ROTARY TRANSFER APPARATUS WITH AN IN-LINE CAM

• Main Authors: OLSON, ALLEN, L, RASMUSSEN, LARRY, A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 08.02.2006
• Subjects: CONVEYING; CRANES; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HAULING; HOISTING; LIFTING; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS,WINCHES, OR TACKLES; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS; SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS; STORING; TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING ORTIPPING; TRANSPORTING

A rotary transfer apparatus, comprising: a frame structure; a rotatable main shaft supported by the frame structure; a primary body connected to the main shaft; at least one first planetary shaft rotatably connected to the primary body and rotating in relation to the main shaft; a secondary body connected to each first planetary shaft; a second planetary shaft rotatably connected to each secondary body and rotating in relation to the first planetary shaft; an article transfer mechanism connected to each second planetary shaft; and an in-line cam mechanism. The article transfer mechanism is adapted for picking and placing articles, and has at least one stem connected to the second planetary shaft. Each stem has a distal end whose motion defines a product path about the main shaft. The product path has at least one apex at which point the distal end of the stem moves in an in-line motion. The in-line cam mechanism is adapted for extending the in-line motion at the apex(es) of the product path.