Singulator and allocator elongated members

US5813512A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Newnes Machine Ltd. · CA

Inventors

• Bert L. Andersson · Salmon Arm, CA
• Douglas Foster · Salmon Arm, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 15, 1996
• Grant date: Sep 29, 1998
• Expiry date: Mar 15, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B65G47/846
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A stick allocator for transferring laterally aligned sticks between a holding location on a longitudinal in-feed transfer means and a high-speed longitudinal out-feed transfer means has a lower, selectively rotatable, stick lifting and translation means, disposed generally beneath the holding location, for frictionally engaging a lower surface of a stick held laterally in the holding location. Lifting the stick frictionally engages an upper surface of the stick with an upper, selectively rotatable, stick receiving and translating means, disposed generally above the holding location. The upper, selectively rotatable, stick receiving and translating means frictionally engages the upper surface of the stick and biases the stick against the lower, selectively rotatable, stick lifting and translating means. The upper, selectively rotatable, stick receiving and translating means and the lower, selectively rotatable, stick lifting and translating means selectively translates the stick held there-between in a forward longitudinal direction from the holding location so as to selectively deposit the stick onto the high-speed longitudinal out-feed transfer means.