Conveyor apparatus

• US RE31,945 E
• Filed: 11/19/1982
• Issued: 07/16/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Axis S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Axis S.p.A.
• Inventors: Magni, Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): Valenza, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US06/442,913
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 198/339, 198/340, 198/341, 198/370, 198/472, 198/580, 198/655, 198/836, 29/732, 29/783, 29/791, 29/822, 29/564.1, 29/742, 29/784, 29/799, 29/824, 29/714
• US Class Current: 198/341.07
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 7/03 by means of endless chain conveyors B23Q7/1447, B23Q7/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 7/1415 with a series disposition of working devices not corresponding with the sequence of the working
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/42 operated by article or material being conveyed and discharged B65G47/46 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining or repairing of dynamo-electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5137 including assembling or disassembling station
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53061 Responsive to work or work-related machine element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53143 Motor or generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53187 Multiple station assembly apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5337 including assembly pallet

Abstract

Conveyor apparatus comprises an endless conveyor operative to convey workpieces past a number of processing stations. The workpieces are conveyed in seats of the conveyor, each of the seats being designated to receive a workpiece which is at a predetermined stage in the process. Means are provided to sense the presence of filled and empty seats and to control workpiece removal and depositing means associated with the processing stations so that workpieces are only removed from, and deposited in, the appropriate designated seats.

Claims

1. Conveyor apparatus comprising means defining an active conveyor path passing adjacent a plurality of processing stations, means defining an endless conveyor movable along said path, said conveyor having means defining seats for workpieces to be conveyed along said path, means operative to feed workpieces to predetermined seats of the conveyor, means associated with the processing stations for removing workpieces from the seats for processing at the corresponding stations and to deposit the processed workpieces into the seats, said seats consisting of a plurality of groups of seats, in each said group of seats individual seats being designated to receive only workpieces which are at a predetermined stage in the process, detecting means for detecting the instantaneous condition of the conveyor and the locations of filled and empty seats in predetermined positions of the seats along the path, said detecting means controlling the operation of the workpiece removal and depositing means whereby the workpiece removal and depositing means only remove workpieces from, and deposit workpieces into, the designated seats, and means defining a return conveyor path vertically aligned with the active conveyor path which comprises profiles following the return conveyor path to retain within their seats workpieces which are being returned along the return path to the beginning of the active conveyor path for completion of processing.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means comprises first sensor means for determining the position of the conveyor, second sensor means associated with the workpiece depositing the removal means for detecting the presence and absence of filled and empty seats, and third sensing means for sensing the presence of predetermined empty seats and to control the feed means to deposit the workpiece into said predetermined empty seats.

3. Conveyor apparatus comprising means defining an active conveyor path passing adjacent a plurality of processing stations, each station of said plurality of stations adapted to execute a work function which is different than the work function executed by the preceding station, means defining an endless vertical conveyor movable along said path, said conveyor having means defining seats for workpieces to be conveyed along said path, means operative to feed workpieces to be conveyed along said path, means operative to feed workpieces to predetermined seats of the conveyor, means associated with the processing stations for removing workpieces from the seats for processing at the corresponding stations and depositing the processed workpieces into the seats, said removing and depositing means comprising a lifting means adapted to move the workpiece vertically with respect to the conveyor and a means for moving the workpiece horizontally from a position above the conveyor to the processing station, said seats consisting of a plurality of groups of seats, in each said group of seats individual seats being designated to receive only workpieces which are at a predetermined stage in the process, first detecting means for detecting the instantaneous position of the conveyor said first detecting means comprising cam means in a number equal to the groups of seats rotating synchronically with the conveyor and an equal number of respective active feelers to denote the instantaneous position of the seats of the various groups of seats for the conveyor;

second detecting means of the condition of filled and empty seats in predetermined positions of the seats along the path, said first and second detecting means controlling the operation of the workpiece removal and depositing means whereby the workpiece removal and depositing means only remove workpieces from, and deposit workpieces into, the designated seats, and means enabling any incompletely processed workpieces to be returned to the beginning of the active conveyor path, and third sensor means for sensing the presence of predetermined empty seats and to control the feed means to deposit the workpiece into said predetermined empty seats, means defining a return conveyor path vertically aligned with the active conveyor path and guides following the return path to retain within their seats workpieces which are being returned along the return path to the beginning of the active path for completion of processing.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said cam means of said first detecting means are mounted on a transmission shaft of said continuous conveyor and cooperate with respective switch feelers.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said second detecting means comprise switches in said predetermined positions of the seats along the path positioned to sense the presence or the absence of a workpiece in said seats.

