This invention relates to a loader unloader apparatus and more particularly to a loader unloader apparatus for operating on workpieces of relative small rectilinear dimensions which have previously proved difficult to claπp to a machine tool, the operations including loading the workpieces, machining the workpieces and unloading the machined workpieces.

^■ According to the invention there is provided a loader-unloader system for transferring disc-like workpieces between a loading or delivery conveyor, a chuck on a machine tool and an unloading or resroval conveyor including a loading or delivery conveyor means adapted to deliver the disc-like workpieces successively to a loading station, an unloading or removal conveyor means adapted to receive machined workpieces, track means extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chuck, trolley means movable along said track means, means for .i-Λ'ing said trolley back and forth along said track means, a loader vacuum head assembly pivotably mounted to pivot about an axis parallel to the chuck axis on said trolley means, an unloader vacuum head assembly pivotably mounted to pivot about an axis parallel to the chuck axis on said trolley means, an unloader vacuum head assembly pivotably mounted to pivot about an axis parallel to the chuck axis on said trolley means, each said assembly including a vacuum head for retaining a disc—like workpiece, each said assembly including ireans for pivoting the assembly through a restricted arc about the pivot mounting to the trolley means, each said assembly including means

for effecting reciprocating movement of a vacuum head portion toward and away ^rom the chuck axis, and each said assembly including ireans for swinging said vacuun head portion through a restricted arc betwee a position in which the axes of the chuck and workpiece are parallel and a position in which the workpiece axis subtends an acute angle to the chuck axis.

The invention will now be described by way of exanple with reference to the accompanying partly diagrammatic drawings in which:-

figure 1 is a side elevation of a loader unloader apparatus including a trolley, a machine tool (part only of which is shown) a loading conveyor, an unloading conveyor, a loader vacuum head assembl and an unloader vacuum head assembly;

Figure 2 is a sectional end elevation to an enlarged scale take along the line II-II in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the loader vacuum assembly in a extended and rotated position;

Figure 4 is a plan viav of a portion of the loading conveyor;

Figure 5 is a partly sectioned end elevation of the loading conveyor;

Figure 6 is a cross-section taken along the line VI-VI of Figur

Figure 7 is a partly sectioned end elevation of the unloading conveyor;

Figure 8 is an end elevation of a portion of the loader vacuum head assembly to an enlarged scale;

Figure 9 is a cross-section taken along the line IX-IX of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a cross-section taken along the line X-X of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a side elevation of the portion of the loader vacuum head assembly shown in Figure 8 indicating, retained on a vacuum head, a workpiece in chain line outline; and

Figure 12 is a partly sectioned side-elevation corresponding to Figure 11 but with the vacuun head and workpiece swung through 90°.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings the loader- unloader apparatus includes a loader-unloader assembly 25 having a main frame 19 part of which is a beam 26 which forms a track on which a trolley 27 is transverable on wheels 28,29 mounted on the trolley. A piston motor 30 is attached to the main frame by a shaft 31 which is resiliently mounted on a bracket 18 on the beam 26. The shaft 31 extends parallel to the beam 26 and the movement of the piston motor 30 along the shaft 31 serves to transverse the trolley 27 along the beam 26 parallel to an axis A of a chuck 21 of a lathe 20.

Attached to a portion the trolley 27 remote from the piston motor 30 and spaced apart are a loading vacuum head assembly 32 and an unloading vacuum head assembly 33 operable independently of each other.

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The loading vacuum head assembly 32 includes a frame 37 having an extension forming a cam bracket 39 which is pivotably attached to the trolley 27 on a shaft 60 journalled thereto, extending parallel to the beam 26.

Attached to the frame 37 are a pair of spaced apart upright double acting cylinder assemblies 61 provided with shafts 36A. A cross head 2 connects the upper ends of the shafts 36A and carries an adjustable stop 4 limiting downward travel of the shafts, a pressure relief device being incorporated in a fluid supply circuit to the cylinder assemblies (not shown), upon the stop 4 contacting an upper face 37A of the frame 37.

Mounted on a pivot pin 74 on the cam bracket 39 is a shaft portion 63 of a piston and cylinder assembly 40 attached to the trolley 27 at a pivot 75. Cn extension of the shaft 63 the loading vacuum head assembly 32 is caused to rotate about an axis C of the shaft 60 and to follow a path indicated by the chain line B shown in Figure 2. An adjustable stop 6 mounted on the trolley 27 contacts a projection 39A on the cam bracket 39 to limit rotation arising from extending the shaft 63 from the cylinder assembly 40 a pressure relief device being incorporated in a fluid supply circuit to the cylinder assembly (not shown). Attached to the ends of the shaft 36A remote frαn the cross head 2 is ε secondary frame 36B having a pair of limbs 42 connected by a cross head 36, the frame 36B being reciprocatable with the shafts 36A on supplying fluid to the cylinders 61.

As shown in Figures 8,9,11 and 12 attached to the ends of the limbs 42 remote frαn the cross head 36 are two brackets 45, which are rotatable about bolts 64 which penetrate the brackets 45 and extend into diametrically opposed edge apertures 65 in a plate 41.

