Abstract: A control system for controlling the movement of the slide of a hydraulic press of the type having a main cylinder containing a piston mounting the slide. The control system comprises an electronic processor, a pressure transducer to measure the pressure of hydraulic fluid applied to the piston to move the slide downwardly, a position encoder coupled to the slide to determine the vertical position of the slide, and a hydraulic circuit to supply hydraulic fluid under pressure to the cylinder to move the piston and slide upwardly and downwardly. The hydraulic circuit comprises a plurality of cartridge valves having controls actuable by outputs from the processor.

Abstract: This invention is for an inexpensive flexible heater material (heat pad) for food heating, medical compresses and the like. The heat pad is a composite material consisting of a supercorroding metallic alloy powder dispersed throughout a porous polyethylene matrix. The supercorroding alloy material consists of a powdered alloy of magnesium and iron which is produced by high energy powder metallurgical milling techniques. Pressureless sintering of a mixture of the supercorroding alloy powders with UHMW polyethylene powder results in the formation of a flexible porous matrix material with active ingredients therein that are readily activated with a suitable electrolyte fluid.

Abstract: An impingement oven wherein a carrier-type conveyor passes between hot air plenums located above and below the conveyor. Horizontally adjacent plenums have their fans located in an off-set position to overhang the other one of the pair. Each plenum has a nozzle plate to direct heated air toward the conveyor so that the air flow is substantially perpendicular to the conveyor and such workpiece(s) as may be thereon. An oven module having four sets of plenums and four conveyors in the same enclosure is described. A plurality of such modules serially arranged provide a multizone oven. The oven is especially suited to heating flat workpieces of thermoplastic resin which are to be processed elsewhere into hollow objects such as containers.

Abstract: A device for preventing trailing of glue extruded by an exclusion nozzle following termination of the dispensing of the glue. A pair of spaced apart orifices are positioned to direct a thin jet of air for a brief period of time on either side of the stream of glue being dispensed at the moment of glue cut-off to momentarily entrain the stream and draw it generally in the direction of the path of travel of the workpiece. The air jets are oriented so as not to touch or impinge on the glue stream, thereby preventing break-up of the glue stream.

Abstract: A knife assembly for composite tape laying machines is disclosed which has a knife movable to a fixed distance from a tape support platen so that the knife, which is transversable across the platen will completely sever a composite tape but not a paper backing tape. A floating presser foot serves to hold the reeled tape snuggly against the platen while cutting is taking place, and the float relative to the knife will accommodate variations in composite tape thickness.

Abstract: The cooling of an electric motor is achieved by a heat exchange apparatus having a cylindrical wall containing a continuous path fluid (e.g., liquid) passageway providing turbulent flow to a conveyed cooling fluid. Turbulent flow of the cooling fluid is obtained by the passageway's having a plurality of curvilinear passageway segments lengthwise oriented normal to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical wall, connected together in pairs by passageway sections lengthwise oriented normal to the passageway segments and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical wall.

Abstract: A pallet receiver for a machine tool is disclosed utilizing a pin and socket for registration and alignment. A pallet clamp piston is employed to clamp the pallet to the receiver base for subsequent machining operations. A registration pin is rigidly secured to the receiver base, and a cooperating pin socket is mounted to the pallet underface by means of a compliant diaphragm spring so that as the socket and pin are engaged during the first portion of clamp piston movement the pallet will be registered and aligned with respect to the receiver base, and during the second and final portion of piston movement the axially compliant pin socket will permit the pallet to engage a rigid clamp down surface on the receiver base, thus insuring a positive final resting position for the pallet on the receiver base.

Abstract: A robot toolchanger system is disclosed, where an adapter unit is mounted to the end effector of a robot. The housing of the adapter unit has central opening for receiving a T-shaped member which is affixed to a common toolbase, applied to a variety of tools. The crossbar of the T-shaped member is engaged by a slide movable in the housing in reversing directions to lock and unlock the tool with respect to the robot end effector.

Abstract: An electronic control system for use with hydraulic press brakes to provide compensation for material spring back to accurately produce a desired bend angle in the work piece. The ram force and flank angle of the work piece are monitored during the forming cycle to calculate the theoretical unloading curve of the work piece. Intersection of the plastic portion of the work piece force-angle curve with the theoretical unloading curve provides a calculated point of ram reversal resulting in the desired bend angle. The system compensates for changes in springback resulting from changes in material properties from one work piece to the next.

Abstract: An articulated manipulator and control are provided for producing controlled motion of a function element carried by the manipulator. The motion is defined by input signals specifying with respect to a rectangular coordinate system the positions and path velocities therebetween of a tool centerpoint associated with the function element. The control interpolates intermediate points along a predetermined path between any two positions. The intermediate points are produced in accordance with a fixed period interval and incremental velocity values instantaneously variable with each interval. Continuous functions of acceleration and deceleration are produced to vary the velocity in accordance with the programmed description of motion. Further velocity adjustment is permitted in accordance with unprogrammed variations of a preselected parameter.

Abstract: A control for the heating section of a blow-molding machine is provided. The control permits independent selection of periods for high and low power energization of each radiant heating element of the heating section heater assembly. Power is provided by an alternating current source and switching of the power to the heating elements is accomplished at the zero crossing points of the supply voltage. To regulate the power in the heating elements against variations of supply voltage from a nominal value, a duty cycle control scheme is provided for selectively applying and withholding full cycles of the supply voltage to the heating elements. The determination of whether a cycle is to be applied or withheld is made by computing a duty cycle ratio comparing the power available from a minimum voltage expected to the power available from the actual supply voltage. Supply cycle switching is accomplished to distribute the application of cycles in two during the periods.

