Patent ID: 7275294

Claim:
A holding device for holding a plurality of ferromagnetic parts, said holding device comprising: a holder defining a plurality of cavities within which the parts may be disposed, said cavities being spaced apart and arranged in a row; and a bar movably mounted to the holder and disposed parallel to the row of the cavities, said bar including a plurality of spaced-apart magnetic bodies arranged in a row, said bar being movable in the direction of the row of the cavities between first and second positions, wherein when the parts are disposed in the cavities and the bar is in the first position, the magnetic bodies are aligned with the cavities and the magnetic attraction forces generated by the magnetic bodies hold the parts in the cavities, and wherein when the parts are disposed in the cavities and the bar is in the second position, the magnetic bodies are not aligned with the cavities and the magnetic attraction forces generated by the magnetic bodies do not hold the parts in the cavities, wherein when the parts are disposed in the cavities and the bar is in the first position, portions of the holder are aligned with the magnetic bodies and area disposed between the magnetic bodies and the parts, said portions being composed of a ferromagnetic or a paramagnetic material, wherein the holder comprises a holding structure having a plurality of bores formed therein and a plurality of guide pockets disposed in the bores, said guide pockets defining the cavities, wherein the bores in the holding structure extend through a surface of the holding structures so as to form a plurality of slots in the holding structure that extend along the length of the bores.