Abstract: A nonmagnetic bulk feeder for feeding electronic components one at a time into a lead forming machine or the like comprises a hopper and a chute for loading the components into the hopper. A conveyor is mounted for movement along the bottom wall of the hopper. The conveyor is formed with notches which are arranged closely adjacent one another to receive the transversely extending body portion of a component located in the lower end of the hopper to transport the components one at a time out of the hopper. The chute has a slipway channel which is shaped to axially align electronic components with the direction in which they slide down the chute.

Abstract: A spacer for spacing the leading component of a single file column of electronic components from the following component as the components are advanced by a feeder along a path which extends to a pick-off point of a component handling machine, each electronic component having a body portion and lead wire means projecting from the body portion below the feeder.

Abstract: A feed conveyor for a machine for forming the leads of electronic components comprises a pair of conveyor belts which have a forward run extending in a face-to-face relationship. A gaping entrance is formed between the conveyor belts at the upstream end thereof and pinching jaws are provided for gripping the conveyor belts at the entrance and moving conveyor belts toward and away from one another to move the nip which is formed between the belts between a downstream position and an upstream position. A component feeding mechanism is provided for feeding components one at a time into the nip and a drive mechanism is provided for intermittently driving the conveyor belt so that components are gripped between the conveyor belts at uniformly spaced intervals for movement into the working station of the forming mechanism.