US2003519A - Apparatus for arranging articles - Google Patents

Description

June 4, 1935.

M. SCHNAIER 2,003,519

APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING ARTICLES Filed March 24, 1951 4 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR M1101 Jc'finawr ATTORNEYS June 4, 1935. M: SCHNAIER 2,003,519

' APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING ARTICLES Filed March 24, 1931 4 sheets-Shae; 2

June 4, 1935; M. SCHNAIER 2,003,519

APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING ARTICLES Filed March 24, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTQR I Audvadk ATTORNEYS A a m ,m a

M ilion Job/web" h R 4. \N.@. T h A: E N

June 4, 1935. M. SCHNAIER APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING ART ICLES 'Filed March 24, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v INVENTOR M75022 Johnaaler- ATTORNEYS Patented June 4, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 19 Claims.

My present invention relates-to the art of arranging articles, and while capable of use in many. fields, is especially concerned with the handling of flat elongated articles such as splints or handle sticks, particularly withthe problem of arranging them backto'back in a neat row or stack.

Splints of this character are used in the manufracture of frozen handled confections inaccordance with my Patent No. 1,764,282 and are delivered from the. factory in relatively large cartons having all of the sticks arranged in roughly parallel relationship therein, the packing in the cartons being usually done by hand. When the cartons of sticks arereceived by the confection manufacturer, they are again manually handled, as for instance manually placed in rows'in charging the magazines of a stick dispensing mechanism, such as that shown in my copending application Serial No. 516,525, filed February 17, 1931.

In accordance with the present invention, I 1 have provided an apparatus which will take a large supply of the sticks or splints, which may be arranged in roughly parallel relationship, or may be fed gravitationally into a'hopper from one of the large cartons in which they are ordinarily packed and will remove the sticks one by one from the hopper, arrange them in a neat row, back to back, and with their ends properly aligned. 1

Obviouslythis mechanism for taking a loosely l grouped stick supply and lining up the sticks in rows, may have varied fields of usefulness. The 5 mechanism may permit the packaging of narrow, nat cartons with single rows of sticks directly at the factory and thereby materially reduce the cost of such stick packages to the consumer. On the other hand, if the sticks are shipped in the g customary large thoxes to the manufacturers, it

is a very cor'zvenient matter to arrange the sticks in rows with my machine thereby materially expediting and facilitating the charging of the magazine of a stick dispensing mechanism.

In fact, the invention has for an .cbject, not only the proper arrangement of the sticks in'rows but the proper feed of the rows of sticks into position where they may be readily engaged in a stick magazine or other receiver.

'Another object is to provide a machine of the character described above, which is of ex- Y tremely simple, practical, u ed, durable construction, well suited to meet the requirements of economical manufacture, substantially foolproof inoperation, requiring no attendance by a skilled operator and capable of operating at speeds which will permit a small stick arranging machine to supply sticks for a great number of stick dispensing machines.

Other general objects are to provide a machine 5 in which the likelihood of the relatively fragile sticks becoming jammed or splintered or otherwise injured, is reduced to a minimum; a machine which requires but little power for its operation and a machine of such small compact 10 construction that it may be conveniently shipped and set up and operated in whatever small space may be available in a shop or manufacturing plant.

Another object is to provide a machine which will not only arrange the sticks but which will at the same time, mark upon the sticks any appropriate legend, such for instance, as'the trademark or trade name of the handled articles to be manufactured. The provision of such printing or marking mechanism in association with this type of machine, completely obviates the need for hand printing at the stick factory.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the machine consists generally of a stick hopper in which the sticks are placed or into which the sticks feed by gravity, in roughly parallel relationship. A transfer device receives the sticks at the hopper and in the course of its further movement, brings them intoposition at the end of the row of previously arranged sticks at which point the stick is ejected or otherwise positively removed from the pick up mechanism and the pick up mechanism continues its movement working back to the hop-v per to receive another stick and carry it around and place it on the end of the row.

i In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the stick handling device consists of a rotary drum having stick receiving grooves lengthwise of its surface, this drum being moved step by step. At each step, the stick which has reached a position to be applied on" the end of the row, is kicked 011 the drum by suitable kicker mechanism, so that the transfer 45.

from the drum is positive.

When marking mechanism is employed, it is operated during the periods of rest of the drum to print or otherwise mark the particular stick which happens to be thereunder. This printing mechanism is operated in synchronism with'the step by step drum feed and the intermittently. acting kickers. While the marking mechanism may assume many forms, one simple embodiment consists of a heated printing device having characters in relief thereon, which, when moved into engagement with thesticks burn the desired legend or other indicia therein.

For loading the magazine of a stick dispensing mechanism, I preferably provide a long trackway in which the ends of the row of sticks ,travel as they are gradually advanced by the action of the kickers, the opposite ends of the sticks projecting for convenient engagement with a receiver.

The machine prevents the sticks from toppling over as they are arranged on edge on the support and guide plate to which they have been transferred by the drum. Preferably the newly arranged row of sticks is held under a continuous compacting pressure so that the warping tendency of the sticks which might make for looseness in the row is substantially overcome and a uniform number of. sticks are present in any givenlength of the row.

The invention may be more fully understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a broken side elevational view of a machine embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the opposite side of the machine from that shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view through-the machine, taken approximately on the line' 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing the position of the drum operating ratchet mechanism, 'the cam operated carrier mechanism and the cam operated printing mechanism,

'after the drum has been advanced one step from the position of Fig. 3 and has come to rest,

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Flgl 5 showing the position of the parts an instant later, with the kickeroperating to displace. one stick from the drum,

Fig. 'I is a similar view showing the position of the parts upon slight further rotation of the operating shaft. In this view, the kickers have been retracted by their springs and the printing device moved to printing position, and the pawl for the drum is ascending on its idle stroke moving back toward the position of 3,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of-a stick magazine adapted to be filled from the track into which the rows of sticks are fed'from the machine,

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary top plan view. of the track showing the manner in which the sticks are removed therefrom by the magazine,

Fig. 10 is a transverse, sectional view taken approximately on the line Ill-ll of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the frictional drag member which is slidably mounted upon the stick receiving track.

Referring with particularity to the drawings,

the machine is mounted upon a bed plate or or may be provided with feet or flanges I l at its ends, resting upon a supporting table. Secured upon the bed plate II, are a pair of longitudinally extending, spaced, parallel, frame castings, indicated generally at H. These frame castings which are suitably webbed to give strength without surplus weight, each include a low side plate i3, spaced slightly above the bed plate In and provided at each end with an outwardly turned foot l4, bolted or otherwise secured as at H to the bed plate. Rising from the frame plates [3, are integral standards 15 which serve to provide bearings for various shafts of the machine.

The intermediate portions of the standards provide bearings I! for the ends of a horizontal drum shaft I8, to which is keyed the hub ll! of a hollow transfer drum 2|]. This drum with its hub and its spokes 2| preferably constitutes an integral casting.

Centrally of the side plates [3, the castings l2 provide bearings for a horizontal main shaft 22. On one end of this shaft, there is mounted a pulley 23 driven through an endless, flexible driving device 24 from a smaller pulley 25, mounted on the drive shaft 26 of an electric motor 21, secured upon the bed plate l0.

Forwardly and slightly above'the main shaft 22 side plates i3 provide bearings 28 for a rock shaft 29 upon which are fixed the kicker arms 30, the latter being actuated as will be later described, from cams 3| keyed to the main shaft 22. Disposed directly above the drum and having hearings in the tops of the standards 16 is a horizontal shaft 32 carrying a rejector, roll 33, arranged above and closely adjacent the periphery of the drum 20. Shaft 32 may be driven through the intermediacy of a belt or other endless flexible driving device 34, the belt connecting a pulley 35 on the shaft 33, with a second pulley 36 fixed upon the main shaft 22.

For imparting a step by step rotary motion to the drum 20, that end of the drum shaft opposite the pulleys has a ratchet wheel 31 fixed thereto. The pawl or dog'38 which drives the ratchet wheel 31 is pivotally mounted at the outer end of a lever 39, said lever being provided at its opposite end'with a hub or eye 40, (Fig. 2) which encircles the drum shaft l8 and is secured in place thereon by a collar 4|.

operate the ratchet by the pawl, is illustratively effected through the intermediacy of a crank arm 42, having its upper end pivoted as at 43, to the intermediate portion of lever 39 and its lower end pivotally connected to the driving pin 44, eccentrically projecting from the end of the main shaft 22.

The supply ofsticks to the drum is from a hopper, indicated generally at H. This hopper has an inclined bottom plate 45 terminating subi general contour of the drum and the uppercnds of the rear edges of the side plates are connected by a flanged cross piece 41.

Proper support for this hopper structure is afforded by an inverted U-shaped frame 48, the

lower ends of the legs of which are bolted as at 2 49 to the side plate, l4 of the castings I2 and the upper horizontal portion of which is bolted to the forward ends of inclined angle iron rails 50, on which the hopper bottom rests. The side plates or wings 45-0f the hopper have their forward ends apertured to receive the shaft 32 upon which the pressure roller is mounted. The hopper bottom is extended on up the tracks or rails 50, the upper outer ends of these rails being connected by a cross. piece 5| and the intermediate portion of the rails being supported on angle iron standards 52 rising from the bed plate H}.

