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. 12, 2011
Filed:
Jul. 30, 2008
Martin T. Garthaffner, Chesterfield, VA (US);
Travis M. Garthaffner, Midlothian, VA (US);
George R. Scott, Midlothian, VA (US);
Jeremy J. Straight, Midlothian, VA (US);
James D. Evans, Chesterfield, VA (US);
David Goldstein, Chester, VA (US);
Martin Heidorn, Chesterfield, VA (US);
Martin T. Garthaffner, Chesterfield, VA (US);
Travis M. Garthaffner, Midlothian, VA (US);
George R. Scott, Midlothian, VA (US);
Jeremy J. Straight, Midlothian, VA (US);
James D. Evans, Chesterfield, VA (US);
David Goldstein, Chester, VA (US);
Martin Heidorn, Chesterfield, VA (US);
Philip Morris USA Inc., Richmond, VA (US);
Abstract
A bead feeder for serially delivering beads to a downstream location comprises a bead supply wheel which rotates about a vertical axis. The bead supply wheel includes a bead supply bowl and a plurality of radially arranged channels below the bowl connected to rotate with the bowl. Discharge openings in the bowl are in alignment with the radially arranged channels to delivery beads to those channels, and a bead receiving pocket is positioned at the outer end of each channel. A transfer wheel picks up beads from the bead receiving pockets and transfers those beads to a delivery wheel by vacuum transfer and release. The delivery wheel serially delivers the beads to the downstream location.