Rollerless plate-feeding apparatus
US5775871A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 18, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jul 7, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 18, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P70/50
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Apparatus is provided which does not rearwardly move a stack of plates (e.g., a stack of lead acid battery plates) upon approach of a vacuum pick-up head associated with a rotary carrier assembly. Instead, the apparatus maintains a predefined gap between the forwardmost plate in the stack and the rotary carrier assembly until a pick-up head is aligned substantially with the stack. At that time, a movable detent member releases the forwardmost one of the plates in the stack allowing it to be drawn across the gap by the vacuum force of the pick-up head. The timing of the detent member is such that it returns to its detent position to halt advance of the remaining plates in the stack toward the rotary carrier and thereby maintain the established gap between the rotary carrier assembly and the next forwardmost plate in the stack.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.