Claims
- 1. A rotatable shuttle transfer unit for transferring a workpiece from a first workstation to a second workstation along a predetermined path of travel, and said workpiece having an axis for rotation thereabout comprising:
- an overhead horizontal guide rail extending along said predetermined path;
- a pair of similar carriages movably supported and guided by said guide rail for reciprocal movement along said guide rail, and said pair of similar carriages spaced a predetermined distance from one another along said guide rail;
- means, disposed on said guide rail and connected to at least one of said carriages, for reciprocally driving said carriages in guided movement along said guide rail and moving said workpiece along said predetermined path of travel;
- at least one motor, supported by at least one of said carriages, for powering rotation of said workpiece from a first angular orientation to a second angular orientation with respect to said axis of rotation while said carriages move said workpiece along said predetermined path of travel;
- means, connected to said at least one motor, for releasably clamping said workpiece;
- a linear adjustment carriage rollably mounted to said guide rail between said carriages;
- a fixed bar having one end connected to said linear adjustment carriage and an opposite end connected to one of said pair of carriages;
- a threaded member extending from said linear adjustment carriage to said other of said pair of carriages wherein said other carriage operably receives said threaded member; and
- a reversible motor connected to said linear adjustment carriage for driving said threaded member and adjusting the linear distance between said carriages.
- 2. The rotatable shuttle transfer unit as stated in claim 1, further comprising:
- said at least one motor and clamping means are operatively connected to rotate said workpiece substantially 180.degree. between said first angular orientation and said second angular orientation with respect to said axis of rotation.
- 3. The rotatable shuttle transfer unit as stated in claim 1, further comprising:
- an elongated lift portion connected to each of said carriages for reciprocal vertical movement of said workpiece relative to said guide rail.
Parent Case Info
This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/620,784, filed on Mar. 18, 1996 and allowed on Feb. 19, 1999 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,545.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
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EPX |
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Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
620784 |
Mar 1996 |
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