Patent ID: 7377402

Claim:
An article transfer device comprising: a plurality of hanger rods, each of the hanger rods having a length sufficient for suspending a plurality of articles from the hanger rod, helical ridges or helical grooves which spirally extend along an axis of the hanger rod, on a surface of the hanger rod, and a pitch enlarged portion where pitch of the helical ridges or the helical grooves is larger than pitch of the helical ridges or the helical grooves in other portions of the hanger rod, the pitch enlarged portion being located proximate an unsupported open end of the hanger rod; a supporter which supports the respective hanger rods at closed ends of the hanger rods, opposite the open ends, so that the hanger rods are rotatable about respective axes of the hanger rods; a driver which rotates the hanger rods about respective axes of the hanger rods; a housing containing the hanger rods, the supporter, and the driver; and a rectifying unit which changes direction of the articles suspended on the pitch enlarged portion of each hanger rod and rectifies the articles to face a front surface of the housing.