Abstract: A clean room gripper having sliding jaws and including a pressurized piston cylinder and actuator section for moving the jaws towards and away from one another. The jaws are in the form of upper and lower finger sections, with the lower section being provided with a sliding seal located between it and a mating outer surface of an evacuated chamber, whereby no particles or dust created within the unit because of mechanical action will be allowed to escape from the gripper during operation to add to contamination of the environment in a clean room.

Abstract: An overload protection device adapted to be secured between a robot arm and a tool, comprises a floating piston (20) within a cylinder (18). Hall effect sensors (124) are spaced around the cylinder wall and mating magnets (40) are spaced around the piston wall. The cylinder is pressurized to axially align the piston with the cylinder and to position each magnet in alignment with a sensor. When an overload occurs involving either the robot arm or the tool, the magnets are moved relative to the sensors causing the sensors to signal for depressurization of the cylinder. An electronic system (FIG. 27) responsive to the Hall effect sensor signals lights an "overload" LED D1 and triggers a timer circuit T1 which generates a timing pulse of fixed duration. During the duration of the timing pulse, the robot is de-energized. A red LED R is illuminated indicating the robot system is not ready to be operated. Also, a solenoid valve L1 is energized, cutting off the pressure to the cylinder.