US2869756A - Apparatus for feeding and handling thin metal sheets - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 20, 1959 LE MOYNE FARNSWORTH APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND HANDLING THIN METAL SHEETS Filed Aug. 1. 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. 9&7 W

BY 7M p f u E.

0 m2 5 m2 v i S Em N o Nm vm be m E Jan- 1 LE MOYNE FARNSWORTH 2,869,756

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND HANDLING THIN METAL SHEETS Filed Aug. 1, 1955 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 I: 65%? IN7V7ENTOR. F a. Z By W W M 1959 LE MOYNE FARNSWORTH APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND HANDLING THIN METAL SHEETS 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 1, 1955 INVENTOR.

1959 LEMOYNE FARNSWORTH 2,869,756

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND HANDLING THIN METAL SHEETS I Filed Aug. 1, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 J n- 20, 1 LEMOYNE FARNSWORTH APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND HANDLING THIN METAL SHEETS: Filed Aug. 1, 1955 7 Sheets- Sheet 5 7 8 IN VEN TOR. BY" @744 7 WW Fmln ' 1959 LE MOYNE FARNSWORTH 2,369,756

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND HANDLING THIN METAL SHEETS Filed Aug. 1, 1955 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN V EN TOR.

1959- LE MOYNE FARNSWORTH 2,369,756

APPARATUS FORFEEDING AND HANDLING THIN METAL SHEETS Filed Aug. 1, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 30 (l/PCE g 05 0a 59 m5 of My IVENTOR. I

ATTOR/VEVI United States Patent Ofifice 2,859,756 Patented Jan. 20, 1959 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND HANDLING THIN METAL SHEETS Le Moyne Farnsworth, Racine, Wis., assignor to Automation Machines and Equipment Co., Inc, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application August 1, 1955, Serial No. 525,600 9 Claims. (Cl. 221-212) This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for feeding and handling thin metal sheets.

In the manufacture of lamination discs for electric motors, it is necessary to feed the discs to a notching press where notches are punched in the periphery at accurately indexed locations. The hand feeding of these discs to the press is tedious and time-consuming, and in mechanical feeding devices dilficulties have been encountered because of the nature of the thin metal discs which are hard to separate and handle.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide improved automatic apparatus for feeding and handling lamination discs for electric motors, which apparatus is particularly suitable for feeding discs from a vertical stack to a notching press.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus as above described wherein mechanism is also provided for automatically removing a notched disc from the press or other work station and for delivering said notched disc to a discharge station.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus for feeding and handling thin metal sheets wherein magnetic repulsion is utilized to separate several of the top sheets of a stack, and wherein novel means is employed for retaining the uppermost of said separated sheets in separated condition so that it may be gripped and fed to suitable apparatus such as a punch press.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus as above described wherein there is novel co-action between magnetic separating and holding means and mechanically actuated gripping fingers.

A still further object of the invention isto provide apparatus as above described wherein the magnets for separating several of the uppermost sheets of a stack are mounted on an elevator, and wherein novel means is provided for raising and lowering the elevator and magnets to raise and lower the several separated sheets.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for feeding and handling thin metal sheets wherein there is novel transfer mechanism for moving a sheet of separated material from the magazine to the punch press and from the punch press to the discharge station.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved apparatus for feeding and handling thin metal sheets, and all of its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating one complete embodiment of the preferred form of the invention, in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. l is a plan view of the apparatus, the punch press being indicated by dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view taken as indicated by the line 2--2 in Fig. 1, the magnets being shown in lowered position; 1

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the magnets and associated mechanism in elevated position holding several separated discs;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 illustrating the pickup head and associated parts and showing a metal disc being held by the pickup magnet;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the metal disc being gripped by the fingers, the pickup head being moved out of engagement with the disc;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the gripped disc after it has been tilted upwardly at an angle from the position of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 77 of Fig. 2 and showing the roller follower;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 2 showing one of the sets of gripping fingers;

Fig. 9 is a sectional View taken on the line 99 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 1, the punch press and associated parts being shown by dot-and-dash lines;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 12-42 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 13-13 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 1414 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 15 is a wiring diagram showing; the electric controls; and

