Vacuum lifting arrangement
First Claim
1. A vacuum lifting arrangement for flat workpieces, such as lumber boards, lumber planks and the like, comprising a horizontally and vertically movable housing defining an enclosed internal vacuum accumulator space;
- a valve plate connected with said housing and having a major surface facing away from said housing, said valve plate including a plurality of individual compartments;
a plurality of elastic vacuum applicator elements distributed over said major surface of said valve plate for engaging and sealing the respective workpiece in a conforming manner;
communication means in said valve plate, including a plurality of branches each leading through one of said vacuum compartments for establishing communication between said vacuum accumulator space and that one of said vacuum applicator elements which is associated with the respective vacuum compartment;
a number of individual valves mounted on said valve plate and each interposed in one of said branches for controlling the flow of ambient air through the respective branch into said vacuum accumulator space;
means for selectively interrupting and establishing communication between said vacuum accumulator space and said communication means;
first and second admitting means for respectively admitting ambient air into vacuum accumulator space and into the interior of said valve plate to said communication means;
means for simultaneously selectively opening and closing said first and second admitting means;
wherein said housing includes a hollow frame which completely encloses an internal channel and means for bounding a completely enclosed chamber which communicates with said channel to form said vacuum accumulator space therewith;
wherein said communication means include a suction opening which opens into said chamber; and
vacuum generating means and connecting conduit means for connecting said vacuum generating means with said chamber;
wherein said means for bounding said chamber includes a hollow intermediate beam which has two end portions that are connected to said hollow frame and bound respective ends of said chamber that open into said internal channel of said hollow frame;
wherein said intermediate beam includes a top lid which is detachably connected to the remainder of said intermediate beam; and
wherein said housing includes a continuous bottom plate which is common to said hollow frame and to said hollow intermediate beam.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vacuum lifting arrangement for flat workpieces, such as lumber boards, lumber planks and the like includes a vertically and horizontally displaceable housing which forms a vacuum chamber, and an elastic sealing element arranged at the underside of the housing for conformingly contacting the workpiece and constituted either by a foamed material mat with suction apertures or by individual suction cups. The vacuum chamber is constructed as a vacuum accumulator and a valve plate is interposed between the housing and the sealing element. The interior of the valve plate is subdivided into a plurality of individual vacuum compartments each equipped with a valve and is connected with the vacuum chamber by a suction opening which can be selectively opened and closed. Each of the vacuum accumulator and the valve plate is provided with its own admission opening which communicates with the ambient atmosphere, such openings being openable and closable in unison. A high vacuum is built up in the vacuum accumulator and is supplied in the case of need through the individual vacuum compartments to the suction apertures or suction cups. The valves are automatically opened or closed in dependence on the configuration of the workpiece so that the suction portions of the sealing element which are fully covered by the workpiece are subjected to the full vacuum and the remaining suction portions are cut off from the vacuum by the action of the respective valves, thus avoiding vacuum loss and operation disruptions.
27 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A vacuum lifting arrangement for flat workpieces, such as lumber boards, lumber planks and the like, comprising a horizontally and vertically movable housing defining an enclosed internal vacuum accumulator space;
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a valve plate connected with said housing and having a major surface facing away from said housing, said valve plate including a plurality of individual compartments; a plurality of elastic vacuum applicator elements distributed over said major surface of said valve plate for engaging and sealing the respective workpiece in a conforming manner; communication means in said valve plate, including a plurality of branches each leading through one of said vacuum compartments for establishing communication between said vacuum accumulator space and that one of said vacuum applicator elements which is associated with the respective vacuum compartment; a number of individual valves mounted on said valve plate and each interposed in one of said branches for controlling the flow of ambient air through the respective branch into said vacuum accumulator space; means for selectively interrupting and establishing communication between said vacuum accumulator space and said communication means; first and second admitting means for respectively admitting ambient air into vacuum accumulator space and into the interior of said valve plate to said communication means; means for simultaneously selectively opening and closing said first and second admitting means; wherein said housing includes a hollow frame which completely encloses an internal channel and means for bounding a completely enclosed chamber which communicates with said channel to form said vacuum accumulator space therewith; wherein said communication means include a suction opening which opens into said chamber; and vacuum generating means and connecting conduit means for connecting said vacuum generating means with said chamber; wherein said means for bounding said chamber includes a hollow intermediate beam which has two end portions that are connected to said hollow frame and bound respective ends of said chamber that open into said internal channel of said hollow frame; wherein said intermediate beam includes a top lid which is detachably connected to the remainder of said intermediate beam; and wherein said housing includes a continuous bottom plate which is common to said hollow frame and to said hollow intermediate beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification