APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC HANDLING OF EASY-TO-DAMAGE BLANKS Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: systems for automatic manipulation of easy-to-damage blanks. SUBSTANCE: apparatus includes at least one accumulator for receiving blanks in reception zone; at least one gripper for placing blanks; gripper for holding blank accumulator and at least one positioning device with recesses and positioning surface for placing blanks on said surface with the aid of blank gripper. Blank accumulator is made of straight rods arranged in the form of grid and(or) comb and designed for descending positioning device to above mentioned recesses. Accumulator gripper is mounted with possibility of descending empty accumulator from descending position over positioning surface through plane of positioning surface to reception position under positioning surface when reception zone of accumulator is arranged lower than positioning surface and also with possibility of lifting blank accumulator from reception position after placing blanks onto positioning surface in order to lift blanks from positioning surface. EFFECT: quick accurate automatic loading of accumulators, careful handling of easy-to-damage blanks. 14 cl, 8 dwg