Abstract: A device to facilitate the feeding of a supply of parts from the flat central area of powered feeders to a predetermined exit point at the perimeter of the feeder. The device is comprised of the distribution cone and retaining means placed on and in the powered feed table. The cone is fixed in a off-center position in the feed table by means of a shaft attached to the cone that rides in a adjustable bearing block where it is free to rotate but not move laterally. The bearing block is mounted on a stationary support that comprises a tube and/or a rod with fixed end plates that mount permanently on the base of a powered feed table. The rod of one support is fitted into the tube of the other support thereby allowing the use of the assembly on various width and diameters of feed tables. When the cone is fixed in the proper position, parts that are carried on the feed table surface will be guided along the edge or over the cone to the perimeter of the feed table and from there to the exit.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding tablets in an aligned and uniformly oriented sequence onto a tablet measuring device, including a movable turntable having a deflector for guiding the tablets to a circumferential edge, a guide member and plow assembly respectively aligned in parallel and spaced apart relationship, the guide member having longitudinally-spaced air jets and the plow assembly having respective edge surfaces for slidably guiding tablets to a uniform orientation, and including a gate for removing particles and broken tablets from the channel to prevent them from being conveyed onto the measuring system.

Abstract: A part feed bowl is provided with removable bowl tooling to allow the same bowl to be fitted to feed varying parts from time to time. The bowl tooling is an air feed and has the capability of variable feed speeds thereby improving efficiency.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a generally circular table having a fence about its periphery, and is provided with a conveyor for feeding quantities of container crowns onto the table. The table is rotated so that the container crowns are moved outwardly against the fence and fed centrifugally into a twist chute for receiving the crowns. The apparatus is provided with first and second curved channels coupled for conveying containers out of the twist chutes, the second curved channel merging together with the first channel at a point along their respective paths, with the path length of the first channel being substantially longer than that of the second channel between the twist tube, twist chute and the merging point. The apparatus includes the escapement assembly, the speed of which is controlled and is operated at the merging point for controlling the rate of movement of container crowns out of the first and second channels.

Abstract: An automatic loading machine is provided for aligning and loading a predetermined amount of elongated strips of product into individual containers wherein batches of elongated strips are periodically discharged from a product feed. A turret assembly is provided which has a plurality of buckets and each of the batches from the product feed is received by a separate bucket. The turret assembly is continuously vibrated and, as each bucket moves through a horizontal path, the batches of elongated strips carried therein become somewhat more aligned. The strips are dropped out of the buckets onto a flight conveyor and are conveyed to a discharge point where each batch is transferred into a separate container.

Abstract: A centrifugal feeder for supplying objects includes a bowl for receiving objects to be fed therefrom and a rim mounted adjacent to an upper surface of the bowl. A disc is disposed within the bowl and extends at an incline from an area adjacent to a lower portion of the bowl upwardly to a point adjacent to the rim for delivering objects from the lower portion of the bowl upwardly to the rim. The disc is spaced a predetermined distance from an interior surface of the bowl to form a gap between the disc and the interior surface of the bowl. A drive member is provided for rotating the bowl and the disc at predetermined speeds and in a predetermined direction. A member is operatively connected to the disc for spanning the gap between the disc and the interior surface of the bowl for ensuring the delivery of objects from within the bowl to the rim and for preventing objects from falling or lodging within the gap.

Abstract: A can counting machine having an inclined housing into which a collection of beverage cans may be dumped. A rotor in the housing defines elongate openings spaced about its periphery for the singular reception and transport of cans upwardly to a discharge outlet in a backing plate rearward of the rotor. The rotor includes a rim projecting from the rotor for rotation therewith to facilitate lateral can movement into a disk opening. Ejector plates on the backing plate dislodge improperly, endwise inserted cans from the opening to prevent the simultaneous discharge of two cans past a can counting component. A motor circuit is responsive to motor loads resulting from a jammed can to automatically reverse motor and rotor direction. A receptacle support assembly receives a plastic bag and includes a frame member spring biased to maintain the bag in open configuration. A liquid barrier directs residual liquid from the cans to a receptacle. A display unit on the housing indicates a can total.

