TRANSLATORY MANIPULATOR, PROCESSING LINE AND METHOD OF PROCESSING WORK PIECES

摘要

THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO A LOW-COST MANUFACTURABLE TRANSLATORY MANIPULATOR FOR CONVEYING WORK PIECES IN PROCESSING STATIONS IN A VERTICAL CONVEYORIZED PROCESSING LINE THAT MAY BE READILY ADAPTED TO CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES WITHOUT HAVING TO COMPLETELY REDESIGN THE PROCESSING LINE. THE MANIPULATOR COMPRISES AT LEAST ONE TRAVELING ELEMENT 10 THAT IS DISPLACEABLE ALONG A GUIDE MEANS CONNECTING AT LEAST TWO PROCESSING STATIONS FOR THE WORK PIECES 9, AT LEAST ONE HOISTING ELEMENT 11 AS WELL AS AT LEAST ONE GRIPPER ELEMENT 12 FOR THE WORK PIECES 9 THAT IS MOUNTED TO SAID HOISTING ELEMENTS 11. THE HOISTING ELEMENTS 11 AND THE GRIPPER ELEMENTS 12 MOUNTED THEREON ARE EXTENDABLE IN A MODULAR FASHION SO THAT THE HOISTING ELEMENT 11 EXTEND ACROSS A PLURALITY OF ROWS OF PROCESSING STATIONS AND THAT WORK PIECES 9 HELD IN THE STATIONS MAY BE RESPECTIVELY GRASPED BY THE GRIPPER ELEMENTS 12.