Work sheet conveying device

Abstract

The present invention provides a work sheet conveying device having a traveling member with a compact work sheet holder, making it possible to improve work sheet conveying speed and to reduce the time required for acceleration and deceleration, the work sheet conveying device further making it possible to improve the efficiency with which small work sheet's are conveyed. The work sheet conveying device includes a plurality of traveling members 13, 14 that can travel independently along a plurality of tracks 11, 12 installed parallel to one another between a work sheet processing machine 1 and a work sheet placement portion. Each of the traveling members has a work sheet holder 19, 20 that holds a work sheet. A part of the work sheet holder 19, 20 is configured as an expanding portion 26 the position of which can be changed to a traveling area R 1, R 2 for the traveling member traveling along the adjacent track. The device selectively performs an individual conveying operation of allowing each of the traveling member to hold and individually convey the work sheet using the work sheet holder 19, 20 and a cooperative conveying operation of allowing the plurality of traveling members 13, 14 to hold and convey the same work sheet using the respective work sheet holders 19, 20 with the position of the expanding portion 26 changed.

1 . A work sheet conveying device characterized by comprising:
 a plurality of tracks installed parallel to one another between a work sheet processing machine and a work sheet placement portion; and   a plurality of traveling members that can travel independently along the respective tracks, and   in that each of said traveling members has a work sheet holder that holds a work sheet,   a part of the work sheet holder is configured as an expanding portion a position of which can be changed to a traveling area for the traveling member traveling along the track adjacent to the track along which the traveling member having the work sheet holder travels, and   the work sheet conveying device selectively performs an individual conveying operation of allowing each of the traveling members to hold and individually convey the work sheet using the work sheet holder, and   a cooperative conveying operation of allowing the plurality of traveling members traveling along the adjacent tracks to hold and convey the same work sheet using the respective work sheet holders with the position of the expanding portion changed.   
   
   
       2 . A work sheet conveying device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the expanding portion of the work sheet holder changes the position thereof by turning around a central shaft extending in a vertical direction. 
   
   
       3 . A work sheet conveying device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the expanding portions of the work sheet holders in the two traveling members traveling along the adjacent tracks are provided on opposite sides in a traveling direction.