Abstract: A method and apparatus for use with a load-elevating carrying device having a load-discharging push mechanism for accurate direct transference of a load from the load-elevating carrying device without the necessity of repeated positioning and adjustment maneuvers of the load device during off-loading procedure. The apparatus of the invention includes a platform member for receiving a load which has a generally vertical wall joined to and extending uprightly from one edge thereof and motion guide elements fixed to the platform member for enabling the motion thereof along a rectilinear path corresponding to the movement of the motion guide elements in response to a force applied in the horizontal direction.

Abstract: A resilient gripper pad stores deformation energy just before the gripped object starts to slip, then rapidly accelerates as it suddenly releases the energy in the springback to rest position. An accelerometer in the resilient pad (corrected for ambient acceleration by differentiation with a nearby second accelerometer) provides information by which the control computer of a closed loop robot system mandates the manipulation of objects by controlled slipping. Controlled transitions of gripping (releasing) action evoked by the control computer provide related sequences of grip (slide) events, with one or more slip (pad chatter) events intervening at the threshold. Prior to the slide, there is an instant when the gripped object starts to slip on a slip pad on one digit of the gripper, but remains frictionally gripped by a resilient pad on the opposing digit. During this instant, the resilient pad deforms downward because of gravity on the gripped object.

Abstract: A receiving cradle for the pre-packaging of items (e.g., stamp booklets) to be oriented in and then dispensed from a criss-cross stack. Initially, pairs of rubber bands are placed on the fixture in a preferred sequence, followed by the loading of alternately stacked booklets forming the criss-cross stack to ultimately be placed into the booklet dispenser equipment. When the prearranged criss-cross stack has been set into place, the operator sequentially draws the rubber bands from their pre-set positions over the opposed corners of the criss-cross stack. The result is an integral stack, rubber banded together, forming a criss-cross booklet package in preassembled form, ready for prompt loading into a dispenser mechanism.

Abstract: Use is made of a screw conveyor to supply and guide bulk material to a belt conveyor of the type having two or more belts which travel in face-to-face relationship and between which the bulk material is enclosed during conveyance. The screw of the screw conveyor is rotatably mounted for rotation about its axis and has its upper end in immediate proximity to the entrance end of the belt conveyor. The tubular outer housing of the screw conveyor is rigidly connected to the frame of the belt conveyor. A material supply device is provided at the entrance opening of the screw conveyor.

Abstract: A mobile material handling machine includes a material handling element and an operator's control cab. A plate is pivotally attached to the material handling element in line with the operator's line of sight from the cab towards the element. The plate has first indicia on the edges thereof; second indicia on the top surface thereof; and third indicia on the bottom surface thereof. The first indicia is in line with the operator's line of sight when the material handling element is positioned at a predetermined angle relative to the operator's cab.

Abstract: A lifting mechanism adapted to be placed in the trunk of a vehicle, the lifting mechanism having a lift platform movable from a storage position within the trunk to an elevated position in which the lift platform projects outwardly from the trunk, the platform being raised and lowered by a lever mechanism with or without a powered assist. The lifting mechanism may be used alone or in combination wtih a wheeled cart and an article supporting carriage by means of which the article may be transferred between the cart and the lifting mechanism.

Abstract: A motorized device for retrieving rectangular objects and stacking said objects on a pallet is described. The device includes a conveyor for picking up objects such as hay bales from the ground and a manipulator for taking bales from the conveyor and orienting them either lengthwise or crosswise. The oriented bales are then individually transported to an accumulator in the desired orientation to form a layer. When the layer has been formed on the accumulator, a carriage is translated forward and downward to engage the layer and pick the layer up, moving the carriage and layer of bales rearwardly to deposit them on a pallet. Successive layers are formed in this fashion until a stack of the desired height is disposed on the pallet. The device then may transport the palletized load to a storage or transport area where the load may be moved by forklift truck.

Abstract: An apparatus for moving a plurality of objects or containers for selecting, positioning, or retrieving one of the objects or containers organizes the objects or containers into two similar and parallel packets or stacks. The selection of an individual object is carried out by displacing each of the packets through a distance corresponding to the distance between adjacently stacked objects, and transferring the most upwardly or downwardly extreme object or container from one packet or stack to the other. The hoisting and lowering of the packets of objects is actuated by means of a plurality of screws engaging the edges of the objects, the displacement of an object or container from one packet or stack to the other is actuated by means of one of a pair of carriages moving transversely to the screws. The sequence of motion of the screws and carriages is controlled by two maltese cross-type gears.

Abstract: A multilink-type robot includes an arm support pivotably mounted on a base for angular movement about a vertical axis, the arm support having a pair of side support ledges extending upwardly with a U-shaped recess defined therebetween and extending substantially the entire length of the arm support, a first shaft extending across the recess and having opposite ends rotatably supported on the support ledges, a second shaft rotatably supported on the arm support in coaxial relation to the first shaft for relative rotation with respect to the first shaft, a first arm having one end fixed to the first shaft, a third shaft rotatably supported on an opposite end of the first arm in parallel relation to a first shaft, first rotation transmission for transmitting rotation of the second shaft to the third shaft, a second arm having one end fixed to the third shaft, a fourth shaft rotatably supported on an opposite end of the second arm in parallel relation to the third shaft, a wrist unit fixed to the fourth shaft, an

Abstract: A panel hoist for raising sheet or panel materials such as sheet rock, plywood, rock lath and similar materials. The panel hoist is used to aid in installation of these panels, particularly when the installer is working singlehandedly. The panel hoist includes a telescoping mast assembly, preferably having three stage operation. A collapsible base framework is provided with casters so that the panel hoist can be rolled into position. The collapsible base framework is specially constructed so as to minimize the size of the unit in the collapsed. Two different head assemblies are provided, depending upon whether panels are being installed horizontally or upright. The head assemblies are also collapsible to provide compactness and easy portability.