The space between the U-frame 48, standards 52, the bed plate In and the hopper bottom 45 serves to accommodate the driving motor 21 of The oscillation of the lever 39, which is required to the machine in'a substantially protected position. This arrangement of the motor contributes of course, toward compactness of construction.

The rearwardly and upwardly inclined platform defined by the rails and the rearward extension of the hopper bottom, serve as a convenient support upon which a carton 53 containing sticks, may be mounted. As suggested above, these cartons have the sticks packed therein in generally parallel relationship and by ,i merely opening the forward end of the carton and placing it in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, plate 41 serves as an abutment for the front end of the carton, while the lower corners are embraced by the rails 50. The sticks descend by gravity from the carton into the hopper and-tend to pile up against the'surface of the drum.

Arranged at the side of the drum, opposite the hopper, is a receiving table 54. This table is horizontally disposed at an elevation slightly below the horizontal diametric axis of the drum with an edge of the table closely adjacent the drum surface. In order to support this table a pair of horizontal angle support bars 55 are provided, their downwardly turned, flanged rear ends 56 being bolted or otherwise secured at 51 upon the cal webs of the casting standards l6, Additional rigidity is lent to the platform structure by the provision of an angle iron standard 58 having a foot 59 bolted to the bed plate near one end thereof, as indicated at 50, and its top bolted as indicated at El to the platform.

Referring now to the drum itself, the outer I surface of this member is provided with a regularly spaced series of closely adjacent grooves 62, parallel to the drum axis and shaped to receive individual flat sticks which the drum picks up in the hopper H, and carries around to the table 54. Near the edges of the drum, the grooves 62 and the ribs 63, which separate them, are interrupted by a pair of relatively deep, peripheral grooves 64, the purpose of which is to accommodate the upper working ends of the kickers 30 so that the ends of the kickers can get behind the sticks S and shift them from the drum on to the table. As best seen in Fig. 4, the intermediate portions of the kicker levers 30 are attached at 65 to coiled contractile springs 66, anchored as at 61 to the frame castings and normally tending to hold the upper ends of the kickers within the drum grooves 64. The free working ends of these kicking arms or levers are notched as at 68 to accommodate the sticks which they engage. As a stick is carried off the drum by the kickers it ratchets over the spring latches I00, having cam faces lllfl to permit the passage of the stick. These latches snap into place after the stick has advanced beyond them into the table and keep the stick, which is now on edge, from toppling back against the drum.

The kicker arms 30 are actuated once at every revolution of the main shaft 22 and to this end the operating cams 3| are provided with a single .high point 3h. The cams 3| coact with one or two crank arms 69 fixed upon the rock shaft 29 and mounting rollers 10 in theirends, which are held-pressed against the surface or surfaces of the cams by the spring 66 above referred to. The drum is advanced one step by the ratchet and pawl mechanism at each revolution of the main shaft, due to the fact that the pawl carrying lever 39 is operated from the crank link 42, which in turn is connected directly to the main shaft by the eccentric stud which the latter carries.

In order to prevent over-throw or over-running of the drum in its step by step movement, I utilize a brake shoe ll mounted on the free end of a lever 12, fulcrumed at 13 on one of the standards 16. In order to press this brake shoe continuously against the inner surface of the drum and thereby maintain a continuous frictional drag thereon which prevents over-running, the lever 12 is connected to a pendantlink I4, continually spring pressed downwardly. The desired pressure may be exerted in various ways and I'have illustratively shown the link as provided with an outwardly struck apertured foot I5, slidably mounted upon the stem 16 of a headed screw ll fixed in one of the casting side plates l3. A coiled expansion spring 18 encircles the screw 16, bearing at one end against the screw head 11 and at its other end against the link foot 15, thereby exerting a downward pull on the link. The tension of this spring which controls the drag of the "brake may be readily adjusted by merely turning the screw I8.

I have illustrated herein, a simple form of apparatus for printing or marking upon the sticks as they are carried by the drum from the hopper to the table. This printing apparatus consists of a transversely extending head 80, the ends of which are carried by but insulated from the shorter ends 8| of bell crank levers. The elbows of these levers are pivoted upon the pressure roll shaft 32, laterally beyond the pressure roll and the longer ends 82 of the levers extend downwardly nearly to the base plate of the machine and carry rollers 83 for coacti'on with cams 84, fixed upon the main shaft 22. The rollers are held against the cams by springs 83%. Printing head 89 is preferably removably secured to the ends of its carrier arms 8| as by screws 85. It carries printing type 86in relief on its lower face.

