A machine tool wherein an annular gear is rotatable in a horizontal plane to carry a plurality of pallets between adjacent peripherally arranged machine stations. The gear is lowered as each machine station is attained by the entry of gear support bearings into recesses in the underside of the gear. The pallets are supported on the gear for limited vertical and horizontal movement, and lowering of the gear positions the pallet on an abutment surface in rough alignment with the machining station. As the gear is further lowered, it is spaced from the pallet so as not to interfere with independent positioning of the pallet by power actuated positioning means located at each machining station. Thus, the pallet can be adjusted independently of the gear when the gear is in its lowered position, yet is carried by the gear when the gear is in its elevated position. After the machining operation is completed, the pallet is released from its clamped position, the gear is raised to again support the pallet, and the gear is rotationally actuated to carry the pallet into rough alignment with the next successive machine station.
Disclosed herein is an apparatus that relates to a device useful in integrated chip (IC) testing apparatus. More particularly, the device is an adjustable clamp assembly which allows a variety of different sized IC's to be used with a single piece of test equipment. The clamp assembly includes a frame, a base and a plurality of clamps. Each clamp is movably connected to the base to allow movement in the x-y directions and each of the clamps includes an z-direction adjustment mechanism. Additionally, the device according to this invention also includes an adapter having opposed adapters which are designed for compatible mating with a mechanized handlers. In an exemplary embodiment, the adapter has a suspension system designed for quiet mechanized handling of the IC while being held by the clamp assembly.
A transport device for the controllable conveying of transport containers from a loading station to an unloading station with a preferably horizontally oriented, continuously rotating transport device in the form of a transport wheel is provided. The transport containers are suspended at a carrier that engages and disengages the transport wheel. With the transport wheel it is possible to compensate for different operating speeds of the machines that are interconnected by the transport wheel, so that an automated and continuous operating mode with little operating expenditure is provided. The transport wheel serves also as a storage unit for a packing unit arranged at the unloading station which may be operated continuously during shut-down periods of the preceding machine.
A turntable is provided for use in recharging batteries of the type used in battery powered forklift trucks and the like. The turntable includes a peripheral array of charging stations each including a support platform and a battery charger for connection to and recharging of a battery on the platform. The turntable is rotatably driven in a stepwise manner to index the charging stations in succession to a transfer position. A push-pull ram at the transfer position draws a depleted battery from a forklift truck onto the platform of an empty charging station. The turntable is then indexed to move a recharged battery to the transfer position, and the push-pull ram installs the recharged battery on the forklift truck.
The present invention relates to industrial systems, and more particularly to a flexible industrial system with quick change part holding means which can be used to perform many different operations on a wide variety of parts. The embodiment disclosed shows such a flexible industrial system adapted to test many different types of parts using a single piece of test equipment by virtue of having a series of identical pallets for each type of part to be tested which can be quickly on-loaded and offloaded from a means of providing movement between a plurality of stations, such as a rotary index table. By providing that each in a series of part holding means has means to connect the part holding means to the means of providing movement between stations, means to perform desired operations on parts on the part holding means, and means to quickly connect to said means to perform desired operations, a tremendously flexible test system is provided.