6. Conveyor apparatus comprising means defining an active conveyor path passing adjacent a plurality of processing stations, means defining an endless conveyor movable along said path, said conveyor having means defining seats for workpieces to be conveyed along said path, means operative to feed workpieces to predetermined seats of the conveyor, means associated with the processing stations for removing workpieces from the seats for processing at the corresponding stations and to deposit the processed workpieces into the seats, said seats consisting of a plurality of groups of seats, in each said group of seats individual seats being designated to receive only workpieces which are at a predetermined stage in the process, detecting means for detecting the instantaneous condition of the conveyor and the locations of filled and empty seats in predetermined positions of the seats along the path, said detecting means controlling the operation of the workpiece removal and depositing means whereby the workpiece removal and depositing means only remove workpieces from, and deposit workpieces into, the designated seats, and means defining a return conveyor path vertically aligned with the active conveyor path, wherein said seats are shaped to retain workpieces which are being returned along a major portion of the return conveyor path to the beginning of the active path for completion of processing and means for assisting in the retaining of articles in the seats is positioned along the remaining portion of the return path.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said seat comprise a lower and upper saddle, the lower saddle being adapted to support the workpiece along said active conveyor path and said upper saddle being in a position reverse of that of the lower saddle and adapted to support the workpiece along said return conveyor path.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising means defining a first and second curved path portion interconnecting adjacent ends of the active and return path, and said assisting means comprises electromagnetic means for retaining in their seats, workpieces moving along said first curved portion.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said upper and lower saddles are connected by an intermediate saddle which supports the workpiece along the second curved portion interconnecting the active and return paths of the conveyor. .Iadd.

10. Conveyor apparatus for conveying workpieces to be processed in a predetermined fixed sequence of processing steps to a processing station at which a predetermined process in said fixed sequence is to be performed upon said workpieces, said conveyor apparatus comprising conveyor means adapted to move the workpieces through a continuous path which includes a portion adjacent to said processing station, said conveyor means including a plurality of workpiece advancing means, said workpiece advancing means being adapted to advance said workpieces through said continuous path so that they pass sequentially adjacent to said processing station, said plurality of workpiece advancing means comprising a plurality of first workpiece advancing means continuously having a first predetermined designation during operation of the conveyor apparatus and a plurality of second workpiece advancing means continuously having a second predetermined designation during such operation, said first predetermined designation designating workpieces in which the next processing step to be performed in said predetermined fixed sequence is the one to be performed in said processing station and said second predetermined designation designating workpieces which have just completed said next processing step, there being no specific required relationship between the position of a first workpiece advancing means on said conveyor means relative to the position of a second workpiece advancing means on said conveyor means as they do not interact directly one with the other, first detection means for determining which of said first and second workpiece advancing means is presented at said processing station, workpiece handling means associated with said processing station for removing said workpieces from said first workpiece advancing means for processing in said processing station and for returning said processed workpieces to said second workpiece advancing means, said workpiece handling means being operable in response to said first detection means so as to selectively remove said workpieces only from said first workpiece advancing means and to selectively return said processed workpieces only to said second workpiece advancing means, said conveyor means being designed so as to return any of said workpieces remaining in said workpiece advancing means to said portion of said path adjacent to said processing station. .Iaddend. .Iadd.