Fig. 16 is a schematic diagram showing the power cylinders and valves.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, first to Fig. 1, it will be noted that there is a suitable frame 20 having spaced transverse guides 21, 22 and 23. These guides have aligned openings for slidably receiving rods 24 and 25. The openings in the guide 21 are designated by the numeral 26 in Fig. 9 and these openings are provided with bushings 27 within which the rods are slidable. The transverse guide 22 has openings which are designated by the numeral 28 in Fig. 11 and these openings are fitted with bushings 29 and 29', the bushings 29 having a key way 30 for co-action with a key 31 fitted in the rod 25, whereby the rod 25 is locked against rotation during part of its movement as will be hereinafter described.

Referring now to Fig. 11, a cylinder 32 having a fluid pressure operated ram 33 is pivotally connected to the frame as at 34.

The end of the ram 33 (see Fig. 11) is pivotally connected as at 35 with one arm of a bell crank lever 36. The said bell crank is pinned by the pin 37 to the bushing 29, which in turn is connected by the key 31 with the rod 25, so that if the bell crank is tilted in one direction or the other, the rod 25 is rocked. Depending from the opposite end of the bell crank lever 36 and suitably supported for rotation in a horizontal plane is a holddown member 38, which in the position of Fig. l1, is adapted to hold a metal disc or work piece 39 between it and a supporting disc 40, the latter being secured to the upper end of a rotatably mounted mandril 43. It will be noted from Fig. 11 that when the work 39 is being held as shown in Fig. 11, that its periphery overlaps the die 41 of a punch press so as to be properly supported for the notching operation to be performed by the punch 42. Suitable well-known mechanism may be provided (not shown) for rotatably indexing the mandril 43 to cause the disc to be properly indexed for the punching operations.

After the punching operations have been completed on the disc 39, the bell crank 36 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction to lift the hold-down member 58 out of contact with the work. Simultaneously gripping L fingers or jaws 44 and 45 grip the work. These jaws are best illustrated in Fig. 8, which illustrates either set of jaws on the machine. The jaw 45 is mounted for rocking movement relative to the shaft 25, and has an extension 46, which projects toward and over the rod 24. A headed pin 47 extends slidably through an opening 48 in the arm 46 and is threaded into the projection 49 of a sleeve 50 surrounding the rod 24. A coil spring 52 between the projection 49 and the arm 46 normally urges the jaw 45 to the position of Fig. 8 into contact of rocking motion of shaft 25 causes the jaw 44 to close into contact with the lower face of the work piece. Thereafter another three degrees of rotation of the shaft 25 in a counter-clockwise direction causes jaw 45 to rock against the compression of the coil spring 52 and the thin metal work piece 39 is gripped between the two jaws and tilted upwardly slightly in preparation for transfer. It will be noted from Fig. 1 that there is one set of fingers or jaws such as those shown in Fig. 8 at the work station, and another set, which are identical, at the pickup station. Because of the identical nature of the parts, the same reference numerals are used to indicate the detailed parts of each set of fingers. However, in Fig. 1, the numeral 45 is applied to the top gripping jaw at the pickup station, and the numeral 45' to the top-pickup jaw at the work station.

