Hopper-type apparatus for orienting and feeding bottle and jar caps, or the like

Claim 1

Hopper-type, automatic orienting and feeding apparatus for flat articles having a relatively smooth surface on one side and a broken surface on the other side, said apparatus comprising a hollow, open-top, cylindrical housing, means supporting said housing with its longitudinal axis at an angle to the vertical, a disc closely and freely rotatably supported within said housing in inwardly spaced relation to said open top thereof and in a plane at right angles to said axis, means rotating said disc, said disc having a peripheral marginal edge portion thereof of reduced thickness forming a recess in its upper surface, said recess of a width equal at least to the width of an article to be fed, the inner wall of said recess defining a shoulder, circumferentially spaced pin projections provided on the floor of said recess, and an outlet ramp disposed in a plane substantially normal to said axis and at an angle to the surface of said disc, said ramp having a lead end portion having its lead edge extending into said recess in substantial contact with the floor thereof, said edge disposed substantially radially relative to said disc and entering said recess at a point below the vertical axis of said housing on the descending side of said disc when rotated, a portion of said ramp immediately below said lead end having a flange on its inner edge and its outer edge inwardly spaced from the wall of said housing, and a nozzle connectable to a source of fluid under pressure supported adjacent said lastnamed ramp portion in position to direct a jet of compressed air against said ramp portion whereby an article moving on said ramp portion with its broken surface upward is shifted by said air jet from said ramp portion into the space between its outer edge and the wall of said housing.