Abstract: Apparatus for covering an opening in a pipe and sealing a gas or fluid leak includes first and second pipe engaging blocks coupled to a frame. With the second block fixedly mounted to the frame and the first block movable along the frame by means of a hydraulic cylinder coupled thereto, the first block is positioned over and seals the leak under the force of hydraulic pressure. The frame includes first and second mounting arrangements for attaching an articulated boom such as on a backhoe to either an end of the frame (for positioning the apparatus in a generally upright orientation) or to an intermediate portion of the frame (for positioning the apparatus in an inclined orientation). The position of the second block along the length of the frame is adjustable depending upon the diameter of the pipe. A guide rod couples the movable first block to the frame to ensure linear displacement of the first block and proper alignment between the first and second blocks during engagement of the pipe.

Abstract: A transport device for the transfer of a workpiece carrier from a container for a first bath to a container for a second bath has a vertical sliding carriage. To this vertical sliding carriage at least one pivot arm is arranged, which carries the workpiece carrier to be transferred. The pivot range of the workpiece carrier is located exclusively below the pivot axis. By means of that a miminum possible transfer time is achieved.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading and unloading a workpiece between a working position of a machine tool and a waiting position provided outside the machine tool. The apparatus comprises a rotational shaft which is supported to be rotatable about its axis extending in parallel with an axis of a work spindle, and is rotated in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction within a required rotational angle by an actuator. On a bracket fixed on one end of the rotational shaft, there are installed a loading arm unit and an unloading arm unit. The loading arm unit and the unloading arm unit are arrayed in a direction of the axis of the work spindle, and extend in an up-and-down direction along a pair of lines, which intersect with each other at a predetermined angle so as to interact at the working position, respectively. Each of the loading arm unit and the unloading arm unit has a pair of gripping claws extending in a direction which is normal to the axis of the work spindle.

Abstract: Automatic service apparatus for fast printers (10) including a store (12) containing reams of papers to be printed, a mechanical arm (16), equipped with pliers (24), movable among a plurality of boxes (14) for drawing reams from the store (12), unpacking and aligning sheets from the ream, depositing one of the reams into a sheet feeding seat of a printer (10), drawing groups of sheets from the output of the printer (10) and transferring the groups to an after-treatment station (60). The pliers can be provided with a static device for aligning the reams.

Abstract: A plurality of gripper modules positioned in space apart relationship along a frame member provide an end-of-arm tool. A pair of gripper modules disposed on opposite sides of the end-of-arm tool each support a Hall effect sensor which is coupled through a signal processing circuit to control the heads of the gripper modules.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system, teaches a technique, and provides apparatus eminently useful for the installation/removal, from a remote and protected location, of nozzle dams onto and from nozzle holddown rings within the channel heads of certain steam generators, including the types typically used in conjunction with the operation of pressurized hot-water nuclear power plants.

Abstract: Apparatus for an automatic bottle handling machine (2) operating in conjunction with a bottling line (25), with light material bottles (23) initially orderly arranged on trays or several packings (22) stacked on a pallet (21), comprises a device (1) having grippers (9, 17) for gripping the groups of bottles (23) in a packing (22), transporting (5) the bottles and dumping them out of their packing into a hopper (18) to recover them in bulk, and discharging the packing, an automatic machine (2) to re-erect and align the containers, fed with the bottles in bulk from the device (1), and a bottling line (25) coupled to the automatic machine.

Abstract: A disk gripper has a rotary actuator with a horizontally supported shaft, a swing arm which is attached to and can rotate with this shaft and a finger arm which is connected to the swing arm such that the connected arms together extend radially from the shaft. Gripper fingers on the finger arm have mutually coplanar flat outer surfaces which point downward when the arms are in the horizontally extended position. The gripper fingers are provided with grooves and are movable toward or away from one another while their flat outer surfaces slidingly move over a horizontal support surface such that a disk lying on this surface can be engaged in these grooves or disengaged therefrom. The swing arm and the finger arm are slidable within a limited distance with respect to each other in a direction perpendicular to their extension.

Abstract: The grip disclosed has a rotationally driven, threaded rod, with one part having a left-hand pitch while the other part has a right-hand pitch. The rod driving, by means of nuts and connection rods, has gripping arms that apply balanced forces to the object to be grasped. The arms and the threaded rod are floating with respect to the casing of the clamp, but can be locked as soon as the part is grasped.