Abstract: A machine for sorting and orienting containers including a main hopper (2) for receiving randomly a plurality of containers (1) or bottles to be sorted, having any convenient configuration and a bottom (4) with a peripheral edge portion at a predetermined distance from the side wall of the hopper (2) to provide a space through which the containers can drop, by gravity towards a lower section, a lateral aperture (32) in the side wall of the hopper in a curved lateral area (13) preceding the container unloading station (14), the aperture being adapted to remove mainly by centrifugal force malpositioned containers housed only partially in and protruding from holding and transporting units (6), or located external to them and conveyed by other containers, the aperture communicating with a recovering auxiliary hopper (15), external to the main hopper and a coupled belt type conveyor (16) associated with the external hopper for recycling containers into the loading area preceding the lateral aperture (32).

Abstract: An automatic machine for positioning and feeding containers or bottles having an irregular or oval shape and flat sides and a neck portion to continuously feed a work station, including a hopper, a bottom wall member in the hopper extending in a plane at an angle to the horizontal, a rotatable disc above and parallel to the bottom wall member, detachable container holding elements removably mounted at the periphery of the disc assembly and defining peripheral recesses for receiving individual containers or bottles from the hopper and moving the containers to a higher level for discharging them through a discharge opening in the bottom wall member, a chute for receiving the discharged containers or bottles and guiding and positioning them so that they are deposited on a belt conveyor assembly on their edge or narrower side, devices on the conveyor assembly for tilting the containers or bottles, a detector device on the conveyor assembly for detecting the position of the containers or bottles and emitting a sig

Abstract: Orienting apparatus for orienting articles such as stoppers in a predtermined fashion so that they can be assembled to vials comprising a central rotatable dome member, defining an open chamber for the stoppers where they are positioned in random fashion and a plurality of track-ways communicating with the rotatable dome element and a discharge station and deflector means along the track-ways cooperatively associated therewith which, upon rotation of the dome element, cause the element along said track-ways and during course of movement to become oriented in a predetermined position when they are at the said discharge station.

Abstract: A device for aligning products, wherein an annular body turning about its axis presents an annular end surface defining a first route for the product items arranged in line, and an inner lateral surface defining, with the upper surface of a flat disc turning about its axis and on to which the product is fed in bulk, a second annular route for the product; the annular body being inclined in relation to the disc; so as to define a first junction between the first and second route, and a second junction between the first route and a third route defined by an output conveyor tangent to the annular body; the disc being fed in bulk with the product items, which are fed, by centrifugal force, on to the second route and then, one by one, on to the first route via the first junction and on to the third route via the second junction.

Abstract: The apparatus for feeding closures provided with a tube to an operating unit, has a rotatable disk-like body, having a substantially vertical axis and a fixed or movable wall which delimits the body peripherally. The disk-like body has a circular supporting wall which is permeable to air at an outer annular portion, and is provided with a peripheral annular track adapted to accommodate closures arranged with their tubes directed upward. A pump is provided and arranged below the supporting wall to direct a jet of air with a substantially vertical direction toward a portion of the lower surface of the supporting wall so as to lift the closures from the circular supporting wall and push them toward the peripheral annular track from which closures exit through a passage defined in the wall which delimits the disk-like body.

Abstract: An orbital cap selection and feeding device is disclosed having a disk rotating within a circular frame so that caps disposed on the disk tend to move by centrifugal force to the perimeter of the disk. Caps lying flat on the disk move into a collector chute, which blends into a guide chute that is adapted to retain and protect a procession of caps within the guide chute about 180 degrees to a discharge chute. Part way along the length of the guide chute is a primary cap selecting station having an optical sensor that senses the orientation of caps in the procession and generates a signal when an improperly oriented cap is encountered. The signal activates an ejection airjet downstream of the optical sensor to displace the improperly oriented cap from the guide chute and back into the interior of the rotating on disk.

Abstract: A bottle unscrambler has a hopper which rotates while oriented at an angle to the horizontal through a random distribution of bottles at the low portion of the hopper. The bottom of the hopper is bounded by a ring which rotates counter to the direction of rotation of the hopper. The ring has a plurality of radially spaced concentric rows of bottle-receiving pockets which pass below the bottles. Each pocket in the ring removes a bottle from the randomly distributed bottles and carries the bottle up to a position where each concentric row of bottles is dropped bottom first into a plurality of radially spaced chutes, positioned below and separated from the hopper by the rotating ring, from which chutes the bottles in one row are fed to alternate compartments of a bottle stabilizing ring with the bottles from the radially adjacent compartment being dropped and inserted into the alternate spaces between the bottles on the stabilizing ring.

