US3620380A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Transfer device
Assignee: U S Automation Co
•
Filing: 1969-09-03
•
Granted: 1971-11-16
•
Expires: 1989-09-03
Abstract
Abstract A device for transferring workpieces from one support to another, such as between a pair of conveyors. The device includes a track supported carriage on which a workpiece support arm is mounted for pivotal movement in a vertical plane. A pair of rotary cams are operatively connected, one between the carriage and the base on which it is supported and the other between the carriage and the support arm. One cam controls the translatory movement of the carriage on the base and the other controls the pivotal movement of the support arm so that by correlating the movement of the two cams any desired path of travel for the workengaging portion of the support arm may be generated. The translatory movement of the carriage is also supplemented by a hydraulic cylinder operable in conjunction with the two rotary cams.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel J Borodin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 00:24
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/74; B65G47/90; B65G47/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
267 words
A device for bodily transporting a workpiece between two spaced apart locations comprising a support, a carriage mounted on said support for reciprocation in a path extending generally between said two locations, a work support member mounted on said carriage for movement in a direction generally transversely of the path of travel of the carriage, drive means mounted on said carriage for bodily movement therewith, a pair of cams mounted on the carriage for bodily movement therewith, said cams being adapted to be driven by said drive means, a first cam follower engaging a first one of said cams, a second cam follower engaging the second cam, a reaction member mounted on said support, mechanical linkage means operatively connecting the first cam follower and said reaction member such that displacement of the first cam follower in opposite directions by reason of the rise and fall in the cam surface of the first cam produces a proportional displacement of said carriage in opposite directions along said path of reciprocation on said support and mechanical linkage means operatively connecting the second cam follower with said work support member such that displacement of the second cam follower in opposite directions by reason of the rise and fall of the cam surface of the second cam produces a proportional displacement of said work support member in opposite directions in said transverse path whereby simultaneous displacement of said first and second cam followers in response to actuation of both cams causes said work support member to travel in a path extending between said two locations which is curved in said transverse direction.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
267 words
A device for bodily transporting a workpiece between two spaced apart locations comprising a support, a carriage mounted on said support for reciprocation in a path extending generally between said two locations, a work support member mounted on said carriage for movement in a direction generally transversely of the path of travel of the carriage, drive means mounted on said carriage for bodily movement therewith, a pair of cams mounted on the carriage for bodily movement therewith, said cams being adapted to be driven by said drive means, a first cam follower engaging a first one of said cams, a second cam follower engaging the second cam, a reaction member mounted on said support, mechanical linkage means operatively connecting the first cam follower and said reaction member such that displacement of the first cam follower in opposite directions by reason of the rise and fall in the cam surface of the first cam produces a proportional displacement of said carriage in opposite directions along said path of reciprocation on said support and mechanical linkage means operatively connecting the second cam follower with said work support member such that displacement of the second cam follower in opposite directions by reason of the rise and fall of the cam surface of the second cam produces a proportional displacement of said work support member in opposite directions in said transverse path whereby simultaneous displacement of said first and second cam followers in response to actuation of both cams causes said work support member to travel in a path extending between said two locations which is curved in said transverse direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 1, wherein said reaction member is mounted on said carriage support for reciprocation in a path parallel to the path of reciprocation of the carriage on said support and means for reciprocating said reaction member to reciprocate the carriage on said support independently of the displacement of the first cam follower.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 1, wherein said drive means comprises a motor adapted to drive both cams in opposite directions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 3, including means for programming the starting, stopping and reversal of said cams in a predetermined sequence for causing said work support member to follow a predetermined path of travel between said two locations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 4, including a work support arm pivotally mounted on said carriage, said work support member comprising a portion of said support arm spaced from its pivotal connection with the carriage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 5, wherein the carriage is mounted for reciprocation in a generally horizontal plane and said arm is mounted for movement in a generally vertical plane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 4, wherein said cams are mounted for roTation on said carriage.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 4, wherein both cams are connected with said motor for operation in unison therewith.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 4, wherein said drive means includes a motor-driven rotary shaft, both of said cams being operatively connected with said rotary shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 9, wherein said programming means includes rotary switch means driven by said shaft in unison therewith.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 4, wherein said cam driving means comprises a motor-driven rotary shaft, both of said cams being mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 1, including a clamp mechanism associated with said work support member for releasably clamping the workpiece to the work support member and means for actuating said clamp mechanism adjacent opposite ends of the stroke of the carriage.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 12, wherein said actuating means comprises a pair of cams on said carriage support, a cam follower movably mounted on the carriage, said last-mentioned cams being adapted to displace said last-mentioned cam follower adjacent opposite ends of the stroke of the carriage and means operatively connecting the last-mentioned cam follower with the clamp mechanism.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
