Abstract: A clamping apparatus includes a housing and a pivot pin mounted for pivoting movement about an axis of rotation with respect to the housing. A clamp member is connected to the pivot pin and is moveable between a clamped position and a released position in response to rotation of the pivot pin. The pivot pin has an arm extending radially outwardly from the axis of rotation. A drive member is mounted for linear reciprocal movement along a fixed path with respect to the housing, and a linkage connects the drive member to the arm of the pivot pin for converting reciprocal movement of the drive member into pivoting movement of the pivot pin. An electric motor is connected to an output shaft with an axis of rotation, and an adjustable converting mechanism connects the drive member to the electric motor for adjustably converting the rotary motion driving force into a linear reciprocal harmonic motion of the drive member.

Abstract: A vacuum cup apparatus having a flexible member with a front side engagable with a workpiece and a back side connectable to a manipulator and communicable with a vacuum source. A passageway is provided between the front side and the back side of the flexible member and is communicable with the vacuum source to provide vacuum to the front side of the flexible member. A recessed pocket formed in the front side of the flexible member provides a lip which defines an opening into the recessed pocket. The lip is engagable with the workpiece for maintaining atmospheric pressure within the recessed pocket when the vacuum cup apparatus is engaged with the workpiece. The establishment of atmospheric pressure within the recessed pocket reduces vacuum provided in the center portion of the front side of the flexible member to reduce or eliminate any tin cupping of the workpiece.

Abstract: A clamping apparatus, for use with an actuator, has a housing with a guide track mounted on or formed in the housing. A roller or cam operably engages with the guide track such that the cam can be moved and positioned along the guide track by way of the actuator. At least one pivoting arm is pivotally mounted on the housing adjacent to and spaced from the guide track. Each pivoting arm has an elongate slot adjacent to the shoulder. The elongate slot has two arcuate surfaces positioned parallel to each other and has two end surfaces joining the arcuate surfaces to define a closed loop surface. The cam is positioned within the elongate slot of each pivoting arm to pivot each pivoting arm between a clamped position and a released position as the cam is moved along the guide track and driven against the arcuate surfaces of each pivoting arm.

Abstract: A workpiece positioning apparatus comprising a housing including opposite side walls defining a hollow therebetween; a motor assembly secured to a housing side wall and including an output shaft; and a rotor. The rotor includes a first journal portion connected to the output shaft and journaled in one of the housing side walls, a second journal portion journaled in the other housing side wall, and a central generally circular disc portion positioned in the hollow of the housing between the housing side walls and defining a bifurcated segment. A pivot shaft is journaled in a the housing for rotation about an axis laterally spaced from and parallel to the rotational axis of the output shaft and a driven member is drivingly connected to the pivot shaft, positioned within the housing between the housing side walls, and defines a crank arm.

Abstract: A vacuum cup actuator for applying and releasing vacuum to a workpiece engaging vacuum cup wherein a housing provides a passageway for communicating vacuum to the vacuum cup, and a vacuum is actuated in response to the relative position of the vacuum cup with respect to the housing. A piston is slidably disposed within a stepped bore of the housing, and a valve is slidably disposed within the piston for relative movement therein. A valve cover is connected to the piston and disposed above the valve. The passageway extends through a port provided through a side wall of the housing and extends through the piston and the valve to the vacuum cup. A flexible seal is circumferentially connected to the valve for engaging and disengaging a shoulder of the piston thus closing and opening, respectively, the passageway. A quick connect releasable mount is provided for releasably connecting the vacuum cup to the valve to place the vacuum cup in communication with the passageway.

Abstract: A clamping apparatus includes a housing and a pivot pin mounted for pivoting movement about an axis of rotation with respect to the housing. A clamp member is connected to the pivot pin and is moveable between a clamped position and a released position in response to rotation of the pivot pin. The pivot pin has an arm extending radially outwardly from the axis of rotation. A drive member is mounted for linear reciprocal movement along a fixed path with respect to the housing, and a linkage connects the drive member to the arm of the pivot pin for converting reciprocal movement of the drive member into pivoting movement of the pivot pin. An electric motor is connected to an output shaft with an axis of rotation, and a first converting mechanism connects the drive member to the electric motor for converting the rotary motion driving force into a linear reciprocal harmonic motion of the drive member.

Abstract: A power actuated parallel gripper for engaging and holding a workpiece wherein a pair of linkage assemblies actuate a pair of jaws for linear reciprocal movement thereof and prohibit unpowered movement of the jaws from the clamped position. In the preferred embodiment, the configuration of the linkage assemblies provides for the clamping of an outer diameter of the workpiece. In a second embodiment, the configuration of the linkage assemblies may be manipulated to engage the internal diameter of the workpiece. The linear movement of the jaws is guided by a guide rod having a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The jaws cooperatively receive the guide rod through apertures provided in the jaws, and compression springs are utilized between the ends of the guide rod and the ends of the apertures provided in the jaws to maintain the position of the guide rod between the jaws.

Abstract: A rotatable shuttle transfer unit for transferring a workpiece from a first work station to a second work station along a predetermined path of travel wherein a pair of spaced carriages carry the workpiece along the predetermined path of travel and rotate the workpiece from a first angular orientation to a second angular orientation with respect to an axis of rotation. Preferably, the carriages rotate the workpiece while carrying the workpiece along the predetermined path of travel. The carriages are transported along a guiderail which extends between the first and second work stations. A continuous drive belt reciprocally drives the carriages along the guiderail wherein the continuous drive belt extends from one end of the guiderail to the opposite end of the guiderail. A vertical lift portion reciprocally moves the workpiece in a direction substantially normal to the predetermined path of travel. In addition, the carriages provide releasable power clamps for engaging and securing the workpiece.