Abstract: The apparatus serves for the righting and arraying of oblong shaped parts from a reclining into a standing position with a filling opening lying above and following transfer to a transport device. It has a circular turntable, the shaft of which is set obliquely to the vertical, there being provided around the turntable a cylindrical housing open at the top, which is cylindrical under the turntable. About the turntable there are arranged ring segments which present individual downward-converting fall shafts, there being provided above the fall shafts reclining spaces provided with levers for orienting the reclining parts to an upright position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tangential distributor for stoppers of a given length and diameter. The distributor comprises a pair of rotating coaxial plates separated by a vertical distance which is slightly more than one stopper diameter. Between these plates is formed a passageway between a central portion of the plates and a peripheral area. Properly aligned stoppers are removed from this peripheral area. A baffle is formed into the passageway to orient the stoppers and allow only those oriented tangentially to the plates to pass into the peripheral area. A guide around the peripheral area retains the stoppers in the peripheral area until they are removed. The plates may be rotated at variable velocities for control of the rate of removal and orientation.

Abstract: A selection device for candy, in which confections are dispensed loose onto a first table turning at relatively low speed and spiralled around a fixed guide before being scattered onto a second, annular table that is concentric and coplanar with the first and rotates at higher speed; this second table is encompassed by a cylindrical pan, rotated at the same higher speed about an axis angled away from the axis of the tables to the extent that corresponding peripheral stretches of the second table and the top edge of the pan are made to converge in the same plane. The top edge of the pan is castellated with tapered radial sockets that are designed to accommodate the confections singly, conveying them through a circular path and into contact with a number of fixed cam profiles by which they are deflected from the sockets in such a way as to enable centrifugal ejection at respective selection and reject stations.

Abstract: A rotating disk is rotated about an upright axis to feed coins placed thereon toward a rotating body. The rotating body is formed with a spiral groove in which the periphery of each coin is inserted and a guide barrel is disposed in such a manner as to maintain the rising coins in the groove in the rotating body. The coin, the periphery of which are engaged in the spiral groove, are received by the guide barrel and lifted in a generally horizontal posture by the rotation of the rotating body and then discharged outside from a discharge port formed at an upper portion of the guide barrel. A rubber-surfaced roller is disposed opposite the rotating body. The roller is adapted to press against the periphery of coins thereby to ensure the insertion of the coins into the spiral grooves.

Abstract: An orbital cap selection and feeding device is disclosed having a disk rotating within a circular frame so that caps disposed on the disk tend to move by centrifugal force to the perimeter of the disk. Caps lying flat on the disk move into a collector chute, which blends into a guide chute that is adapted to retain and protect a procession of caps within the guide chute about 180 degrees to a discharge chute. Part way along the length of the guide chute is a primary cap selecting station having an optical sensor that senses the orientation of caps in the procession and generates a signal when an improperly oriented cap is encountered. The signal activates an ejection airjet downstream of the optical sensor to displace the improperly oriented cap from the guide chute and back into the interior of the rotating disk.

Abstract: An orbital cap selection and feeding device is disclosed having a disk rotating within a circular frame so that caps disposed on the disk tend to move by centrifugal force to the perimeter of the disk. The frame includes structure defining a guide chute to retain a procession of caps lying flat within the guide chute and to keep caps at the interior of the rotating disk out of the chute. The guide chute carries the procession of caps about 180 degrees to a discharge chute. About midway along the length of the guide chute is an optical sensor that uses a reflected beam of light to sense the orientation of caps in the procession and generate an electrical signal when an improperly oriented cap is encountered. The signal is received by an ejection airjet downstream of the optical sensor which is actuated in response to the signal to displace the improperly oriented cap from the guide chute and back into the interior of the rotating disk.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for accepting an initially presented population of randomly oriented articles formed from a soft elastomeric material, and providing a high-speed output stream, wherein all said articles are commonly oriented for further mechanical manipulation. The apparatus includes an input bowl for accepting the articles, which bowl includes a rotatable central disk for feeding objects incident thereupon to the periphery of the disk. A continuous wall member extends upwardly from the disk periphery about a major arced zone. An output section defined adjacent the periphery of the disk at the portion opposed to the arced zone receives and delivers the articles from the disk, and an arrangement is provided for causing the disk to undergo vibratory motions while it is rotated.

