Feeding device and method for feeding small parts

Abstract

The invention relates to a feeding device () for feeding small parts, in particular closure elements, comprising a vibrating spiral conveyor () having an outlet (), a feed rail (), which is arranged downstream of the outlet in the feed direction, and a vibratory drive (), wherein, by means of the vibratory drive (), vibrations can be applied to the vibrating spiral conveyor () to move the small parts in the direction of the outlet () and to the feed rail () to move the small parts along the feed rail (), wherein an intermediate rail () is arranged between the outlet () of the vibrating spiral conveyor () and the feed rail (), wherein vibrations can be applied to the intermediate rail () by means of the vibratory drive () to move the small parts along the intermediate rail () in the direction of the feed rail (), wherein a monitoring device (), associated with the intermediate rail (), is provided, wherein the monitoring device () is designed to detect an abnormality and/or disturbance in the movement of the small parts along the intermediate rail ().