Abstract: A wafer processing system includes an autoloader mounted within a load lock for providing batch, cassette-to-cassette automatic wafer transfer between the semiconductor processing chamber and cassette load and unload positions within the load lock. The system provides rapid, contamination-free loading and unloading of semiconductor wafers.

Abstract: There is disclosed a robot used in a clean room and adapted to transport a wafer cassette containing semiconductor wafers. The robot includes: a guide rail disposed in the clean room; a robot body slidably connected to the guide rail for movement along the guide rail; and a first drive mechanism for driving the robot body along the guide rail. The robot body includes: a clamping hand for releasably clamping the wafer cassette; an arm assembly, extending between the guide rail and the clamping hand, for controlling the position of the clamping hand; and a wrist assembly, interposed between the arm assembly and the clamping hand, for adjusting the orientation of the clamping hand.

Abstract: A workpiece positioner usable with a lathe having a headstock rotatable about a lathe axis has a base adjacent the lathe and defining an upright base axis offset from the lathe axis, a gripper support pivotal on the base about the base axis and defining a horizontal support axis, a positioner head pivotal on the support about the support axis, and a pair of grippers each including a respective pair of gripper jaws displaceable on the head transversely of the support axis.

Abstract: An article picking up mechanism for picking up articles placed in a container one by one for assembling the articles on works. The mechanism includes a tiltable table for receiving the container and tilting it to thereby shift the articles to one side of the container leaving a space in the other side. A manipulator robot is provided to shift one of the articles toward the space and grip the article to take out of the container.

Abstract: A beam picker adapted to be mounted on the boom tip of a conventional hydraulic crane is described to facilitate the removal of shoring beams positioned beneath a completed structure. The beam picker comprises a first support which is mounted on the outer end of a hydraulic crane and which has a second support pivotally secured thereto about a horizontal axis. A third support is rotatably and pivotally mounted on the second support so that the third support may be rotated and tilted relative to the second support. Movable jaws are provided on the third support for grasping the lower flange of the shoring beam.

Abstract: A method of stacking boxes, cases, cartons, crates or the like using a computer-controlled apparatus having a lifting grab fitted with two independently movable grippers between which a box to be lifted may be clamped. In a first step, the grab is positioned at a loading station, the grippers are relatively separated and then the grab is lowered over the next box to be stacked. One gripper is then moved to a datum position and the other gripper is moved towards said one gripper so as to clamp a box therebetween. The grab is raised and moved together with the clamped box to a stacking station whereat the grab is finely positioned to have the box correctly placed in the stack under assembly with said one gripper alongside a previously stacked box. The lifted box is released by moving said other gripper away from said one gripper and then the grab is raised clear of the stack without disturbing the placement of the last-lifted box.

Abstract: A tinning station for axial lead electronic components includes a presentation system for arranging a plurality of axial lead components in an elevated linear array with adjacent components lying parallel to each other. A pair of grippers, have a pair of parallel bars each having a longitudinal slot and a length at least as long as the length of the component array. These bars are moved toward or away from each other by an actuator which is mounted on a robotic arm. This arm is programmed to position the grippers adjacent to the array so that the actuator can cause the grippers to clamp the ends of the bodies of the components in the array. Then the arm dips the leads on each side of the array into the solder flux and subsequently into molten solder, thereby tinning the leads. The thickness of the grippers defines an untinned length of each component lead. A release fixture is used to dislodge any components which do not fall from the grippers when the grippers are separated.

Abstract: In the commercial production of licorice bites, each about 1 inch long, a group of extruded 54-inch licorice strips are lifted by a programmable controlled robot from the discharge end of a lower conveyor and deposited at the input end of an upper conveyor which carries the strips to a cutting station. The robot hand has a lower stainless steel blade for insertion under the group of licorice strips to wedge the sticky strips from a board on which they are being carried by the lower conveyor. The robot hand includes an upper bar. The bar is moved relative to the blade after insertion of the blade under the licorice strips, thereby clamping the strips between the bar and the blade. The arm of the robot then lifts the hand and clamped group of licorice strips and deposits the front ends of the strips at the input of the upper conveyor.

