Dual line production system and method

US4548346A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• KUKA Schweissanlagen + Roboter GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Josef Kraus · Dieburg, DE
• Karl-Heinz Klein · Kehl, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 14, 1983
• Grant date: Oct 22, 1985
• Expiry date: Apr 14, 2003

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B62D65/18
• WIPO field: Machine tools
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A first succession of workpieces is displaced along a first conveyor path past a work station in steps and a second succession of workpieces is displaced past the work station in steps synchronously with the first succession along a second conveyor path crossing the first path at an intersection adjacent the work station. The workpieces of the first and second successions are alternately arrested adjacent the work station so that as a workpiece of one succession is arrested adjacent the station the workpieces of the other succession are moving and vice versa. A tool at the station works alternately on the arrested workpieces. Thus as a workpiece of one succession is being held stationary and worked on a workpiece of the other succession is being removed from adjacent the station and replaced with the following workpiece of the other succession. The workpieces are transported horizontally generally at the same level and the paths cross at the intersection generally at a right angle. Thus the tool is oscillated generally through a right angle between successive workpiece advance steps synchronously with workpiece advance. Four such tools can be provided to work on both sides of two s…