The plate 41 has three equiangularly spaced pad regions 66, 67 and 68 and a central bore 69.

Attached to each of the brackets 45 is a shaft portion 44 of a piston and cylinder assem ly 43 which on extension of the shaft portions 44 rotates the plate 41 through 90 about an axis E of the bolts 64 from a position shown in Figure 11 to a position shown in Figure 12.

As shown in Figure 10 a pin 41A extending through a spherical bearing 41_B located in the central bore 69 of the plate 41 is threaded into an aperture in a dished vacuum head 34.

Each triangular spaced pad region 66, 67 and 68 of the plate 41 is apertured and slidingly accoπrnodates a bolt 70 threaded into a dome-headed unit 46, with a -spring 71 urging the nut away from the plate 41 to support face 72 of the vacuum head 34.

The dished vacuum head 34 is provided with a peripheral resilient . pad 47, registerable with a circumferential flange on a workpiece and a central base pad 48 positioned in the dished portion registerable with a central region of the workpiece.

The peripheral wall of a conical portion 74 of the head is penetrated by a threaded aperture 75 which receives a vacuum line attachment 49, and by three, equiangularly spaced, threaded apertures 76 carrying set screws 50A adjustable to centre the workpiece.

The unloading vacuum head assembly 33 is of identical construction as the loading vacuum head assembly 32 with the exception of parts of a dished vacuum head 35. For ease of reference, components of the unloading vacuum head assembly referred to here nafter are prefixed by the numeral 1 in order

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to distinguish between the components of the two assemblies.

The vacuum head 35 attached to the unloading vacuum head assembly 33 has pads 247, 248 of different dimensions frαn the pads 47, 48 of the head 34 in order to accommodate the decrease in dimensions of the workpiece following machining.

As shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 workpieces W are delivered to the lathe 20 on a loading conveyor 22 having a pair of hexagonal cross-section belts running in grooves 51 in a plate 51B and over end pulleys 52 (one of which is shown in Figure 5). The workpieces are placed on the conveyor 22 such that a rusto-conical portion thereof extends away from the surface of the belt 50 and are moved along by movement of the pair of belts 50 to a position abutting a stop 52A.

As shown in Figure 7 the unloading conveyor 23 includes a plurality of transverse rollers 55 disposed in a rectangular frame 17 inclined downwardly away from the machine tool 20.

In operation, the workpieces W are placed on the loading conveyor 22, and moved by movement of the conveyor belts about pulleys 52 to a position in which a workpiece W abuts the stop 52A. The trolley 27 is then moved alo beam 26 by supplying fluid to one side 30A of the piston motor 30 until an adjustable stop (not shown) is contacted to position the loading vacuum head assembly 32 vertically above the loading conveyor 22 in an inoperative position as shown in full outline in Figure 2. Upon the trolley 27 contacti the adjustable stop, pressure builds up in the fluid supply circuit delivering fluid to the side 30A of the piston motor 30 until a pressure

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relief device is actuated. Upon actuation of this device, fluid is supplied to upper ends 43A the piston and-cyUnder assemblies 43 to effect extension of the shaft portions 44 from the assemblies and rotation of the plate 41 to the position shown in Figure 12, abutting a limit stop (not shown). Upon the plate 41 abutting this limit stop, pressure builds up in the fluid supply circuit delivering fluid to the piston and cylinder assemblies 43 until a pressure relief device is actuated. Upon actuation of this device, fluid is supplied to the upper sides 61A of the double acting cylinders 61 of the loading vacuun head assaibly so that the shafts 36A are extended downwardly from the cylinders and the vacuun head 34 is brought into engagement with the workpiece W on the loading conveyor 22 simultaneously with the stop 4 engaging the upper face 37A of the frame 37. Upon the stop 4 engaging the upper face 37A, pressure builds up in a fluid supply circuit delivering fluid to the upper sides 61A of the cylinders 61 until a pressure relief device is actuated. Upon actuation of this device the space between the workpiece and the interior of the vacuum head 34 is then partially exhausted by connecting the vacuum line attachment 49 to a source of vacuum through a two-way valve (not shown) thereby retaining the workpiece on the head with the set screws 50A centering the workpiece and the bolts 70 providing resilient support. A changeover valve in the fluid supply circuit to the cylinders 61 is then actuated to connect the upper sides 61A to drain and to supply fluid to lower sides 61B to effect raising of the shafts 36A and vacuum head 34. upon the shafts reaching the full extent of travel upwards,

