Patent ID: 8021099

Claim:
An apparatus for separating nested articles and supplying a forwardmost nested article onto a mandrel, comprising: a support for guiding a stack of nested articles in a first direction from one location to another location in a nested arrangement; and at least one peripheral opening in the support for supplying incoming pressurized air substantially circumferentially to a position between a forwardmost article of the stack and a nested adjacent article such that the pressurized air travels in a second direction having a component opposite to the first direction and is substantially prevented from escaping through said position between the forwardmost article of the stack and the nested adjacent article by said incoming pressurized air, and such that the pressurized air travels in a cavity between the forwardmost article and the nested adjacent article to separate the forwardmost article from the next adjacent article, the peripheral opening being angled with respect to said first direction; wherein the support includes a first peripheral member having a projection with a first peripheral angled surface and an adjacent second peripheral member having a projection with a second peripheral angled surface adjacent to and spaced slightly away from said first angled surface to define said peripheral opening therebetween.