Referring now to Figs. 4, 5, and 6, these figures illustrate parts at the pickup station. Pinned to a bushing 53 on the shaft 25 by a pin 54 is supporting member 55. Detachably and pivotally connected to the member 55 by a screw 56 is an arm 57 which is curved in plan view asshown in Fig. 1. The outer end of the arm supports a magnetic head 58, having several permanent magnets 59 therein. A removable pin 60 normally holds the arm 57 against pivotal movement in a horizontal plane on the bolt 56. If, however, the pin is removed, the arm 57 and the magnetic head 58 may be moved out of the way to facilitate loading of the device with a new stack of sheet metal discs. in Fig. 4 the uppermost one 61 of previously separated discs is being held in elevated position by the electromagnets 59 in the magnetic head. In Fig. the disc 61 has been gripped by the jaws 44 and 45 at the pickup station, and the magnetic head has broken away. In Fig. 6 the jaws are shown in upwardly-tilted position preparatory to transferring the disc laterally toward the work station.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, there is illustratedthe pickup station. Suitably supported on a frame portion 62 are vertical sleeves 63 and 64, within which rods 65 are slidable. The upper ends of the rods have heads 66 on which pieces of non-magnetic steel 67, which are L-shaped in elevational view, are suitably supported. The upright portions of these L-shaped pieces are V- shaped in plan view as shown in Fig. 1, so that all portions fit relatively close to the periphery of the discs in the stack 68 as shown in Fig. 1. Connected to the rear faces of each upright V-shaped portion of a member 67 is a permanent magnet 69. Each magnet has one pole connected to one part of the V-shaped upright portion, and its other pole connected to the other part of the V-shaped poles, as is clear from Fig. 1

A spindle 70 (see Figs. 2 and 12) has a tapered pin 71 depending from its lower end and adapted to make wedging engagement in-a tapered hole 72 of a member 73. The member 73 has an enlarged head which seats ;on the upper end of a bushing 74, the latter projecting upwardly from a frame bar 75 as shown in Fig.

2, the bar having a hole 76 in registration with the lower end of the bushing 74, through which the lower iii end of the tapered pin may project as shown in Fig. 12. A lever 77, which is pivoted as at 78 to the bottom side of the bar 75, can be rocked in a clockwise direction to knock out tapered pin 71 when it is desired to remove the spindle for reloading purposes.

A set screw 79 (see Fig. 12) in the side of the bush ing has its inner end engageable with a circular groove 80 around the member 73 to lock the member 73 against upward movement while permitting rotational adjustment when the set screw 79 is loosened. The side of the spindle 70 has a keyway 81 which is fitted with a key 82. The lower end of the key depends from the bottom of the spindle and is engageable in a locating recess 8-3 of the member 73 so that the spindle is accurately positioned to vary the position of the recess 83. The set screw 79 may be loosened and the'mernber 73 rotated by means of a handle 84. 1

A stack of the sheet metal discs 61'may be supported on a collar 70 on the spindle 70 as shown in Fig. 2, and'when the discs are all used up, a new spindle with discs thereon may be quickly substituted after the entire spindle is removed in the manner heretoforedescribed. The discs may be all keyed to the spindle 70 by the key 82 so that when they are picked up by the gripping jaws, they will be held in proper position so that keyways on the sheet metal discs will register with a key 43' on the punch press mandrel 43.

Referring to Figs/2 and 3, a cylinder 85 for a fluid pressure operated ram 86 is pivotally connected to the frame 62 at 87. The upper end of the ram is pivotally connected at 88 to a' bent lever 89. The inner end of the lever 89 is keyed to a jackshaft 90 as at 90'. Also keyed to the jackshaft 90 by the key 90" is one endof a forked member 91, which member ha'sitsbther end forked as at 92 to co-act with a pin 93 on a crossmember 95 of the magnet elevating structure.

The upper end of the member 89 is bent as at 96 and has a pad 97 at its end whi'chis engageable'with a roller 98 (see Fig. 2). The roller 98 is best shown in Fig. 7 and is rotatable on a shaft 99, which is mounted in a member 100, the latter moving with-the horizontal rods 24 and 25 from the position of Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 3 when the latter are shifted. I V

Mounted between cross-members 21 and 22 (see Fig. l) is the cylinder 101 of a fluid pressure operated ram, the ram being connected to a head 102 to which the ends of the rods 24 and 25 are also connected, as at 103 and 104. Also carried by the rods 24 and 25 are stop collars 1.05 at one end and 106 at the oppositeend, each of which has an inwardly facing tapered face. The tapered face of the collar on the rod 24 is engageable with an operating Summary of operation Referring first to Fig. 11, this view illustrates the ram 33 in extended position to hold the holddown member 38 in contact with the work at the work station as the work is being punched by the punch 42 inztheusual manner. At this time limit switch is notactuated, this being an existing switch on the press for punch 42, which switch controls the continuance of punch operation by keeping a solenoid 126 on the press energized. It is to be noted that before lowering ofthe hold-down member 38 to the position of Fig. .11, the metal disc, which in the embodiment illustrated is to form a lamination for an electric motor, has been moved into position by the gripping jaws 44 and 45', which deliver the disc without change in position so that its key recess will engage with a key on the member 40. During the punching operation, 'the disc 89 is rotatably indeXedin-any suitable mannerby rotation of the spindle 43, the upper hold-down member rotating therewith.

