A vacuum gripper comprises a rigid base element and a loop-shaped vacuum seal element. The base element has first and second opposite sides. The seal element is attached at least indirectly to the second side and protruding therefrom in a direction away from the first side. The seal element comprises a contact surface that at least partially contacts with an object surface and an encircling surface oriented transversely to the contact surface so as to define a chamber. The seal element is elastically deformable at the contact surface to enable conforming to the object surface when pressed thereagainst. The vacuum gripper comprises an air extraction means mounted to the first side to be in fluid communication with the chamber through the base element, and configured to continuously extract air from the chamber to cause the contact surface to be urged towards and grip the object surface when pressed thereagainst.

A vacuum gripper comprises a rigid base element and a loop-shaped vacuum seal element. The base element has first and second opposite sides. The seal element is attached at least indirectly to the second side and protruding therefrom in a direction away from the first side. The seal element comprises a contact surface that at least partially contacts with an object surface and an encircling surface oriented transversely to the contact surface so as to define a chamber. The seal element is elastically deformable at the contact surface to enable conforming to the object surface when pressed thereagainst. The vacuum gripper comprises an air extraction means mounted to the first side to be in fluid communication with the chamber through the base element, and configured to continuously extract air from the chamber to cause the contact surface to be urged towards and grip the object surface when pressed thereagainst.

A material lifter comprising a vacuum pump, a frame containing the vacuum pump, an arm located on each of two opposing sides of the frame, each arm including an upper end pivotally connected to the frame, a cylinder located on each of the two opposing sides of the frame including an end connected to the frame and an end connected to a respective arm, a vacuum pad located on each of the two opposing sides of the frame and removably connected to a respective arm, the vacuum pads being moveable along the arm to a first location and a first orientation and a second different location and a second different orientation, wherein as the cylinders extend and retract the arms pivot toward and away from one another between a first position and a second different position and the vacuum pads remain in a same orientation during the pivot.

A vacuum gripper comprises a rigid base element and a loop-shaped vacuum seal element. The base element has first and second opposite sides. The seal element is attached at least indirectly to the second side and protruding therefrom in a direction away from the first side. The seal element comprises a contact surface that at least partially contacts with an object surface and an encircling surface oriented transversely to the contact surface so as to define a chamber. The seal element is elastically deformable at the contact surface to enable conforming to the object surface when pressed thereagainst. The vacuum gripper comprises an air extraction means mounted to the first side to be in fluid communication with the chamber through the base element, and configured to continuously extract air from the chamber to cause the contact surface to be urged towards and grip the object surface when pressed thereagainst.

A pipe laying device (T) connected to the jib (F) of a transport machine and carrying the pipe to be laid (T) to tight-fit it into a laid pipe (To). This coupling head (1) comprises a vertical axis (YY) swiveling link (11) and a horizontal axis (Z) tilting link (12). It comprises a guide rail (2) with a bearing (21) for positioning and attachment to the end of the laid pipe (To) and aligning the pipe to be laid (T) with the laid pipe (To) and a carrier (3) forming a telescopic tube (30) tight-fitted to the guide rail (2) and operating in relation to it; the carrier (3) carries the pipe to be laid (T) and tight-fitted to the laid pipe (To). The guide rail (2) is connected to the coupling head (1) through the telescopic tube (30).

A pipe laying device (T) connected to the jib (F) of a transport machine and carrying the pipe to be laid (T) to tight-fit it into a laid pipe (To).

This coupling head (1) comprises a vertical axis (YY) swiveling link (11) and a horizontal axis (Z) tilting link (12). It comprises a guide rail (2) with a bearing (21) for positioning and attachment to the end of the laid pipe (To) and aligning the pipe to be laid (T) with the laid pipe (To) and a carrier (3) forming a telescopic tube (30) tight-fitted to the guide rail (2) and operating in relation to it; the carrier (3) carries the pipe to be laid (T) and tight-fitted to the laid pipe (To).

The guide rail (2) is connected to the coupling head (1) through the telescopic tube (30).

A material lifter [10] comprising a vacuum pump [70], a frame [20] containing the vacuum pump, an arm [30] located on each of two opposing sides [21] of the frame, each arm including an upper [31] and a lower end [39], the upper end pivotally connected to the frame, a cylinder [100] located on each of the two opposing sides of the frame, each actuator including an upper end [101] connected to the frame and a lower end [109] connected to a respective arm, a vacuum pad [40] located on each of the two opposing sides of the frame, each vacuum pad in fluid communication with the vacuum pump and removably connected to a respective arm, the vacuum pads being moveable along the arm to a first location and a first orientation and a second different location and a second different orientation wherein as the cylinders extend and retract the arms pivot toward and away from one another between a first clock position and a second different clock position and the vacuum pads remain in a same orientation during the pivot.

Aspects described herein include an end effector capable of prehending items using impactive and astrictive forces. The end effector includes an interface system having a deformable mounting plate and a pliable body member attached to the mounting plate. The end effector further includes a linkage system between a plurality of actuators and the interface system. The linkage system connects to lateral portions of the mounting plate.

A vacuum gripper comprises a rigid base element and a loop-shaped vacuum seal element. The base element has first and second opposite sides. The seal element is attached at least indirectly to the second side and protruding therefrom in a direction away from the first side. The seal element comprises a contact surface that at least partially contacts with an object surface and an encircling surface oriented transversely to the contact surface so as to define a chamber. The seal element is elastically deformable at the contact surface to enable conforming to the object surface when pressed thereagainst. The vacuum gripper comprises an air extraction means mounted to the first side to be in fluid communication with the chamber through the base element, and configured to continuously extract air from the chamber to cause the contact surface to be urged towards and grip the object surface when pressed thereagainst.

A truck-mounted vacuum material handler and quick disconnect for use on a truck with a with a boom for handling plate steel. The handler includes a coupler [32] that has a boom connector [44], a removable carrier [36, 38] with a carrier connector [60], and a base [34] located between the boom connector and the removable carrier. A locking mechanism [66] located in the base is arranged to move between an unlocked position and a locked position relative to the carrier connector. In the unlocked position the carrier connector is removable from the base. In the locked position the carrier connector is secured in the opening and opposing face surfaces [48, 50, 62] of the base and removable carrier are mated to one another. The removable carrier may include a rotator-receiving recess [42] or a rigging hardware eyelet [40] arranged opposite the carrier connector.