Title of Invention	A DEVICE FOR FEEDING INTERNALLY LOCATABLE MACHINE COMPONENTS AND THE LIKE TO A SPECIFIED POINT
Abstract	(57) Abstract: A device for feeding internally 10c table machine components and the like to a specified point, comprises a road on which the said components are internally locatables a alidable label, the top surface of which is provided with a slot disposed below the bottom and of the rod. The lot Accommodating a component locator: first and second jaws, for alternately gripping and relaeasing the rod for enabling said components to be internally located on the rod and, thereafter, for singly, into the lot, to engaerwith the locator therein, the table then sliding away, with the component, atop a pick up point: at leant two sensors and a microprocerror based system connected to the circuit of the jaw, the table and the sensors for controlling the operating thereof PRICE: THIRTY RUPEES

Title of Invention

A DEVICE FOR FEEDING INTERNALLY LOCATABLE MACHINE COMPONENTS AND THE LIKE TO A SPECIFIED POINT

Abstract

(57) Abstract: A device for feeding internally 10c table machine components and the like to a specified point, comprises a road on which the said components are internally locatables a alidable label, the top surface of which is provided with a slot disposed below the bottom and of the rod. The lot Accommodating a component locator: first and second jaws, for alternately gripping and relaeasing the rod for enabling said components to be internally located on the rod and, thereafter, for singly, into the lot, to engaerwith the locator therein, the table then sliding away, with the component, atop a pick up point: at leant two sensors and a microprocerror based system connected to the circuit of the jaw, the table and the sensors for controlling the operating thereof PRICE: THIRTY RUPEES

