Abstract: A brake lamp apparatus causes a neon discharge lamp to light up instantly even when the vehicle key is not inserted into the key hole of the vehicle e.g., when the vehicle is being parked. A neon discharge lamp utilized in the apparatus is pre-heated but cathodes thereof to instantly light up in hot cathode discharge mode upon depression of a brake pedal when a generator drivingly connected with an engine is operating, whereas the hot cathodes of the lamp are not pre-heated but the lamp can still light up instantly in cold cathode discharge mode upon depression of the brake pedal when the generator is operating. Even if the filament coils of the lamp become cut off suddenly while the vehicle is running, the lamp can still light up, being shifted to in cold cathode discharge method, thereby overcoming a drawback that the brake lamp goes off suddenly due to a filament cut-off during running on a road.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding electric circuit elements includes a plurality of containers or stockers for electric circuit elements, a transfer member connected to a respective stocker for transferring the circuit elements, and a shutter assembly disposed across the feeding path of the transfer member, whereby a plurality of circuit elements are fed at one time by one stroke of the shutter assembly. The shutter assembly may have a cut-out portion at the edge thereof and is adjustably removable in a direction perpendicular to that of the stroke thereof to open the feeding paths which correspond to the cut-out portion. The stocker may include a receptacle, the bottom of which defines an opening to receive a capture member. The capture member has plural through holes extending axially therethrough and is opened at its conical top thereof to receive circuit elements by reciprocal movement of the capture member relative to the receptacle.

Abstract: Leadless electronic parts or the like are transferred from hoppers under the influence of gravity or by forced air through tubes of polygonal cross-section to a prepositioning template. The polygonal cross sections of the transferring tubes tend to damp out oscillatory motion of the parts and to speed their travel through the tubes. Each polygonal, preferably triangular, tube is preferably obtained by deforming a tube of circular cross-section in a forming machine including a plurality of discs arranged so that their peripheries define a polygonal space therebetween through which the tube of circular cross section is driven.