Abstract: A gripper for holding a manufactured part in a X-ray inspection system. The gripper includes a stationary jaw, a slidable jaw, a gripper base, a wear plate, a centering bushing an end plate, and a cam actuated spring mechanism for opening and closing the jaws. Both jaws are removable and adjustable in a keyway. Set screws are used to hold the jaws in place for a predetermined separation and allows a part to be positioned off center. The removable aspect allows for various jaw configurations. The centering bushing includes a cam shaped opening for accepting an end of an pneumatic activated ball plunger of a numerically controlled part manipulator. The centering bushing aligns the gripper to the longitudinal axis of the part manipulator.

Abstract: A pipe positioner for holding an end of a drill pipe in an earth drilling machine which is especially suited for use during blast hole drilling. The pipe positioner is connected to the mast of the earth drilling machine in a tubular guide frame arrangement which will allow movement of the pipe positioner inwardly and outwardly with respect to the mast. The pipe positioner includes jaws provided by slide bar members positioned in the guide frame of the pipe positioner. A double acting hydraulic cylinder connected to a pivoted linkage moves the slide bars to engage or disengage the pipe. In a preferred manner, the frame member for the jaws is provided by telescoping tubular members and the mast is of the tilting type for angle drilling.

Abstract: In the commercial production of licorice bites, each about 1 inch long, a group of extruded 54-inch licorice strips are lifted by a programmable controlled robot from the discharge end of a lower conveyor and deposited at the input end of an upper conveyor which carries the strips to a cutting station. The robot hand has a lower stainless steel blade for insertion under the group of licorice strips to wedge the sticky strips from a board on which they are being carried by the lower conveyor. The robot hand includes an upper bar having a food-grade rubber undersurface. The bar is lowered relative to the blade after insertion of the blade under the licorice strips, thereby clamping the strips between the lowered bar and the blade. The arm of the robot then lifts the hand and clamped group of licorice strips and deposits the front ends of the strips at the input of the upper conveyor.

Abstract: An electrical connector pickup station for long electrical connectors, comprises an escapement assembly for receiving connectors from a gravity feed magazine and which is mounted above a base plate so as to be inclined in a vertical plane. A connector locating assembly, also mounted on the base plate, is pivotable and translatable between a first inclined position in alignment with the escapement assembly to receive a connector therefrom, and a second horizontal position in which the connector can be picked up from the locating assembly by the jaws of a robot or pick-and-place machine. A device is provided for securing the connector in the locating assembly during its movement.

Abstract: A dual axis gripper for use with a robot arm having a rotatable wrist is provided with a first and second gripper. A bracket couples the first gripper to the robot arm in line with an axis about which one form of robot wrist rotation occurs. The bracket also couples a second gripper to the robot arm perpendicular to the first axis of rotation. The wrist rotation also includes rotation about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the first axis of rotation. Both the grippers are provided with a fixed jaw and a linearly actuated movable jaw so that both grippers form compliant type grippers. By rotating the grippers through the first axis of rotation and about the second axis of rotation, the two grippers may interchange positions and are capable of moving parts between any locations within a defined work envelope adjacent the end of the robot arm.

Abstract: Three sets of pincer units depend from a flat palm, each pincer unit having a pinching gap at its distal end for engaging a loaded circuit board by its edges and holding it in a spaced-apart relationship with the palm. Each pincer unit includes a finger having a flange at its distal end and a thumb slideably mounted on the finger so as to define a variable pinching gap. The fingers are mounted for prehensiling movement away from one another for bracketing a board to be picked up and toward one another so that the board to be picked up may be squeezed between them.The invention includes a method for picking up a loaded circuit board which involves bracketing a board to be picked up between a set of pincer units, squeezing the board by moving the pincer units toward one another against opposing edges of the board while simultaneously pinching each edge engaged with the pincer units.

Abstract: A gripper head for attachment to the Z axis shaft of a robot or a pick and place machine to pick up objects and position them on a workpiece, comprises a body from which projects a pair of gripping jaws which are slidable horizontally relative to the body by first and second pneumatic piston and cylinder units, respectively. A hold down and tamper member is vertically movable between the jaws by a third piston and cylinder unit so as to hold down an object to be picked up while the jaws are being closed about it and to tamp the object down against the workpiece. A brake is provided for stopping the piston of one of the first and second piston and cylinder units in a desired position. The hold down and tamper member may be arranged also to act as a vacuum pick up device.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring thin sheet-like articles such as wafers is disclosed. The apparatus is provided with opposed pairs of contact elements capable of adjusting the distance between said pairs of contact elements. The thin sheet-like articles are transferred one by from a transfer passage to a treating station while they are clamped between said pairs of contact elements by a transfer mechanism movable between the transfer passage and the treating station.

