13 is attached. Lever 33 by power
Swings clockwise at once, and the positioning arm 12 protrudes into the area of the fixed table 4. The swing limit of the article delivery lever 9 and the swing limit of the lever 33 are regulated by pins 38 and 49.

The operation of the transfer arm 5 due to the retraction of the piston rod 26 continues thereafter, and the pallet 7 whose both sides are regulated by the positioning arm 12 protruding into the area of the pad 25 and the fixed table 4 is shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 11, the transfer arm 5 pushes the pallet 7 directly onto the fixed table 4 so that one side of the pallet 7
, And the four corners are surrounded by the positioning arm 12, the pad 25, the transfer arm 5, and the pad 50, and the positioning of the pallet 7 is completed.

At this time, the transfer arm 5 completely passes over the forward conveyor 2 and is located between the forward conveyor 2 and the backward conveyor 3. The regulating piece 52 enters and the other pallet 7
Is prohibited, so the end 2 of the forward conveyor 2
Another pallet 7 does not invade b (see FIG. 10).

In this state, the piston rod 26 is located at the dead center on the retracted side. In this embodiment, the piston rod 26 immediately starts projecting (returning to the original position). Piston rod 2
It is also possible to maintain the retracted state of 6 so that the processing or handling operation by an industrial robot or the like is performed on the articles on the pallet 7 located on the fixed table 4. In this case, a predetermined sequencer receives a load operation end signal from the loading device, and the air cylinder 6 starts the operation of returning the piston rod 26 to the original position.

The order of the operation caused by the projecting operation of the piston rod 26 occurs in the completely opposite order except for the movement of the transfer arm 5.

That is, the returning operation of the transfer arm 5 to the original position is immediately started by the projecting operation of the piston rod 26, and thereafter, when the transfer arm 5 returns to the position as shown in FIG. The cam surface 24a of the plate 24 comes into sliding contact with the cam follower 48 of the lever 33, and the lever 33 is swung counterclockwise at a stroke, and the positioning arm 12 is retracted from the area of the fixed table 4. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8, the cam 23 of the cam plate 22 comes into contact with the cam follower 34 of the article delivery lever 9, and the article delivery lever 9 starts to swing counterclockwise, and the tip of the article delivery lever 9 (buffer). The member 37) comes into contact with the pallet 7 on the fixed table 4 and presses the pallet 7 to push the pallet 7 from the fixed table 4 onto the return conveyor 3.

As described above, since the retracting operation of the positioning arm 12 has already been completed at this stage, there is nothing to refuse to send out the pallet 7 by the article delivery lever 9. Finally, when the piston rod 26 returns to the original position where it is completely protruded, the transfer arm 5 and the article delivery lever 9 also return to the initial positions as shown in FIGS. Since the rewinding conveyor 3 is always operating, the pallet 7 pushed onto the rewinding conveyor 3 by the article delivery lever 9 is carried away by the rewinding conveyor 3 as it is.

When the piston rod 26 returns to its original position, the restricting piece 52 of the stopper 8 is retracted to allow a new pallet 7 to be received from the forward conveyor 2 to its end 2b.

Hereinafter, each time the sensor 54 detects the intrusion of the pallet 7 into the end 2b of the forward conveyor 2, the same processing operation as described above is repeatedly executed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, 1
Delivery of articles (pallets 7) from the forward conveyor 2 to the fixed table 4 using the two air cylinders 6 as driving sources;
In addition, since articles can be sent from the fixed table 4 to the return conveyor 3, the overall operation is different from that of a conventional apparatus in which two operations in these different directions are equipped with respective driving sources to perform processing. Can be greatly simplified. Further, there is no control complexity such as timing between a plurality of drive sources.

Further, the operation of retracting the article delivery lever 9 from above the fixed table 4, the operation of causing the positioning arm 12 to protrude above the fixed table 4, and the operation of projecting the restricting piece 52 at the stopper 8 are performed by the movement of the cam 23 and the spring. 10 and the movement of the cam plate 24 and the spring 1
3 or the disengagement from the transfer arm 5 and the biasing by the spring inside the stopper 8, there is no need for a confirmation signal or the like in the operation timing, and no deviation occurs. Therefore, operation failure is unlikely to occur even in high-speed operation.

Since two operations having different directions are performed by a single drive source, some kind of engaging mechanism must be provided, but members constituting the engaging mechanism 11 and the second engaging mechanism 14 are required. Are simply plane-machined cam plates, simple cam followers or levers, and their operations are limited to simple linear or rotary movements. And the manufacturing cost can be kept low. Moreover, maintenance is easy.

It is to be noted that the interlocking mechanism 11 may be provided only for transferring articles from the forward conveyor 2 to the fixed table 4 and for sending articles from the fixed table 4 to the backward conveyor 3. However, if the article is accurately positioned on the fixed table 4 and mechanical work is performed on the article in that state, the second engagement mechanism 14 and the positioning arm 12 are required.

