JPS5815278B2 - Assembly of gripper and its mounting rod in material handling equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A variety of gripper jaw assemblies have been provided for engaging and transporting articles within article or bottle handling devices.

These gripper jaw assemblies used in this invention may be of any known type.

However, there are problems with correctly positioning these gripper jaw assemblies to always engage the article in the case so that the device can remove the article from the case and convey it to a remote area. be.

In devices constructed to date, the individual gripper jaw assemblies are adjusted laterally to the case into which the articles are being loaded and removed, and the gripper jaw means (assembly) is positioned for proper operation with the articles to be engaged. It was particularly difficult.

A general object of the invention is to arrange individual gripper jaw means (assembly) on a carrier bar for use in a bottle and article handling apparatus including a device for removing articles from a case, Its purpose is to allow easy adjustment of the lateral relationship on the mounting rod on which it is arranged and carried.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting rod in an article handling device with a specific cross-sectional shape to facilitate the attachment and adjustment of the gripper jaw means to the mounting rod.

Another object of the invention is to mount a slide member operatively engaged with the gripper jaw means to facilitate its lateral movement within the article handling apparatus, and to accommodate variations in the type and size of cases to be handled. The object of the present invention is to provide mechanical means for adjusting for variations in the number of articles contained within the case.

Still another object of the invention is to adjustably position the gripper jaw means in an article handling apparatus, to facilitate assembly and/or disassembly of the gripper jaw means in the apparatus, and to facilitate the assembly and/or disassembly of the gripper jaw means from a mounting rod. The objective is to provide a device that is relatively inexpensive, mechanically robust, and easy to maintain and manage, while still preventing it from coming off in an accident.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the description progresses.

The present invention includes a mounting rod extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the article handling device and passing through a fixed longitudinal passage in engagement with a drive means; and one or more gripper jaws operably attached to the gripper jaw.

The first invention has the constituent features (A) to (D), that is,
(5) The mounting rod is formed hollow; (B)
(C) The gripper jaw means is attached to the slide member via a connecting shaft so as to be movable up and down; (D) ) The mounting rod has an opening at its bottom for inserting and removing the slide member;
It is characterized by having four constituent requirements.

Further, the second invention satisfies the constituent requirements of (e) A(j), that is, (e) the mounting rod is hollow and has a box-shaped cross section, and (F) the mounting rod is hollow. (G) said mounting rod has a top and bottom elongated slot extending along a centerline; (H) a plurality of the gripper jaw means are spaced laterally disposed, each gripper jaw means having a pair of claw fingers extending vertically through the elongated slot of said mounting rod; (I) each gripper jaw means is arranged on each slide; (J) The mounting rod has an opening at its bottom for inserting and removing the slide member. It is characterized by the fact that it is equipped with

The present invention will be explained below based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

The assembly of gripper jaw means 22 and its mounting rod 16 is designated generally at 10.

The assembly is particularly adapted for use with article handling equipment which includes a driven conveyor means or other drive means positioned for movement through a constant path extending longitudinally of the bottle or article handling equipment. The material handling equipment is typically a bottle unpacker that is adapted to pick up the bottles from the case, remove them from the case, and locate them at a remote location for further processing.

In the figures, the mounting rod 16 supporting the gripper jaw means 22 is engaged with the conveyors 12, 14, ie, the drive means, for movement along a fixed path extending longitudinally of the article handling apparatus.

A mounting rod 16 is connected to the drive means 1 via a U-shaped bracket 18.
2.14 and operated along a predetermined path is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 54-120588 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 56-4891) filed simultaneously with this application on September 19, 1978.
6) is described in more detail.

Each gripper jaw means (assembly) 22 is attached to a frame 24.
and a pair of gripper jaws 26, 28 which are pivotally connected to the frame 24 and perform the gripping and conveying function of the article.

An example of the basic structure of the gripper jaw means 22 is described in detail in Japanese Patent Application No. 53-130589 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-42435) filed by the same applicant.

Said gripper jaws 26,28 are normally closed and in the article-engaging position under the bias of spring means 47.

The control fingers 30 extend above the gripper jaw means 22;
The gripper jaw 2 is controlled by a cam means (not shown) or the like.
6.28 article release action or article engagement action.

Control rod 32 extends vertically above gripper jaw means 22 and is provided with a vertically extending slot 34 .

A connecting shaft 44 for attaching the gripper jaw means 22 to the mounting rod 16 via slide members 40, 42, which will be described later, is inserted through the slot 34.

The mounting rod 16 is hollow and has a cross-sectional shape, for example, a box shape or a closed groove shape.

Elongated slots 36.degree. 38 are formed in the top and bottom of the mounting rod 16.

These elongated slots 36.degree. 38 extend along the centerline of the mounting rod 16, but do not extend the entire length of the rod for reasons discussed below.

A closing rod 39 is suitably welded to the groove profile forming the mounting rod 16 at each lateral edge of the mounting rod 16 for closing the long slot 36 at the top.

When the gripper sill means 22 is below the closing rod 39, its control fingers 30.30 and the control rod 32 are pushed down to its underside.

