Patent ID: 6926189

Claim:
An apparatus for welding closed one end of each of a multiplicity of open-ended tubes suitable for use as brachytherapy capsules, said apparatus comprising: a welding station having a welding position for welding closed one end of a tube; a rotatable platform having an outside edge; a plurality of tube holders positioned adjacent said outside edge of said rotatable platform, said plurality of tube holders movable between a loading position and said welding position, each said tube holder of said plurality of tube holders further comprising means for releasably engaging a tube comprising a block slidably mounted in a recess in a holder support, said block being biassed outwardly by resilient means retained between said block and said holder support; a feed line positioned in overlying registry with one of said plurality of tube holders at said loading positions; a feeder for feeding the multiplicity of tubes in a continuous stream, said feeder further comprises an elongate passageway for receiving the tubes end-to-end therein and a restraining member for releaseably engaging the lowermost but one tube within said passageway; and means for agitating the tubes in said feeder.