GB1202676A - Improvements in or relating to manufacturing systems - Google Patents

Abstract

1,202,676. Conveyer systems. D. A. CARGILL. 20 March, 1969 [8 April, 1968], No. 14655/69 Heading B7L. In a manufacturing system comprising, as in Specification 989,641, a plurality of work stations 10 ... 16, Figs. 1, la some of which are automated, spaced along a conveyer line, a plurality of pallets 22, Fig. 6, independently movable along the conveyer line to carry individual workpieces to the work stations, means for stopping and accurately locating the pallets 22 at the automated work stations independently of the movement and stopping of other pallets at other work stations, the spacing between some of the work stations being sufficient to contain plurality of pallets, and means to prevent successive pallets overtaking any preceding pallet, the system being adapted to perform a number of successive operations on a limited number of different workpieces having similar processing requirements, means are provided to adjust the work stations to satisfy the requirements of the different workpieces. The work stations comprise a manual loading station 10, a combined horizontal and vertical milling and boring station 11, a vertical turret head station 12, a horizontal multiple spindle station 13, a keyway milling station 14, a horizontal boring station 15 and a manual unloading station 16. The conveyer line comprises a head section 17, a tail section 18 with a motor 19 for continually running a chain 20. The machining stations may be adjusted and controlled by a centralized computer control. Each machining station has an " automatic stop " 21, for locating and clamping pallets 22 which are each mounted on a carriage 23, Fig. 6, having four wheels 24 running on a pair of tracks 25, each carriage being driven by a sprocket-wheel 26 engaging in a chain 20 when clutched against rotation by a mechanism 27 in response to release of an actuating arm 28, adapted to engage a preceding pallet's tail ramp 29 or a similar retractable element at a manual or automatic stop for disengaging the clutch allowing the sprocket-wheel to free-wheel, the clutch being re-engaged upon movement of the preceding pallet or retraction of the stop element as disclosed in Specification 989,641. Upon stopping at a machining station, the pallet 22 is located and clamped by means of a linkage actuated by a single cylinder (35), Fig. 8 (not shown), and piston-rod 36. The rod 36 is connected by a link 37 to a bell-crank yoke 38, keyed to a shaft 39 journalled in spaced bearings 40 in the casting 33, Figs. 6, 7. The shaft 39 is also keyed to arms 41 having links 42 connected to shot pins 30 which engage bushings 43 in the pallet 22, to accurately locate the pallet. The shaft 39 is also keyed at 45 to a central eccentric 46 journalled in a cross-plate 47 engaging at its ends a pair of rails 48, the ends of which engage four slotted corner posts 49 slidably mounted in the casting 33 to actuate clamping heads 31. In a modification. Fig. 9 (not shown), the pallet may be movable relative to a central post on the carriage 23, ball detents being provided to hold the pallet in the selected positions.