AUTOMATIC GRIPPER FOR MANIPULATING ARTICLES, AND ROBOT PROVIDED WITH SUCH A GRIPPER

摘要

A grabbing device intended to be mounted on the end of the arm of a robot and comprising a plate equipped with a pair of claws mounted in facing relation on the plate, with one claw being slidably mounted on the plate and the other claw being pivotably mounted thereon. The fastening between the robot arm and the plate comprises first and second mutually parallel pivot axes (Y1, Y2), the pivot axes being perpendicular to the surface of the plate. The grabbing device of the present invention also includes a mechanism for pivoting the plate about at least one of the axes, a mechanism for blocking or releasing the plate relative to the other of the axes, and a sensor for measuring the pivoting angle of the plate about each of the axes (Y1, Y2). The grabbing device is particularly well suited for handling refractory bricks in a robotized apparatus for repairing a metallurigical convertor.