Abstract: Work-handling apparatus, such as may be used in automatically loading and unloading a press in the manufacture of large sheet metal components, is arranged to reciprocate a work-handling attachment substantially linearly. The attachment is pivotally mounted on a crank lever, which is pivotally mounted on a crank arm, which is pivotally mounted on mounting means, the pivot axes of the crank arm, which is pivotally mounted on mounting means, the pivot axes of the crank arm and the attachment being substantially equi-distant from that of the crank lever. By means of geared connection between the mounting means and the crank lever (in the ratio of substantially 2:1), and between the crank arm and the attachment (in the ratio of substantially 1:2) the attachment is caused to maintain a substantially constant angular orientation during linear movement resulting from the coordinated rotations of the crank lever and the crank arm.

Abstract: Work-handling apparatus, such as may be used in automatically loading and unloading a press in the manufacture of metal pressings, is arranged to reciprocate a work-handling attachment substantially linearly. The attachment is pivotally mounted on a crank lever, which is pivotally mounted on a crank arm, which is pivotally mounted on mounting means, the pivot axes of the crank arm, which is pivotally mounted on mounting means, the pivot axes of the crank arm and the attachment being substantially equi-distant from that of the crank lever. By means of geared connections between the mounting means and the crank lever (in the ratio of substantially 2:1), and between the crank arm and the attachment (in the ratio of substantially 1:2) the attachment is caused to maintain a substantially constant orientation during linear movement resulting from the coordinated rotations of the crank lever and the crank arm.