Abstract: A sensor detects the absolute angular position of a rotatable clamp arm between full opened and full closed positions. The sensor is coupled to a clamp arm pivot shaft to provide output signals corresponding to the absolute position of the clamp arm. One or more programmable angular position set points are setable at angular positions in advance of the full open and full closed positions of the clamp arm. Outputs are generated when the clamp arm reaches and/or exceeds each set point.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an enclosed power clamp from individual planar plates which when stacked and secured in the proper manner provide an inexpensive, lightweight and structurally sound enclosed power clamp. The enclosed housing of the power clamp is defined and sectioned into a plurality of planar laminations. A plurality of planar plates are formed having configurations corresponding to the planar laminations. The planar plates are then stacked in a predetermined sequence corresponding to the planar laminations. The internal mechanisms of the power clamp are assembled to the planar plates of the power clamp, and the planar plates are secured together to form an integral unit of the power clamp.

Abstract: A shiftable valve spool has a plurality of distinct targets carried thereon. The targets are preferably axially spaced and located at one end of the valve spool. A detector mounted in the valve detects each target as each target enters a detection field of the detector. The detector generates a distinct output indicative of one target positioned within the detection field of the detector. A control determines, in response to the output from the detector, the exact valve spool position.

Abstract: An apparatus selectively supplies a source of pressurized fluid to a load device and selectively exhausts pressurized fluid from the load device. The apparatus includes a first housing for defining a longitudinally extending aperture communicating through first, second, and third passages with spaced first, second and third external surface portions of the first housing. A valve spool is engageable within the first aperture for longitudinal movement between a first position communicating the second passage with the third passage and a second position communicating the first passage with the second passage. The valve spool is normally biased toward the first position. Modular port members are connectable to the first, second and third spaced external surface portions for connecting the first passage to a source of pressurized fluid, the second passage to the load device, and the third passage to an exhaust port.

Abstract: A rotary clamp having a common plane mounting arrangement that provides a first planar surface for mounting the rotary clamp to a support member and a second planar surface for mounting a workpiece engaging means to the rotary clamp wherein the first and second planar surfaces lie in a common plane for simplifying the set up procedure of the rotary clamp. The first planar surface is formed on a housing of the rotary clamp, and the second planar surface is formed on a pivot pin of the rotary clamp. The first and second planar surfaces are spaced from one another to provide proper relief so that the workpiece engaging means may freely rotate without interference from the second planar surface. The pivot pin provides a large end portion seated within a recess of the housing that remains externally accessible with respect to the housing.

Abstract: A power actuated gripper for engaging and holding a workpiece wherein a cam surface is pivotally linked to a reciprocating actuator for actuating at least one of a first and second jaws between a clamped position, wherein the first and second jaws engage and hold the workpiece, and an unclamped position, wherein the first and second jaws disengage and release the workpiece. The reciprocating linear actuator provides a fluid motor with a piston and piston rod for providing linear reciprocal movement. The piston rod is connected to a coupling member which is pivotally connected to a pair of linkage members for each of the first and second jaws. A pair of lever arms are pivotally connected to the linkage members and are integral with a shaft link. The cam surface is formed on the shaft link and actuates a cam follower, biased toward the cam surface, connected to the first and second jaws.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting rotational movement of a rotary member to harmonic linear motion for moving an article transfer apparatus between a first position and a second position. The apparatus provides a follower pivotally connected to the extending end of the rotary member, and a planar support plate having a slotted aperture for receiving the follower of the rotary member. A pair of opposing low friction planar guides slidingly support the support plate of the article transfer apparatus for movement in a predetermined plane. When the rotary member rotates, the follower moves along the slotted aperture of the support plate, and the support plate slides along the planar guides thus imparting linear motion to the article transfer apparatus. When the rotary member is rotated at a substantially constant rotary speed, the linear motion translated to the article transfer apparatus is best described as harmonic motion.

Abstract: An adjustable oil metering valve for a compressed air lubricator includes a lower, fixed member (20) having a central, downwardly extending oil delivery nozzle (30) and a peripherally ramped upper surface (29) in communication with the nozzle (30). Seated on the surface (29), and rotatable relative thereto, is a valve member (21) that includes a lower disc portion (31) having a radial channel (35) formed in its lower surface. The lower surface of the rotatable disc portion (31) and the upper surface (29) of the fixed member (20) thereby define between them a peripheral gap (H) of progressively varying height into which the oil is fed whence it flows to the nozzle (30) via the channel (35). The rate of flow of oil to the nozzle (30) is substantially proportional to the height of the gap (H) at the angular location of the outer end of the channel (35) which may be selectively varied by rotating the valve member (21).

Abstract: A clamp secures a workpiece relative to a work piece support. A clamp arm is connected to an external end of the clamp for movement between workpiece clamping and release positions. An inflatable bladder disposed within a bladder support is releasably attached to the clamp arm between the workpiece and the clamp arm. A proportional regulator controls the inflation of the bladder, so that when the bladder is inflated, the bladder provides uniform distribution of the pressure to be exerted along a greater portion of the workpiece to protect the workpiece surface from undesirable indentations or defects.

Abstract: A rotary clamp having a common plane mounting arrangement that provides a first planar surface for mounting the rotary clamp to a support member and a second planar surface for mounting a workpiece engaging means to the rotary clamp wherein the first and second planar surfaces lie in a common plane for simplifying the set up procedure of the rotary clamp. The first planar surface is formed on a housing of the rotary clamp, and the second planar surface is formed on a pivot pin of the rotary clamp. The first and second planar surfaces are spaced from one another to provide proper relief so that the workpiece engaging means may freely rotate without interference from the second planar surface. The pivot pin provides a large end portion seated within a recess of the housing that remains externally accessible with respect to the housing.