324 words
A device for bodily transporting a workpiece between two spaced apart locations comprising a support, a carriage mounted on said support for reciprocation in a path extending generally between said two locations, a work support arm pivotally mounted on said carriage for movement in a direction generally transversely of the path of travel of the carriage, said work support arm having a work support member thereon spaced from the pivotal connection between the support arm and the carriage, drive means comprising a motor on said carriage, a pair of cams on said carriage adapted to be driven in opposite directions by said drive means, a first cam follower engaging a first one of said cams, a second cam follower engaging the second cam, means operatively connecting the first cam follower and said carriage support such that displacement of the first cam follower by the first cam produces a proportional displacement of said carriage along said path of reciprocation, means operatively connecting the second cam follower with said work support member such that displacement of the second cam follower by said second cam produces a proportional displacement of said work support member in said transverse path whereby simultaneous displacement of said first and second cam followers in response to actuation of both cams causes said work support member to travel in a path extending between said two locations which is curved in said transverse direction, means for programming the starting, stopping and reversal of said cams in a predetermined sequence for causing said work support member to follow a predetermined path of travel between said two locations, and a second arm pivotally supported on said carriage, means forming a parallelogram linkage between said arms so that the arms move in unison, a clamp mechanism carried by said second arm for releasably clamping a workpiece to the work support member and means for actuating the clamp mechanism adjacent opposite ends of the stroke of the carriage.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
324 words
A device for bodily transporting a workpiece between two spaced apart locations comprising a support, a carriage mounted on said support for reciprocation in a path extending generally between said two locations, a work support arm pivotally mounted on said carriage for movement in a direction generally transversely of the path of travel of the carriage, said work support arm having a work support member thereon spaced from the pivotal connection between the support arm and the carriage, drive means comprising a motor on said carriage, a pair of cams on said carriage adapted to be driven in opposite directions by said drive means, a first cam follower engaging a first one of said cams, a second cam follower engaging the second cam, means operatively connecting the first cam follower and said carriage support such that displacement of the first cam follower by the first cam produces a proportional displacement of said carriage along said path of reciprocation, means operatively connecting the second cam follower with said work support member such that displacement of the second cam follower by said second cam produces a proportional displacement of said work support member in said transverse path whereby simultaneous displacement of said first and second cam followers in response to actuation of both cams causes said work support member to travel in a path extending between said two locations which is curved in said transverse direction, means for programming the starting, stopping and reversal of said cams in a predetermined sequence for causing said work support member to follow a predetermined path of travel between said two locations, and a second arm pivotally supported on said carriage, means forming a parallelogram linkage between said arms so that the arms move in unison, a clamp mechanism carried by said second arm for releasably clamping a workpiece to the work support member and means for actuating the clamp mechanism adjacent opposite ends of the stroke of the carriage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
84 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 14, wherein said clamp mechanism includes a clamping lever mounted on said second arm for pivotal movement about an axis spaced from and generally perpendicular to the pivotal axis of the second arm, an actuating member pivotally connected with said clamp lever at the pivotal axis of the second arm and adapted when actuated to shift the pivotal connection between the actuating member and the clamp lever substantially along the pivotal axis of the second arm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 15, wherein said actuating member is pivotally supported on said carriage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
63 words
A transfEr device as called for in claim 16, wherein said means for actuating said clamp mechanism comprises a pair of cams on said support, a cam follower mounted on said carriage and adapted to be displaced by said last-mentioned cams when the carriage is adjacent opposite ends of its stroke and means operatively connecting said last-mentioned cam follower with said actuating member.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
321 words
A device for bodily transporting a workpiece between two spaced apart locations comprising a support, a carriage mounted on said support for reciprocation in a path extending generally between said two locations, a work support member mounted on said carriage for movement in a direction generally transversely of the path of travel of the carriage, drive means comprising a motor on said carriage, a pair of cams on said carriage adapted to be driven in opposite directions by said drive means, a first cam follower engaging a first one of said cams, a second cam follower engaging the second cam, means operatively connecting the first cam follower and said carriage support such that displacement of the first cam follower by the first cam produces a proportional displacement of said carriage along said path of reciprocation and means operatively connecting the second cam follower with said work support member such that displacement of the second cam follower by said second cam produces a proportional displacement of said work support member in said transverse path whereby simultaneous displacement of said first and second cam followers in response to actuation of both cams causes said work support member to travel in a path extending between said two locations which is curved in said transverse direction, means for programming the starting, stopping and reversal of said cams in a predetermined sequence for causing said work support member to follow a predetermined path of travel between said two locations, said means operatively connecting the first cam follower with said support including an extensible drive unit connected at one end with said support and operatively connected at its opposite end with said first cam follower and means for extending and contracting said extensible drive unit for displacing said opposite end thereof in a path parallel to the path of travel of the carriage and thereby reciprocate said carriage independently of the displacement of said first cam follower.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