Abstract: A container chassis handling attachment for a lift truck having a lift carriage includes a frame for attachment to the lift carriage. It also includes a pair of upper and lower laterally-spaced forks independently mounted to the frame by separate four-bar linkages and movable by separate hydraulic cylinders. A clamp-positioning means cooperates with the forks to rotate the forks and any chassis gripped thereby through 180.degree.. The attachment is used to store a chassis by clamping from one side opposing top and bottom surfaces of the chassis, lifting the chassis, rotating the chassis about 90.degree. to a substantially upright position, and depositing the chassis in such position against a support. Alternatively, the chassis may be rotated 180.degree. to an upside-down position and deposited onto an underlying right-side-up chassis, eventually to form a stack of alternating right-side-up, upside-down chassis.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing a continuous supply of workpieces to a pickup station comprises a frame having a magazine in the top thereof, the workpieces being packaged in open-ended trays stacked in the magazine. A pickup plate assembly pivots downward from a position paralleling the bottom of the magazine, where it picks up a tray, to an inclined delivery position aligned with the inclined surface of a delivery station. Holding means are released so the connectors slide from the open end of the tray until it is empty. Thereafter the pickup plate pivots further downward and the empty tray is ejected.

Abstract: Cargo containers are moved between a dock and a ship by a crane which has a vertically movable landing platform, a waterside trolley for moving cargo between the ship and the landing platform, and a landside trolley for moving cargo between the dock and the landing platform. The landing platform is moved to different elevations to change the extent of vertical movement performed on the cargo by each of the tolleys. In the course of operations, the landing platform is movable to an elevation which corresponds approximately to the higher of: (a) the elevation of the designated location on the ship where the article of cargo is to loaded or unloaded, or (b) the elevation of the highest obstacle between the dock and the designated location; and, both trolleys are operated while the landing platform is at this elevation.

Abstract: A manipulator (10) including a compliant suction means (215 and 220) and two pairs of independently operable jaws (55, 60) precisely and delicately locates a workpiece (300) for delivery thereof to a location remote from that at which the piece is picked up.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for aligning the slices in stacks of sliced food products and for loading the stacks into container cavities. Stacks are received sequentially from a supply conveyor onto a stack support surface, where the stacks are detained either by friction with the support surface or by a stack catcher. A stack positioning member movable along the support surface pushes the stacks into engagement with a stack former for aligning the slices. Simultaneously, the stack positioning member retards movement of the next upstream stack on the supply conveyor so that the stack comes to rest on the support surface, and then pushes the previously aligned stack to a downstream pick-up station for loading into a container cavity. Each stack is removed from the loading station by a gripper assembly which pivots between the loading station and the container.

Abstract: An automatically operating palletizer is disclosed which included a vertical support column, a horizontally positioned support beam, and means for movably mounting the horizontal support beam on the support column for vertical movement relative to the support column. A horizontally extending product beam is movably mounted on the horizontal support beam and extends perpendicularly thereto. A product carrier is slidably mounted on the product support beam for movement along its length. Drive means are provided to drive the horizontal support beam and the product support beam to a plurality of vertical and horizontal positions relative to the support column, and also to drive the product carrier along the support beam. As a result the product carrier is positioned at any of a plurality of predetermined positions in a three dimensional volume to move products from one position, e.g. a pickup station, to any of a plurality of other predetermined positions.

Abstract: The herein disclosed invention relates to a device for automatically stacking in preselected multiples nestable, or other rigid forms, having a generally uniform size and a generally horizontal margin or rim, such as pie shells have. The stacking device is intended to be placed over, or structurally attached to, a conveyor means moving the items to be stacked into a location within the stacking device where they will be picked up and lifted vertically upward, one at a time, as they enter the pick-up location in a uniformly or randomly spaced relation, and held in the raised position until a preselected count is achieved, whereupon the stack of items will be automatically discharged onto the conveyor means or other suitable reception means from which the stack can be transferred to a packaging operation.

Abstract: A tactile bumper is configured to obtain sensory information for impact dction and collision avoidance from the entire perimeter of an associated autonomous mobile robot or platform. The tactile bumper comprises a plurality of free-floating strips encased in a housing and is disposed in a spring-loaded fashion so as to normally be in an extended position. A plurality of microswitches are affixed to the housing and are arranged behind the plurality of free-floating strips in such a fashion so as to be activated by any displacement thereof. The most significant component(s) of the tactile bumper are a plurality of free-floating corner pieces, each of which is configured with an angled cut at its ends so as to mate with complementary angled cuts of juxtaposed ones of the plurality of free-floating strips.

Abstract: When loading slit tape onto tape reels it is essential that empty reels be readily available. The present invention provides an assembly which substantially automatically transports empty reels to a loading station in a slitting machine, precisely positions the reels so that they can receive slit tape and remove the reels from the loading station after they are loaded. Each reel is engaged by a blade which moves the reel transversely between stations. The position of each blade with respect to each adjacent blade is alterable to thereby precisely position reels in the desired location.

Abstract: A novel cassette storage and feeder mechanism for a tape winding machine, comprising (a) storage chute for storing a plurality of empty cassettes randomly disposed in one or the other of first and second predetermined orientations, (b) a gate for discharging cassettes one at a time from said storage chute, (c) cassette orienter for causing each discharged cassette disposed in said first orientation to be shifted to said second orientation, and (d) a feeder for carrying cassettes away from said cassette orienter and supplying them one at a time to a tape loading station on the tape winding machine with the uniform desired orientation.