Full Text	This invention relates to a device for feeding internally 1DC atable machine components and the 1ike to a specified point, such as, an assembly line. Components, such as those used as parts of, or fitting for, machines, apparatuses, appliances or equipment are required to be fed to the point where they are further processed e.g. to the point where they are picked up by a robot and placed on a conveyor for being sent to the assembly line. Feeding mechanisms are known to the art, but these are applicable to cases where the components are locatable, as for instance, where the components are stacked in a cylinder and fed therefrom. However, when feeding has to be done with components which are internally locatable, particularly, when such components also require to be fed in a predetermined, oriented manner, problems are encountered in achieving such objectives in practice, Firstly, a rod must be provided for being passed through th» internal ly locatable e components to have the/n stacked on such rod, but then the movement of the components on the rod to the point of feeding not be possible because the rod will necessarily have to be provided with some support and such support will defeat the very purpose sought to be fulfilled, since it will impede the movement of the components along the rod. Secondly, the further requirement in such cases is that the rod must be free at both ends for the components to be freely stacked and fed, This invention, therefore, proposes a device which overcomes the above mentioned problems. It also enables internally locatable components to be stacked and fed in appreciated orientations. Various other features of this invention will be apparent from the following further description thereof. The device for feeding internally locatable machine components and the like to a specified point, according to invention, comprises a rod on which the said components are internally locatable; a slidably table, the top surface of which is provided with a slot disposed below the bottom end of the rod, the slot accommodating a component locator, the distance between the bottom end of the rod and the base of the slot being greater than the thickness of a component, while the distance between the said surface and the bottom end of the rod is 1 ess than the said thickness, thereby leaving a gap, of width 1 ess than the said thickness, between the said surface and the bottom end of the red at least two jaws, namely, first and second jaws, for alternately gripping and releasing the rod, at two spaced points thereon, for enabling said components to be internally located on the rod, and thereafter, fed singly, into the slot, to engage with the locator therein, the table then sliding away, with the component, to a pick up point, before returning to its original posit ion to repeat the operation} at least two sensors for B1lowing only a predetermined number of components to enter the buffer zone (between the first jaw and the second jaw), and the feeding zone (between the second jaw and the bottom of the rod) and a microprocessor based system connected to the circuit of the jaws, th« table and the sensors for controlling the operation thereof. This invention will now be described in further detai1 with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example one of various possible embodiments of this invention, wherein Fig 1 illustrates the rod and jaw assembly Fig 2 illustratee the arrestor plug Fig 3 i1lustrates the arrestor socket Fig 4 illustrates a spec imen of one of possible components and Fig 5 illustrates the circuit layout of the microprocessor system. The embodiment will be seen to comprise the rod R on which components, such as the spec imen D, i1 lustrated in Fig 4, are internally locatable, with the rod R psalm through the bore C Df the components D. The components D, thus located on the rod R, are depicted in Fig 1 in broken outline. The top surface S of a slidable table T is provided with a slot E disposed below the bottom end G of the rod R. The »lot E accommodates a component locator H. The distance between the bottom end 0 of the rod and the base K of the slot Is greater than the thickness L of a component D, while the distance between the said surface B and the bottom end 0 of the rod is less than the said thickness L, thereby leaving a gap, of width less than the said thickness, between the said surface S and the bottom end S of the rod. This ensures that as each component leaves the bottom end 6 of the rod R and enters the slot E, to engage with the locator H, the net component in line on the rod does not slip off the rod, but will have to wait its turn to ^et into the slot E. Two jaws (driven by actuators Al and ft2> serve to support the rod R such that its top and bottom ends F and S are both free and out of contact we th any other abject. These jaws alternately grip and release the rod, at two spaced points M and N thereon. From the top of the rod F to the point M, where the jaw Jl Is located, is called the loading zone. From the point M, where the jaw Ji is located, to the point N, where jaw J2 is located, is called the buffer zone. From the point N, where jaw 32 is located, to the bottom end of the rod B, is called the feeding zone. Sensor SI senses the number of components in the buffer zone. Sensor 82 senses the number of components in the feeding zone. Components are manually loaded on to the rod from the top and come to rest on jaw Jl or travel down into the buffer zone depending an whether jaw Jl its closed or open. When sensor S2 senses that the number of components in the feeding zone has fallen below a certain value, jaw S2 is opened to allow the components in the buffer zone to pass down the rod R into the feeding zone. At this time, the jaw Jl will be clOKed. When the sensor SI senses that the number of components in the buffer zone is leas than a predetermined number the jaw Jl opened. Jaw J2 will remain closed at that time. When the number of components in the buffer zone is sensed by the sensor SI as equal to or exceeding a predetermined number, the Jaw Jl is closed. no point is the jaw r J2 open simultaneously, so much so that the rod R is gripped by either jaw Jl or J2 or both. In the feeding zone, the bottommost component locator H. At this stage the slidable table T move the component away to a place where, for instance, a pick and place robot takes it away -for further operations. The table T now moves back to its original position. As the slidable table T moves a component away, as described above, the next component in line on the rod R, in the feeding zone, is unable to slip off the rod R, because the distance between the top surface B of the table T and the bottom end G of the rod is less than the thickness L of a component, however, when the table moves back to its original position, with the slot E once again disposed below the bottom end o-f the rod R, the next component in line slips off the rod to land in the slot, engage with the locator H and be moved «w«y by the table T to repeat the operation. In cases where the components need to be oriented being fed and moved away, orientation means will be provided for the rod R to mate with co-operating orientation mean* on each component. By way of example, the component D in the drawings is shown to have a depression, such as, a channel Y cut in it. Mating with this channel is a protuberance, such as, a fluting Z provided on the rod R. The locator H will also be provided with a similar fluting. Thus from the stage of locating, stacking, feeding and being moved away by the table T, the component D will be in its predetermined, oriented position. The actuators of the jaws Jl J2, sensors SI 32 and the movement of the table T are controlled and operated by a microprocessor based system, the circuit layout of which is illustrated in Fig 5, In order to arrest any rotational movement of the rod R, arrestors are provided, such as, s plus V provided on each jaw assembly and a mating socket W on the rod R The terms and expressions in this specification are of description and not of limitation, th»re being no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features illustrated and described, but it is understood that various other embodiments of the device proposed herein are possible without departing from the scope end ambit of this invention. I Claim 1. A device for feeding internally locatable machine components and the like to a specified point, comprises a rod on which the said components are internally locatable a slidable table, the top surface of which provided with a slot disposed below the bottom end of the rod, the slot accommodating a component locator, the distance between the bottom end of the rod and the base of the slot being greater than the thickness of a component while the distance between the said surface and the bottom end of the rod is less than the said thickness, thereby leaving a gap, of width less thin the said thickness, between the said surface and the bottom end of the rod; at least two jaws, namely first tnd second jaw^ . for alternately gripping and releasing the rod, at two spaced points thereon, for enabling said component* to be internally located on the rod and, thereafter, fed singly, into the slot, to engage with the locator therein, the table then sliding away, with the component, to a pick up point, before returning to its original position, to r»peat the operation 5 at least two sensors for allowing only a predetermined number of components to enter the buffer one (between the first jaw and the second jaw) and the feeding zone (between the second jaw and the bottom of the rod) respectively) and a microprocessor based system connected to the circuit of the jaws, the table and the seniors for con¬trolling the operation thereof. 2. fii device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the rod is disposed in the vertical, or substantially in the vertical position. Z. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the rod and the component locator have orientation means for mating with co-operating orientation means on each component. 4. A device as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the orientation means comprise a depression or protuberance provided along the length of the rod and a mating protuberance or provided on the inner periphery of the component. 5. A device as cl aimed in arty one of the preceding Claims wherein each j aw assembly and the rod are provided with arrestors for arresting any rotational movement of the rod. 6. A device asc1 aimed in Claim S wherein the arrestors comprise conical plugs on the jaw assemblies and sockets on the rod. 7. A device for feeding internally locatable machine components and the like to a specified point, substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

