Apparatus for ordering and feeding a small item like a tablet, capsule,

Abstract

The apparatus for feeding and depositing small items, such as a tablet, capsule, pill or the like, in a deep drawn foil strip comprises a feed slider and a distributing slider. Above the foil strip the two sliders are positioned over each other. The upper slider movable transverse to the foil strip direction is the feed slider with a plurality of openings formed to receive and pass small items and positioned in the same pattern as the cups. The lower slider movable along the foil strip direction is the distributing slider with a plurality of holes allowing the passage of the small items from the openings into the cups. The sliders are slidable between a delivering position in which the openings cover the holes and the cups and a closed position in which the distributing slider secures the bottoms of the openings against a passage of the small items. The feed slider forms the base of a loading box fillable with the small items in no particular order provided adjacent the foil stirp in the motion direction and is movable back and forth from the delivery position with all its openings until in the loading box. The loading box is closed in the direction of the foil strip by a skimmer strip for the small items. Below the feed slider a lower base is positioned which secures the openings from below against the falling through of the small items and forms the sliding path for the samll items in the sliding motion. The feed slider is moved in rapid alternation with its openings inside of the loading box for uniform filling of the openings with small items.