After the punching operation has been completed as signaled by the opening of limit switch 125. This causes solenoid 126 to be de'energized, which in turn breaks the press rarn to stop punch 42. Simultaneously limit switch 125 also closes a contact 127 energizing relay coil 128. Coil 123 causes closing of contacts 129 which in turn energizes relay coil 131) through relay contacts 131, the latter having been energized during the above-mentioned punching stroke by contacts 132 and held energized by contacts 133. Relay 130 causes closing of contact 134, the latter energizing solenoid 135. The cylinder 32 of Fig. 11 is preferably operated by pneumatic means under the control of a suitable solenoid-operated valve 136 as is well-known in the art. Solenoid 135 shifts valve 136 (as shown in Fig. 16) so that air pressure is directed to the cylinder 32 in a direction to cause ram 33 to be retracted. During retracting movement of the ram 33, the bell crank lever 36 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction, lifting the hold-down member 33 out of contact with the disc 39, being worked on. As the hold-down member 38 leaves the work piece, the latter is gripped by the jaws 44 and 45. Referring to Fig. 8, which shows one of the sets of jaws, they are operated as a result of rocking movement of the shaft rod 25. This rocking movement results because the bell crank 36 of Fig. 11 is pinned to the bushing 29, and the latter in turn is keyed to the shaft 25. Also, the finger which is attached to the lower jaw 44 is pinned to the shaft 25 so that as the shaft rocks, the jaw 44 moves upwardly to cause gripping of the metal disc between the two jaws. Further rocking movement causes the jaws to tilt the disc upwardly about three degrees against the tension of the coil spring 52 of Fig. 8. The disc is now removed from the work sup' port 40 and is ready for lateral transfer. These movements of the jaws are the same as are illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. However, Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are taken at the pickup station, rather than at the work station.

Simultaneous with the above operation, the rocking of the shaft 25 causes arm 57 of Fig. 4, at the pickup station, to lift up to the position of Fig. 5, because the arm 57 is pinned to the bushing 53, and the latter is keyed to the shaft 25, which is rocking. At the same time that the magnetichead 58 is being moved upwardly from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 5, the fingers 44 and 45 shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are moved from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 5 to grip the sheet metal disc which has previously been held by the magnetic head. Just as the disc is gripped by the jaws 44 and 45 of Fig. 5, it is moved slightly upwardly by the magnetic head until it engages the jaw 45. The latterholds the disc against the further upward movement while the magnetic head 58 breaks itself away, the jaws 44 and 45 of Fig. 5 closing just before breaking away takes place. Thereafter the jaws tilt the disc an additional three degrees to the position of Fig. 6. There is now a disc in the position of Fig. 6 at the pickup station, and another disc in the same gripped and tilted position at the work station. The latter disc is to be moved to a spindle 111 at a discharge station 112. The disc which has been picked up as shown in Fig. 6 is to be moved to the work station to be punched. It is held tightly by the jaws 44 and 45 in the exact indexed position as it was keyed on the spindle 70 at the pickup station.

Boring the rocking of bell crank 36 as shown in Fig. ll, a projection 113 releases the button 114 of a limit switch 115 to open the latter contact and close circuit to contact 137. This then energizes solenoids 133 and 139. Solenoid 138 shifts valve 140 for starting the flow of fiuid under pressure into cylinder 1111 to extend the ram thereof, which results in movement of the head 102 toward the right in Fig. 1. This causes sliding movement of the rods 24 and 25. After about 9" of such movement, the left hand end of the key 31 runs out of the keyway 116 in 6 the bushing 53 of member 23 (see Fig. 14). Thereafter the spring 118 of Fig. 5 is able to rock the arm 57 in a clockwise direction from the position of Fig. 5 to the position of Fig. 4 ready to receive the uppermost of several separated discs 61 as in Fig. 3.