Abstract: An automatic punching machine having a gripping/lifting attachment which grips and lifts upright punched stacks from a delivery channel, turns them and deposits them onto transfer statics for further conveyance to an automatic bundling machine. The deposited stacks are held in the transfer station by stack guides. So that the stack guides do not interfere when the swivel arm of the gripping/lifting attachment, which is arranged so as to be turnable overhead through about 180.degree., is swung into the transfer station, such are fastened to a lifting table which can be lowered out of the plane of further conveyance. Mounted on the free end of the swivel arm is a swivel head which is pivotable through about 90.degree. and which is provided with a parting knife for the dividing or separating of the stacks.

Abstract: A pick-up and lay-down apparatus that will pick up drill pipes, casings, collars and riser pipes from pipe racks of a variety of different off-shore drilling installations, such as a drill ship, semi-submersible drill rig, jack-up drill rig, platform drill rig, etc., and set (lay-down) the pipes on the drill floor for easy access is disclosed. The apparatus also operates to transfer the pipe from the drill floor to the pipe rack. The pick-up and lay-down apparatus may use either hydraulic or electric motors for the primary power source to drive it. Rack and pinion systems are employed to move the various components of the apparatus during pick-up and transfer of the pipe. The system includes a moveable gantry beam; two moveable pick-up and lay-down carriages; one or more moveable troughs; and, two or more lifting and rotating arms. The apparatus could also be truck mounted for onshore operations.

Abstract: A device for operating a hand of an industrial robot is so constructed that fluid pressure cylinders (43, 44) are provided as a driving mechanism of the hand (4) of the industrial robot, branch passages including a pressure-reducing valve (47) are provided in a fluid supply passage to the fluid pressure cylinders (43, 44), the supply of fluid is switched by solenoid valves (SV.sub.2, SV.sub.3, SV.sub.4), and the switching of the solenoid valves (SV.sub.2, SV.sub.3, SV.sub.4) is carried out in accordance with the selected grasping force which has been selected in the teaching mode of the industrial robot, whereby the grasping force of the hand can be controlled stepwisely.

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: The wheeled frame remaining after removal therefrom of a detachable cargo container is gripped by clamping mechanism of a carrying unit mounted on a lift truck, then raised above the ground and pivoted from its normal horizontal position to a vertical position for transport to a multiple storage unit. The clamping mechanism is mounted for movement along an elongated boom the inner end of which is mounted on the vertically movable carriage of a lift truck for pivotal movement of the boom between horizontal and vertical positions.

Abstract: A self-centering clamp for drilling tubulars includes first and second transverse guide rods. Two opposed clamping jaws are guided along the first guide rod. These jaws are positioned by two opposed rocker arms, each of which is mounted to a cross brace which slides along the second guide rod. The rocker arms are symmetrically positioned by a link mechanism which also slides along the second guide rod and by a hydraulic cylinder coupled between the two rocker arms. The entire clamp is supported in a frame onto which is mounted the two guide rods. The frame is pivotably mounted to a pipe boom so as to rotate about an axis parallel to the clamped pipe and transverse to the first and second guide rods. In a second embodiment the guide rods are replaced with a plate having guide slots.

Abstract: Apparatus for the handling of drill collar and pipe stands and comprised of a hydraulically mechanized "Derrickman" and "Derrick Floor Hand" and associated fingerboard lock bars and all of which are adapted to remote control in the placement of the stands in a derrick, both in alignment with the rotary table and fully placed within the fingers, the stand handling mechanism being characterized by articulated arms extensible by actuator means housed entirely within the confines thereof for compactness.

Abstract: A commodity retrieval and storage apparatus which includes shelves for storing a plurality of like configured commodities. A movable carriage is vertically and horizontally displaceable along the shelves and carries apparatus for engagement with the commodity selected, apparatus for transferring the selected commodity to the carriage and apparatus for securely holding the selected commodity to the carriage. After transfer of the commodity to the carriage, the carriage may be moved to a commodity processing area.

