Feeding device for cylindrical tubing

Claim 1

A device for feeding cylindrical tubing to a preselected location at periodic intervals, comprising: a wheel mounted for rotation and having a plurality of circumferenTially spaced teeth thereon, the spacing between the teeth of a size to receive one tubing therein; a cam mounted over a portion of the wheel, the lower surface of the cam engaging the upper periphery of the teeth on the wheel, the upper surface of the cam having a smooth beveled surface, the cam movable in an arc parallel to the periphery of the wheel; an enclosure surrounding the wheel and cam, the enclosure having an open upper end to receive the tubing and a lower opening having overall dimensions larger than the dimensions of the tubing to discharge the tubing; means for displacing the cam in a first and second direction along the arc parallel to the periphery of the wheel to agitate the overlying tubing to break up and prevent log jams and provide a continuous flow of the tubing into the spaces between the teeth as the spaces are exposed to the tubing so that a tube is positioned between each tooth of the wheel; means for rotating the wheel in the first direction when the cam is displaced in the first direction; and means for receiving the tubing as it is dispensed from the lower opening as the wheel rotates to periodically feed the tubing to a preselected location.

Claim 2

A device for feeding cylindrical tubing to a preselected location at periodic intervals, comprising: a wheel mounted for rotation and having a plurality of circumferenTially spaced teeth thereon, the spacing between the teeth of a size to receive one tubing therein; a cam mounted over a portion of the wheel, the lower surface of the cam engaging the upper periphery of the teeth on the wheel, the upper surface of the cam having a smooth beveled surface, the cam movable in an arc parallel to the periphery of the wheel; an enclosure surrounding the wheel and cam, the enclosure having an open upper end to receive the tubing and a lower opening having overall dimensions larger than the dimensions of the tubing to discharge the tubing; means for displacing the cam in a first and second direction along the arc parallel to the periphery of the wheel to agitate the overlying tubing to break up and prevent log jams and provide a continuous flow of the tubing into the spaces between the teeth as the spaces are exposed to the tubing so that a tube is positioned between each tooth of the wheel; means for rotating the wheel in the first direction when the cam is displaced in the first direction; and means for receiving the tubing as it is dispensed from the lower opening as the wheel rotates to periodically feed the tubing to a preselected location.

Claim 3

A device for feeding cylindrical tubing to a preselected location at periodic intervals, comprising: a wheel mounted for rotation in a first direction, said wheel having a plurality of circumferential teeth for carrying tubing therebetween; a cam mounted for reciprocal movement in first and second directions along an arc parallel to the periphery of the wheel, the surface of the cam adjacent to the wheel covering a predetermined number of teeth on the wheel and the surface of the cam facing away from the wheel having beveled opposite ends; means for feeding tubing to said wheel with said tubing overlying the cam and a section of the wheel, said section being sufficiently larger for tubing to be received between at least two teeth; means for sequentially discharging tubing carried by the wheel; means pivotally mounted for rotation in the first and second directions and connected to the cam for reciprocally rotating the cam in the first and second directions; a pawl mounted to the cam rotating means for drivingly engaging the teeth of the wheel to rotate the wheel in the first direction simultaneously with like movement of the cam; means for alternately rotating the cam rotating means in the first and second directions to rotate the wheel and the cam a predetermined distance in the first direction and to rotate the cam a predetermined distance in the second direction, the rotation of the cam in the first or the second direction agitating the overlying tubing to prevent jamming thereof and alternately exposing a section of the wheel at the opposite ends of the cam to guide the agitated tubing between the teeth; and means for receiving tubing discharged from the wheel as the wheel rotates in the first direction to feed the tubing to a preselected location.

Claim 4

A device for feeding cylindrical tubing to a preselected location at periodic intervals, comprising: a wheel mounted for rotation in a first direction, said wheel having a plurality of circumferential teeth for carrying tubing therebetween; a cam mounted for reciprocal movement in first and second directions along an arc parallel to the periphery of the wheel, the surface of the cam adjacent to the wheel covering a predetermined number of teeth on the wheel and the surface of the cam facing away from the wheel having beveled opposite ends; means for feeding tubing to said wheel with said tubing overlying the cam and a section of the wheel, said section being sufficiently larger for tubing to be received between at least two teeth; means for sequentially discharging tubing carried by the wheel; means pivotally mounted for rotation in the first and second directions and connected to the cam for reciprocally rotating the cam in the first and second directions; a pawl mounted to the cam rotating means for drivingly engaging the teeth of the wheel to rotate the wheel in the first direction simultaneously with like movement of the cam; means for alternately rotating the cam rotating means in the first and second directions to rotate the wheel and the cam a predetermined distance in the first direction and to rotate the cam a predetermined distance in the second direction, the rotation of the cam in the first or the second direction agitating the overlying tubing to prevent jamming thereof and alternately exposing a section of the wheel at the opposite ends of the cam to guide the agitated tubing between the teeth; and means for receiving tubing discharged from the wheel as the wheel rotates in the first direction to feed the tubing to a preselected location.