Apparatus for picking up, carrying and releasing articles

摘要

A support body having a plurality of grasping fingers on opposite sides which are shaped in the form of an arc of a circle. The fingers move in a circular path for grasping and releasing articles with a minimum of clearance along the side of the articles. An arm supports each of the fingers by one end and has the second end of the arm rotationally supported from the support body at an angle. The first end of the arm is at an angle to the plane of the supported finger and the second end is at an angle to the first end. A lever is connected between the support body and the first ends of each arm for rotating the first ends about the second ends. A conveying system may be used with the pick up and release apparatus having a conveyor with spaced rollers in which compression plates are positioned at each end of the rollers for compressing the article for pickup.