Claims
- 1. An apparatus for positioning a slider in a slider assembly station, comprising
- support means defining a work area,
- a conveyor track having entrance means and a terminal point and forming a path for guiding sliders single file from the entrance means to the terminal point of the conveyor track,
- friction driven moving means having spaced means for engaging sliders to simultaneously move a series containing a plurality of the sliders in spaced relationship along the conveyor track from the entrance means toward the terminal point,
- raising means adjacent the terminal point for raising a slider from a lowered position to a raised position above the terminal point,
- means including a projection extending into the path of the sliders for engaging a second of the series of sliders on the conveyor track at a position spaced from the terminal point to stop the moving means to prevent pile-up at the terminal point,
- transfer means for transferring the first slider from the terminal point of the conveyor track to the raising means in a lowered position, and
- means responsive to operation of the transfer means for releasing the projection to allow the series of sliders to advance along the conveyor track.
- 2. An apparatus for positioning a slider in a slider assembly station comprising
- support means defining a work area;
- a conveyor track having entrance means and a terminal point and forming a path for guiding sliders single file from the entrance means to the terminal point of the conveyor track;
- friction driven moving means for engaging sliders to move the sliders along the conveyor track from the entrance means toward the terminal point;
- raising means adjacent the terminal point for raising a slider from a lowered position to a raised position above the terminal point;
- means for stopping a second of the series of sliders on the conveyor track at a position spaced from the terminal point to prevent pile-up at the terminal point;
- transfer means for transferring the first slider from the terminal point of the conveyor track to the raising means in a lowered position;
- means responsive to operation of the transfer means for releasing the stop means to allow the sliders to advance along the conveyor track;
- the transfer means including a transfer member, and means for moving the transfer member from a retracted position to an advanced position to push the first slider from the terminal track into the raising means; and
- the stop means including a lever pivotally mounted adjacent the conveyor track, a projection on the lever extending in the path of sliders on the conveyor track, and means operated by the transfer means in the retracted position for preventing movement of the lever, said projection having a camming surface for engaging the second slider to stop the second slider when the transfer means is in the retracted position and to pivot the lever when the transfer means is in the advanced position to allow advancement of the sliders along the conveyor track.
- 3. An apparatus for positioning the slider in the slider assembly station, comprising
- support means including a horizontal table top,
- a conveyor track including first and second section,
- means for receiving a plurality of sliders and for feeding sliders single file in a predetermined orientation along the first conveyor track section,
- said second conveyor track section extending horizontally at least adjacent the table top for receiving sliders with bodies of the sliders extending horizontally,
- said second conveyor track further having a slot and means for guiding sliders with pull tabs of the slider extending downward such that the width dimension of the pull tabs are oriented longitudinally relative to the slot
- a conveyor chain beneath the second conveyor track section and having a plurality of spaced pins projecting to engage pull tabs extending downward from sliders in the second conveyor track section,
- means including a friction clutch for driving the conveyor chain,
- a vertical tubular guide mounted on the table top and extending upward from the table top,
- said tubular guide having an opening near the lower end thereof and into which opening a terminal portion of the second conveyor track section extends,
- an elongated slider raising member slidably mounted in the tubular guide,
- said slider raising member having a recess in the top thereof for receiving a body of a slider and having a slot exposed towards the conveyor track and aligned with the slot in the second conveyor track section for receiving the pull tab of the slider,
- said slider member having an elongated internal cavity longitudinally therein and into which the slot of the slider raising member opens,
- a lever pivotally mounted within the cavity for pivoting in a plane perpendicular to the slot,
- said lever having a projection on one end with a first cam surface formed at an angle of about 45 degrees to the slot for being engaged by a pull tab on a slider,
- said projection having a second cam surface on the lower portion thereof formed at an angle of about 55 degrees to a vertical line for engaging the bottom of an aperature in a pull tab to urge the pull tab downward,
- a spring disposed in the cavity for engaging the lever in the cavity to urge the lever to pivot into engagement with a pull tab in the slot of the raising member,
- said conveyor chain and said second conveyor track section arranged so that a first of a series of sliders on the terminal portion of the second conveyor track section engages the slider raising member in its raised position to stop the conveyor chain,
