Article-feeding apparatus having article trackways with varying clearances

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS HAVING MEANS OPERABLE TO INTRODUCE INTO A TRACK A SERIES OF ARTICLES, EACH HAVING SURFACE PORTIONS BY ENGAGEMENT WITH WHICH THE ARTICLE IS ORIENTABLE IN A PREDETERMINED ATTITUDE, A TRANSFER DEVICE OPERABLE TO TRANSFER THE ARTICLES ONE AT A TIME FROM SAID TRACK INTO A FLEXIBLE TUBE HAVING A LONGITUDINAL PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING TO A DELIVERY POINT, AND MEANS OPERABLE TO INTRODUCE AIR UNDER PRESSURE INTO SAID TUBE FOR PROPELLING AN ARTICLE THROUGH SAID PASSAGEWAY, SAID TRACK, TRANSFER DEVICE, AND PASSAGEWAY HAVING CONTROL SURFACES SO DISPOSED THAT THEY MAINTAIN ARTICLES THEREIN IN SAID PREDETERMINED ATTITUDE, IMPROVED STRUCTURE WHEREIN AT LEAST CERTAIN OF SAID CONTROL SURFACES UPSTREAM OF SAID PASSAGEWAY HAVE RELATIVELY CLOSE TOLERANCES WITH RESPECT TO SAID SURFACE PORTIONS OF SAID ARTICLES, WHEREBY TO CONTAIN SAID ARTICLES AGAINST SUBSTANTIAL COCKING IN TRANSITION FROM SAID TRACK TO SAID PASSAGEWAY,