Abstract: A device for the paraxial kinetic control of a boom that can be swivelled perpendicular to the rotatable platform of a mobile lifting machine wherein there is provided at least one coupling rocker which is pivotally mounted on the boom and provides a pivotal connection for a plurality of points of application of force, two points of application of force being linked to the platform of the lifting machine.

Abstract: An industrial robot, having a manipulative robot hand for mounted on a vertically movable portion thereof moved by a vertical drive, provided with a load reducing pneumatic cylinder for applying a constant upward force to the vertically movable portion during the vertical movement of the portion and an air storage tank or tanks directly connected to the pneumatic cylinder for continuously supplying air under a desired fixed pressure. The upward force contributes to reducing a load applied to the vertical drive. The air storage tank or tanks contributes to ensuring mechanical rigidity of the industrial robot.

Abstract: An industrial robot having a hollow arm rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a spindle of a machine tool, a wrist mechanism attached for rotation at one end of the arm, the wrist mechanism having a rotary shaft, and a gripper connected to the rotary shaft of the wrist mechanism for being rotated thereby. There are provided first and second air cylinders colinearly disposed within the arm, the first cylinder being fixed and the second cylinder being movable longitudinally of the arm. A piston rod interconnects the first and second air cylinders, the piston rod having a first piston at one end received in the first cylinder and a second piston at the other end received in the second cylinder. The piston rod is moved longitudinally of the arm by introducing air selectively into the first and second air cylinders. A pulley is affixed to the first cylinder, and a tension member such as a wire or belt is connected between the rotary shaft of the wrist mechanism and the pulley.

Abstract: Apparatus for mounting chip type circuit elements on a printed circuit board include a supply unit for supplying chip type circuit elements, a plurality of pallets adapted to be conveyed intermittently in a longitudinal direction, a sequence head adapted to shift the circuit elements onto the pallets, an X-Y table adapted to receive and support a printed circuit board, a mounting mechanism having mounting heads adapted to mount the chip type circuit elements on the printed circuit board carried by the X-Y table, and a shifting head for shifting the chip type circuit elements from the pallets to the mounting head of the mounting mechanism. The mounting mechanism constitutes a rotatably indexing disc on which a plurality of mounting heads are radially situated, the sequence heads, shifting head and mounting heads each utilizing suction pins to which the chip type circuit elements are fixed during their movement from the supply unit to the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A handling equipment comprising a telescopic supporting assembly carrying a motorized orientation support for at least one articulated slave arm is disclosed. The orientation support includes a body pivotally mounted around a vertical axis at the end of the supporting assembly and at least one supporting member pivotally mounted around a horizontal axis on the body. A fixing device is provided between each slave arm and each supporting member to allow remote locking and unlocking of the slave arms. The supporting assembly bears at least one television camera for observing the free end of each slave arm.

Abstract: An article exchange apparatus which can be used in an auto-loader having an exchange arm, an automatic tool exchange apparatus of a machine tool and the like, comprises an indexing mechanism constructed of a prime mover and a plurality of follower units. The apparatus also includes a mechanism for effecting intermittent indexing operations alternately at the plural follower units in response to a rotational drive of the prime mover. A hydraulic circuit is coupled to the prime mover for imparting such a rotational drive thereto, which is necessary for one cycle of a predetermined operational sequence. The prime mover is coupled to each of the follower units so that, with rotation of the prime mover, one of the units is rotated while the other is held fixed. During one full cycle, each of the follower units executes two indexing motions and has two pause cycles.

Abstract: An industrial robot of the type comprising a frame mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and having a pivot arm which is pivotally attached to the frame for pivotally supporting a boom, is provided with a counterbalancing device for equalizing the weight of the boom. The counterbalancing device includes a toggle lever mounted for pivotal motion about a fixed horizontal axis that extends at right angles to the axis of rotation of the frame, a counterweight or piston being connected to the toggle lever at a point spaced from one side of the pivot axis of the toggle lever, and a linkage connecting a second point on the toggle lever, located on the other side of its pivot axis, to the pivot arm at a location that is spaced from the pivot axis between the pivot arm and frame.

Abstract: Apparatus for supporting, locating and transferring plate-like or disc-shaped workpieces between several stations or between several machines where each of two plane parallel surfaces of each workpiece is subjected to one or more treatments has at least two partially overlapping plate chucks. A workpiece which is introduced by one chuck into the space where the two chucks overlap is released by the one chuck and is then attracted by the other chuck so that the previously exposed surface of the workpiece becomes concealed and vice versa. The chucks can transport workpieces between successive stations of a series of stations where the surfaces of the workpieces can be subjected to a coarse and thereupon to a precision or final treatment such as grinding and polishing, lapping or honing. If the chucks are installed in a separate frame, they can be rotated through 180.degree. about an axis which is parallel to their work-contacting surfaces so that a workpiece between such chucks is inverted, i.

Abstract: An assembly apparatus of the pick-and-place type having an elongated reach and including an intermittent motion drive mechanism having an output crank arm operable to stop at selected locations. A pivot plate assembly is rotatably journalled to the intermittent motion drive mechanism about the output thereof and capable of being drivably oscillated thereabout. A linkage slide assembly is carried by the pivot plate and comprises slide rods which are pivotally connected to the output crank arm of the intermittent motion drive mechanism for transmitting rotational oscillation into linear sliding movement. A cam member driven by the input of the intermittent motion drive mechanism and engages cam followers carried by the pivot plate assembly. Rotation of the cam member drivably oscillates the pivot plate thereby providing rotatable oscillation to the linearly reciprocating slide rods.

