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Apparatus and methods for automatically transferring articles from a continuously movable conveyor to a work station

  • US 4,144,960 A
  • Filed: 06/16/1977
  • Issued: 03/20/1979
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1977
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In material handling apparatus of the kind including a conveyor for conveying articles along a continuous path extending toward, alongside, and beyond a work station located adjacent one side of said conveyor and between the ends of said path, means forming a pathway leading into and out of said work station, and means upstream from said work station for shifting articles off and to said one side of said conveyor, the improvement comprising support means independent of said conveyor and said pathway at said one side of said conveyor for receiving an article shifted off said conveyor and supporting such article in an initial position upstream from said pathway while others of said articles continue to be conveyed along said path;

  • means for transferring such article from said initial position to a second position in register with said pathway;

    means for moving such article from said second position into said work station via said pathway;

    means for returning said transferring means to said initial position following movement of such article into said work station, thereby enabling said support means to receive another article from said conveyor while the first-mentioned article is at said work station; and

    means for returning such first-mentioned article from said work station to said conveyor between the ends of its path.

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