Orienter for square cylinders

Claim 1

In a vibratory feeder having an output path with an inside edge elevated above a lower input region, an orienter in the region of said output path for axially orienting uniform cylinders having a length-to-diameter ratio of substantially one, said orienter comprising: a. a guide plate having a bottom edge in close proximity to said output path and substantially parallel with said inside edge of said output path, said guide plate extending upward from said output path; b. means for adjusting the lateral distance between said bottom edge of said guide plate and said inside edge of said output path; c. said guide plate having an obliquely upward facing surface inclined to extend upward and away from said inside edge with increasing distance above said output path; d. a wiper plate mounted above said obliquely upward facing inclined surface of said guide plate; e. means for adjusting the height of said wiper plate above said output path; f. said wiper plate being inclined to extend upward and toward said inside edge with increasing distance above said output path; and g. said guide plate and said wiper plate cooperating with each other to provide means for allowing the cylinders having axes aligned with said inside edge to move along said output path between said inside edge and said guide plate and underneath said wiper plate with a cylindrical side portion overhanging said obliquely upward facing inclined surface of said guide plate while the cylinders having axes transverse to said inside edge are forced over said inside edge by said bottom edge of said guide plate to fall to said lower region and are tilted by said obliquely upward facing inclined surface of said guide plate to tip over said inside edge to fall to said lower region and any of said transversely oriented cylinders reaching said wiper plate are tilted by said obliquely upward facing inclined surface of said guide plate so as to engage said wiper plate and are then tipped over said inside edge to fall to said lower region.