Abstract: A spring untangling apparatus for separating tangled coil springs comprises a box having spring inlet and outlet apertures at opposed walls thereof. A spring inlet duct is led to the spring inlet aperture. A vibration device is provided for vibrating the spring inlet duct to cause the tangled coil springs in the inlet duct to move toward the spring inlet aperture. The box is configured so that the tangled coil springs are placed in order so that clusters of the tangled coil springs are led into the box one cluster after another. An air jet nozzle is arranged for forcing the tangled coil springs into the box through the spring inlet aperture with an aid of compressed air, and another air jet nozzle is arranged for blowing up the tangled coil springs in the box to violently hit the same against inner walls of the box thereby untangling the same.

Abstract: A device for continuously feeding kick springs. It has a bowl adapted to be vibrated in a circumferential direction and provided in its inner peripheral surface with a spiral track. An arcuate guide is connected to the top end of the track. A vibration feeder is provided to bring one of two bent pieces at both ends of each kick spring into engagement with an inner edge of the arcuate guide and to feed the kick springs continuously while keeping their attitude substantially horizontal. A chute has one side thereof connected continuously to the inner edge of the guide for feeding the kick springs in one direction keeping one of the two bent pieces of each kick spring facing one side of the chute. The chute is provided on the top surface thereof with a guide surface for guiding one of kick legs of each kick spring and a guide groove for receiving a coiled portion and the other kick leg.

Abstract: Orienting air-wound coils for placement by an automatic pick-and-place machine has been a problem for small electronic coils. Extracting damaged or deformed coils on a one-by-one basis is expensive and time-consuming. A feeder for air-wound coils uses a rod (101), a track (103), and a two-segment guide (105, 107) and has built-in mechanisms for rejecting damaged coils while feeding undamaged coils (111, 113) in the proper orientation to a pick-and-place machine.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for the orientated supply of helical springs, which are provided on at least one end with an open loop, to a working station, having a first conveying device, to the end of which are supplied the springs resting with their spring bodies on a support surface of the first conveying device and with their longitudinal extension arranged in the conveying direction of the first conveying device, and having a second conveying device with its beginning adjoining the end of the first conveying device.

Abstract: A tension springs separation device for use in a system for automatically mounting tension springs to a seat frame of a seat for an automobile. In the separation device, there are provided two narrow portions in a feed passage in a part feeder, each of which has a width permitting only one tension spring to pass therethrough in the longitudinal direction, and there are provided two projected ramp portions each of which has a level difference slightly larger than the outside of the tension spring, whereby a large number of tension springs loaded into the part feeder can be sent out one by one sequentially.

Abstract: An automatic spring feeding device is shown which uses a three-sided feedbox having a movable bottom panel for urging a series of springs into rotating bundles against a moving platen which forms the fourth side of the feedbox. The platen is grooved with specially shaped grooves which capture individual springs therein under the urging of a magnet on the opposite side of the platen from the springs. The platen is then carried by a continuous drive chain to a spring feed assembly where the springs are loaded one at a time into a channel from which the springs are metered by a solenoid operated release door. The key to handling the springs without tangling them is to wind each end of the spring with a closely wound coil. After the springs are placed upon a conveyor belt, the unwanted closely wound coil or coils may be removed by a suitable shear.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for singling and orienting coiled tension springs which have hook-like bends at, at least one end of the spring. The apparatus uses a guide through which the springs are fed to a receiver. The receiver has a chamber and the chamber has an inlet opening for the introduction of the spring into the chamber of the receiver. The receiver can swing about an axis that is transverse of the axis of the guide from a first position in which the inlet opening of the chamber is in line with the guide and the chamber of the receiver forms the prolongation of the guide to a second position in which the inlet opening of the chamber is out of line with the guide. A sword-like element moves into and out of the chamber in a direction transverse to the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for singling entangled assembly parts comprises a storage drum for receiving the assembly parts at random, two loosening devices for moving clusters of the entangled parts relative to a wall of the storage container, the loosening devices having entrainment elements for loosening and lifting a portion of the cluster, and an outlet for singled assembly parts.

