Abstract: Method and apparatus for assembling, with fasteners, components of a structure having an outboard side, an inboard side, and a supporting frame. The components are placed together on the frame. An electromagnet having a core with multiple openings is positioned on the outboard side. A magnetically attractive member is placed against the inboard side opposite and aligned with the electromagnet. When activated, the electromagnet is attracted towards the magnetically attractive member and the two hold the components together. Multiple drill members pass through the openings in the core of the electromagnet and multiple openings are drilled simultaneously through the components. Subsequently, multiple rivets or huck bolts are simultaneously inserted into the drilled openings.

Abstract: A machine particularly adapted for dispensing light items (19) packaged in symmetrical, frustum-shaped containers. The items are propelled through a tubular cartridge (3) by compressed air, and in the absence of any solid pushing, pulling or carrying device, then individually dispensed. A flow of compressed air generated by a blower (28) is s fed to the back of the cartridge. The items are dispensed under control of a toggling dual-gate mechanism (26, 27) at the front end of the cartridge. The dual-gate mechanism of a removable magazine (2) grouping a number of cartridges can be selectively addressed and activated by means of a solenoid-driven cross-bar assembly (38).

Abstract: An apparatus (1) is provided for feeding capsules (4), preferably single-use capsules for the preparation of beverages, infusions and the like, for beverage vending machines. The apparatus includes a storage chamber (2, 22) for storing capsules (4) in a random arrangement, pick-up means (10, 210) for picking up the capsules (4), a capsule transfer device (13, 213) provided with one or more compartments (14, 214) for the capsules (4), at least an unloading conveyor (19, 219) for unloading the capsules (4). The apparatus is characterized in that, between the storage chamber (2, 22) and the at least an unloading conveyor (19, 219), the apparatus (1) comprises a first orientating device (8, 28), which is adapted to orientate the capsules (4) according to at least a substantially horizontal-axis position, and a second orientating device (20, 220) which is adapted to arrange the capsules (4) according to a same vertical-axis position.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing a fully threaded bobbin to an operator upon the depositing of an empty bobbin into the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a housing defining a storage compartment for storing the bobbins. The housing has a first opening for depositing the empty bobbins therein and a second opening for dispensing the full bobbins therefrom. A tray is mounted to the housing within the storage compartment for orienting and feeding fully threaded bobbins and a top and bottom slide are provided for transporting the full bobbins from the tray to the second opening. An actuator lever is slidably coupled to a lever channel for activating the apparatus. A release hinge is mounted to the top slide and operatively coupled to the acutator lever for releasing a single full bobbin from the top slide and to the second opening in response to the actuator lever being activated from a fully extended position to an actuated position and an empty bobbin being deposited into the first opening and lever channel.

Abstract: A feed enhancer for eliminating an unevenness in height from a paper stack to be printed by a printer. The printer has a paper feeder including a paper tray for storage of the paper stack on a top surface thereof and for feeding individual paper from the paper stack into the printer for subsequent printing. The feed enhancer has an elongated strip disposed at the top surface of the paper tray and positioned perpendicular to a direction in which the individual paper is fed into the printer such that the feed enhancer evens out the unevenness in height of the paper stack in an area of the paper stack that is to be fed into the printer. Also provided are a printer and printer tray having the feed enhancer of the present invention.

Abstract: A device for delivery of fasteners having heads with tenons disposed beneath the heads to an insertion tool. The device includes a sloped track with two spaced-apart rails each having a fastener receiving surface to receive the undersides of the heads of the fasteners falling thereon. The fasteners drop onto the track from a rotating barrel and some are correctly aligned with the tenons between the rails and the undersides of the heads resting on the rails and many are misaligned. The fasteners slide to an orienting station which includes a plurality of fluid injector ports disposed around the track. Two of the ports face each other and a third port is disposed over the track. Blasts of air are directed through the ports sequentially so that misaligned fasteners on the track are forced into alignment or are removed from the track thereby leaving only properly aligned fasteners to proceed.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying headed parts from a hopper to a chute has a pickup or scooper blade movable by an actuator mechanism between a first position in which a second groove in the pickup blade is out of alignment with a first groove in the chute and a second position in which the first and second grooves are aligned with each other to allow headed parts as scooped from the hopper by the pickup blade to be fed in a row from the pickup blade to the chute. A rejector in the form of a bent wire is operatively connected to the hopper or chute and slidable along the second groove as the pickup blade approaches the second position to remove off-the-groove headed parts from the pickup blade to permit smooth supply of neatly arranged headed parts from the pickup blade to the chute.

Abstract: Bobbin handling apparatus including means for feeding bobbins from a supply station in random end orientation to a delivery station for use by a doffing machine. The bobbin handling apparatus is conveniently mounted on the doffing machine, and includes means for sorting bobbins of one end orientation from the other and means to reorient bobbins of the one orientation to the other for presentation to the doffing machine of bobbins of a single orientation. The handling apparatus includes a bobbin supply box adapted to be manually positioned on and removed from the apparatus immediately above floor level, thereby requiring minimum physical effort.

Abstract: A feed apparatus for elongated articles comprises a pair of endless helical springs having parallel spaced-apart reaches defining a generally horizontal transport path. The elongated elements are continuously displaced in a direction from an upstream end of the reaches to a downstream end thereof. Elongated articles such as gelatin capsules are loaded in random fashion onto the reaches at the upstream end so that at least some of these articles come to lie in the trough defined between these reaches, that is aligned parallel to the transport direction. The misaligned capsules fall off the upper reaches onto a return transport mechanism which automatically transports them back to the upstream end of forward transport mechanism.