The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 20, 1976
Filed:
Jul. 07, 1975
George W Thimot, Marlboro, MA (US);
Hudson Lock, Inc., Hudson, MA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for feeding individual coiled springs from a bulk source to a point at which they can be utilized in a product assembly operation. The apparatus includes a supply bin for bulk quantities of uniform diameter coiled springs, a receiver for first receiving individual springs from the supply bin and then guiding movement thereof to a point of use, a ramp assembly for delivering the springs from the supply bin to the receiver and defining open channels having a surface curvature that conforms to the outer surfaces of the individual coils of uniform diameter so as to retain the individual springs in positions wherein their axes coincide with a given delivery line during their travel between the supply bin and the receiver, and a drive mechanism for moving the springs between the supply bin and the receiver. A center of gravity responsive removal mechanism automaticaly removes from the ramp any entangled composite group of springs having a center of gravity shifted horizontally from the given delivery line.