The rods 24 and 25 continue to move toward the right until the finished work piece is over the discharge station 112 and the new piece of work is over the work station at 49 ready to be punched.

Solenoid 139 shifts valve 141 for starting flow of fluid under pressure into cylinder to extend its ram 86 to move the lever 89 from the position of Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 3. This causes upward movement of the telescoped rod 65 and upward movement of the magnets 69 from the position of Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 3. These magnets act on several of the uppermost discs of the stack to cause said discs to be magnetized in a like manner, so that they repel one another. Thus several of the discs 61 are separated from the top of the stack and are carried by the magnets up to the fully elevated position of Fig. 3 until the uppermost disc 61 contacts the bottom of the magnetic head 58, the magnets in the latter holding the top metal disc to it.

During the extension movement of the ram 86 of cylinder 85, the roller 98 controls the rate of elevating movement to prevent any snap action in case of faulty operation of the pneumatic cylinder 85.

When the ram of cylinder 101 has been fully extended, the tapered surface of collar 106 on the rod 24 engages the operating finger 1119 of the limit switch 110. This opens switch 111) (lo-energizing relay coil 142 causing contacts 133 and 131 to open. The latter de-energize relay coil 130, opening relay contact 134. The opening of contact 134 de-energizes solenoid 135 allowing valve spring 144 to return the valve 136 to its normal position causing fluid under pressure to flow therein to extend the ram 33 so that the work piece 39, which is gripped by the fingers 44 and 45 is moved down onto the support 40 at the work station.

At the same time that the jaws 44 and 45 lower the work piece 39 to the position of Fig. 11, the hold-down head 38 rocks down to hold the disc in position while it is being notched.

Simultaneously, as a result of rocking of the shaft 25, the other set of fingers 44 and 45' are lowering the finished work piece onto the spindle 111 at the discharge station. The first three degrees of rocking movement in a clockwise direction brings the upper jaws down to the position shown in Fig. 8 until stopped by the head of pin 47. Thereafter further rocking movement of the shaft 25 lowers the jaws 44 to release the work.

At the completion of said lowering movement, the button 1'14 of limit switch of Fig. 11 is depressed. This causes the opening of contact 137 and the closing of circuit through contact 115. The latter being in series with contact 103, which was closed upon start of stroke of ram of cylinder 1611, energizes solenoid 145. Solenoid 145 shifts valve 146 for starting flow of fiuid under pressure into a conventional cylinder on the press which initiates the punching action of punch 42. Upon opening of contact 115, soienoids 138 and 139 are de-energized, allowing their respective springs 147 and 148 to return valves 140 and 141 to their normal positions. This acts to direct fluid under pressure for the cylinder 101 to cause retraction of the head 102 to bring all the parts back to the original position of Fig. 1. After the start of the operation of punch 42 switch is released, opening contact 127 and closing contact 125'. The opening of contact 127 de-energizes relay coil 128 and energizes solenoid 126 on the press. Upon full retraction of head 102, switch is opened, de-energizing solenoid 145.

As soon as the cylinder 1G1 starts the head 162 back towards the position of Fig. 1, the ram 86 of the cylinder 85 is simultaneously retracted to cause lever 89 to return from the position of Fig. 3 to the position of Fig. 2. Such,

retraction is snubbed by the fluidin the cylinder85. Dur- :ing su'ch Towering movement, all'of the separated discs {shown elevated in Fig. 3 are returned to the stack, except the uppermost one, as is shown in Fig. 2. It is preferred to work the controls out so that the punch 42 is started .only when the switch 115 is tripped as in Fig. 11, and while the switch 108 of Fig. 10 is not tripped.

