Apparatus for delivering rods one at a time from a bundle

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING RODS AND THE LIKE FROM A BUNDLE ONE AT A TIME TO A DELIVERY POINT COMPRISING, MEANS PROVIDING A TABLE HAVING A RECEIVING ZONE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT A BUNDLE OF RODS AND THE LIKE, SAID TABLE HAVING A DELIVERY ZONE AND HAVING PORTIONS WHICH EXTEND AWAY FROM SAID RECEIVING ZONE TOWARD SAID DELIVERY ZONE, SAID PORTIONS HAVING SURFACE PORTIONS DISPOSED SO THAT PROGRESSIVELY DIMINISHING DOWNWARD SLOPES ARE PROVIDED BETWEEN ADJACENT OF SAID SURFACE PORTIONS IN THE DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID RECEIVING ZONE TOWARD SAID DELIVERY ZONE, DRAG MEANS MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT GENERALLY IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID RECEIVING ZONE TOWARD SAID DELIVERY ZONE, DRIVE MEANS OPERABLE SO TO MOVE SAID DRAG MEANS, MEANS MOUNTING SAID DRAG MEANS AND TABLE FOR RELATIVE MOVEMENT FROM OPEN RELATION TO CLOSED RELATION, SAID DRAG MEANS IN SAID OPEN RELATION BEING OPERATIVELY CLEAR OF RODS AND THE LIKE ON SAID TABLE, SAID DRAG MEANS, RESPONSIVE TO SAID RELATIVE MOVEMENT, BEING OPERATIVE TO ENGAGE AND URGE TOWARD SAID DELIVERY ZONE RODS AND THE LIKE ON SAID TABLE PROGRESSIVELY FURTHER FROM SAID DELIVERY ZONE, AND MOTOR MEANS OPERATIVE TO EFFECT SAID RELATIVE MOVEMENT.