Gary D Wegner

US Patent:

54193508, May 30, 1995

Filed:

Jul 12, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/090413

Inventors:

Gary Wegner - Rockford IL

Assignee:

PepsiCo, Inc. - Purchase NY

International Classification:

B08B 908

US Classification:

134 79

Abstract:

A workpiece holding apparatus provides concurrent rotational motion to a workpiece as it is held. The apparatus comprises a support bracket for mounting on a fixed or movable support structure. A pair of spaced apart, axially rotatable engaging rollers, each having a circumferential surface profile complementary to a profile of a workpiece, are located on the first support bracket for partially engaging a circumferential surface of the workpiece. A support arm having a third axially rotatable engaging roller with a circumferential surface profile complementary to a profile of a workpiece for partially engaging the circumferential surface of the workpiece is pivotably mounted on the support structure. The support arm is biased toward the support bracket to enable engagement of each axially rotatable engaging roller with an appropriately positioned workpiece, or is pivoted away from the support bracket to release the workpiece from the engaging rollers. Each axially rotatable engaging roller is connected to each other by a flexible drive belt.