Abstract: A scrap removal apparatus (35) for retrieving scrap material (32,33) from a two-piece table (19) includes a programmed lift arm assembly (37) movable between the table (19) and scrap accumulating areas (82,83) and has remotely actuable mechanical gripping devices (45) for positively clamping onto the scrap material (32,33). One form of gripping device is a clamp (50) having a finger (57) and an enlarged pad (54), the fingers (57) of the respective clamps (50) movable through slots (70) defined in the outer table edge (21) to grip the overlying outer scrap (32). Another form of gripping device includes a blade (80) for pinning the inner scrap (33) against a stop (73) near the table center.

Abstract: A loader-unloader system for loading and unloading workpieces, into a machine tool wherein each workpiece is held in position for rotation about a longitudinal axis during which various machine operations may be performed. The tool comprising a loading chute or conveyor adapted to deliver articles in succession to a loading position, an unloading chute or conveyor adapted to receive workpieces, and a loader-unloader assembly. The loader-unloader assembly comprises a track extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine, a trolley movable along the track and means for moving said trolley back and forth along the said track. A loader clamping head assembly is mounted on the trolley, and an unloader head assembly is mounted on the trolley. Each assembly includes a head for gripping a workpiece, means on the trolley for mounting said head for swinging movement into and out of position adjacent the machine and for reciprocating movement toward and away from the axis of said machine.

Abstract: A manipulator corresponding to the human hand is generally attached to the end of an arm of an industrial robot or remote control apparatus. The improved manipulator herein includes two spaced-apart, rotatable sprockets and a chain which is connected in the form of an endless loop and stretched between the sockets to form two parallel linear segments which move in mutually opposing directions when the chain is rotated. Two fingers for gripping a workpiece are arranged to move in a direction which is parallel to the linear segments by means of guide members, one finger being coupled to one of the linear segments of the chain and the other finger being coupled to the other linear segment. A cylinder is provided for accommodating a piston having piston rods secured to either side thereof. The other ends of the piston rods pass hermetically through both side walls of the cylinder and are secured in blocks located outside the cylinder, the blocks forming the walls of the manipulator.

Abstract: A pipe bending machine has a pipe bending mechanism which receives lengths of pipe to be bent from a pipe magazine located laterally of one side of the mechanism. A pipe transfer device is interposed between the bending mechanism and the magazine and transports pipe length from the magazine to the bending mechanism, for which purpose it is so constructed that it can pivot in a plurality of mutually inclined planes.

Abstract: An ingot grab apparatus comprising a pair of grab legs supported for general horizontal movement toward and away from one another. A grip point is associated with each leg and is mounted on its respective leg for movement along an incline extending downwardly and inwardly and upwardly and outwardly. The grip points generally face one another for engagement with the side surfaces of an ingot such that when the legs are moved toward one another to engage an ingot and the carrier is elevated, the grip points are forced downwardly and inwardly into the ingot.

Abstract: A loader for a forging press or the like comprising a transfer arm movable from a work pickup station to a work receiving station. A clamp is provided on the transfer arm for clamping and unclamping the work.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring workpieces from a store to a machine tool and vice versa has an arm, with a gripper at one end to pick up a workpiece. The arm pivots so that the gripped workpiece moves in an arc from one location to the other. When the workpiece is being picked up or put back in the store, the grippers have to be opened or closed. To do this, the arm is allowed to fall below the horizontal, when it is positioned at the store. When the arm is then raised to the horizontal (either by lifting the workpiece in the store or by lowering the pivoted end of the arm) an actuating device is operated which actuates opening or closing of the grippers.

Abstract: After curing, cementitious blocks carried on a pallet are moved by a conveyor to a transfer apparatus which removes the blocks from the pallet and transfers them to another conveyor for delivery to a cubing mechanism. The transfer apparatus is provided with a block lift turn-over mechanism and a block push-off mechanism with those mechanisms selectively operable to provide two distinctive operational modes as necessitated by the types of blocks being transferred and the desired block attitude.

Abstract: The apparatus for the automatic introduction of the members to the electrode of a resistance welding machine comprises an arm mounted on the machine frame so as to pivot about a horizontal pin located at the intersection of the horizontal hollow electrode axis and the vertical of the end of the slide for supplying the members to be welded, at least one jack for controlling the rotation of said arm, a finger mounted at the end of the arm so as to slide radially and coupled to at least one control jack integral with the arm, and a gripper mounted at the end of said finger and having two jaws which move under the action of at least one jack.A particular application of the invention is to the fitting of studs to heat exchanger tubes.