As before mentioned, after all of the discs at the pickup station have been used up, the lever 77 is depressed to push out the tapered pin 71 (see Fig. 12) and permit removal of the spindle 70. It may be quickly replaced by a new spindle containing a stack of metal discs. The lever 84 is manipulated when the set screw 79 is loosened, only during setup to insure that the member 73 is in a proper position so that the key 82 of the spindle 70 is indexed in a proper position to correspond with the key of the spindle 43 at the work station. Thus proper positioriing of the blanks while being punched is assured.

While the device is particularly suited for use in feeding metal discs to a notching press such as is done when manufacturing laminations for electric motors, nevertheless the apparatus may be used to feed various other metal sheets to various types of instruments.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all such changes are contemplated as may come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device for feeding metal sheet material from a stack to a work station, said device having a support for said stack and having a work station at one side of said stack support, gripping jaws, means supporting said jaws for movement from a position over said stack support to a position adjacent said work station, means for cansing such movement, a magnetic holding head supported in vertically spaced relationship above said stack support, means other than said magnetic holding head for separating a sheet of metal from said stack, means for elevating the sheet into contact with said magnetic holding head to be temporarily held in elevated position thereby, gripping jaw operating means for causing said gripping jaws to grip said elevated and magnetically held sheet, means for moving said magnetic head out of contact with said gripped sheet, so that it is thereafter held only by the gripping jaws for movement to a position adjacent the work station, and means for synchronizing the operation in timed relationship with one another of said sheet separating means, sheet elevating means, gripping jaw operating means, magnetic head moving means, and moving means for said jaw supporting means.

2. In a device for feeding metal sheet material from a stack on a spindle to a work station, said device having a stack supporting spindle and having a work station at one side of said stack spindle, transfer means having a tiltably mounted gripping jaw assembly movable with said transfer means from a position over said stack spindle to a position adjacent said work station, a magnetic holding head supported in vertically spaced relationship above said stack spindle, means other than said magnetic holding head for separating a sheet of material from said stack, means for elevating the sheet on the spindle into contact with said magnetic holding head, gripping jaw operating means for causing said grpping jaws to grip said elevated sheet, means for moving said magnetic head out of contact with said gripped sheet, means for tilting said gripping jaw assembly to remove said gripped sheet from the spindle, means for causing transfer movement of the transfer means, and means for synchronizing the operation in timed relationship with one another of said sheet separating means, sheet elevating means, gripping jaw operating means, magnetic head moving means, gripping jaw tilting means, and transfer means.

3. In a device for feeding metal sheet material from a stack on a spindle to a work station, said device having ing a sheet of material from said stack,

a stack supporting spindle and having ,a workstation at .one. side of said stack spindle, movably supported 'transfer means having a tiltably mounted, gripping jaw assembly movable with said transfer means from a position oversaid stack spindle to a position adjacent said work station, a magnetic holding head tiltably supported in vertically spaced relationship above said stack spindle, means other than said magnetic holding head for separatmeans for elevating the sheet on the spindle into contact with said magnetic holding head, gripping jaw operating means for causing said gripping jaws to grip said elevated sheet, means for tilting said magnetic head out of contact with said sheet while the latter is held by the gripping jaw assembly, means for thereafter tilting said gripping jaw assembly to remove said gripped sheet from the spindle, means for causing transfer movement of the transfer means, and means for synchronizing the operation in timed relationship with one another of said sheet separating means, sheet elevating means, gripping jaw operating means, magnetic head tilting means, gripping jaw assembly tilting means, and transfer means.

4. In a device for feeding metal sheet material from a stack to a work station, said device having a support for said stack and having a work station at one side of said stack support, gripping jaws, means supporting said jaws for movement from a position over said stack support to a position adjacent said work station, means for causing said movement, a magnetic holding head supported in vertically spaced relationship above said stack support, magnetic means other than said magnetic holding head for separating a sheet of material from said stack, means for elevating the sheet into contact with said magnetic holding head to be temporarily held in elevated position thereby, gripping jaw operating means for operating said gripping jaws to cause them to grip said elevated and magnetically held sheet, means for moving said magnetic head out of contact with said gripped sheet so that it is thereafter held only by the gripping jaws for movement to a position adjacent the work station, and means for synchronizing the operation in timed relationship with one another of said sheet separating means, sheet elevating means, gripping jaw operating means, magnetic head moving means, and moving means for said jaw supporting means.

