Lockable latch for an apparatus having a combined latch actuation and carrier movement

• US 6,719,122 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2002
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comau LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Progressive Tool & Industries, Co. (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Kilibarda, Velibor, Kaufman, Alan S., Oldford, Keith A., Dugas, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DOUGLAS A
• Application Number:
  US10/192,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20030000802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 198/345.3, 198/346.3, 198/345.2, 198/341.01, 198/345.1, 198/341.08, 212/346, 414/564, 118/423, 134/76
• US Class Current: 198/345.3
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 21/004 the units passing two or more work-stations whilst being composed
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/50 Other automobile vehicle parts, i.e. manufactured in assembly lines
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/18 Transportation, conveyor or haulage systems specially adapted for motor vehicle or trailer assembly lines conveyors and haulage in general B65G

Abstract

A lowerator for an assembly system of the type including at least one rail defining a path of travel with respect to at least one workstation, and a conveyor for transporting a workpiece along the rail. The conveyor includes a trolley moveable along the rail and a carrier moveable with respect to the trolley. The carrier supports a workpiece during movement with respect to the workstation. The carrier is vertically positionable between a raised position and lowered position with respect to the trolley. The lowerator moves the carrier between the raised and lowered positions and cycles a latch for securing the carrier to the trolley when in the raised position. The lowerator includes at least one lifter or actuator defining a path of travel in at least a first direction, where the lifter actuates the latch to uncouple the trolley and carrier before moving the carrier into the lowered position at the workstation so that one or more processing operations can be performed on the workpiece. A lock, including a reciprocal pin and rotatable catch, can operably engage the latch in an engaged position for holding the carrier in the raised position with respect to the trolley. A lockout pin can be operably positioned to obstruct free movement of the latch from the engaged position until the lockout pin is removed. A guide member can be associated with each carrier for engagement with a guide channel located at the workstation for guiding movement of the carrier between the raised and lowered positions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transporting at least one workpiece comprising:

a trolley supporting a carrier for movement between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley;

a releasable latch for holding the carrier in the raised position with respect to the trolley when in an engaged position;

means for locking the latch in the engaged position with a longitudinally reciprocal pin;

an elongate guide member having opposite sides extending in a direction of carrier travel and operably associated with a lower portion of the carrier; and

a stationary guide channel located at a workstation for engaging the opposite sides of the guide member when the carrier is being moved into the workstation and for guiding vertical movement of the carrier between the raised and lowered positions while at the workstation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pin is operably engagable with the latch for holding the latch in the engaged position when in a locked position, and for allowing movement of the latch to a disengaged position when the pin is in an unlocked position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the locking means further comprises:

a catch operably engagable with the pin and movable between a trapped position and a released position, where the catch retains the pin in the locked position when the catch is in the trapped position, and allows movement of the pin from the locked position to the unlocked position when the catch is in the released position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the locking means further comprises;

the catch operable to passively move the pin from the unlocked position to the locked position in response to the catch moving from the released position to the trapped position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a lockout pin operable with respect to the latch for preventing movement of the latch from the engaged position until the lockout pin is removed.

5. An apparatus for transporting at least one workpiece comprising:

a trolley supporting a carrier for movement between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley;

a releasable latch for holding the carrier in the raised position with respect to the trolley when in an engaged position; and

means for locking the latch in the engaged position, wherein the locking means includes a pin operably engagable with the latch for holding the latch in the engaged position when in a locked position, and for allowing movement of the latch to a disengaged position when the pin is in an unlocked position, and a catch operably engagable with the pin and movable between a trapped position and a released position, where the catch retains the pin in the locked position when the catch is in the trapped position, and allows movement of the pin from the locked position to the unlocked position when the catch is in the released position, the catch supported by the trolley for pivoting movement about an axis for rotation between the trapped position and the released position in response to engagement with a stationary member located at the workstation, such that the catch is rotated to the released position when the trolley comes to a stop at the workstation.

6. An apparatus for transporting at least one workpiece comprising:

a trolley supporting a carrier for movement between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley;

a releasable latch for holding the carrier in the raised position with respect to the trolley when in an engaged position; and

means for locking the latch in the engaged position, wherein the locking means includes a pin operably engagable with the latch for holding the latch in the engaged position when in a locked position, and for allowing movement of the latch to a disengaged position when the pin is in an unlocked position, the pin mounted for reciprocating passive movement within an aperture formed in the carrier from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to the latch moving from the engaged position toward the disengaged position.

8. An apparatus for transporting at least one workpiece comprising:

a trolley supporting a carrier for movement between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley;

a releasable latch for holding the carrier in the raised position with respect to the trolley when in an engaged position;

means for locking the latch in the engaged position; and

a lockout pin operable with respect to the latch for preventing movement of the latch from the engaged position until the lockout pin is removed, the carrier having a pair of coaxial apertures associated therewith for receiving the lockout pin in a position obstructing free movement of the latch from the engaged position.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a member engagable between the lockout pin and the latch for obstructing movement of the latch when the lockout pin is located within the coaxial apertures.

