Claims
- 1. An apparatus for transferring containers from a pick-up position to a deposit position comprising:
a guide grid carrying a plurality of guide fingers; a pick-up grid movable between said pick-up position and said deposit position, said pick-up grid carrying a plurality of pick-up members; each said pick-up member including a head having an axial bore, extending from one end thereof, and a plurality of transverse bores engaging with said axial bore, each said transverse bore carrying an engaging member for movement between an engaging position where said engaging member is moved to extend beyond the periphery of said axial bore and a release position where said engaging member is moved outside the periphery of said axial bore; each said pick-up member including a control mechanism associated with said control grid; wherein, when said pick-up grid positions said pick-up members in said pick-up position with said heads located about said containers, said control mechanism is actuated to move said engaging members into said engaging position and into gripping contact with said containers and when said pick-up grid positions said pickup members in said deposit position said control grid actuates said control mechanism to allow said engaging members to move into said release position allowing said containers to be released into said deposit position.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, at least one of said head and said engaging member is molded plastic.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, said control mechanism includes a reciprocating cam carried by each said head, said cam being movable between an engaging position in which said engaging member is cammed into said engaging position and a non-engaging position in which said engaging member is allowed to move into said release position.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, said engaging member comprises one of a ball and a pin.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 3 including a tube connecting each said pick-up grid with each said head.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5 including an engagement member and a rod, carried in each said tube, connecting said control grid with said cam; wherein movement of said pick-up relative said engagement member causes said rod to move said cam between said engaging and said non-engaging positions.
- 7. In an apparatus for transferring containers from a pick-up station to a deposit station which includes a guide grid and a pick-up grid operating in synchronism;
a plurality of pick-up members carried by said pick-up grid, each said pick-up member comprising: a shaped head having an upper and lower end with an axial bore extending from said lower end for receiving the containers; transverse bores engaging with said axial bore, each said transverse bore carrying an engaging member for lateral movement into and out of said axial bore; longitudinal grooves formed in said head and engaging with respective of said transverse bores; a camming member carried in each said groove for movement longitudinally of said head and transverse of the associated of said transverse bores; wherein, movement of said camming members controls the position of said engaging members along said transverse bores.
- 8. The pick-up member of claim 7 including a tube secured with said upper end of said head for securing said head with said pick-up grid.
- 9. The pick-up member of claim 8 including a rod passing through said tube, said rod being secured with said camming member for controlling said movement of said cam.
- 10. The pick-up member of claim 7 including a resilient member continuously urging said camming members toward said upper end.
- 11. The pick-up member of claim 7 wherein each said camming member is carried by a camming fork supported on said head.
- 12. The pick-up member of claim 11 including a resilient member carried by said head urging said camming fork away from said lower end.
- 13. The pick-up member of claim 7 wherein said head is molded plastic.
- 14. The pick-up member of claim 7 wherein said engaging members are plastic.
- 15. The pick-up member of claim 7 wherein said head is bell shaped.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/418,619, filed Oct. 15, 1999, the disclosure of which is incorporated herewith.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09418619 |
Oct 1999 |
US |
Child |
10160908 |
Jun 2002 |
US |