Abstract: The disclosure describes an improved apparatus for orienting and feeding light weight articles, such as, empty plastic bottles. The apparatus includes a hopper for receiving and holding randomly positioned articles. A rotatable drum has a portion portioned below the hopper for receiving articles from the hopper. The drum has its axis of rotation offset from the vertical and rotates about its axis of rotation. A stationary shelf is positioned adjacent to the drum. A longitudinal conveyor is positioned adjacent to the drum for receiving articles from the drum. The improvement includes a plurality of removable chutes defining a portion of the drum. Each of the chutes intermittently communicates with the hopper for receiving articles of a given size from the hopper. The stationary shelf cooperates with each of the chutes for retaining articles in each of the chutes for a prescribed arc of rotation of the drum. A lock releasably holds the chutes in a selected position relative to the hopper.

Abstract: A kit for converting a fixed ramp rotating bowl feeder into a flexible disk, stationary ramp rotating bowl feeder including an overhead ramp support for spanning the distance between side walls of the rotating bowl. A retaining tube is affixed to substantially a central portion of the overhead ramp support. A stationary ramp is affixed to one end of the retaining tube and projecting outwardly toward the side walls of the rotating bowl. A flexible disk mounted on the stationary ramp for rotating within the rotating bowl together with the rotating bowl for transporting articles disposed within the bowl upwardly to be discharged therefrom.

Abstract: Sorting and orienting structure and method. The structure includes a frame, a hopper supported by the frame, conveyor structure extending vertically through the hopper for feeding work pieces from the hopper onto the sorting and orienting table with random orientation, a drive shaft extending through the hopper mounting the table for rotation, a drive motor connected to the drive shaft for directly driving the drive shaft to rotate the table, and sorting and orienting structure surrounding the table for sorting and orienting the work pieces on rotation of the table by returning work pieces having an undersirable orientation back to the hopper and feeding work pieces having a desired orientation away from the sorting and orienting structure.

Abstract: A rotary article feeder has a bowl having a substantial conical base section joining an upwardly extending and outwardly displaced sidewall section. Articles to be handled contact the outer wall and are assisted in transport out of the bowl through contact with the ever increasing circumference of the bowl sidewall as the articles move upwardly on an inclined stationary ramp to a transport surface for distribution through various fence and wiper accessories.

Abstract: A rotating ring orienting feeder including a hopper for containing a supply of articles. A ring is positioned above the hopper. A support member is provided for retaining the ring in a substantially horizontal position. The supports also provide rotation for the ring. A conveyor is provided within the hopper for supplying articles to the ring. A drive mechanism is provided for imparting rotation to the ring and to the conveyor. A plurality of articles are supplied to the ring by the conveyor and are qualified on either side of the ring. Articles not being disposed in a predetermined orientation are returned to the hopper for resupply. In another embodiment, the articles positioned on the ring may also turn from one position into another position in order to qualify the articles directly on the ring.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved apparatus for orienting and aligning light weight articles, such as, empty light weight plastic bottles. The apparatus includes a hopper for receiving and holding randomly positioned light weight plastic bottles. The hopper is substantially symmetrical about a vertical center axis and includes a conical wall having a center axis coincidental with the center axis of the hopper. The conical wall has its smaller end at the bottom. An upwardly inclined track is fixed to the inside surface of the conical wall. A plurality of pusher bars is mounted within the conical wall and adapted for engagement with light weight plastic bottles on the inclined track for moving the plastic bottles upward along the track. A chute is positionable adjacent to the track for receiving a light weight plastic bottle from the track for orienting the light weight plastic bottle to a position wherein the plastic bottle is in a substantially vertical attitude.