Full Text

This invention relates to a device for feeding internally 1DC atable machine components and the 1ike to a specified point, such as, an assembly line.
Components, such as those used as parts of, or fitting for, machines, apparatuses, appliances or equipment are required to be fed to the point where they are further processed e.g. to the point where they are picked up by a robot and placed on a conveyor for being sent to the assembly line.
Feeding mechanisms are known to the art, but these are applicable to cases where the components are locatable, as for instance, where the components are stacked in a cylinder and fed therefrom.
However, when feeding has to be done with components which are internally locatable, particularly, when such components also require to be fed in a predetermined, oriented manner, problems are encountered in achieving such objectives in practice,
Firstly, a rod must be provided for being passed through th» internal ly locatable e components to have the/n stacked on such rod, but then the movement of the components on the rod to the point of feeding not be possible because the rod will necessarily have to be provided with some support and such support will defeat the very purpose sought to be fulfilled, since it will impede the movement of the components along the

rod. Secondly, the further requirement in such cases is that the rod must be free at both ends for the components to be freely stacked and fed,
This invention, therefore, proposes a device which overcomes the above mentioned problems. It also enables internally locatable components to be stacked and fed in appreciated orientations.
Various other features of this invention will be apparent from the following further description thereof.
The device for feeding internally locatable machine components and the like to a specified point, according to invention, comprises a rod on which the said components are internally locatable; a slidably table, the top surface of which is provided with a slot disposed below the bottom end of the rod, the slot accommodating a component locator, the distance between the bottom end of the rod and the base of the slot being greater than the thickness of a component, while the distance between the said surface and the bottom end of the rod is 1 ess than the said thickness, thereby leaving a gap, of width 1 ess than the said thickness, between the said surface and the bottom end of the red at least two jaws, namely, first and second jaws, for alternately gripping and releasing the rod, at two spaced points thereon, for enabling

said components to be internally located on the rod, and
thereafter, fed singly, into the slot, to engage with the
locator therein, the table then sliding away, with the
component, to a pick up point, before returning to its
original posit ion to repeat the operation} at least two
sensors for B1lowing only a predetermined number of components
to enter the buffer zone (between the first jaw and the second
jaw), and the feeding zone (between the second jaw and the
bottom of the rod) and a microprocessor based
system connected to the circuit of the jaws, th« table and the
sensors for controlling the operation thereof.
This invention will now be described in further detai1 with
reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by
way of example one of various possible embodiments of this
invention, wherein
Fig 1 illustrates the rod and jaw assembly
Fig 2 illustratee the arrestor plug
Fig 3 i1lustrates the arrestor socket
Fig 4 illustrates a spec imen of one of possible components
and
Fig 5 illustrates the circuit layout of the microprocessor
system.
The embodiment will be seen to comprise the rod R on which
components, such as the spec imen D, i1 lustrated in Fig 4, are

internally locatable, with the rod R psalm through the bore C Df the components D. The components D, thus located on the rod R, are depicted in Fig 1 in broken outline. The top surface S of a slidable table T is provided with a slot E disposed below the bottom end G of the rod R. The »lot E accommodates a component locator H. The distance between the bottom end 0 of the rod and the base K of the slot Is greater than the thickness L of a component D, while the distance between the said surface B and the bottom end 0 of the rod is less than the said thickness L, thereby leaving a gap, of width less than the said thickness, between the said surface S and the bottom end S of the rod. This ensures that as each component leaves the bottom end 6 of the rod R and enters the slot E, to engage with the locator H, the net component in line on the rod does not slip off the rod, but will have to wait its turn to ^et into the slot E. Two jaws (driven by actuators Al and ft2> serve to support the rod R such that its top and bottom ends F and S are both free and out of contact we th any other abject. These jaws alternately grip and release the rod, at two spaced points M and N thereon. From the top of the rod F to the point M, where the jaw Jl Is

