Abstract: A holding device for semiconductor disks or wafers orients and secures the disk during transport to a working position. Shortly before the disk reaches a working position the device releases the surface to be worked or secures the disk position with the aid of a ring which remains in the working position. Thereby the disk surface can be worked completely or with minimal shadowing and simultaneously the transport mechanics can be effectively protected against the working process, for example coating or etching. All parts continuously exposed to the working process can be readily exchanged. If the disk remains adhered in the working station, it is torn off by a form-fitting transport securement.

Abstract: A glass plates positioning device for positioning overlapped larger and smaller glass plates on a belt conveyer is disclosed, which includes a light device and pushing portions. The lift device lifts up the glass plates from the belt conveyer and lowers the same onto the belt conveyer. In a lifted position, the glass plates are horizontally universally movably supported by the lift device and positioned by the pushing portions. Each pushing portion is shaped like a spinning top, which includes concentrically connected smaller and larger disc portions. Each pushing portion horizontally abuts against and pushes each side edge of the glass plates to a predetermined position, wherein side surface of the larger disc is in contact with the edge of the smaller glass plate and the side surface of the smaller disc is in contact with the edge of the larger glass plate. After the positioning of the glass plates, the glass plates are lowered onto the belt conveyer by the lift device.

Abstract: A catridge changer for carrying a cartridge to a utilization position and returning it to its initial position after the utilization thereof has a cartridge containing chamber for containing a number of cartridges therein, a hand member for gripping a selected cartridge, a hand moving device for moving the hand member gripping the selected cartridge to the cartridge containing chamber and the utilization position to carry the cartridge, and a correcting device for correcting the posture of the cartridge gripped by the hand member to a regular posture.

Abstract: The apparatus conveys a transport platform to a lifting table of a stacking station where panels are stacked on the transport platform after the transport platform has been positioned horizontally on the lifting table. For a simple quick transfer an empty transport platform is positioned adjacent the lifting table in a normal position vertical or inclined to vertical and is put on the lifting table located in the receiving position by tipping into one horizontal position. A displacing device can be provided for moving the transport platform in the one horizontal position to another horizontal position in which the panels are received.

Abstract: An agricultural bale accumlator includes a load bed adapted for accumulating thereon a plurality of bales with bales being received one after another in a first direction on the load bed. Bale-transfer arms are operable to displace the bales, after receipt on the load bed, across the load bed in a second direction transverse to the first direction and to position these bales in side-by-side relationship on the load bed thus forming a compact parcel thereof. A bale-discharge conveyor is operable to discharge a parcel of bales accumulated on the load bed to the ground. This bale accumulator also comprises a bale-turning mechanism for turning each bale through 90.degree. around its longitudinal axis upon receipt on the load bed.

Abstract: A mechanism for automatically orientating cup bodies includes a cup-body rotating element, an element for measuring a peripheral configuration of the side wall of a cup body, and a central control element for comparing the peripheral configuration of the side wall thereof with a peripheral configuration of the side wall of a sample cup body as determined in advance. The central control element determines whether the two peripheral configurations coincide with each other, and determines the angle by which the cup body is to be rotated to orientate it in a selected direction for the connection of a handle thereto at a predetermined position thereon if the two peripheral configurations do not coincide with each other. Then, the central control element rotates the cup-body rotating element by the required angle to orientate the cup body in the selected direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting an orientation flat of a wafer and centering the wafer includes a hand base, a pair of guide rollers mounted on the hand base, and a stopper mechanism mounted on the hand base. The hand base is operable to be located in opposed relation to one of opposite faces of the wafer, and has an axis therealong. The guide rollers serve to support the wafer located in opposed relation to the hand base, and are symmetrically disposed with respect to the axis of the hand base. The stopper mechanism cooperates with the pair of guide rollers to center the wafer, and are movable along the axis of the hand base and engageable with the orientation flat of the wafer.

Abstract: An apparatus for stirring cooking ingredients in a vessel or for automatically turning a food item such as a steak or roast provides a stirring or turning action having horizontal and vertical rotation. In one embodiment the horizontal and vertical rotation have a pre-determined time relation to one another such that a spatula portion of the stirring apparatus flips over the ingredients a predetermined number of times as the spatula rotates once horizontally about the vessel. The horizontal rotation action is also used for automatic turning. The turning apparatus includes a rigid bar rotatable with the horizontal axis and a supporting structure such as a wire cage or food-piercing tine structure for supporting the food during turning. The rigid bar and food-supporting structure are connected by flexible links such as steel fiber. The rotating bar drags the food item over or about the rotation axis to effect the turning action. The apparatus is especially suited for use in an automatic cooking system.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a rotor of an electrical rotating machine in which the apparatus has frame means including a pair of spaced apart support members each having arcuate shaped surfaces engaging opposite shaft ends of a rotor to thereby support the rotor on the frame means. A drive belt has first and second loop ends with the first loop end being positioned around the rotor for driving the latter. Where the rotor includes a commutator, the first loop end may be positioned in engagement with a generally cylindrical surface of the commutator. A drive means, including a pulley around which the second drive belt loop is wrapped, is provided for rotating the rotor to selected winding attachment positions at which winding sections may be attached to the magnetic core of the rotor.

Abstract: A U-shaped bale push bar straddles a discharge gate of a large round baler with opposite legs of the bar being respectively pivotally connected to a pair of support brackets which are secured to and project rearwardly alongside the discharge gate from upper rear locations of opposite sidewall sections forming a portion of the baler main frame. A pair of chains are coupled between forward locations of the gate and the legs of the push bar and serve as lost-motion connections that cause the push bar to extend and retract respectively in following relationship to opening and closing movements of the gate such that interference between the gate and a discharged bale is avoided. An over center spring assembly acts between the push bar and support brackets to bias the bar toward its retracted position when the gate is closed and to bias the push bar toward its extended position when the gate moves a small amount towards its open position a small amount beyond an intermediate position permitting discharge of a bale.

Abstract: Compliant linkage apparatus for providing, in a single stage, three degrees of freedom in a single plane, the apparatus comprising an upper plate, a lower plate under the upper plate, sliding means for allowing the upper and lower plates to slide relative to each other in X, Y, and theta, and orientation means for causing the plates to attract each other in a particular orientation to resiliently resist relative lateral and rotational displacements of the plates.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method of orienting a cylinder with an oblique end such that the slant of same faces a preferred direction. To this end, a special fixture is used which includes a central axial bore having a cylindrical surface which engages in bearing-like fashion with the oblique-ended cylinder. On opposite sides of the bore, are a magnet for imposing a magnetic field across the bore and across therefrom a dowel pin stop. The magnetic field acts to rotate the oblique-ended cylinder about the common axis of the bore and cylinder into a generally preferred position wherefrom the oblique-ended cylinder can come to its final resting position against the dowel pin stop.

Abstract: The invention is a robotic parts presentation system for delivering a workpiece into a work envelope of an industrial manipulator. This system also centers the delivered workpiece about the centerline of the workpiece in the X and Y axes directions thereof. The invention provides an accurate system for the location of the part with respect to a programmed pickup point for acquisition by an industrial manipulator. The system comprises in combination a centering device which is disposed within the work envelope of the industrial manipulator and a flip-over mechanism for delivering the workpiece from a transfer station outside of the work envelope onto the centering device.

Abstract: A method for positioning seamed balls each having an endless curved seam line, comprising steps of: supporting each ball to locate its center at an origin of a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate consisting of two horizontal axes X, Y and one vertical axis Z; rotating the ball on at least one of the axes X, Y until an optical sensor disposed on the axis Z specifies such a particular locus that intersects the seam line at four points during one full rotation of the ball to provide four arcs along the locus; finding the shortest arc among the four and locating its mid point on the axis Z by rotating the ball on the axis X; rotating the ball on the axis Y so that an intersection of a bisector and a part of the seam line is located on the axis Z; and rotating the ball on the axis Y until a hip center of the ball is located on the axis Z.

Abstract: An apparatus designed to facilitate the unrolling of baled hay has a main frame mounted onto a tractor or other vehicle. An upstanding arm attached to the frame carries a hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly, which assembly supports and selectively positions an axle and wheel. The axle is positioned so that the wheel contacts a tire of a vehicle. As the vehicle causes the tire to rotate, the wheel is also rotated but in the opposite direction from that of the tire. The wheel is driven by the vehicle against a rolled bale of hay. As the vehicle is driven, the wheel abuts the bale of hay and causes it to unroll.

Abstract: A vehicle lifting device comprises a pair of J-shaped bearers spaced apart by a detachable tie member. The bearers are provided with mounting plates whereby the front and rear wheel hubs on one side of a vehicle may be secured to the bearers, with the arcuate portion of the bearers resting on the ground beneath the vehicle and the straight portion of the bearers near vertical. The bearers are configured to permit the vehicle to be rotated sideways through more than 90 degrees, swinging the vehicle's center of gravity past its apex and above or nearly above the straight portion of the bearers with the straight section horizontal. In this position, the vehicle is stable, with its underside conveniently situated for inspection, maintenance, or display.

Abstract: A vehicular bale retriever and stacker including a multistage hoist assembly which picks up and stacks a plurality of huge first and second hay bales on a transport platform. The hoist assembly comprises a rigidly reinforced support column having a cylindrical lift member slidable along the column and rotatable about a vertical axis passing therethrough. Pivotally attached to this lift member is a hoist arm having an operable grapple assembly mounted thereto. Operator control of the elevation and rotation of the lift member and the pivotal movement of the hoist arm presents a multistage hoist which enables the operator to maneuver the grapple assembly through generally vertical and horizontal arcs at different elevations, relative to the platform, so as to seize first and second ground-adjacent hay bales and stack the same in the loading area of the transport platform.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for automatically positioning a piece on a worktable. A worktable (4) supports a reference system (3) constituted by three rollers (G1, G2, G3). The piece such as a substrate (2) is placed on the table (4) in the neighborhood of the rollers. A first pivoting arm (21) comes into contact with a side (C3) of the substrate (2) to bring the opposed side (C1) in contact with the rollers (G1, G2). A second pivoting arm (20) comes into contact with the side (C4) of the substrate (2) to bring the opposed side (C2) in contact with the roller (G3). The arms (20, 21) are controlled by a single means such as a jack (22) of which the body (23) and the rod (24) are floatingly mounted and are respectively associated with the two arms (20, 21). The invention is primarily useful for positioning of a support for integrated circuits in a serigraphic machine.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for rotating elongated workpieces on a support bed to present successive faces for inspection and/or treatment of the workpiece. Safe means are provided for rotating hot or cold billets on a support bed in a manner that uses a minimum of manpower while handling pieces of considerable length and weight.

Abstract: A bale roller inclusive of an upstanding support frame that can be mounted on the front end of a dirigible and self-propelled vehicle such as a tractor or truck with an auxiliary frame pivotally mounted on the lower end of the support frame for vertical swinging movement about a transverse axis between a raised retracted position and a forwardly projecting operative position. The forward end of the auxiliary frame is constituted of a fixed transverse member having oppositely projecting end portions on which are rotatably mounted a pair of wheels. The wheels have pneumatic tires thereon, and are mounted on the transverse member in the same manner as is conventional for the mounting of automotive front wheels on their spindles. A chain can be used to adjustably support the auxiliary frame from the support frame, or alternatively a fluid actuated cylinder and piston assembly can connect the frames to control their relative positions.

Abstract: When an electromagnet (2) is employed to lift and turn a slab of steel, there is a risk that the slab is dropped, causing undesirable noise. Also, with a flat contact surface of the electromagnet, there is jerking of the apparatus. Improvement in both respects is achieved by the use of a singly curved convex contact surface (7) of the electromagnet, which provides line contact with the slab at all times, avoiding transitions from line contact to face contact.

Abstract: A lift fixture (10) for holding and centering a workpiece (93) includes a handling ring (16) defined by a yoke (17) and a clamp slide (20) mounted on the yoke, means (48) for closing the clamp slide (20), a support apparatus (12) for positioning the handling ring (16), and a plurality of angularly spaced holding mechanisms (33,34,40,41) for gripping the workpiece (93). The holding mechanisms (33,34,40,41) are movably mounted to the handling ring (16) so as to move relative to the ring along a line generally tangent to the workpiece (93). The holding mechanisms (33,34,40,41) are biased to a centered position, as by springs (87,88), so that when the workpiece (93) is lifted, it is urged to a centered position within the ring (16).

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with the loading of stencils comprising a plurality of blind bores or holes each adapted to accommodate a decorative article. The stencil is loaded by providing a stack of articles over the stencil and then producing relative translational movement between the stack and the stencil to deposit an article in each hole. Each article is of asymmetric configuration having a generally planar base so that when an article is deposited in a hole base downwards, the article is contained in the hole and when deposited in any other configuration, movement of the stack thereover urges the article out of the hole to allow another article to enter.