Abstract: A method for transferring objects (2), wherein the objects (2) are fed in bulk in a loading region onto at least one first intermittently rotating disc (5; 6) of vertical axis, provided with a rim (9; 9') of holes (10; 10') for containing the objects (2); within a station (20; 20') there are provided members (21) which transfer the objects (2) from the holes (10; 10') of the first disc (5; 6) to the holes (18) of a second disc (15), and which engage each hole (10; 10') of the first disc (5; 6) once during every two revolutions of this latter.

Abstract: Apparatus for orienting and feeding axially elongated articles includes a feeder bowl with an article ramp surface terminating at the upper edge of the bowl and an annular article feeder ring, supported for rotation around an upper portion of the feeder bowl, has an upwardly facing article supporting surface contiguous with a terminal portion of the ramp surface to receive articles therefrom. A stationary ring is arranged within a recess in the article supporting surface of the article feeder ring and includes an upwardly facing article supporting surface substantially continuous and planar with the supporting surface of the feeder ring. A radial groove within the article supporting surface of the stationary ring accepts a guide conveyor which directs the articles tangentially away from the article feeder ring.

Abstract: A rotary feeder for articles is provided and consists of a rotating bowl that has a domed floor and an upper ledge, an inclined stationary ramp that will carry the articles from the domed floor to the upper ledge, a stationary guide ring that has an exit port and a device for rejecting improper positioned articles before the articles are discharged from the exit ramp of the guide ring, the device including an air jet positioned radially inward from the pathway provided by the ledge and oriented to direct an air jet angled downward and radially outward toward both said ledge and the stationery guide ring or wall structure whereby crown side up caps are blown off said ledge back into said bowl and cavity side up caps are retained on the ledge and passed on to the exit port.

Abstract: A feeding device is disclosed for orienting and transporting round symmetrical parts, such as caps or closures. The device has a receiving bin to receive a plurality of unoriented parts and a rotary disc located in a bottom portion of the receiving bin to successively agitate and transport the symmetrical parts. The disc is driven by an endless belt which also engages a drive pulley. The symmetrical parts are transported from the rotary disc by the endless belt and are caused to engage a balance rail located along their travel path. Properly oriented parts will continue to be transported on the endless belt, while those which are improperly oriented will fall off the endless belt and return to the receiving bin.

Abstract: A machine for positioning containers such as plastics bottles has an upper, larger disc (11) and a lower, smaller disc (12) which rotate together about an axis inclined to the vertical in order to transfer containers from a lower level to a higher level. During this transfer the containers are positioned in peripheral recesses in the disc (11). Below each peripheral recess, a chute or passageway (20) extends from the disc (11) to the disc (12), and a fixed annular plate (14) projects between the recesses and the passageways (20) to prevent containers falling into the passageways (20) except at the higher level where there is a discontinuity on the plate (14). The recesses for receiving the containers circling the periphery of the disc (11) are formed by detachable parts (16) which can be interchanged with replacement parts (16) to suit the particular shape of the containers being handled.

Abstract: Method and apparatus in which dispenser cap assemblies of the type having a trigger-type pump cap and a dip tube are fed to a generally cone-shaped drum which rotates about a vertical axis and carries compartments within which the cap assemblies are moved in a generally spiral outward direction while moving axially downwardly to be oriented vertically, with the cap below the dip tube, the cap assemblies then being transferred to a turnover wheel which rotates about a horizontal axis so that the cap assemblies are inverted to re-orient each cap assembly into a position where each dip tube depends vertically downwardly from the respective cap, the cap assemblies then being passed to a horizontal conveyor for advancement to a discharge point where the cap assemblies are presented serially in a prescribed alignment and orientation, at a relatively high rate, for capping operations.

Abstract: An improved mechanism is disclosed for receiving a supply of randomly oriented articles and for continuously feeding the articles into a single file line in a feed chute. The mechanism includes a rotating disc within a hopper with a series of air vents positioned around the disc edge for directing streams of air over the disc top to engage the articles and to cause the articles to move with the moving disc surface towards and into a single line feed chute.