Abstract: A releasable tool mount is provided for protecting tools carried by a manipulator from damage by excessive forces acting upon the tools irrespective of the direction of the force. The tool mount comprises a tool mounting plate, a housing for receiving the plate, support pins peripherally disposed upon the plate, receptacle placed within the housing for receiving the support pins and preload devices for exerting forces along the long axis of the support pins to maintain their engagement with the receptacle. Relative forces between the housing and the plate, sufficient to overcome the preload force, effect dislodgment of the pins from their associated receptacles. Fluidic sensing means are provided for detecting dislodgement of any pin from its receptacle.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for activating a chuck in a blow molding machine to receive and releasably retain a thermoplastic polymer preform for blow molding a plastic container (e.g. bottle). The apparatus has a forked end reciprocatable sliding member whose forked end, in the chuck engaging position, moves vertically to activate the chuck to receive the preform. Several chucks may be activated simultaneously by the apparatus.

Abstract: A vacuum operated apparatus is provided for releasably grasping and transporting a thin solid object or article (e.g. silicon semiconductor wafer). The apparatus has two fixed rigid arms joined together at their rear end to define a gap therebetween having an open end and closed end wherein the upper arm directs the thin solid object into the gap and toward the lower arm having a port communicating with the gap and an enclosed passage way connected to a vacuum source. A vacuum applied to the lower arm holds the object against the grasping surface of the lower arm. Silicon semiconductor wafers may be grasped and transported with the apparatus and more especially silicon semiconductor wafers can be deposited onto and removed from the surface of a barrel type susceptor of an epitaxial reactor with enhanced ease and reduced danger of scratching and breaking the wafer.

Abstract: A facial relief and seal creates a closed damping chamber between the spindle end face and adjacent tool support plate. A plurality of tools are located on the face plate near the outer periphery. In one embodiment, a viscous medium, such as oil, is provided in the damping chamber. In an alternate embodiment, a visco-elastic material, such as PVC, is provided in the damping chamber. Relative movement between the spindle end face and the tool support plate will cause vibration damping.

Abstract: A blow molding machine is provided with an external center pin so that blowing is accomplished without introducing a mechanical or rigid member within the preform and/or bottle. To do this, the blowing is done by introducing a fluid, preferably a gas such as air, into the preform to expand it. Outside of the preform, meanwhile, is the subject center pin or center rod which is located on the preform center line (axis) and near the middle of the preform bottom. The rod receives a gate disposed centrally on the bottom of the preform when the preform is expanded by the entering fluid. In this manner, the center part of the bottom of the preform is engaged by the center pin which thereafter keeps the preform on center as the blowing action continues. A process is disclosed of blowing using a compressed fluid alone inside the preform to expand the preform axially against the bias of an external resiliently biased center pin.

Abstract: A machine tool bearing system is disclosed for grinding machines and the like, wherein a housing has a spindle bore in which is carried a plurality of bearing sets of the rocking shoe segment type. A spindle is rotatably journalled in the bearing sets, and a lower pressure operating fluid is supplied to wet the spindle bearing surfaces. A hydrostatic pressure area is defined on the lowermost of the rocking shoe segments, and fluid at a higher operating pressure is supplied through a check valve system to the hydrostatic pressure area to provide a lifting force to the spindle during start-up conditions. When the spindle reaches its operating rpm., a hydrodynamic pressure is generated in the shoe segments, and serves to provide a stiff support system to the spindle and also serves to shut off the flow from the check valve system.

Abstract: A machine for high rate production of molecularly oriented thermoplastic bottles is disclosed. The machine is of the reheat-and-blow type. A blow molding station simultaneously blow molds article preforms arranged in matrices by modular article carriers for conveying the preforms and articles through the machine. The carriers are designed to retain the preforms throughout all operations of the machine from a preform load station through a thermal conditioning section, a blow molding station, and to a bottle eject station, thereby eliminating the need for other preform transferring apparatus. The article carriers together with the associated conveying apparatus comprise a sufficiently flexible structure that minor misalignments of the carriers with the blow molding mechanism do not adversely affect bottle production. Both loading of preforms and ejection of finished bottles are accomplished by operation upon matrices of preforms and bottles as defined by the carriers and conveyor lanes.

Abstract: An air actuated adhesive application control valve using a resilient diaphragm to control reciprocation of the valve stem. Unsupported portions of the diaphragm are supported by a layer of the incompressible adhesive trapped within a fluid cavity adjacent one major surface of the diaphragm. Adhesive is permitted to enter the fluid cavity when the valve is in the closed position, but is prevented from escaping therefrom by a separate valve mechanism carried by the valve stem when the valve is in the opened position. The second valve element also serves as a stop to limit travel of the reciprocating stem, thereby controlling the valve opening clearance.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling the operation of a system are provided. The overall system operation is described by a plurality of mechanism cycles of operation each defined by a sequence of instructions relating sensed conditions of input devices, selectable conditions of output devices and variable values. Instruction signals representing the instructions of the sequences are stored together with mechanism cycle status signals each representing the executability of the associated mechanism cycle. Only instructions associated with cycles for which the status signal represent an executable condition are executed. Instructions for cycles for which the status signals represent a nonexecutable condition are modifiable during execution of the other instruction sequence. The instruction signals include variable name signals associated with unique interface circuits connected to the input and output devices.