321 words
A device for bodily transporting a workpiece between two spaced apart locations comprising a support, a carriage mounted on said support for reciprocation in a path extending generally between said two locations, a work support member mounted on said carriage for movement in a direction generally transversely of the path of travel of the carriage, drive means comprising a motor on said carriage, a pair of cams on said carriage adapted to be driven in opposite directions by said drive means, a first cam follower engaging a first one of said cams, a second cam follower engaging the second cam, means operatively connecting the first cam follower and said carriage support such that displacement of the first cam follower by the first cam produces a proportional displacement of said carriage along said path of reciprocation and means operatively connecting the second cam follower with said work support member such that displacement of the second cam follower by said second cam produces a proportional displacement of said work support member in said transverse path whereby simultaneous displacement of said first and second cam followers in response to actuation of both cams causes said work support member to travel in a path extending between said two locations which is curved in said transverse direction, means for programming the starting, stopping and reversal of said cams in a predetermined sequence for causing said work support member to follow a predetermined path of travel between said two locations, said means operatively connecting the first cam follower with said support including an extensible drive unit connected at one end with said support and operatively connected at its opposite end with said first cam follower and means for extending and contracting said extensible drive unit for displacing said opposite end thereof in a path parallel to the path of travel of the carriage and thereby reciprocate said carriage independently of the displacement of said first cam follower.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 18, including means for programming the operation of said means for operating the extensible drive unit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
69 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 18, wherein the operative connection between the first cam follower and the extensible drive unit includes a drive linkage between the first cam follower and said opposite end of said extensible drive unit whereby when said first cam follower is displaced by the first cam said drive linkage displaces the carriage relatively to said one end of the extensible drive unit.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
52 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 20 wherein said drive linkage includes a lever supported on said carriage for pivotal movement about a fixed axis, said lever having one portion thereof connected with said cam follower and another portion thereof connected with said opposite end of the extensible drive unit.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
60 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 18, wherein said means for programming the operation of said cams comprises switch means and switch actuating means, one of the last two mentioned means being mounted to move with said opposite end of said extensible drive unit and the other of the last two mentioned means being mounted on said support.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
65 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 22, wherein said means for programming the operation of said cams also includes switch means on said carriage and means driven in synchronization with said cams for actuating the last-mentioned switch means, said first switch means being adapted to start operation of said cams and said last switch means being adapted to stop operation of said cams.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
97 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 19, wherein said means for programming the operation of said cams and said extensible drive unit comprise a first series of switches on the carriage, a series of detents for tripping the switches in said first series, said detents being rotatably supported on the carriage and driven in synchronization with said cams, a second series of switches on said support and a series of detents for tripping the switches in said second series, said last-mentioned detents being mounted for movement with said opposite end of the extensible drive unit.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 24, wherein said extensible drive unit comprises a hydraulic piston-cylinder assembly and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinder.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
77 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 25, including a valve means for varying the rate of flow of pressure fluid to said piston-cylinder assembly to thereby vary the rate at which the carriage is displaced by the piston-cylinder assembly, means on said support for actuating said valve and means movable with the movable component of the piston-cylinder assembly and engageable with said valve actuating means for actuating the same at predetermined positions of the carriage.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
83 words
A transfer device as called for in claim 25, including valve means for varying the rate of flow of pressure fluid to said piston-cylinder assembly to thereby vary the rate at which the carriage is displaced by the piston-cylinder assembly, means on said support for actuating said valve means and cam means mounted for movement with the movable component of the piston-cylinder assembly and engageable with the valve actuating means for varying the speed of the carriage at predetermined positions along its stroke.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3051328A
Cited
USRE25889E
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-11-15 | 1975-05-17 | 1975-11-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-11-15 | 1979-05-17 | 1979-11-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-11-15 | 1983-05-17 | 1983-11-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |