CPC B65G 1/06 (2013.01) [B25J 15/0047 (2013.01); B65G 47/901 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
1. A tray feeder mechanism comprising:
a plurality of trays within a tray array, each tray including a tray handle and a cavity defined by the tray handle, the cavity defined by the tray handle defining a gripping area;
a gripper having a central horizontal movement axis and two gripper extensions extending perpendicular and in opposite directions relative to the central horizontal movement axis, the gripper positioned within the gripping area defined by the tray handles;
such that the tray array is configured to move vertically within the tray feeder mechanism to move a tray into a loading position, while the gripper is positioned within the gripping area, enabling the gripper to remove a tray from the tray feeder when the tray feeder stops without wait time to move the gripper into the loading position to remove the tray;
wherein the tray handle comprises two hooked elements, defining an opening;
wherein the two gripper extensions are fixed horizontally and fixed relative to the gripper;
wherein the opening is to accommodate a puller which moves the gripper.
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