pressure builds up in the circuit and a pressure relief device is actuated. Upon actuation of this device, fluid is supplied to an upper side 40A of the piston and cylinder assembly 40 to extend the shaft portion 63 from the assembly to rotate the loader vacuum head assembly until the projection 39A abuts the stop 6. Upon the projectio 39A abutting the stop 6, pressure builds up in the fluid supply circuit until a pressure relief device is actuated. Upon actuation of this device, the changeover valve in the fluid supply circuit to the cylinder assemblies 61 is actuated to connect the lower sides 61_B to drain and to supply fluid to the upper sides 61A to effect lowering of the sha ts 36A and the vacuum head 34 to a position at which the stop 4 abuts the end face 37A of the frame 37. Upon the stop 4 abutting the end face 37 pressure builds up in the fluid supply circuit until the pressure relief device is actuated. Upon actuation of this device, a changeover valve in the fluid supply circuit to the piston and cylinder assonblies 43 is actuated and fluid is supplied to lower ends 43B of the assemblies to effect retraction of the shaft portions 44 and rotation of the plate 41 to the position shown in Figure 11, abutting a limit stop (not shown), with the workpiece aligned on the axis of the chuck 21, the position of the loading or delivery conveyor being adjusted such that the required travels coincid Upon the plate 41 abutting the limit stop, pressure builds up in the fluid supply circuit until a pressure relief device is actuated. Upon actuation of this device, a changeover valve in the fluid supply circuit to the piston motor 30 is actuated to connect the side 30A

to drain and supply fluid to the other side 3.0B of the piston motor to move the trolley 27 toward the chuck 21 until the worlφiece W engages in the open chuck and the trolley abuts a limit stop (not shown). Upon the trolley abutting the limit stop pressure builds up in the fluid supply circuit until a pressure relief device is actuated. Upon actuation of this device, closing of the chuck and commencement of the machining operation by a tool 3 is initiated, simultaneously with venting of the interior of the vacuum head 34 to atmosphere to permit disengagement of the worlφiece from the vacuum head and actuation of the changeover valve associated with the piston motor 30 to connect the side 30B to drain and to supply fluid to the side 30A to effect movement of the trolley 27 away frαn the chuck 21. Upon the trolley reaching the limit of travel away frαn the chuck, pressure builds up in the fluid supply circuit until the pressure relief device is actuated. Upon actuation of this device the changeover valve in the fluid supply circuit to the cylinders 61 is actuated to connect the upper sides 61A to drain and supply fluid to the lower sides 61B to effect retraction of the shafts 36A and raising of the vacuum head 34. Upon the shafts 36A reaching the upper limit of their travel, pressure builds up in the fluid supply circuit until the pressure relief device is actuated. Upon actuation of this device, a changeover valve in the fluid supply circuit to the piston and cylinder assembly 40 is actuated and fluid is supplied to a lower side 40B of the assembly to effect retraction of the shaft portion 63 and rotation of the loading vacuum head assembly 32 to an upright position.

Upon completion of the machining operations, the unloader vacuun head assembly 33 is actuated utilising fluid circuitry similar to that of the loader vacuum head assembly 32. Thus the unloader head assembly 33 is pivoted frαn the upright position by extending the shafts 163 f αn the piston and cylinder assembly 140 and then the shafts 136A are extended frαn the cylinders 161 to align the vacuum head 3 with the chuck axis. The trolley is then moved to engage the vacuum head 35 with the workpiece in the chuck, the space between the workpiece and the inner surface of the vacuum head is partially exhausted by connecting the vacuum line attachment 149 to the .source of vacuum through a two-way valve (not shown) to retain the workpiece on the vacuum head and the chuck disengaged frαn the workpiece. The piston motor 30 is then actuated to move the trolley to the limit of travel away frαn the chuck, the cylinders 161 are actuated to raise the shafts 136A, the piston and cylinder assembly 140 actuated to pivot the unloader vacuum head assembly 33 to the upright position and the piston and cylinde 143 actuated to extend the shafts 144 therefrom and rotate the workpiece through 90 as in Figure 12. The cylinders 161 are then actuated to lower the vacuum head 35 and place the worlφiece on the unloading or removal conveyor whereupon the workpiece is released from the vacuum head 3 by venting the interior of the vacuum head to atmosphere through the two-wa valve. Finally, the cylinder assemblies 161 are actuated to raise the vacuum head 35 to a retracted position and the cylinder assemblies 143 actuated to rotate the cylinder head through 90 to a position similar to that shown of the vacuun head 34 in Figure 11

Concurrently with the machined workpiece being released to the unloader conveyor the loading vacuum head 34 is indexed to engage and retain a further workpiece from the delivery conveyor 22, the spacing between the conveyors 22, 23 corresponding to that between the assemblies 32, 33, and the cycle is repeated.

It will be appreciated that a step-by-step indexing arrangement directing in the requisite sequence the supply of actuating fluid to the piston motor 30, the piston and cylinder assemblies 43 and 143, the cylinders 61 and 161 and the piston and cylinder assemblies 40 and 140 and connecting the vacuum line attachments 49 and 149 to the source of suction or to atmosphere may be either mechanical or electrical and may be arranged to effect some of the operations at least partly concurrently.

Further, it will be appreciated that whilst a single trolley 27 carrying both the load g and the unloading vacuum head assemblies is described, a decrease in cycle time may be effected by mounting the assemblies on separate trolleys running on separate, laterally spaced, beams such that the assemblies may be operated simultaneously and independently except for co-ordinating engagement of a workpiece with, and removal of a machined worlφiece frαn the chuck.

Whilst the arrangement is suited for high volume repetition work, it will be appreciated that different forms of workpiece may be handled by utilising alternative forms of vacuum heads appropriate to the workpieces and adjustment of the limit stops as necessary.