located, is called the loading zone. From the point M, where the jaw Ji is located, to the point N, where jaw J2 is located, is called the buffer zone. From the point N, where jaw 32 is located, to the bottom end of the rod B, is called the feeding zone.
Sensor SI senses the number of components in the buffer zone. Sensor 82 senses the number of components in the feeding zone. Components are manually loaded on to the rod from the top and come to rest on jaw Jl or travel down into the buffer zone depending an whether jaw Jl its closed or open. When sensor S2 senses that the number of components in the feeding zone has fallen below a certain value, jaw S2 is opened to allow the components in the buffer zone to pass down the rod R into the feeding zone. At this time, the jaw Jl will be clOKed. When the sensor SI senses that the number of components in the buffer zone is leas than a predetermined number the jaw Jl opened. Jaw J2 will remain closed at that time. When the number of components in the buffer zone is sensed by the sensor SI as equal to or exceeding a predetermined number, the Jaw Jl is closed.
no point is the jaw r J2 open simultaneously, so much so that the rod R is gripped by either jaw Jl or J2 or both. In the feeding zone, the bottommost component
locator H. At this stage the slidable table T move the component away to a place where, for instance, a pick and place robot takes it away -for further operations. The table T now moves back to its original position.
As the slidable table T moves a component away, as described above, the next component in line on the rod R, in the feeding zone, is unable to slip off the rod R, because the distance between the top surface B of the table T and the bottom end G of the rod is less than the thickness L of a component, however, when the table moves back to its original position, with the slot E once again disposed below the bottom end o-f the rod R, the next component in line slips off the rod to land in the slot, engage with the locator H and be moved «w«y by the table T to repeat the operation.
In cases where the components need to be oriented being fed and moved away, orientation means will be provided for the rod R to mate with co-operating orientation mean* on each component. By way of example, the component D in the drawings is shown to have a depression, such as, a channel Y cut in it. Mating with this channel is a protuberance, such as, a fluting Z provided on the rod R. The locator H will also be provided with a similar fluting. Thus from the stage of locating, stacking, feeding and being moved away by the table T, the

component D will be in its predetermined, oriented position. The actuators of the jaws Jl J2, sensors SI 32 and the movement of the table T are controlled and operated by a microprocessor based system, the circuit layout of which is illustrated in Fig 5,
In order to arrest any rotational movement of the rod R, arrestors are provided, such as, s plus V provided on each jaw assembly and a mating socket W on the rod R The terms and expressions in this specification are of description and not of limitation, th»re being no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features illustrated and described, but it is understood that various other embodiments of the device proposed herein are possible without departing from the scope end ambit of this invention.

I Claim
1. A device for feeding internally locatable machine components and the like to a specified point, comprises a rod on which the said components are internally locatable a slidable table, the top surface of which provided with a slot disposed below the bottom end of the rod, the slot accommodating a component locator, the distance between the bottom end of the rod and the base of the slot being greater than the thickness of a component while the distance between the said surface and the bottom end of the rod is less than the said thickness, thereby leaving a gap, of width less thin the said thickness, between the said surface and the bottom end of the rod; at least two jaws, namely first tnd second jaw^ . for alternately gripping and releasing the rod, at two spaced points thereon, for enabling said component* to be internally located on the rod and, thereafter, fed singly, into the slot, to engage with the locator therein, the table then sliding away, with the component, to a pick up point, before returning to its original position, to r»peat the operation 5 at least two sensors for allowing only a predetermined number of components to enter the buffer one (between the first jaw and the second jaw) and the feeding zone (between the second jaw and the bottom of the rod)

respectively) and a microprocessor based system connected to the circuit of the jaws, the table and the seniors for con¬trolling the operation thereof.
2. fii device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the rod is disposed in the vertical, or substantially in the vertical position. Z. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the rod and the component locator have orientation means for mating with co-operating orientation means on each component.
4. A device as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the orientation means comprise a depression or protuberance provided along the length of the rod and a mating protuberance or provided on the inner periphery of the component.
5. A device as cl aimed in arty one of the preceding Claims wherein each j aw assembly and the rod are provided with arrestors for arresting any rotational movement of the rod.
6. A device asc1 aimed in Claim S wherein the arrestors comprise conical plugs on the jaw assemblies and sockets on the rod.
7. A device for feeding internally locatable machine
components and the like to a specified point, substantially as
herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the
accompanying drawings.

Documents:

0702-mas-1996 abstract.jpg

0702-mas-1996 abstract.pdf

0702-mas-1996 claims.pdf

0702-mas-1996 correspondence -others.pdf

0702-mas-1996 correspondence -po.pdf

0702-mas-1996 description (complete).pdf

0702-mas-1996 drawings.pdf

0702-mas-1996 form-1.pdf

0702-mas-1996 form-26.pdf

0702-mas-1996 form-9.pdf

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Patent Number

193256

Indian Patent Application Number

702/MAS/1996

PG Journal Number

30/2009

Publication Date

24-Jul-2009

Grant Date

Date of Filing

30-Apr-1996

Name of Patentee

KASI RADHAKRISHNAN DURGA PRASAD INDIAN NATIONAL

Applicant Address

174 DEFENCE OFFICERS. COLONY, MADRAS 600097

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	KASI RADHAKRISHNAN DURGA PRASAD INDIAN NATIONAL	174 DEFENCE OFFICERS. COLONY, MADRAS 600097

PCT International Classification Number

B21D-43/10

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1			NA