Rotatable vacuum lifting and transporting apparatus
US5791861A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 5, 1997 |
| Grant date | Aug 11, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 5, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S294/907
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A suspendable apparatus for the lifting, rotating and transferring of essentially smooth-walled cylindrical objects, where such apparatus is preferably an air cylinder. The apparatus comprises a vertically oriented lifting mechanism consisting of a lifting chamber fixed at its upper end and movable at its lower end, with power to the air cylinder in the chamber. Additionally, there is a rotating mechanism for gripping and rotating the cylindrical object, such as a drum or paper roll. The rotating mechanism is mounted on a fixed arm secured to the lower end for movement therewith. The rotating mechanism further includes a housing having a fixed end secured to the fixed arm and a second end remote therefrom. The second end includes a pair of movable gripping arms mounted for rotational movement about the second end, where the arms include at least two arcuate shaped cups positioned to apply a vacuum against the wall of the cylindrical object. Finally, a fail-safe sensing system is incorporated herein which detects a pre-determined weight of the cylindrical object, whereby at a value above this pre-determined weight, the lifting and vacuum gripping system hereof cannot be inadvertentl…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.