A material handling apparatus adapted to grip a workpiece and move it from one position to another position where it is released. The apparatus includes gripping fingers that are pivotal between a released position and a gripping position and a carrier for the gripping fingers that is movable from a first position to a second position. Actuating means moves the gripping fingers to their gripping position when the positioning means move the carrier to a first position and for moving the gripping ...

A pick and place unit adapted to hold an article at an article feeding position, elevate the article to a predetermined height, subsequently transport the article in the horizontal direction to a place above an assembling position, let down the article vertically to the assembling position, and release the article, wherein the respective operations of elevation, horizontal movement and let-down can be effected in good order by the output of a single driving device.

An article transfer device having a generally tubular-shaped member shiftable on a frame and carrying article gripping means on one end thereof. Teeth are formed in the wall of the member to provide a gear rack by means of which the member is shifted to an extended position such that the article gripping means is supported remotely from the frame in cantilever fashion.

A safety retract mechanism for a transfer device which indexes workpieces between successive stations in a press-mounted die. The safety retract is actuated by the press ram to remove the work-gripping elements of the transfer device from the die should the usual drive arrangement for these elements be rendered inoperative.

A material handling device of increased rigidity and carrying capacity which includes a travel cylinder assembly and actuator for a workpiece gripper. A hanger supports spaced bushing plates mounting parallel spaced bushings containing housings to slidably receive three guide rods. Two, thereof, are arranged laterally and a third therebetween and below. The one ends of the guide rods are bracketed together. The other ends of the guide rods are secured to the gripper actuator and movable therewit...

This device for transferring workpieces or blanks, notably in a forging press, from one working station to another, in a sequence of working stations comprising for example forging dies, is collapsible and comprises a plurality of clamps adapted to grip the blanks, release them completely from the dies and move same laterally through a distance corresponding to the gap between adjacent dies, and lay the blank into the next die, and eventually resume their initial position. Said clamps are design...

A workpiece transfer means having two parallel rods carrying clamping means secured thereto in pairs at positions such that the clamping means in each pair face each other, and means to cause swining motion of the rods towards and away from each other in symmetrical relation to each other. The transfer means may also include means to cause symmetrical vertical movement of the rods. The rods are also coupled together so that they can be moved reciprocally in horizontal axial direction. Hence the ...

Apparatus is provided for transferring heated metal bars from a pickup station to rolling and discharge stations in succession, the stations being spaced apart uniformly. A leading gripper and a trailing gripper are movable forward together from a first position to a second position in which the trailing gripper takes the place formerly occupied by the leading gripper. The grippers are lowered at the first position to grip a pair of underlying bars at the pickup and rolling stations, after which...

An apparatus for transferring a plurality of rows of workpieces, such as cans and the like, laterally to a machine having a plurality of work stations at which the workpieces are gripped through a transverse motion and, while gripped, are transferred laterally to the successive stations. The movements are timed with, but not tied to, the working movement of the machine itself by a drive system of cams, gears and the like.

A feed mechanism for feeding workpieces separately to a press comprising a base and a reciprocable feeding assembly. The feeding assembly embodies pusher means arranged to engage the lowermost workpiece in a stack of workpieces situated in a hopper on the base so that on reciprocation of said assembly, the pusher means pushes said lowermost workpiece forwardly to an intermediate station on the base. The feeding assembly also includes a pair of calipers adapted at their leading ends to move betwe...