Programmable apparatus for conveying articles through successive process steps

Claim 2

Apparatus for conveying articles through a sequence of article-processing steps, comprising: a series of equally spaced article-processing stations arranged linearly between an article loading station and an article unloading station; a longitudinally extending beam disposed over said stations; actuating means coupled to said beam for reciprocating said beam through horizontal and vertical displacements; a plurality of movable article pickup devices suspended from said beam, said pickup devices being equally spaced at intervals equal to the distance between adjacent stations, said pickup devices being in vertical alignment with said stations at the limits of said horizontal displacement of said beam; an actuator coupled to each said pickup device for moving said device between article-engaging and non-engaging positions, said pickup devices including horizontally oriented pickup angles adapted to cooperate with transversely oriented hanger assemblies from which said articles are suspended, each said angle being rotatable by said actuator between a transverse position in which said hanger assemblies are adapted to be engaged by said angle and a non-transverse, non-engaging position; and a programmer connected to operate said beam actuating means in a predetermined, timed sequence to control said horizontal and vertical displacements and the duration of dwell periods of said beam, and further connected to operate said pickup device actuators to selectively pick up articles, whereby the duration of processing at a given station is regulated.

Claim 3

Apparatus for transferring articles, carried by hanger assemblies including lifting hooks, through a sequence of process steps, said steps having preselected durations and occurring at linearly arranged stations equally spaced along said apparatus, said apparatus including: article pickup assemblies spaced along said apparatus above said stations at intervals equal to the distance between adjacent stations, each of said assemblies including a horizontal, V-shaped pickup angle secured to a central, vertical shaft and an actuator coupled to said shaft for rotating said shaft and angle between a first position in which said anGle is adapted to engage said lifting hooks as said angle is raised from a lowermost level at which processing of said articles takes place, and a second position in which said angle fails to engage said lifting hooks as said angle is raised from said lowermost level; transfer means carrying said article pickup assemblies; means for moving said transfer means horizontally through a displacement equal to the distance between stations or a multiple thereof; means for moving said transfer means vertically through a displacement spanning said lowermost level and an uppermost level at which transfer of said articles takes place; and means coupled to control the movements of said horizontal and vertical moving means and said pickup assembly actuator, said control means being programmable to predetermine for a given process a repetitive sequence of said movements, said sequence comprising a series of distinct cycles, the number of said cycles being equal to the duration of the longest process step divided by the duration of the shortest process step, each cycle including a series of movements of said transfer means and a dwell period.

Claim 4

Apparatus for transferring articles, carried by hanger assemblies including lifting hooks, through a sequence of process steps, said steps having preselected durations and occurring at linearly arranged stations equally spaced along said apparatus, said apparatus including: article pickup assemblies spaced along said apparatus above said stations at intervals equal to the distance between adjacent stations, each of said assemblies including a horizontal, V-shaped pickup angle secured to a central, vertical shaft and an actuator coupled to said shaft for rotating said shaft and angle between a first position in which said anGle is adapted to engage said lifting hooks as said angle is raised from a lowermost level at which processing of said articles takes place, and a second position in which said angle fails to engage said lifting hooks as said angle is raised from said lowermost level; transfer means carrying said article pickup assemblies; means for moving said transfer means horizontally through a displacement equal to the distance between stations or a multiple thereof; means for moving said transfer means vertically through a displacement spanning said lowermost level and an uppermost level at which transfer of said articles takes place; and means coupled to control the movements of said horizontal and vertical moving means and said pickup assembly actuator, said control means being programmable to predetermine for a given process a repetitive sequence of said movements, said sequence comprising a series of distinct cycles, the number of said cycles being equal to the duration of the longest process step divided by the duration of the shortest process step, each cycle including a series of movements of said transfer means and a dwell period.

Claim 5

Apparatus, as defined in claim 2, in which said programmable control means includes: a first programmable, rotatable stepping switch having outputs connected to selectively energize said horizontal and vertical moving means; limit switches mounted for sensing the limits of horizontal and vertical travel of said transfer means and connected to effect rotation of said first stepping switch; a timer for each said cycle connected to introduce into said first stepping switch a time delay determinative of said dwell period for said cycle; and a second programmable, rotatable stepping switch coupled to said first stepping switch for periodic rotation thereby, said second stepping switch having outputs coupled to selectively energize said pickup assembly actuators.