11. The conveyor apparatus of claim 10, further including feed means for feeding workpieces to be processed to said workpiece advancing means of said conveyor means and discharge means for removing processed workpieces from said workpiece advancing means of said conveyor means, said feed means being operative to feed workpieces to only said first workpiece advancing means and said discharge means being operative to remove said workpieces only from said second workpiece advancing means .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. The conveyor apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said conveyor means comprises an endless conveyor. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The conveyor apparatus of claim 12 wherein said conveyor includes shaft means for driving said conveyor, and wherein said first detection means comprises a plurality of cam members including a first cam member corresponding to the location of said first workpiece advancing means and a second cam member corresponding to the location of said second workpiece advancing means and a plurality of microswitch means, including first microswitch means which are activated by said first cam member when said first workpiece advancing means are located at said processing station, and second microswitch means which are activated by said second cam member when said second workpiece advancing means are located at said processing

12. station. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The conveyor apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising second detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a workpiece in said first and second workpiece advancing means at said processing station. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The conveyor apparatus of claim 14 wherein said second detection means comprises microswitch means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The conveyor apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said workpiece advancing means comprises seats for carrying said workpieces, and said seats are affixed to said conveyor means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said plurality of workpiece seats are shaped to retain workpieces which are being returned to said portion of said path adjacent to said processing

13. station..Iaddend. .Iadd.18. Conveyor apparatus for conveyor workpieces to be processed in a predetermined fixed sequence of processing steps to a plurality of processing stations including first and second processing stations at which first and second predetermined processes, respectively, in said fixed sequence are to be performed upon said workpieces in a sequential manner, said conveyor apparatus comprising conveyor means adapted to move the workpieces through a continuous path which includes a portion adjacent to said plurality of processing stations, said conveyor means including a plurality of workpiece advancing means, said workpiece advancing means being adapted to advance said workpieces through said continuous path so that they pass sequentially adjacent to said plurality of processing stations, said plurality of workpiece advancing means comprising a plurality of first workpiece advancing means continuously having a first predetermined designation during operation of the conveyor apparatus, a plurality of second workpiece advancing means continuously having a second predetermined designation during such operation, and a plurality of third workpiece advancing means continuously having a third predetermined designation during said operation, said first predetermined designation designating workpieces in which the next processing step to be performed in said predetermined fixed sequence is the one to be performed in said first processing station, said second predetermined designation designating workpieces which have just completed said processing step performed in said first processing station and in which the next processing step to be performed in said predetermined fixed sequence is the one to be performed in said second processing station, and said third predetermined designation designating workpieces which have just completed said processing step performed in said second processing station, there being no specific required relationship between the position of a first workpiece advancing means on said conveyor means relative to the position of a second workpiece advancing means or a third workpiece advancing means on said conveyor means or between the position of a second workpiece advancing means on said conveyor means relative to the position of a third workpiece advancing means on said conveyor means as they do not interact directly one with the other, first detection means for determining which of said first, second and third workpiece advancing means is presented at each of said plurality of processing stations, first workpiece handling means associated with said first processing station for removing said workpieces from said first workpiece advancing means for processing in said first processing station and for returning said workpieces processed in said first processing station to said second workpiece advancing means, second workpiece handling means associated with said second processing station for removing said workpieces from said second workpiece advancing means for processing in said second processing station and for returning said workpieces processed in said second processing station to said third workpiece advancing means, said first and second workpiece handling means being operable in response to said first detection means so as to selectively remove said workpieces only from said first workpiece advancing means for processing in said first processing station, to selectively return said workpieces processed in said first processing station only to said second workpiece advancing means, to selectively remove said workpieces only from said second workpiece advancing means for processing in said second processing station, and to selectively return said workpieces processed in said second processing station only to said third workpiece advancing means, said conveyor means being designed so as to return any of said workpieces remaining in said workpiece advancing means to said portion of said path adjacent each of said plurality of

14. processing stations. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The conveyor apparatus of claim 18, further including feed means for feeding workpieces to be processed to said workpiece advancing means of said conveyor means and discharge means for removing workpieces processed in said first and second processing stations from said workpiece advancing means of said conveyor means, said feed means being operative to feed workpieces only to said first workpiece advancing means and said discharge means being operative to remove workpieces only from said third workpiece advancing means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The conveyor apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said conveyor means comprises an endless conveyor. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The conveyor apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising second detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a workpiece in said first, second and third workpiece advancing means at each of said plurality of processing stations. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The conveyor apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said workpiece advancing means comprises seats for carrying said workpieces, and said seats are affixed to said conveyor means. .Iaddend.