Methods of and apparatus for feeding, testing, and sorting articles

Claim 2

Apparatus for feeding, testing, and sorting articles, comprising: a. a carrier wheel for holding a number of said articles spaced about its periphery; b. means for testing one article at a time, at a test position in proximity with the periphery of said wheel, so that the tested article is classified in one of a plurality of different categories; c. means for indexing said wheel, at a rate of one article at a time, to said testing means; d. memory means coupled to said testing means for storing the classifications of tested articles; e. at least one force-field producing means in proximity to the periphery of said wheel, and spaced about the circumference thereof, for removing an article therefrom when energized; and f. means coupling said memory means to said force-field producing means for energizing such means to remove articles classified in a given category by the corresponding force-field producing means.

Claim 3

The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said carrier wheel is oriented for rotation about a center axis aligned at an angle of 30* to 75* with the horizontal plane.

Claim 4

grooved lead retaining and orienting means spaced along the periphery of said member, and associated with each pair of permanent magnets, for maintaining held devices in parallel alignment with said axes; and

Claim 5

grooved lead retaining and orienting means spaced along the periphery of said member, and associated with each pair of permanent magnets, for maintaining held devices in parallel alignment with said axes; and

Claim 6

one input of each of said gates is activated in response to said system when light passes through one of said passageways; and

Claim 7

one input of each of said gates is activated in response to said system when light passes through one of said passageways; and

Claim 8

The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein element (e) includes a quantity of force-field producing means, one less in amount of categories than said plurality; said apparatus further comprising: g. mechanical stripping means, in cooperation with said wheel, for stripping held tested articles off said wheel which were not otherwise removed.

Claim 9

the others of said inputs being coupled to corresponding outputs of said shift registers; r. an additional output chute; s. an additional output bin coupled to said chute; t. stationary stripping means, in cooperation with said grooved lead retaining and orienting means, for stripping held tested devices off said member which were not otherwise removed by one of said electromagnets, so that the stripped devices fall into the associated additional output chute; and u. means for directing an airflow, in a downwardly direction and parallel to said axes, between said member and said electromagnets, for assisting the removal of tested devices from said member.

Claim 10

the others of said inputs being coupled to corresponding outputs of said shift registers; r. an additional output chute; s. an additional output bin coupled to said chute; t. stationary stripping means, in cooperation with said grooved lead retaining and orienting means, for stripping held tested devices off said member which were not otherwise removed by one of said electromagnets, so that the stripped devices fall into the associated additional output chute; and u. means for directing an airflow, in a downwardly direction and parallel to said axes, between said member and said electromagnets, for assisting the removal of tested devices from said member.

Claim 11

a like plurality of light transmitting passageways through said member from end to end and parallel to said axes, each of said passageways being oriented on a circular locus whose center coincides with the axis of rotation of said member, each one of said passageways being associated with a corresponding pair of said magnets; c. means for rotating said member intermittently; d. a light and photocell system associated with said drumlike member in cooperation with said light transmitting passageways; e. means coupling said system to said rotating means for stopping the rotation of said member when light passes through one of said passageways; f. means for rendering effective said rotating means to rotate upon receipt of a ''''shift'''' signal; g. a pair of power probe leads, associated at a test position, for engagement with a leaded device held by a pair of said permanent magnets; h. a pair of test probe leads, associated at said test position, for engagement with the leaded device engaged by the power probe leads; i. a test set for testing the leaded devices, coupled to said power probe leads and said test probe leads, said test set being operative to initiate testing upon a ''''test start'''' signal and being adapted to provide an ''''output bin command'''' signal upon the appropriate output thereof and a ''''test complete'''' signal upon completion of testing of each device; j. means coupled to said system for generating said ''''test start'''' signal when light passes through one of said passageways; k. a plurality of shift registers corresponding in number to the appropriate outputs of said test set, each of said registers having a different number of stages; l. pulse generating means for providing said ''''shift'''' signal to each of said shift registers upon receipt of a ''''test complete'''' signal; m. means coupling said ''''test complete'''' signal to said rendering means, for starting the rotation of said member; n. a plurality of output bins corresponding in number to said appropriate outputs of said test set; o. an output chute associated with each of said output bins; p. an electromagnet assOciated with each said chute in proximity to the periphery of said member, each electromagnet having an axis parallel to said parallel axes, each electromagnet, when energized, being adapted to remove its proximate device from said member so that the removed device falls into the associated chute; q. a plurality of two-input AND gates corresponding in number to said electromagnets, wherein:

Claim 12

a like plurality of light transmitting passageways through said member from end to end and parallel to said axes, each of said passageways being oriented on a circular locus whose center coincides with the axis of rotation of said member, each one of said passageways being associated with a corresponding pair of said magnets; c. means for rotating said member intermittently; d. a light and photocell system associated with said drumlike member in cooperation with said light transmitting passageways; e. means coupling said system to said rotating means for stopping the rotation of said member when light passes through one of said passageways; f. means for rendering effective said rotating means to rotate upon receipt of a ''''shift'''' signal; g. a pair of power probe leads, associated at a test position, for engagement with a leaded device held by a pair of said permanent magnets; h. a pair of test probe leads, associated at said test position, for engagement with the leaded device engaged by the power probe leads; i. a test set for testing the leaded devices, coupled to said power probe leads and said test probe leads, said test set being operative to initiate testing upon a ''''test start'''' signal and being adapted to provide an ''''output bin command'''' signal upon the appropriate output thereof and a ''''test complete'''' signal upon completion of testing of each device; j. means coupled to said system for generating said ''''test start'''' signal when light passes through one of said passageways; k. a plurality of shift registers corresponding in number to the appropriate outputs of said test set, each of said registers having a different number of stages; l. pulse generating means for providing said ''''shift'''' signal to each of said shift registers upon receipt of a ''''test complete'''' signal; m. means coupling said ''''test complete'''' signal to said rendering means, for starting the rotation of said member; n. a plurality of output bins corresponding in number to said appropriate outputs of said test set; o. an output chute associated with each of said output bins; p. an electromagnet assOciated with each said chute in proximity to the periphery of said member, each electromagnet having an axis parallel to said parallel axes, each electromagnet, when energized, being adapted to remove its proximate device from said member so that the removed device falls into the associated chute; q. a plurality of two-input AND gates corresponding in number to said electromagnets, wherein:

Claim 13

Apparatus for feeding, testing, and sorting articles, comprising: a. a drum for holding a number of said articles, equally spaced about its periphery; b. means for testing one article at a time, at a test position in proximity with the periphery of said drum, so that the tested article is classified in one of a plurality of different categories; c. means for indexing said drum, at a rate of one article at a time, to said testing means; d. a like plurality of shift registers, each of said shift registers having a different number of stages; e. means coupling said testing means to said shift registers for storing the tested classification of a tested article into the corresponding register; f. means for shifting the registers upon the indexing of the drum; g. a like plurality of force-field producing means in proximity to the periphery of said drum, spaced about the circumference thereof, for removing an article therefrom when energized; and h. means coupling the outputs of the shift registers to the corresponding force-field producing means for activation thereof.

Claim 14

Apparatus for feeding, testing, and sorting articles, comprising: a. a drum for holding a number of said articles, equally spaced about its periphery; b. means for testing one article at a time, at a test position in proximity with the periphery of said drum, so that the tested article is classified in one of a plurality of different categories; c. means for indexing said drum, at a rate of one article at a time, to said testing means; d. a like plurality of shift registers, each of said shift registers having a different number of stages; e. means coupling said testing means to said shift registers for storing the tested classification of a tested article into the corresponding register; f. means for shifting the registers upon the indexing of the drum; g. a like plurality of force-field producing means in proximity to the periphery of said drum, spaced about the circumference thereof, for removing an article therefrom when energized; and h. means coupling the outputs of the shift registers to the corresponding force-field producing means for activation thereof.

Claim 15

Apparatus for feeding, testing, and sorting magnetically leaded devices, comprising; a. a stationary magnetic input bin for holding a number of magnetically leaded devices, said bin being adapted to substantially support each of said devices along axes parallel to each other, said axes being oriented at an angle lying between 30* and 75* with the horizontal plane; b. a drumlike member in cooperating relationship with said bin, being rotatable about an axis parallel to said parallel axes, and having magnetic means disposed about the circumferential periphery thereof for maintaining held devices in parallel alignment with said axes; c. means for rotating said member; d. means for testing one device at a time on the member; e. a plurality of output chutes having a low coefficient of friction; f. an electromagnet associated with each said chute, in proximity to the periphery of said member, each electromagnet having an axis parallel to said parallel axes; and g. means coupling said testing means to said electromagnets for activation thereof; whereby tested devices are electromagnetically removed from said member into appropriate output chutes, and are carried therealong due to the incline of the chutes with the horizontal plane.

Claim 16

Apparatus for feeding, testing, and sorting magnetically leaded devices, comprising; a. a stationary magnetic input bin for holding a number of magnetically leaded devices, said bin being adapted to substantially support each of said devices along axes parallel to each other, said axes being oriented at an angle lying between 30* and 75* with the horizontal plane; b. a drumlike member in cooperating relationship with said bin, being rotatable about an axis parallel to said parallel axes, and having magnetic means disposed about the circumferential periphery thereof for maintaining held devices in parallel alignment with said axes; c. means for rotating said member; d. means for testing one device at a time on the member; e. a plurality of output chutes having a low coefficient of friction; f. an electromagnet associated with each said chute, in proximity to the periphery of said member, each electromagnet having an axis parallel to said parallel axes; and g. means coupling said testing means to said electromagnets for activation thereof; whereby tested devices are electromagnetically removed from said member into appropriate output chutes, and are carried therealong due to the incline of the chutes with the horizontal plane.

Claim 17

Apparatus for feeding, testing, and sorting devices having a body and opposed axial magnetic leads, comprising: a. a stationary magnetic input bin for holding a number of paramagnetically leaded devices, said bin being adapted to substantially support each of said number of devices along axes parallel to each other, said axes being oriented at an acute angle lying between 30* and 75* with the horizontal plane; b. an opaque drumlike member in cooperating relationship with said bin and having a circumferential periphery and opposed ends, and being rotatable about an axis parallel to said parallel axes and having:

Claim 18

Apparatus for feeding, testing, and sorting devices having a body and opposed axial magnetic leads, comprising: a. a stationary magnetic input bin for holding a number of paramagnetically leaded devices, said bin being adapted to substantially support each of said number of devices along axes parallel to each other, said axes being oriented at an acute angle lying between 30* and 75* with the horizontal plane; b. an opaque drumlike member in cooperating relationship with said bin and having a circumferential periphery and opposed ends, and being rotatable about an axis parallel to said parallel axes and having:

Claim 25

The method as recited in claim 9 further comprising: f. directing a flow of air in a downwardly direction parallel to said axes, and tangential to said arc, for assisting the removal of tested articles from said path.