Abstract: First and second chambers, each having a rotor are interconnected by a passage. The first chamber has a contoured periphery to receive articles and the passage is shaped and dimensioned to permit travel therealong only of those articles which are orientated in the first chamber with their longitudinal axes either in the direction of travel or normal to the direction of travel. Articles in other orientations are carried round the first chamber by the rotor for representation at the passage. The rotor in the second chamber permits the passage of those articles which have their longitudinal axes in the direction of travel and topples the articles having their axes normal to the direction of travel into positions in which the axes are in the direction of travel.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a support base for a hopper designed to receive articles, a drum supported in a rotatable manner about a horizontal axis by the base, the interior of this drum communicating with the hopper, and an elevator having conveyor elements or pockets disposed tangentially to the rotary drum and provided at its top with a chute for discharge into the feed hopper of a device for handling these articles. The shell of this drum is provided with perforations in the manner of a sieve with countersink holes having their smallest diameter towards the exterior of the hollow drum slightly greater than the maximum diameter of the integral articles. Chute collection means for the articles selected via the countersink holes with a discharge in the vicinity of the conveyor elements or pockets of the tangential elevator are provided peripherally below the drum. The drum and the elevator are actuated with a continuous movement in the same direction.

Abstract: A part feeding and assembling system comprises a bowl feeder composed of storage container for storing parts to be assembled and a transporting track for transporting the parts in a row, the transporting path having an end opened in the interior of the container, a visual recognition apparatus for imaging the parts being transported, determining whether the part as imaged is proper for assembling currently carried out, and recognizing position and direction of the proper part, and a robot for picking up the proper part by generating pick-up position data of the robot on the basis of the data representative of the position and direction of the proper part and assembling it to a part to be assembled at other station. The robot picks up only the proper part from those being transported. The bowl feeder introduces the improper parts to the container through the opening so that they are again placed on the transporting path for being recirculated.

Abstract: An apparatus for aligning elongated articles includes a turntable having a center and a periphery, an input track leading to the turntable for conveying elongated articles thereto and having a discharge end above the turntable and a direction of conveyance; and a guide rail stationarily supported above the turntable. The guide rail has a generally spiral course for guiding the articles towards the periphery of the turntable and aligning the articles in a single file as the turntable rotates. The apparatus further has an outlet track leading away from the turntable and an arrangement for pushing the articles off the turntable onto the outlet track. The guide rail has a first guide rail part situated between the center of the turntable and the discharge end of the input track and extending perpendicularly to the direction of conveyance of the input track. The guide rail includes a second guide rail part extending from an end of the first guide rail part and having a generally spiral course.

Abstract: An apparatus for orienting and feeding axially elongated articles has a feeder bowl which includes a helical ramp surface which terminates at the upper edge of the bowl. An annular ring supported for rotation around an upper portion of the feeder bowl has an upwardly facing article supporting surface contiguous with a terminal portion of the ramp surface to receive articles therefrom. An annular baffle disposed above the ring and in coaxial alignment with it coacts with the ring to successively release articles from the ring to a guide conveyor which directs the articles tangentially away from the ring. Separate independent drive mechanisms are provided for vibrating the feeder bowl and rotating the ring to enable the feeder bowl to operate intermittently to discharge articles onto the ring which may operate continuously.

Abstract: A unit for the orientation of corn cobs to provide introduction of the ear of corn into a kernel stripping machine. An upper rotative member is provided for removal of the ears from a delivery conveyor with a lower wheel indexing and shifting the ear for proper orientation. A sensing and detecting unit controls the operation of the unit and determines the proper orientation of the cob.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for accepting an initially presented population of randomly oriented elongated slender articles which terminate in an enlarged head portion, and providing a high-speed output stream, wherein all said articles are commonly oriented for further mechanical manipulation. The apparatus comprises an input bowl for accepting the articles, which bowl includes a rotatable central disk for feeding objects incident thereupon to the periphery of the disk. A continuous wall member extends upwardly from the disk periphery about a major arced zone, the bottom of the wall member being spaced from the disk to define a gap through which the elongated portion of the articles may protrude while the heads of same continue to ride upon the disk periphery in sliding contact with the side wall. An output section defined adjacent the periphery of the disk at the portion opposed to the arced zone receives and delivers the articles from the disk.

Abstract: An arrangement for the oriented feeding out of caps provided with pull-lugs comprises a disc which rotates at high speed, and onto the planar working surface of which the caps are dropped. By the rotation of the disc the caps are moved to the periphery of the disc where they contact a guide rail in the form of an uninterrupted ring which is arranged at such a distance above the surface of the disc that the cap is allowed to project beneath the guide rail. However, the lug on the cap prevents the cap from wholly passing under the guide rail. At a point along the ring periphery a radially movable feeding out element is provided which engages the passing caps and withdraws them via the space between the disc and the guide rail, with a short-time deformation of the pull-lug.

