Apparatus for loading bobbins and the like

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR LOADING BOBBINS AND THE LIKE INTO STORAGE RECEPTACLES HAVING STORAGE DEVICES SPACED ALONG THE RECEPTACLES, SAID APPARATUS HAVING, IN COMBINATION, A FRAME, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A STORAGE RECEPTACLE IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION ON SAID FRAME, MECHANISM FOR DELIVERING BOBBINS TO A TRANSFER STATION ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID RECEPTACLE AND RELEASING THE BOBBINS FOR DELIVERY TO SAID RECEPTACLE, A CARRIER SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME FOR BACK AND FORTH MOVEMENT ACROSS THE RECEPTACLE IN SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION BETWEEN SAID STATION AND THE END OF THE RECEPTACLE REMOTE FROM SAID STATION, MECHANISM FOR MOVING SAID CARRIER BACK AND FORTH IN TIMED RELATION WITH THE RELEASE OF BOBBINS AT SAID STATION FIRST INWARDLY TO SAID STATION TO BE LOADED, THEN OUTWARDLY ACROSS THE RECEPTACLE AWAY FROM SAID STATION TOWARD A FIRST DISCHARGE POSITION ADJACENT SAID REMOTE END, AND THEN BACK TO SAID STATION FOR RELOADING, MEANS PROGRESSIVELY SHORTENING SUCCESSIVE OUTWARD STROKES OF SAID CARRIER BY THE PITCH OF SAID STORAGE DEVICES THEREBY POSITIONING THE CARRIER IN SUCCESSIVE DISCHARGE POSITIONS SPACED PROGRESSIVELY CLOSER TO SAID ONE END, AND MEANS OPERABLE TO DISCHARGE BOBBINS FROM SAID CARRIER IN SAID DISCHARGE POSITIONS.