Method of transporting singulated parts

Centrifugal feeders, particularly a method of transporting singulated parts from the periphery of a centrifugal feeder. The method includes vertically orienting while supporting the parts in nests or notches defined at the periphery of the feeder, advancing the parts away from said supporting and dropping the parts into individual containers or pucks which are transported tangentially away from the centrifugal feeder. The method is characterized by its capability of high speed singulation of parts into any desired matrix.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
An improvement upon applicant's earlier patents: 
CENTRIFUGAL METHOD OF SORTING TICULATE ARTICLES (Pat. No. 3,831,734). 
ROLLING METHOD OF SUPPORTING TICULATE ARTICLES (Pat. No. 4,094,412). 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
(1) Field of the Invention 
Centrifugal feeding. Recently developed centrifugal feeders, include a 
plurality of rotating devices which centrifugally discharge articles to be 
counted from the edges of a rotating plane. Traditionally, the 
centrifugally distributed articles are forced through separate stationary 
exit apertures, which align the articles for individual orienting or 
counting. 
The present invention concerns vertical orienting of the parts within nests 
or notches defined at the periphery of the centrifugal feeder, then 
dropping the singulated parts into respective containers or pucks which 
are being rotated at the same speed as the centrifugal feeder. The filled 
pucks may then be separated via an exit gate, such as a stripper blade or 
an electric sensor and a powered escapement such as an endless belt 
extending tangentially away from the centrifugal feeder. The device is 
particularly adapted to the singulating and transport of parts having 
complex configurations which preclude conventional handling and support. 
(2) Description of the Prior Art 
HOAR: U.S. Pat. No. 2,632,588 
GARRETT: U.S. Pat. No. 2,763,108 
d'AUTHEVILLE: U.S. Pat. No. 3,063,596 
PEARSON: U.S. Pat. No. 3,170,627 
HURST: U.S. Pat. No. 3,215,310 
READ: U.S. Pat. No. 3,253,604 
PEARSON: U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,664 
HURST: U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,713 
HOPPMANN et al.: U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,260 
HOPPMANN et al.: U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,674 
HOPPMANN et al.: U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,734 
HOPPMANN et al.: U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,107 
HOPPMANN et al.: U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,412 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention, the parts are centrifugally distributed 
to the periphery of a rotary feeder plane, then pivoted or dropped into 
nests or notches defined in the feeder periphery. As the parts are aligned 
vertically within the notches, the parts are supported by a stationary 
surface positioned beneath the feeder. A plurality of empty parts 
containers or pucks are rotated beneath the stationary support and in 
alignment with the notches such that oriented parts, as they are 
transported away from the area of stationary support are dropped into 
individual containers, so as to be fully contained within the container or 
with a portion of each part exposed above or below the container. Then, a 
stripper blade may be used to engage parts protruding from the rotating 
containers, so as to divert the filled containers tangentially away from 
the centrifugal feeder. Alternatively, filled containers may be detected 
by a sensor device and removed by other types of powered escapements. 
Then, empty containers may be rotated again beneath the stationary support 
in alignment with the individual notches aligned in the periphery of the 
centrifugal pucks after stripping. Filled containers or pucks may be 
re-aligned in any desired matrix for counting, packaging, or the like. The 
parts are then discharged or removed from the pucks and placed into 
individual packages or containers by any number of conventional means, the 
empty pucks may then be rotated again into alignment with the individual 
notches defined in the centrifugal feeder periphery.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In FIG. 1 there is illustrated container or puck 12 having bottom aperture 
14 and concave interior, defined by lower support shoulder 16, such that a 
portion of supported part 18 protrudes vertically thereof. Manifestly, 
part 18 may be protruded downwardly of puck 12 or be contained entirely 
therein. The container 12 may be transported upon an accumulating track or 
belt 10 rotated beneath the centrifugal feeder 20. In FIGS. 7 and 8, the 
filled pucks or containers 12 are shown supporting the oriented parts 18. 
In FIG. 2 the filled pucks 12 are shown being placed into a matrix such 
that the centerline spacing of the parts is determined by the diameter of 
the individual pucks. 
In FIG. 3 there is illustrated the rotating transport of the vertically 
oriented parts 18 by means of centrifugal feeder 20 and stationary guide 
rail 24. As illustrated in FIG. 4, oriented parts 18 are supported from 
below by means of stationary floor 26, which defines a loading zone 
arcuate sector beneath centrifugal feeder 20. 
In FIGS. 4, 5 and 9 there is illustrated the dropping of the individual 
parts 18 from peripheral nests or notches 22 and into pucks 12, as the 
centrifugal feeder is rotated beyond supporting surface or floor 26. The 
dropped parts 18 are supported in vertical orientation within containers 
or pucks 12 which advance upon endless track or belt 10. 
In FIG. 6 there is illustrated the use of a peripheral guide rail 30, so as 
to retain the pucks 12 during the rotary transport. Doctor or stripper 
blade 32 is employed to intersect the exposed portions of parts 18 which 
are supported in the filled pucks. Tangential removal of loaded pucks may 
be effected by endless track 36 or the like. Empty pucks 12 may be 
recirculated through intermediate arcuate sector 34 and into the loading 
zone arcuate sector. These pucks, which have been emptied, may be returned 
tangentially via endless belt, roller track or similar means 28 to the 
loading zone sector. 
Manifestly, various types of exit gate devices other than doctor or 
stripper blade 32 may be employed. For example, a sensor may be used to 
detect either the presence or absence of a part with the container 18. 
This sensor, in turn, may generate a signal which activates a powered 
escapement to remove filled pucks, while permitting empty pucks to be 
returned to the loading zone and into alignment with the nests. 
Traditionally, centrifugally oriented parts have been delivered 
tangentially into an accumulating track from which the parts are 
individually drawn, as required. The accumulating track is generally 
constructed to assemble the parts, such that each oriented part touches an 
adjoining part. Such accumulator systems work well for parts having simple 
configurations. However, parts having complex configurations cannot be 
handled in this manner. Traditionally, such parts necessarily are hand 
loaded into empty containers. The present system, as will be apparent, 
allows the parts to be loaded directly from the feeder into the pucks 
which permits automatic loading of those parts which previously had to be 
hand loaded. 
The present system provides for centrifugal loading of the parts by 
pivoting into orienter nests and, thence, into pucks or containers without 
the necessity for accumulating and respacing. Since all of the orienter 
nests will not be filled with vertically oriented parts, some of the pucks 
will not be loaded. These empty pucks are re-delivered into the arcuate 
loading zone sector and into vertical alignment with those parts which 
have been oriented in the orienter nests 22, defined in the periphery of 
the centrifugal feeder 20. As the vertically oriented parts are 
transported away from the support floor, the vertically oriented parts are 
dropped into the individual rotating containers or pucks 12. Pucks 12 are 
removed from the rotation cycle by means of a stripper blade or electronic 
sensor and escapement, while the unfilled pucks will be returned to the 
loading zone arcuate sector. 
Manifestly, variously configured centrifugal feeders and pucks may be 
employed without departing from the spirit of invention.