Abstract: A ring having a plurality of successive receptacles revolves around a flat disc within a containment wall holding a plurality of randomly piled conical bullets. The disc and receptacles are inclined with the upper edge of the disc being positioned closely adjacent the downward end of the receptacles and slightly above the lower surfaces of the receptacles so that bullets carried by the receptacles past the edge of the disc will be held within the receptacles. The disc is recessed to have a lower surface well below the center line of the bullets within the receptacles and a beveled cam raises the bullet so that bullets having their conical noses facing the edge will slide from the receptacles back into the pile but bullets with their cylindrical ends facing the disc will engage the lower surface of the recess of the disc and continue to be held in the receptacles.

Abstract: A stoppering machine is disclosed which includes an inclined rotatable member which contacts a supply of stoppers for selectively arranging and feeding the stoppers to a stopper inserting device where they are inserted into the openings of successively presented containers such as bottles. An arrangement is also disclosed wherein the stoppers are guided to and supported at a position immediately over the openings of the successively presented containers for insertion into the openings of said containers by the inserting device. Further, an arrangement is disclosed for blocking the movement of the stoppers being guided to the aforementioned position when the inserting device inserts the stoppers into the openings of the successively supplied containers.

Abstract: This invention relates to a machine which receives ballpoint pen barrel assemblies in bulk form, feeds these barrel assemblies in single-file order and orients them over a preassembled refill, spring and cap assembly which is carried along a predetermined path.

Abstract: A circular mail singulator is provided having a continuous spiral baffle which is disposed immediately above a rotating annular table with a frictional top surface, there being a central cone for the delivery of envelopes into the inner convolution of the spiral and a linear conveyor tangential to the outermost convolution to receive envelopes delivered therefrom and, without interrupting the envelope speed, deliver the envelopes into a stamp cancelling machine.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for orienting cap-like articles in the same direction and delivering them to an exit port from which the cap-like articles may be delivered to any suitable apparatus for placing them over the ends of tubes, bars or other parts. Included is a rotatably mounted member having a surface which is inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal and which is provided with a number of radially extending grooves therein each with an open end remote from the center of the rotatable member. Pins are located in each of the grooves opposite the open ends thereof and receive thereover and retain caps thereon when the caps are delivered to the pins via the grooves with the open ends of the caps facing the pins. A reservoir for caps is arranged adjacent to and in communication with a portion of the aforementioned member so that caps in the reservoir are picked up in the grooves as the surface rotates past the reservoir.

Abstract: There is described a mechanism for feeding and orienting elongated workpieces. The mechanism comprises a hopper which receives the workpieces in bulk, an inclined rotatable plate forming the bottom of the hopper and provided on its periphery with cavities for collecting the workpieces one by one, and a plurality of devices for orienting the workpieces. The orienting devices are fixedly mounted below each cell, such devices each including a closure member operated by a cam which selectively opens the bottom of the cell, and a feeding spout or channel which orients the workpieces in the desired manner as they fall thereinto. The mechanism of the invention may be applied to advantage in the feeding of partially finished workpieces to a machine tool in which they are further shaped or operated upon.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding and orienting parts such as studs to production machines such as threaders for work on the parts, comprises an indexing dial having a plurality of radially aligned pockets for receiving the parts. A plurality of feed stations adjacent the indexing dial eject parts into the dial pockets in a desired sequence such that successive parts are ejected from different feed stations into a succession of dial pockets. Each pocket receives but one part during a single rotation of the dial, and each pocket is provided with means for orienting the part into a desired position for ejection onto a track for transporting the part to the production machine.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for orienting and feeding articles, in particular closure caps having a panel, a skirt and an ear extending from the skirt wherein articles are deposited on an inclined, preferably conical, surface from which they slide down onto a slowly rotating table. Articles are urged by airflow to a peripheral gap which receives only correctly oriented articles and conveys them to a discharge station. Incorrectly oriented articles are returned by airflow to the inclined surface to be re-presented.