Patents by Inventor Wayne R. Austin

Wayne R. Austin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Robotic end-of-arm tooling multiple workpiece internal gripper
    Patent number: 4955655
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of a robot or like end-of-arm tool (EOAT) for gripping workpieces by cavities in the workpieces is provided. The EOAT is connected with the robot or like and includes an extendible rod having a generally flanged end opposite the robot. The EOAT also includes at least one spacer encircling the rod between the robot or like and the flanged end of the rod, and at least two elastomeric gripper portions encircling the rod and capturing at least one spacer. The gripper portions have a first dimension when the rod is extended whereby at least one of the gripper portions can be inserted into a workpiece cavity and the gripper portions have a second dimension when the rod is retracted whereby the gripper portions can engage with the workpiece cavity to grip the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony Caracciolo, Jr., Wayne R. Austin, Dante C. Zuccaro, Leonard P. Pomrehn