1.  Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for orienting and feeding container crowns and similar articles at high rates of speed. 
2.  Description of the Prior Art
Container crowns typically have a corrugated, gear-like shape and tend to lock together when conveyed.  In my earlier U.S. Pat.  No.  4,006,812, apparatus is described for automatically orienting and feeding container crowns and similar articles into a vertical reservoir used to recirculate the crowns and reduce the locking of the crown edges.  Improvements to the apparatus disclosed in that patent are set forth in U.S. Pat.  No.  4,271,953 to Smith, which describes a deflecting member at the bottom of the hopper having magnetic disks along a rotating vertical surface to facilitate movement of container crowns out of the reservoir.  However, the recirculation techniques described in the '812 patent is counter productive to the control of the flow of container crowns and inhibits higher rates of speed. 
Other prior art of interest includes French Patent 1,114,037 which discloses a horizontal centrifugal conveyor table similar to that described in U.S. Pat.  No.  4,006,812, discussed above. 
Other prior art of general interest also includes the following U.S. Pat.  No.  3,860,145 to Miller; U.S. Pat.  No.  3,828,921 to Tackett; U.S. Pat.  No.  3,710,924 to Schultz; U.S. Pat.  No.  3,650,369 to Vergobbi; U.S. Pat.  No.  3,623,594 to Ravn et al; U.S. Pat.  No.  3,592,336 to Thurston et al; U.S. Pat.  No.  3,578,140 to Myer et al; U.S. Pat.  No.  3,305,067 to Mayer; 3,401,832 to Wyle et al; U.S. Pat.  No.  2,772,005 to Dubin et al; and U.S. Pat.  No.  2,745,537 to Cadman et al.