Arrangement for conveying a plate-like product from one position to another

• US 7,258,224 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2001
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Outotec Oyj (Metso Outotec Oyj)
• Original Assignee: Outotec Oyj (Metso Outotec Oyj)
• Inventors: Lumppio, Juha
• Primary Examiner(s): Bidwell; James R.
• Application Number:
  US10/451,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20040050660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 198/468.2, 198/466.1, 198/750.11, 198/409, 198/468.6, 294/88, 294/106
• US Class Current: 198/468.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/904 provided with rotary movements only
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/905 Control arrangements

Abstract

An arrangement for conveying an anode plate from one location to another, whereby said arrangement comprises gripping elements attached to a conveyor for gripping a plate-like piece. Elements are attached to the gripping element connection for the correction, at least partial, of any possible positional error of the anode to be transferred.

Claims

1. An apparatus for conveying an anode plate from one location to another, said apparatus comprising:

a conveyor; and

a gripping device, the gripping device comprising;

a fixing plate for providing support for elements of the apparatus and for attachment of the elements of the apparatus to the conveyor;

a gripper bar supported by the fixing plate and by at least one support element, said support element, wherein said support element allows the gripper bar to be suspended;

a hinge element arranged between the gripper bar and the fixing plate, the hinge element defining an axis about which the gripper bar can rotate relative to the fixing plate;

gripping elements for gripping the anode plate, each gripping element being pivotally attached to the gripper bar and moved by an operating device;

grapple devices having bearing surfaces attached to a lower end of each gripping element, the grapple devices being capable of engaging the anode on opposite edges thereof; and

an anode counter device having at least one support surface for acting in conjunction with the grapple devices and bearing surfaces to contact an upper surface of the anode in a substantially horizontal position during conveyance of the anode by the conveyor,

wherein the anode counter device is hinged such that the distance between the upper surface of the anode and the gripper bar remains the same in all conditions.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising at least two of the said support elements.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gripper bar is connected to the fixing plate by the hinge element and the at least one support element, and is capable of at least partially correcting a positional error of the anode with respect to the fixing plate, at least during the conveyance of the anode, by the way of gravitational pull acting on the anode and gripping elements, the gravitational pull causing the anode and the gripping elements to align with the fixing plate by the at least one support element and hinge element.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gripper bar comprises at least one support surface to support the anode, the support surface being arranged on the gripping elements so that the support surface and the bearing surface contact opposite sides of the anode.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, having three support and/or spring elements.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support or spring element is a rod, wire, chain or cable device.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support element is a spring device.