Abstract: An industrial robot having several axes of movement and comprising a base mounted for linear or pivotal movement, a pair of angularly movable parallelogram leverages and a toolholder head movable by the leverages and supporting a tool such as a welding torch. The toolholder head has two degrees of freedom of pivotal movement. The tool supported thereby is centered in a fixed point of focus irrespective of the position of the toolholder head and the tool can be adjusted without changing this point of focus merely by adjusting the toolholder head without adjusting other axes of movement of the robot.

Abstract: An attachment assembly for adjustably securing the control arm and bellcrank arm of an anti-rollback linkage for material handling buckets. The anti-rollback control arm includes a generally flat planar arm portion and a position adjusting shaft with the longitudinal axis of the position adjusting shaft being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the arm portion. The bellcrank arm is generally U-shaped in cross-section and includes openings through side wall flanges for receiving an end portion of the position adjusting shaft. The shaft end portion is adjustably secured to the bellcrank arm by a U-bolt fastener which extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the position adjusting shaft and which is attached to the bellcrank arm. The position adjusting shaft end portion includes spaced apart knurled peripheral band areas which are separated by at least one smooth peripheral area.

Abstract: There is provided a grapple for lifting and maneuvring elongated items, which includes a main frame and a sub-frame, the two frames being pivotally mounted with respect to each other about a substantially vertical axis. The sub frame includes grappling jaws and heel elements which are capable of receiving elongated items. Mechanisms are provided for rotating the sub-frame with respect to the main frame. The heel is fixed with respect to the sub-frame and is spaced from the grappling jaws.

Abstract: A flexible arm for a program controlled manipulator, with a hydraulic rotary actuator supported on an inflexible arm, a first arm member secured to a rotary shaft of the actuator, a second arm member connected swingably to the first arm member by way of a shaft, a third arm member connected rotatably to the second arm member, a link member connected rotatably to the first and third arm member, and a working tool mounted to the free end of the flexible arm.

Abstract: A universal robot comprising an X-axis arm (3) which is mounted on a post (1) through a support member (2) movable in the vertical direction and is tiltable into a desired position, and a Z-axis arm (6) which is mounted on a slider (5) movable along the X-axis arm (3) and is tiltable into a desired position. With this arrangement, the transportation of a load to be moved in two-dimensional directions can be carried out by a single linear movement of the slider, so that not only the time required for the load transportation can be reduced but the accuracy of the transportation can be improved very much.

Abstract: The contact positioning apparatus comprises a plurality of contact holding portions (11, 11') adapted to receive a series of contacts at a first pitch and to deliver the contacts to a second, different pitch. The portions (11, 11') are arranged in spaced parallel coplanar relation and are supported from a carriage (19) on respective cranks (13, 14) individually rotatable by respective pinions (16, 16'). Arms (13, 13') of the cranks are of progressively increased length and elements (55, 23) provide for bringing the pinions (16, 16') into engagement with a common rack (27), traversable to rotate the cranks and bring the contact holding portions to the desired different pitch. The carriage is suitably supported on an XYZ positioning mechanism to move the contacts between receiving and discharge stations.

Abstract: An adapter for use with lift forks or the like of a lift truck to allow v accurate positioning of ordnance and the like for attachment to aircraft. The adapter comprises a base which is supported or secured to the lift forks and includes an ordnance load carrying cradle carried on a trolley mechanism that allows degrees of freedom in the fore/aft and lateral directions.

Abstract: An earth-working vehicle with a pair of articulated booms mounted side-by-side adjacent the forward end of a turntable in the vehicle. The booms pivot in parallel vertical planes that parallel the longitudinal axis of the turntable. An operator's station is located at the forward end of the turntable, on the opposite side of the turntable from the booms.

Abstract: A lift unit is mountable upon a press or machine tool and comprises a housing having a back plate mounting a pair of upright guide rods and journal an upright feed screw. A carriage has a carriage plate guidably mounted upon the rods and threadably engaging the feed screw. A programmable DC motor upon the housing has a drive shaft coupled to the feed screw. An angularly adjustable support cradle depends from the carriage below the housing and is adapted to mount a workpiece gripper tool adapted for programmed transverse controlled reciprocal movements relative to the press. An electronic encoder upon the motor controls the direction and number of rotations of its drive shaft for effecting a programmed repetitive cycle of predetermined feed movements of the carriage.

Abstract: Damage to tools and/or equipment (such as measuring equipment) mounted on industrial robot systems or other positioning systems tending to drop when electrical power is cut off, is eliminated by auxiliary equipment which prevents such dropping.

Abstract: A gripping mechanism having jaws for picking up and releasing parts is carried on an outwardly and inwardly swinging parallel linkage which, in turn, is mounted on an upwardly and downwardly swinging parallel linkage. A spring-loaded snubber takes out play in the linkages to insure precise positioning of the gripping mechanism at the ends of its outward and inward strokes. The jaws of the gripping mechanism are open and closed by a compactly mounted fluid-operated actuator, are connected to one another by an equalizing link which effects automatic self-centering of the jaws, are adapted to rotate the part as the part is transferred, and are adapted to be opened and closed with either a swinging motion or a straight line motion.