Abstract: Apparatus for partially or wholly separating individual coils from batches of interengaged coils comprising supporting structure for receiving the batches of coils standing upright, columnar springs supporting the structure, vibrators fastened to the supporting structure, and controls for controlling the amplitude and frequency of vibration of the vibrators.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating, ordering, and feeding metallic workpieces, particularly hard-to-handle workpieces which become easily entangled with one another, from a disorganized pile of workpieces. A traveling electromagnetic field is produced by a three-phase motor stator. The stator may be of the linear type, or either internal or external rotor type, cylindrical three-phase motor stators. Metallic workpieces are disposed within the traveling field, and experience stochastic motions therein. When organized, the metallic workpieces are oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the traveling magnetic field. Discharge channels may be provided to transport the oriented workpieces to a pick-up point.

Abstract: A device for supplying helical wire compression springs in sequence to an output conduit includes a casing defining a spring supply chamber therein for receiving a plurality of helical wire compression springs of a first diameter. A delivery tube is mounted on top of the casing and defines a spring outlet opening of a diameter slightly larger than the first diameter. The delivery tube communicates, through the spring outlet opening, between the chamber and the output conduit. An agitator, including an air inlet communicating with the bottom of the chamber, supplies air under pressure to the chamber such that springs in the chamber are agitated, and pass out of the chamber through the delivery tube and into the output conduit. A shedder piston surrounds the spring outlet opening of the delivery tube, and moves with respect thereto so as to dislodge springs entangled within or blocking the spring outlet opening.

Abstract: Individual assembly parts are separated from a coherent mass of the parts resting on a support by randomly sub-dividing the mass into clusters by continuously and successively lifting randomly selected clusters off the support and dropping the lifted clusters thereon until the mass is resolved into clusters and the clusters are further resolved. The continuous and successive lifting and dropping of the clusters causes continuously changing portions of the mass and clusters to rest on the support and the support is continuously and successively relieved of the weight of the randomly selected lifted clusters of assembly parts. The resolved clusters are singled into individual assembly parts and the individual parts are removed from the support to a conveyor where they are oriented.

Abstract: In many branches of industry large quantities of small items (e.g., wire components) or assembly components are frequently required, which have a strong tendency towards entangling and which conglomerate in a pile. These components, termed entangled components, can be isolated only with great difficulty when required for processing. This invention provides a device for isolating such entangled components with relative ease. For this purpose, a horizontal disentangling plate (1) is provided on which the entangled components (7) are placed. A vibrating device (2) shakes the disentangling plate (1) in a reciprocal motion in vertical direction, thus enabling the entangled components (7) to become isolated.

Abstract: A jaw for holding a coil in a coil transfer apparatus during movement from one position to another designed to permit the coil to be rotated about its longitudinal axis while held by the jaw.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating helical springs with knots at their coil ends, for mattress spring frames, in which the springs are moved upright and entangled in sliding guides by a conveyor belt against a stop. The lower coil end of the springs touching the stop is grasped by a gripping member. The stop is moved to an inactive position and the gripping member pulls the grasped coil end from the sliding guide by an amount equivalent to spring wire thickness. Then the stop returns to its active position and the gripping member pivots the spring by 90.degree. into a lying position where the far end of the coil is grasped by a spring turning member. The gripping member releases the spring and returns to the starting position. Then the spring turning member rotates the spring until the knot touches a stop. After release, the spring is grasped by another gripping member and passed on to the spring frame assembly machine.