[0074]

According to the present invention, articles can be transferred between the forward conveyor and the backward conveyor with a single drive source. Further, the structure of the interlocking mechanism for interlocking the transfer arm including the operation of the stopper and the article delivery lever, and the structure of the interlocking mechanism for interlocking the transfer arm including the operation of the stopper, the article delivery lever, and the positioning arm are simple. Thus, daily maintenance can be easily performed. Since vertical and horizontal feeds are performed purely mechanically by a single drive source, malfunctions are less likely to occur.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a left side view showing the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of a positioning arm of the embodiment (the direction follows that of FIG. 2).

FIG. 5 is a one-side sectional view showing the lever of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an operation principle diagram showing an operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an operation principle diagram showing an operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an operation principle diagram showing an operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an operation principle diagram showing an operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an operation principle diagram showing an operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an operation principle diagram showing an operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 Device for transferring articles from forward conveyor to return conveyor 2 Forward conveyor 2a Outer end 2b end 3 Return conveyor 3a End 4 Fixed table for mounting articles 5 Transfer arm 6 Air cylinder 7 Article (pallet) 8) stopper 9 article delivery lever 10 urging means (spring) 11 engaging mechanism 12 positioning arm 13 second urging means (spring) 14 second engaging mechanism 15 support member 16 support member 17 driven roller 18 end piece Reference Signs List 19 Linear guide 20 Saddle 21 Parts mounting plate 22 Cam plate 23 Cam 24 Second cam plate 24a Cam surface 25 Cover 26 Piston rod 27 Stay 28 Stay 29 Bolt 30 Bolt 31 Mounting piece 32 Pin 33 Lever 34 Cam follower (follower) 35 Sending complete location 36 Evacuation location 37 Impact member 38 Pin 39 Mounting plate 40 Guide rod 41 Guide rod 42 Sleeve 43 Sleeve 44 Tapered surface 45 Bolt 46 Cam surface 47 Cam follower 48 Cam follower 49 Pin 50 Backing plate 51 Support member 52 Restriction piece 53 Stay 54 Optical sensor 54a Optical sensor emission Unit 54b light receiving unit of optical sensor

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus which is disposed between a pair of forward conveyors arranged in parallel and an end of a backward conveyor to transfer articles from the forward conveyor to the backward conveyor. A fixed table for placing articles in contact with an end portion, and a reciprocating motion of an upper portion of the forward conveyor in a direction intersecting a conveying direction of each conveyor between an outer end of the forward conveyor and the fixed table. A transfer arm for transferring articles from the forward conveyor to the fixed table; a drive source for reciprocating the transfer arm; and an intrusion of the articles into the end of the forward conveyor while the transfer arm operates. A prohibition stopper, a rotatable pivotal connection in the vicinity of the fixed table, a delivery completion location located at a communication portion between the fixed table and the rewinding conveyor, and a delivery completion location opposite to the delivery completion location. An article delivery lever provided so as to be able to swing the upper part of the fixed table between the evacuation point and the evacuation point, and an elastic body that urges the article delivery lever from the delivery completion point toward the evacuation point. A state in which the transfer arm is located outside the end of the forward conveyor, comprising a follower provided on the article delivery lever and a cam formed integrally with the transfer arm. The article delivery lever is swung to a delivery completion position against the biasing force of the biasing means, and the article delivery lever is moved by the biasing force of the biasing means as the transfer arm moves toward the fixed table. Swinging toward the evacuation point, and feeding the article at least until the article on the forward conveyor enters the fixed table by the movement of the transfer arm. An apparatus for transferring articles from a forward conveyor to a return conveyor, comprising: a drive source for completing the retreat operation of the delivery lever; and a coupling mechanism for mechanically connecting the transfer arm and the article delivery lever. 2. A positioning arm slidably mounted in a direction protruding from an outside of an end of the fixed table to an upper part in a region of the fixed table, and a positioning arm of the fixed table from outside of an end of the fixed table. A second urging means composed of an elastic body urging toward the inside of the region, a lever rotatably pivoted at a central portion near an outer end of the fixed table, and a positioning arm integrally provided with the lever. A follower provided at one end of the lever so as to be in sliding contact with a cam surface provided intersecting in the biasing direction; a cam surface formed integrally with the transfer arm; And a follower provided at the other end of the lever. When the transfer arm is located outside the end of the forward conveyor, the lever is swung against the urging force of the second urging means. Moving positioning arm When the transfer arm is moved out of the area of the fixed table and the transfer arm is moved toward the fixed table beyond a position corresponding to a position where the retreat operation of the article delivery lever is completed, the lever is pushed by the second bias. A drive source for swinging the positioning arm into the upper portion of the area of the fixed table by swinging by the urging force of the means, and a second engagement mechanism for mechanically connecting the transfer arm and the article delivery lever. An apparatus for transferring articles from a forward conveyor to a backward conveyor according to claim 1.