Patent ID: 8720666

Claim:
A transfer assembly for transferring discrete articles from or to a rotating carrier member, the transfer assembly comprising: a frame defining a rotation axis, wherein the frame comprises a track comprising a circumferential shape surrounding the rotation axis; a transfer member, wherein a portion of the transfer member is movably engaged with the track, wherein the transfer member comprises a transfer surface on an end of the transfer member most distal from the rotation axis, and wherein the transfer surface is configured to receive one of the discrete articles; and a wheel engaged with the frame and configured to rotate about the rotation axis, wherein the wheel is engaged with a portion of the transfer member, and wherein, as the wheel rotates about the rotation axis, the transfer member circumnavigates about a path about the rotation axis in correspondence with the track; wherein the shape of the track causes the transfer surface to move radially inwardly and radially outwardly relative to the rotation axis while the transfer surface is maintained a substantially constant minimum distance away from the rotating carrier member at the point of discrete article transfer.