Abstract: An apparatus for singling assembly parts from a coherent mass comprises a rotary drum storing the mass and including a slotted peripheral wall with openings of a width permitting single parts to pass therethrough by gravity and a length permitting a plurality of the parts to pass whereby clusters of the parts resolved by the rotation of the drum from the coherent mass pass through the openings by gravity. A whirlpool chamber is arranged downstream of the rotary drum and has an inlet receiving the clusters from the drum openings through a passageway. Nozzles are arranged at the inlet for directing a tangential jet of gas into the chamber and creating a gaseous whirlpool in the chamber for moving and separating the clusters into individual assembly parts, and restricted outlet pipes communicate with the whirlpool chamber remote from the inlet and are arranged to receive individual assembly parts moved by the gas jet so that the individual parts are oriented along the axis of the outlet pipe.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating entangled objects from each other comprises an upstanding cylindrical receptacle which contains a separation chamber of annular cross-section formed between a cylindrical outer wall and an inner wall located in coaxial relationship to the outer wall. A mechanism is provided for generating a generally helical flow of air along the inner side of the outer wall in order to move objects, fed into the receptacle, from the lower portion of the separation chamber to a discharge opening located at a higher level.

Abstract: A separator for springs and similar parts has a housing provided with an opening for facilitating feeding of tangled springs into the housing. A striker assembly, in the form of a disc arranged opposite the opening in the housing and provided with one or more blades, imparts energy to the tangled springs. The inner surface of the housing has a plurality of protuberances, and the like, for promoting a spinning action of springs energized by the striker assembly. Free fall of tangled springs into the path of the striker blades sets up a natural vibration or oscillation of the tangled springs that, due to the contact angle along the radius of the spring wire, drives them apart. Further, the striker blades impart a rotating motion to the tangled springs in conjunction with the traction imparted to the springs by the protuberances on the inner surface of the housing when the springs come off the striker blades.

Abstract: Apparatus for disentangling workpieces is described which consists of a container into which the entangled workpieces are placed, a series of air jets located in the base of the container, and an outlet assembly consisting of a pair of overlapping relatively slidable comb-shaped plates defining a series of slots of adjustable width. An electropneumatic circuit is arranged periodically to widen the slots to release any trapped workpieces, and to shut off the blowing air immediately prior to widening of the slots. A circulatory flow of the workpieces is established in the container and the disentangling is brought about primarily by the brushing action of the workpieces against the slots.

Abstract: A compressed air operated dispenser for separating and dispensing small helical coil springs or other small elongate workpieces comprises a trough providing a dispensing chamber into which the workpieces can be introduced to form a loosely packed bed in the bottom part thereof. An air supply mechanism effects blowing jets of compressed air intermittently, in a downwards direction, into the bottom part adjacent one side of the trough such that the compressed air is caused to sweep over the interior bottom surface by which it is deflected into an upwardly directed airstream adjacent the opposite side, thereby creating turbulence effective to agitate and carry upwards at least some of the workpieces to outlet apertures disposed in the upper part of the trough in the path of the upwardly directed airstream.

Abstract: Disclosed is a housing providing a cylindrical chamber vertically oriented, which accommodates a mass of randomly entwined coil springs. An impact member is rotated within the member closely adjacent the bottom end wall of the chamber. As the mass of springs is moved in the chamber by the impact member, individual springs disengaged from the mass by impact move through a discharge opening adjacent the top of the curved side wall of the chamber and through a tangential discharge chute to automatic assembly apparatus or the like.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating entangled parts includes a receptacle container mounted for reciprocating movement in a vertical direction and having a grid structure at the bottom thereof for supporting and separating component parts which are entangled. In order to overcome the unbalance of the reciprocating container or parts bin a counterweight structure is provided which will effectively counteract or neutralize the unbalance created by the reciprocation of the parts bin. A drive motor through reduction means and connecting rod and crankshaft structure is appropriately connected to both the parts bin and the counterweight structure. The grid structure of the parts bin may be replaced with different size spacing grids for different size of parts to be untangled. The parts are untangled by the method of shaking them in a vertical direction and allowing the parts to be so vibrated that they tend to separate and become unentangled.

Abstract: An apparatus for disentangling objects such as coil springs. The apparatus includes a receptacle which is generally symmetrical about an axis and has a radially directed discharge opening for the separated individual objects. A generally helical air flow moves the objects through the receptacle and a roughened inner receptacle surface facilitates separation of the objects.