GB1604291A - Transfer device - Google Patents

Description

(54) A TRANSFER DEVICE (71) We, MASCHINENFABRIK WEINGAR TEN A.G., a Joint Stock Company organised under the laws of Germany (Fed. Rep.) of Postfach 1260,7987 Weingarten, Germany (Fed. Rep.), do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a transfer device for transferring a workpiece between successive presses and reorientating the workpiece.

In lines of presses, it is frequently necessary for reasons relating to the tools, to turn a work piece between two presses.

For this purpose, various turning devices have already been proposed. In one design (German Offenlegungsschrift 1 552 592) a belt conveyor is located between the two presses, which conveyor bridges the gap existing between the two presses. In this case, the work.

piece is removed from the preceding press by a removal device and deposited on the conveyor belt. In the central region of the conveyor belt, four-armed radial arrangements able to rotate about axes located horizontally and at rightangles to the feed direction are provided as the turning device on both sides of the belt, in which case the ends of the radial arms comprise recesses adapted to the shape of the workpiece, for receiving the workpiece. After supplying the workpiece to the corresponding recesses of the two radial arrangements, the workpiece is swung through 180 by rotating the radial arrangements, then placed on the belt, conveyed further, then engaged by the insertion device of the subsequent press and supplied to the working space of the latter.

One disadvantage of this design consists in that a belt conveyor is provided and when changing the shape of the workpiece, the radial turning device must be completely exchanged.

Furthermore, in the case of workpieces having a large surface area, there is a considerable field of traverse above the feed plane, which can lead to difficulties in arranging the feeder located above the feed plane.

The same drawback existed in a known turning device (German Offenlegungsschrift 2 112 590), in which the workpiece is engaged by means of gripper tongs and likewise swung through 1800 above the feed plane.

According to a further proposal (German Offenlegungsschrift 2 544 203), the workpiece is likewise removed by means of a removal device of the preceding press and then engaged on two gripper tongs both constructed as supports and acting at right-angles to the feed direction and then swung through 1 SOC about the longitudinal axes of the grippers and then engaged by the insertion device of the subsequent press and inserted therein.

In this device, one drawback consists in that in practice, only small workpieces can be turned with the latter. Furthermore, it is not possible to turn workpieces having a large surface area, for example two connected car doors, which do not have adequate inherent stability, using tongs. In this case, in practice, the workpiece would sag between the two tongs.

It is also a drawback that at the time of turning, half the extent of the workpiece swings out in an upwards direction above the feed plane, due to which the vertical stroke of the removal device must have a correspondingly large dimension.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a transfer device which is of a simpler construction than the abovedescribed devices and which obviates or mitigates aforementioned drawbacks.

According to the present invention there is provided a transfer device for transferring a workpiece between successive presses and simultaneously reorientating the workpiece the device comprising two relatively movable workpiece holders pivotal in opposite senses about respective axes between respective raised positions and respective lowered positions permitting transfer of the workpiece from one holder to the other.

The essential advantage of the present invention lies in the fact that the device has two separate workpiece holders which divide the actual swinging operation into two separate movements, preferably each of 90 . Preferably the workpiece is not swung in an upwards direction to a position substantially above the feed plane of the press. The workpiece holders may be adapted to the respective shape of the workpiece, so that even work pieces having a large surface area, without adequate inherent stability, can be reorientated without difficulty.

The invention is described in detail hereafter with reference to the drawings illustrating one embodiment diagrammatically: Figures 1 to 3 show two presses in a diagrammatic side view illustrating various positions of the transfer device and Figure 4 is a similar view, in which the pivoting mechanisms are disengaged and the device operates as a simple shifting device.

In the drawings, for the sake of clarity, only two presses 8 and 9 of the line of presses are shown, the number of which can be selected at will. In this case, the press 8 may be, for example, a head press in which the inserted plate 10 undergoes a first basic shaping operation whereas the subsequent presses continue to process the workpiece 10. As is apparent, in the example illustrated, the workpiece must be turned between the presses 8 and 9.

The two support devices 1 and 2 are mounted in a common frame 6 between the presses 8 and 9. The support device 1 is constructed to swing downwards through 900 about pivot 3 which is horizontally and vertically adjustable.

The support device 2 is attached about a pivot 5 of an arm 11, which is able to move in the feed direction 4 and in the opposite direction thereto.

The actual function of the transfer device will be described with reference to figures 1 to 3. In figure 1, the work piece 10 has already been raised after the pressing operation and is then removed from the press 8 in the feed direction 4, as shown in figure 2. The workpiece 10 is then placed in the support device 1, which is swung downwards about an upper pivot 3. The workpiece 10 then assumes the position shown in full line in figure 3. In this position, the workpiece 10 with the support device 1 is located below the actual feed plane 7, so that the removal device 12 can retum without any hindrance from the position shown in dot-dash lines to the waiting position shown in full line.

