Abstract: A conveyor robot with a double arm with engaging members at both ends which are rotatable about a vertical axis and in a particular case additionally swingable about a horizontal axis. Both engaging members can be simultaneously moved in the longitudinal direction of the arm, in opposite directions. Both engaging members can have a common drive for their movements of rotation and another common drive for their swinging movements.

Abstract: A wire transfer mechanism for transporting a length of wire conductor from a feed location to a terminating location and then depositing the length of wire at a collection location is disclosed. The mechanism includes at least one transfer arm mounted for pivotable motion back and forth; a releasable gripper mechanism positioned at the end of each transfer arm for gripping a length of wire to inhibit relative motion in a direction normal to the axis of the wire, and an actuator mechanism for releasing the gripper mechanism while the transfer arms move from a wire terminating position to a wire pickup position at a finite velocity and for decelerating the transfer arms, so that the momentum of a wire gripped in the gripper mechanism will carry it away from the transfer arms in a direction normal to the axis of the wire.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for transferring a wood frame or the like from a first surface to a second surface. The apparatus includes a pivotably mounted frame assembly having a pair of projecting transfer arms. The transfer arms are provided with a clamping mechanism for clamping the wood frame therebetween at the first surface. It is transferred to the second surface by rotating the frame assembly about its pivot axis and then releasing the clamping mechanism when the frame is at or just above the second surface. The clamping mechanism includes at least one structure which is pivotably mounted to the end of one of the transfer arms and movable in the direction of the other of the two arms.

Abstract: A coupler assembly for a material handling device is provided which accommodates convenient interchanging of work implements. The coupler assembly includes first and second latching arrangements which are provided on a frame member which is adapted to be mounted on the lift arm assembly of material handling device. Notably, the second latching arrangement includes an elongated bar having end portions which are deflectable with respect to the central portion of the bar. A pair of overcenter locking cams are provided for urging the respective end portions of the bar into recesses defined by hooks which are mounted on the implement to be mounted, thus facilitating convenient attachment of the implement to the lift arm assembly.

Abstract: A device for transferring tubular fabrics, particularly panty hose, the opening or mouth of which is fitted on support hangers which are spaced apart from one another and hold the mouth at an open position, and for transferring such tubular fabrics onto a rigid body adjacent to and aligned with the hangers by inverting the tubular fabrics on such rigid body. The device includes a slide longitudinally movable on a fixed guide, jaws mounted on the slide and includes four discrete rotable elements in two pairs on two discrete planes, a pan projecting forwardly of the slide and freely axially movable relative thereto against the action of a spring, plungers supported from the jaws which project for insertion in the mouth or opening of the tubular fabric as the slide moves forward, followed by lifting such fabric out of the support hangers when the jaws are spread out.

Abstract: A method for lowering roll wound with a web on a winding machine wherein the roll is supported eccentrically on the upper portion of the circumference of a support roll, the roll being formed by winding the web onto a core tube carrying end insets, the method comprising lifting the web roll from below so as to disengage it from the support roll, withdrawing the end insets from the core tube, and then lowering the web roll to a removal level out of contact with the support roll. A suitable apparatus is provided comprising a trough 4 for holding the wound wed roll, and drive means 9 for raising and lowering the trough along an arcuate path corresponding to the circumference of the support roll 1. The trough comprises a pair of plates 5 and 6 pivotally connected to one another about a horizontal shaft, plate 5 picking up the web roll 2 by its underside and being laterally guided by a cam follower 13 guided along a cam 14.

Abstract: A double-hand unit adapted to be secured to the wrist part of an industrial robot and to be used for gripping shaft works or the like is disclosed. The double-hand unit comprises two hand units (2, 3) comprising at least two pairs of fingers (2-1, 2-2 and 3-1, 3-2), respectively, and being disposed in a back-to-back relationship with the respective opening sides of the fingers directed in opposite directions with each other. The driving mechanisms for operating the associated fingers of the hand units (2, 3) are disposed one over the other along a plane including the fingers.

Abstract: A robotic height sensor employs the defocussing of a spot of light to detect the motion of a probe contacting a reference object. The defocussing changes the electrical output of a photodetector which output is used to control a height drive mechanism. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an intentional weakened portion of a shaft is provided for permitting limited lateral freedom of the shaft to accommodate minor irregularities in a workpiece.

Abstract: A robot hand of an industrial robot used as a manipulating device of a bar-like workpiece having a pair of gripping members attached to a base member and arranged so as to be slid toward and away from one another so that an appropriate distance between the pair of gripping members is established depending on the difference of lengths of workpieces to be gripped by the gripping members of the robot hand.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mechanical arm having four degrees of freedom (or possibilities of motion) and actuated by two electric motors, each motor of these alternately controls the movements corresponding to at least two degrees of freedom. The result is an arm having a mixed control for movement in series and in parallel in which the motions controlled by the same motor are carried out in different instants of time, whereas the motions controlled by different motors can be performed simultaneously.

Abstract: An excavator can be moved in a step-like manner employing its boom and stepping feet or it can be arranged for conventional driven wheeled movement. The excavator includes a supporting frame with outwardly extending supporting arms on which first wheels and/or stepping feet can be mounted. A superstructure is positioned on the supporting frame and the boom is articulated to the superstructure. A second wheel is supported on the superstructure and can be moved in the vertical direction between an active position resting on the ground on which the excavator is supported and an inactive position spaced upwardly from the ground. With two first wheels on one side of the supporting frame and the second wheel in the active position on the opposite side, conventional three-wheel driven movement can be achieved with the second wheel effecting the steering of the excavator.

Abstract: A cargo container handling assembly mounted on the lift beam of a mobile vehicle to transport and stack a cargo container. A bridge secured to the lift means accommodates a pair of vertically movable supports. Struts carried by the supports have balls on their upper and lower ends for movably supporting a carrier adapted to be locked onto a cargo container. Fluid operated cylinders are selectively operable to provide the carrier with tilt, skew, lateral shift, and fore and aft movements. Fluid motors are operable to selectively raise and lower the supports to change the elevation of the spreader independent of the lift beam and provide the carrier with pile slope movements.

Abstract: A quick release and attachment coupling for operating tools for earthmoving or excavating machines having an attachment head pivotally mounted on the boom of the machine. A locating head is fixed to, or formed integrally with, an operating tool and has a pair of spaced side plates, and stop members in the form of a transverse bar or beam and a hook or jaw. The attachment head is tightly positioned between the spaced side plates, with V-shaped slots at one end of the head engaged with the beam. A movable block in the head is moved by a hydraulic ram into engagement with the hook or jaw to lock the attachment head to the operating tool.

Abstract: An industrial robot, mountable on a machine tool for carrying a workpiece to a spindle of the machine tool, and having an arm, one end of which is equipped with a wrist having a gripping device for gripping a workpiece. The robot further includes a main body having first and second rods with perpendicular spanning plates movably mounted on the machine tool rotatably connected to the second rod, first driving means provided on the main body for moving the arm axially of the spindle on the machine tool, and second driving means for allowing movement axially of the spindle for rotating the arm in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the spindle, with the other end of the arm serving as the center of rotation about the first rod.

Abstract: An elephant nose type arm for a programme controlled manipulator, comprises a cylindrical rod, a flexible arm coupled at one end thereof to the rod, an actuator mounted on the other end of the flexible arm, and a tool attached to the other end of the flexible arm and rotated by actuation of the actuator.

Abstract: A lift unit for a punch press comprising of a housing having a back plate mountable upon the press. A pair of upright tracks are mounted upon the back plate and spaced from a feed screw journaled upon the back plate. Spaced bearing blocks are secured upon outer edges of the carriage plate, each bearing block supporting a plurality of right angularly related cam followers operatively engaging opposite sides of the tracks and adjacent outer edges thereof for guidably mounting the carriage plate upon the tracks for reciprocal movements. A nut is secured to the carriage plate and threaded onto the feed screw. An encoder is connected to the feed screw. A programmable control or computer numerical control is connected to the motor and an electronic encoder feedback circuit interconnects the encoder with the programmable control or the computer numerical control.

Abstract: The slave arm (15) in a sealed containment (12 or 210) is arranged to be replaceable by forward displacement by a new arm (115 or 215). The new arm is preceded by an intermediate sealing body (101 or 201) sealed on the new arm by a flexible bag (103 or 203) which is removable into the sealed containment once the new arm is located in the sealed containment. Preferably the sealed containment (12) is spaced from a shield wall (10) to provide an interspace (13) accessible to a protected operator and the linking part (16) of the manipulator has a demountable coupling (24) in the interspace so that the new arm can be inserted from the interspace.

Abstract: A telescoping boom assembly having novel and inexpensive apparatus for extending and retracting the boom assembly and for extending and retracting an articulated pipeline mounted on the boom assembly. A total of three winches can be used to move a multiple section boom assembly between a retracted position and an extended position regardless of the number of movable boom sections, and the same three winches can independently move the articulated pipeline between a folded and an extended position.

Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating a workpiece or the like comprising a pair of inger assemblies mounted on a common support. The finger assemblies have belts with contact surfaces arranged in a confronting relationship. A first operating mechanism is provided for moving the finger assemblies along a first axis towards each other to grip a workpiece between the belt contact surfaces. A second operating mechanism is provided for rotating the belts about the first axis in order to impart a corresponding rotation to the workpiece gripped therebetween. A third operating mechanism is provided for moving the belts in either the same or opposite directions in order to impart either translational movement to the workpiece along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis or rotational movement to the workpiece about the second axis.

Abstract: Handling equipment for a sheet press for feeding sheet blanks to the press and withdrawing pressed products from the press, includes a first station for the reception of pressed products, a second station containing a supply of sheet blanks, a track extending from the press to the stations, and a shuttle movable along the track and having substantially horizontal, first and second transport compartments at different levels, the first compartment receiving sheet blanks from the second station for delivering them to the press, and the second compartment receiving pressed products from the press for delivering them to the first station.