Patent ID: 7117987
Filing Date: 2006-10-10
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for orienting lightweight articles comprising; a wheel rotatable on a substantially horizontal wheel axis, said wheel having an intake portion for receiving randomly oriented lightweight articles, each of said articles having an article longitudinal axis, said wheel having a plurality of alignment troughs on its interior surface, each of said troughs having a trough longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the horizontal wheel axis, a hood covering a portion of the wheel to carry away air from the interior of the wheel to retain lightweight articles in their respective troughs, means for transferring an article from a respective trough in an attitude having its article longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the horizontal wheel axis to an attitude having its article longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the horizontal wheel axis, and a retrieval apparatus positioned adjacent to the wheel to remove from the wheel articles in a substantially vertical attitude.