10. An apparatus for transporting at least one workpiece comprising:

a trolley supporting a carrier for movement between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the trolley;

an elongate guide member having opposite sides extending in a direction of carrier travel and associated with a lower portion of the carrier; and

a stationary guide channel located at a workstation for engaging the opposite sides of the guide member during horizontal movement of the trolley when the carrier is being moved into the workstation, and for guiding vertical movement of the carrier between the raised and lowered positions while the trolley is stationary at the workstation.

11. An apparatus for transporting at least one workpiece comprising:

a carrier connectible with respect to a trolley for supporting at least one workpiece for movement along a rail with respect to a workstation, the carrier moveable between a raised position and a lowered position when positioned at the workstation;

at least one latch positioned adjacent a bottom surface of the carrier and moveable between a disengaged position and an engaged position, the latch holding the carrier in the raised position with respect to the trolley when in the engaged position and allowing movement of the carrier with respect to the trolley when in the disengaged position; and

a lock operably engagable with the latch for preventing unintentional movement of the latch from the engaged position to the disengaged position.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein lock further comprises:

a reciprocal pin operably engagable with the latch for holding the latch in the engaged position when in a locked position, and for allowing movement of the latch to the disengaged position when in an unlocked position.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the lock further comprises:

a catch supported by the trolley for movement between a trapped position and a released position, where the catch retains the pin in the locked position when the catch is in the trapped position, and allows movement of the pin from the locked position to the unlocked position when the catch is in the released position.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the lock further comprises:

the catch operable to passively move the pin from the unlocked position to the locked position in response to the catch moving from the released position to the trapped position.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

a lockout pin operable with respect to the latch for preventing movement of the latch from the engaged position until the lockout pin is removed.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the lock further comprises:

a pin movable longitudinally between a locked position engaging the latch for preventing movement of the latch from the engaged position, and a released position for allowing movement of the latch between the engaged and disengaged positions.

15. An apparatus for transporting at least one workpiece comprising:

a carrier connectible with respect to a trolley for supporting at least one workpiece for movement along a rail with respect to a workstation, the carrier moveable between a raised position and a lowered position when positioned at the workstation;

at least one latch moveable between a disengaged position and an engaged position, the latch holding the carrier in the raised position with respect to the trolley when in the engaged position and allowing movement of the carrier with respect to the trolley when in the disengaged position; and

a lock operably engagable with the latch for preventing unintentional movement of the latch from the engaged position to the disengaged position, wherein the lock includes a catch supported by the trolley for movement between a trapped position and a released position, where the catch retains the pin in the locked position when the catch is in the trapped position, and allows movement of the pin from the locked position to the unlocked position when the catch is in the released position, the catch supported by the trolley for pivoting movement about an axis for rotation between the trapped position and the released position in response to engagement with a stationary member located at the workstation, such that the catch is rotated to the released position when the trolley comes to a stop at the workstation.

16. An apparatus for transporting at least one workpiece comprising:

a carrier connectible with respect to a trolley for supporting at least one workpiece for movement along a rail with respect to a workstation, the carrier moveable between a raised position and a lowered position when positioned at the workstation;

at least one latch moveable between a disengaged position and an engaged position, the latch holding the carrier in the raised position with respect to the trolley when in the engaged position and allowing movement of the carrier with respect to the trolley when in the disengaged position; and

a lock operably engagable with the latch for preventing unintentional movement of the latch from the engaged position to the disengaged position, wherein the lock includes a pin operably engagable with the latch for holding the latch in the engaged position when in a locked position, and for allowing movement of the latch to the disengaged position when in an unlocked position, the pin mounted for reciprocating passive movement within an aperture formed in the carrier from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to the latch moving from the engaged position toward the disengaged position.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a carrier connectible with respect to a trolley for supporting at least one workpiece for movement along a rail with respect to a workstation, the carrier moveable between a raised position and a lowered position when positioned at the workstation;

at least one latch moveable between a disengaged position and an engaged position, the latch holding the carrier in the raised position with respect to the trolley when in the engaged position and allowing movement of the carrier with respect to the trolley when in the disengaged position;

a lock operably engagable with the latch for preventing unintentional movement of the latch from the engaged position to the disengaged position; and

a lockout pin operable with respect to the latch for preventing movement of the latch from the engaged position until the lockout pin is removed, the carrier having a pair of coaxial apertures associated therewith for receiving the lockout pin in a position obstructing free movement of the latch from the engaged position.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising:

a member engagable between the lockout pin and the latch for obstructing movement of the latch when the lockout pin is located within the coaxial apertures.