5. In a device for feeding metal sheet material from a stack to a work station, said device having a support for said stack and having a work station at one side of said stack support, gripping jaws, means supporting said jaws for movement from a position over said stack sup port to a position adjacent said work station, means for causing said movement, a magnetic holding head supported in vertically spaced relationship above said stack support, means for simultaneously separating several of the uppermost sheets from said stack, means for elevating them until the uppermost of separated sheets contacts said magnetic holding head to be temporarily held in elevated position thereby, gripping jaw operating means for causing said gripping jaws to grip said held sheet, means for moving said magnetic 'head out of contact with said gripped sheet so that it is thereafter held only by the gripping jaws for movement to a position adjacent said work station, and means for synchronizing the operation in timed relationship with one another of said sheet separating means, sheet elevating means, gripping jaw operating means, magnetic head moving means, and moving means for said jaw. supporting means.

6. In a device for feeding and handling metal sheet material, a series of stations including a pickup station having means for holding a stack of sheets of said material, a discharge station, and a work station intermediate said pickup station and discharge station; sets' of sheet-handling means, said sets being so spaced that one is in position at the pickup station when the other is in 9 position at the work station, and one is at the discharge station when the other set is at the work station; means supporting said sets of sheet-handling means for movement to and from said positions; means for causing such movement of said sets; means for transferring a sheet of material from the top of said stack at the pickup station to one of the sets of sheet-handling means when said set is at the pickup station; and means for operating said sets of sheet handling means in synchronism with one another to hold determined intervals, and means for synchronizing the operation of said transferring means in timed relationship with the operation of said sets of sheet handling means.

7. In a device for feeding circular metal discs from a stack, said device including a support for a stack of said discs, disc transfer means having means for moving a disc from a position over said stack support, means for separating a disc from said stack, means for elevating the disc to a position where it may be engaged by said transfer means, said separating means including a permanent magnet positioned on opposite sides of the stack adjacent the edges of the discs and there being a non-magnetic support for each magnet which is V-shaped and positioned to embrace a portion of the circular periphery of the disc in its V.

8. In a device for feeding metal sheet material from a stack to a work station, said device having a support for said stack and having a work station at one side of the stack support, gripping jaws, means supporting said gripping jaws for tilting movement and for movement from a position adjacent said stack to a position adjacent said work station, means for tilting said jaws, means for moving said jaws between said stack and work station, a magnetic holding head movably supported in vertically spaced relationship above said stack, an elevator including magnetic repulsion means adjacent opposite edges of the sheets in the stack for simultaneously separating and release said sheet at preseveral of the uppermost sheets in the stack and for elevating them until the uppermost one of said sheets contacts said magnetic holding head to-be temporarily held in elevated position thereby, the other elevated sheets being thereafter returned to position on top of the stack, gripping jaw operating means for causing said gripping jaws to grip said held sheet, means for moving said magnetic head out of contact with said sheet While it is thus held by the gripping jaws so that it is thereafter held only by said gripping jaws preparatory to movement to a position adjacent the work station, and means for synchronizing the operation in timed relationship with one another of said elevator and magnetic repulsion means, gripping jaw operating means, magnetic head moving means, jaw tilting means, and jaw moving means.

9. In a device for feeding circular metal discs from a stack, said device including a support for a stack of said discs, disc transfer means having means for moving a disc from a position over said stack support, means for separating a disc from said stack, means for elevating the disc to a position Where it may be engaged by said transfer means, said separating means including a permanent magnet positioned on opposite sides of the stack adjacent the edges of the discs and there being anonmagnetic support for each magnet which is shaped to embrace a portion of the circular periphery of the disc.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,706,533 Lorig et al Mar. 26, 1929 1,739,101 Strandt Dec. 10, 1 929 1,753,449 Swift Apr. 9, 1930 2,533,437 Dennis et al Dec. 12, 1950 2,728,267 Schaeffer et al. Dec. 27, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 500,306 Belgium Jan. 15, 1951

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