System for transferring workpieces between pallets and at least one machine tool

• US 4,655,664 A
• Filed: 01/29/1985
• Issued: 04/07/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: voestalpine Schienen GmbH (Voestalpine AG)
• Original Assignee: Voestalpine AG
• Inventors: Feichtl, Roland, Ganglberger, Klaus, Rennstich, Eugen, Deisenhammer, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Spar, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Krizek, Janice
• Application Number:
  US06/696,043
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 294/89, 414/32, 414/101, 414/120, 414/102, 414/110, 414/222, 414/225, 414/286, 901/6
• US Class Current: 414/788.4
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 7/10 by means of magazines
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 7/1494 using grippers
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/00 Gripping heads and other end effectors grippers used in machine tools B23Q7/04; gripping members fitted on cranes B66C1/42, B66C1/44; gripping means used in the manufacture of semiconductors H01L21/68707; gripping means used for mounting electrical components H05K13/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/107 Recirculates emptied pallet or separator

Abstract

Workpieces to be machined by a machine tool are taken from pallets by a loader-unloader, which subsequently deposits the machined workpieces on pallets. To simplify the handling of the pallets and to reduce the nonproductive times, a pallet support is provided with a first stack station for supporting a stack of pallets carrying workpieces to be machined and with a second stack station for supporting a stack of pallets for receiving machined workpieces. The loader-unloader is operable to lift an empty pallet from the top of the first stack and to transfer said empty pallet to the second stack station.

Claims

1. A system for transferring workpieces between pallets and at least one machine tool, each pallet having an open-bottomed, upwardly tapering, conical socket opening, a through opening laterally spaced from said socket opening, and a slot extending through said pallet and opening into said socket and through openings, the pallets being formed with a pin-receiving opening adjacent to and eccentric with respect to said socket opening, and being adapted to carry workpieces to be machined and machined workpieces, which comprises:

a pallet support adapted to support the pallets and including a first station for supporting a first stack consisting of pallets carrying workpieces to be machined, and a second station for supporting a second stack consisting of pallets carrying machined workpieces, and

a loader-unloader for transferring workpieces to be machined from pallets on said pallet support to said one machine tool and for transferring machined workpieces from said one machine tool to pallets on said pallet support, said loader-unloader is operable to lift each of said pallets and to transfer an empty pallet from the top of said first stack in said first station to said second station, and said loader-unloader includes a lifting arm adapted to assume a vertical position and having a lower end portion comprising a neck, which is narrower than said slot, and an upwardly-tapering, conical pallet-carrying head depending from said neck, said pallet-carrying head being adapted to be moved through said through hole of each of said pallets to the underside thereof and to enter said socket opening from below, said pallet-carrying head having a radial arm adjacent a lower end thereof and carrying a locking pin that is parallel to an axis of said neck of said lifting arm and adapted to enter into said pin-receiving opening to non-rotatably connect said pallet to said pallet-carrying head.

2. The system set forth in claim 1, wherein said locking pin is conically tapered at its free end.