The workpiece 10 is then engaged by the support device 2, for example by means of suction devices. The support device 2, which is adapted to the shape of the work piece 10, is then moved in the feed direction 4, in order to be swung about the pivot 5 from the position 2a into position 2b. In this position, the workpiece 10 is then engaged for example by the suction members 13 of a feeder 14 and moved towards the right to such an extent that the workpiece 10, shown in full line, can be placed on a further support device 15, from where it is introduced by means of the suction members 16 of an Insertion device 17 into the press 9.

The support device 15 may thus serve as an orientation station for the subsequent processing operation and for this purpose can be moved in various planes, which is not illustrated for the sake of clarity of the drawings.

The apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 may be used as a device for simply shifting a workpiece 10 without reorientation thereof, this possibility being illustrated in Figure 4.

In this case, the pivot mechanism of the support device 1 is disengaged and the support is fixed out of the way in a folded-down position and the pivot 1 mechanism of the support device 2 is disengaged. The support device 2 simultaneously serves as the support device 1.

This option is selected, as shown by the position of the work piece, when there is no necessity to turn the work piece 10.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A transfer device for transferring a workpiece between successive presses and simultaneously reorientating the workpiece, the device comprising two relatively movable workpiece holders pivotal in opposite senses about respective axes between respective raised positions and respective lowered positions permitting transfer of the workpiece from one holder to the other.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein both holders are located in a common frame.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein holders have disengagable pivot mechanisms.

4. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pivot axis of the workpiece holder which firstly holds the workpiece from the press is horizontally and vertically adjustable.

5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the relative movement of the two holders is effected below a feed plane of the workpiece.

6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each holder is constructed to swing through at least 900.

7. A transfer device, substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. large surface area, without adequate inherent stability, can be reorientated without difficulty. The invention is described in detail hereafter with reference to the drawings illustrating one embodiment diagrammatically: Figures 1 to 3 show two presses in a diagrammatic side view illustrating various positions of the transfer device and Figure 4 is a similar view, in which the pivoting mechanisms are disengaged and the device operates as a simple shifting device. In the drawings, for the sake of clarity, only two presses 8 and 9 of the line of presses are shown, the number of which can be selected at will. In this case, the press 8 may be, for example, a head press in which the inserted plate 10 undergoes a first basic shaping operation whereas the subsequent presses continue to process the workpiece 10. As is apparent, in the example illustrated, the workpiece must be turned between the presses 8 and 9. The two support devices 1 and 2 are mounted in a common frame 6 between the presses 8 and 9. The support device 1 is constructed to swing downwards through 900 about pivot 3 which is horizontally and vertically adjustable. The support device 2 is attached about a pivot 5 of an arm 11, which is able to move in the feed direction 4 and in the opposite direction thereto. The actual function of the transfer device will be described with reference to figures 1 to 3. In figure 1, the work piece 10 has already been raised after the pressing operation and is then removed from the press 8 in the feed direction 4, as shown in figure 2. The workpiece 10 is then placed in the support device 1, which is swung downwards about an upper pivot 3. The workpiece 10 then assumes the position shown in full line in figure 3. In this position, the workpiece 10 with the support device 1 is located below the actual feed plane 7, so that the removal device 12 can retum without any hindrance from the position shown in dot-dash lines to the waiting position shown in full line. The workpiece 10 is then engaged by the support device 2, for example by means of suction devices. The support device 2, which is adapted to the shape of the work piece 10, is then moved in the feed direction 4, in order to be swung about the pivot 5 from the position 2a into position 2b. In this position, the workpiece 10 is then engaged for example by the suction members 13 of a feeder 14 and moved towards the right to such an extent that the workpiece 10, shown in full line, can be placed on a further support device 15, from where it is introduced by means of the suction members 16 of an Insertion device 17 into the press 9. The support device 15 may thus serve as an orientation station for the subsequent processing operation and for this purpose can be moved in various planes, which is not illustrated for the sake of clarity of the drawings. The apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 may be used as a device for simply shifting a workpiece 10 without reorientation thereof, this possibility being illustrated in Figure 4. In this case, the pivot mechanism of the support device 1 is disengaged and the support is fixed out of the way in a folded-down position and the pivot 1 mechanism of the support device 2 is disengaged. The support device 2 simultaneously serves as the support device 1. This option is selected, as shown by the position of the work piece, when there is no necessity to turn the work piece 10. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A transfer device for transferring a workpiece between successive presses and simultaneously reorientating the workpiece, the device comprising two relatively movable workpiece holders pivotal in opposite senses about respective axes between respective raised positions and respective lowered positions permitting transfer of the workpiece from one holder to the other.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein both holders are located in a common frame.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein holders have disengagable pivot mechanisms.

4. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pivot axis of the workpiece holder which firstly holds the workpiece from the press is horizontally and vertically adjustable.

5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the relative movement of the two holders is effected below a feed plane of the workpiece.

6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each holder is constructed to swing through at least 900.

7. A transfer device, substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.