Acco Industries Inc.

Larry D Greene

A loader-unloader system for loading and unloading workpieces, into a machine tool wherein each workpiece is held in position for rotation about a longitudinal axis during which various machine operations may be performed. The tool comprising a loading chute or conveyor adapted to deliver articles in succession to a loading position, an unloading chute or conveyor adapted to receive workpieces, and a loader-unloader assembly. The loader-unloader assembly comprises a track extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine, a trolley movable along the track and means for moving said trolley back and forth along the said track. A loader clamping head assembly is mounted on the trolley, and an unloader head assembly is mounted on the trolley. Each assembly includes a head for gripping a workpiece, means on the trolley for mounting said head for swinging movement into and out of position adjacent the machine and for reciprocating movement toward and away from the axis of said machine. Each assembly includes fingers on each head that are movable in a linear path toward and away from one another to grip and release a workpiece. One of the assemblies has a head rotatable to remove a workpiece from the machine, rotate it 180.degree. and return the workpiece to the machine for further machining.

Loader-unloader system for work pieces

A loader-unloader system for loading and unloading work pieces, particularly work pieces having thin portions, in a machine tool wherein each work piece is held in position for rotation about a longitudinal axis during which various machine operations may be performed by the tool comprising a loading conveyor adapted to deliver articles in succession to a loading position, an unloading conveyor adapted to receive work pieces, and a loader-unloader assembly. The loader-unloader assembly comprises a track extending along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine, a trolley movable along the track and means for moving said trolley back and forth along the said track. A load-vacuum clamping head assembly is mounted on the trolley, and an unload-vacuum head assembly is mounted on the trolley. Each assembly includes a vacuum head for gripping a work piece, means on the trolley for mounting said vacuum head for swinging movement into and out of position adjacent the machine and for reciprocating movement toward and away from the axis of said machine, and means for swinging the vacuum head from a position wherein the work piece has its axis extending parallel to the axis of the machine to a position wherein the axis of the work piece is at an acute angle to the axis of the machine.

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Centralia, IL, United States of America

Larry D Greene