- said pins of the conveyor chain disengaging sliders when the sliders are partially pushed into the recess and slot of the slider raising member in its lowered position,
- an arm pivotally mounted at one end and having its other end extending vertically above the second conveyor track section near the terminal portion,
- an elongated transfer member pivotally mounted on the other end of the arm and extending longitudinally over the slot in the second conveyor track section toward the terminal portion,
- said transfer member having an end with a recess formed therein for engaging a body of a slider in the terminal portion;
- said transfer member having a portion extending downward into the slot for engaging a pull tab of a slider at the terminal portion,
- said downward extending portion of the transfer member having a lower camming surface for being engaged by a slider advancing along the second conveyor track section to pivot the transfer member and raise the transfer member from the second conveyor track section to allow a slider to pass to the terminal portion,
- an elongated stop member pivotally attached at one end thereof to the second conveyor track section,
- said stop member having its other end inclined downward and extending toward the terminal portion of the second conveyor track section parallel to the slot in the second track portion,
- a first air cylinder moving the slider raising member between raised and lowered position,
- a second air cylinder pivotally attached to a mid point of the arm for pivoting the arm to move the transfer member from a retracted position toward an advanced position to complete the pushing of a slider from the terminal portion of second conveyor track into the recess and slot of the slider raising member,
- said transfer member having a lower surface portion for engaging the inclined end of the stop member to clamp the stop member against the second conveyor track section,
- said stop member having a projection extending transversely over the slot in the second conveyor track portion,
- said projection on the stop member having a rear camming surface formed at about a 45.degree. angle with the second conveyor track section for being engaged by a body of a slider to stop the slider when the transfer member is in the retracted position and to raise the stop member when the transfer member is in the advanced position to allow advancement of sliders on the second conveyor track portion,
- a cover extending over the second conveyor track section, the transfer member, the arm, the second air cylinder, and the stop member,
- a first air pulse valve mounted on the tubular guide member and having a operator extending into the cavity of the slider raising member for operating the first air pulse valve in response to a pivotal position of the level in the cavity indicating absence of a slider when the slider raising member is in the raised position,
- a first four-way valve responsive to the first pulse valve for operating the first air cylinder to move the slider raising member to its lowered position,
- a second air pulse valve having an operator for sensing the lowered position of the slider raising member,
- a first three-way valve responsive to the second air pulse valve for operating a continuous predetermined time duration after operation of the second air pulse valve,
- a second four-way valve responsive to the predetermined continuous operation of the first three-way valve for operating the second air cylinder,
- a second three-way valve for operating in response to the termination of the operation of the second four-way valve, and
- a third pulse valve responsive to operation of the second three-way valve for returning the first four-way valve to its unoperated state to raise the slider raising member.
- 4. A method of positioning sliders in a slider assembly station comprising
- engaging a series of sliders with respective spaced pins on a friction driven moving means to feed the series of sliders single file along a conveyor track to a terminal position on the conveyor track adjacent a vertically elongated slider raising member,
- engaging a projection with a second of the series of sliders on the conveyor track at a position spaced from the terminal position to stop the moving means to prevent more than one slider at the terminal position,
- longitudinally lowering the slider raising member until the upper end thereof is aligned with the conveyor track,
- transferring a first slider from the terminal position on the conveyor track into slider receiving means in the upper end of the slider raising member,
- longitudinally raising the elongated member to position the first slider substantially above a support means in the assembly station, and
- releasing the projection to permit the moving means to allow advancement of the series of sliders along the conveyor track.
- 5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein
- the first slider is transferred from the terminal position to the upper end of the elongated slider raising member by a transfer member pushing the slider off the terminal position and into the slider raising member.
- 6. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein
- the absence of a slider in the slider receiving means of the slider raising member is sensed, and
- the lowering of the slider member is in response to said sensing.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a Divisional Application of parent application Ser. No. 484,906 filed July 1, 1974, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,615.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
484906 |
Jul 1974 |
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