Mounted on the mounting rod 16 are individual gripper jaw means 22;
In order to be able to adjust the sideways, a pair of slides) 1
40.42 is placed within the hollow mounting rod 16.

The pair of slide members 40 and 42 have control fingers 30 and 30.
and is engaged with the gripper jaw means 22 by a connecting rod 44 positioned to sandwich the control rod 32 and passing through a slot 34 in the control rod 32.

Typically, portions of the slide 1440 42, mounting rod 16 and gripper jaw means 22 are made of lubricated plastic or other material that slides over each other.

Accordingly, the gripper jaw means 22 can be moved laterally on the mounting rod 16 together with the slide members 40, 42 by suitable means (not shown) in order to align its center with the row of articles in the case to be processed. ing.

If, for inspection or repair, it is necessary to remove one of the gripper jaw means 22 from the mounting rod 16 or to assemble the gripper jaw means 22 onto the mounting rod 16, the gripper jaw means 22 may be provided at the bottom of the hollow mounting rod 16. opening 46
It is attached and detached by aligning its center with .

That is, the sliding member 40 of the gripper jaw means 22
．． 42 is inserted and removed through the opening 46.

The aperture 46 is formed in the bottom of the closure bar 39 and is typically located next to the elongated slots 36, 38 previously described.

To explain more specifically how to remove the gripper jaw means 22, the gripper jaw means 22 is attached to the slide member 40, 42 via a connecting shaft 44 so as to be movable up and down. The control fingers 30, 30 of the gripper jaw means 22 are shown in phantom.
Then, the control rod 32 can be pushed downward to slide under the closing rod 39.

Next, the slide 1 attachment 40.42 is moved laterally on the mounting rod 16, and the slide vMt40.4 is moved through the opening 46.
2 and the entire gripper jaw means 22 is removed.

To attach the gripper jaw means 22, it is sufficient to perform the reverse operation as described above, and it can be slid laterally on the attachment rod 16 and set at any desired position.

The gripper jaw means 220 for the mounting rod 16 In the normal setting state, the frame 2 of the gripper jaw means 22
The shoulder portion 25 of No. 4 is in contact with the lower surface of the mounting rod 16.

At this time, the gripper jaw means 22 and the slide member 40.
A connecting shaft 44 that engages 42 is located at the top of slot 34 on control rod 32 .

When opening the gripper jaws 26, 28, the control fingers 30, 30 are moved to the control rod 32 by cam means (not shown).
Push downward relative to

This releases the item.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been described herein, the embodiment can be modified without departing from the scope of the invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

4 is a front view schematically showing the main parts of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a right side view thereof, FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional partial side view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 16...Mounting rod, 22...Gripper jaw means, 4
0.42...Slide member, 44...Connecting rod, 46
...Opening, 34...Slot, 36, 38...Long slot.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal axis of the article handling device,
a mounting rod 16 which engages the drive means and passes through a longitudinal fixed passage; and gripper jaw means 2 operably mounted above and below the mounting rod 16 for gripping or releasing articles.
2, the following A, B, C and D
An assembly of a gripper jaw and its mounting rod in an article handling device, characterized in that it has the following configuration requirements. A. The mounting rod 16 is formed hollow. B. A slide member 40° 42 is inserted into the hollow portion of the mounting rod 16 so as to be able to move laterally. C. Gripper jaw means 2
2, the mounting rod 16 is attached to the slide member 40, 42 via a connecting shaft 44 so as to be able to move up and down; D. the mounting rod 16 is attached to the slide member 40 at its bottom;
．． It has an opening 46 for putting in and taking out 42. 2. In the assembly according to claim 1, the gripper jaw means 22 and the connecting rod 44 are attached by passing the connecting rod 44 through a vertically extending groove 34 provided in the gripper jaw means 22. An assembly of a gripper jaw and its mounting rod in an article handling device, characterized in that: 3 extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal axis of the material handling device;
It consists of a mounting rod 16 which engages the drive means and passes through a fixed longitudinal passage, and a plurality of gripper jaw means 22 operatively mounted above and below the mounting rod 16 for gripping or releasing articles. In the assembly, the following E, F, G
, H, I, and J. E. The mounting rod 16 is hollow and has a box-shaped cross section; F. A plurality of pairs of slide members 4 are provided in the hollow portion of the mounting rod 16.
0.42 is inserted in a transversely movable manner; G. said mounting rod 16 has elongated slots 36.38 at the top and bottom extending along the centerline; H9: a plurality of gripper jaw means; 22 are spaced laterally arranged, each gripper jaw means 22 having a pair of control fingers 30, 30 extending vertically through the elongated slot 36, 38 of said mounting rod 16; (1) each gripper jaw means 22; Means 22 each slide member 40.
42, via a connecting rod 44, so as to be operable vertically;
．． It has an opening 46 for putting in and taking out 42. 4. An assembly according to claim 3, in which the mounting rod 16 has an elongated slot 36,38 in the central part of both its top and bottom, and an opening 46 for inserting and removing a slide member 40,42. An assembly of a gripper jaw and its mounting rod in an article handling device, characterized in that the gripper jaw and its mounting rod are laterally spaced apart from said elongated slot 36,38.