While it is within the scope of the invention to use printing'or marking mechanism of any character whatsoever, such for instance, as proper inked or seIf-inking'"type, I find that one particularly simple expedient for marking wooden sticks is simply to mount a heating unit 8'l,in the printing head and to maintain the type at such a heat that they will burn the desired indicia into the sticks. The present invention is not concerned with the details of the heating unititself and the latter may be entirely conventional, in-

cluding anything from a flame jet heated apparatus to an electrical resistance unit of the incandescent wire type.. In fact; I prefer to utilize standard, self-contained electrical heating units which may be bought upon the open market and applied bodily to the printing head.

Insofar as that portion of the drum which lies 'within the hopper is concerned, the inadvertent displacement bygravity jogging or otherwise of a stick, is relatively unimportant. After the sticks have passed under the rejector roller, however, and are clear of the hopper, it is highly desirable to prevent the displacement of the sticks from the drum until the sticks actually reach their stacking or discharging position. The step by step movement of the drum itself, is of necessity, accompanied by a relatively sudden stoppage thereof, which might throw a stick onto the table before it had reached its discharging position in the absence of some means to positively prevent such an occurrence.

With this end in view, I provide a retaining mechanism to insure the retention of the sticksin the grooves from the time they passunder the rejection roller until the time they are ejected by the kicker arms 30. Obviously this retainer mech-.

anism may assume manyforms but I have illustratively shown an arcuate finger 90 lying against the surface of the drum and having its upper end pivotally connected at 9| to a horizontal cross piece 92 disposed above the drum and terminating in downwardly turned ends 93 riveted or otherwise firmly secured as at 94 to the webs of the casting standards I6. The desired spring pressure of theretainer finger 90 is afiorded by a torsional spring 95 having its'ends encircling a horizontal pin 96 which is arranged on the cross piece 92. The central portion 97 of this torsional spring is bent into substantially elongated U- shaped form lying along the finger 90 and acting to press the finger against the drum.

A yielding retainer device is preferred, due to the fact that it may be manually lifted up against the action of the spring for purposes of removing defective sticks observed by an operator and preventing such sticks from reaching their final position in the assembled row.

The mechanism which is provided for receivingthe sticks as they are ejected from the drum and for guiding the row of sticks as one stick after another is applied to the end thereof, and another row pushed along by the kickers may assume various forms.

To receive the sticks immediately as they leave the drum and snap past the latches I 00, there are provided a pair of longitudinally extending angle members IOI, secured upon the table and cooperating therewith to constitute guides for the ends of the sticks. Associated with these members, are flared guiding ears I02, projecting upwardly from the table adjacent the drum. These guides serve to engage the ends of the sticks and move them to a correctly centered position before they are ejected from the drum to the end that all of the sticks of the completed row may be in'substantially exact endwise alignment.

In order to afiord a resistance to the advance of the row of sticks and further to prevent toppling over of the first stick or sticks of the row, from their on-edge position, I provide an inertia block I03 (Fig. 4) against which the first stick is pushed by the ejector fingers 30. This block slides over the table and then slides along the fiat Ushaped guide channel G, which is secured upon its side and constitutes a continuation of the stick guiding means IOI, IOI.

guide channel to the table by means'of the screws,

I08 and wing nuts I09. That portion of the guide channel G, which overlies the table'proper, has its lower side plate I05 cut away. The line of abutment between this side plate and the end of the table is indicated at H in Fig. 4. The width of the plates I'05is considerably less than the length of 'the sticks to be guided and it will be apparent from Fig. 2, that the sticks which are originally guided at both ends by the members IOI after passing into the channel G are guided only at one end thereby. By the time they reach the guide channel, the sticks are in a compact row, pressed against the sliding inertia block I03 and the continued advance of the stick row may be effected without any danger of the sticks working their way out of the guide GL As the inertia block reaches the end of the table, it engages the slidable spring tension clamp C, increasing tension on the row of sticks. This clamp shown in perspective in Fig. 11, and

in section in Fig. 10, includes a generally U- shaped portion I II tostraddle the guide channel. One straddling leg H2 is provided with an inwardly turned hooked portion H3 to engage under the guide and to prevent displacement of a flat spring H4, welded or otherwise secured at its center to theleg H2. This spring which bears against the block I01, serves to provide the desired frictional opposition to sliding movement of the clamp. The other leg H5 of the clamp is provided with an inwardly struck projection H6, traveling in the open mouth of the guide channel and an offset handle member H1, at the end of the leg H5, facilitates the manual sliding of the clamp along the channel, for a purpose which will more fully hereinafter appear. It will be evident from Fig. 4 of the drawings, that the movement of the clamp in one direction is limited by the table 54 and that the clamp may be moved completely off the guide by sliding it in the other direction.

Any suitable means may be utilized for supporting the free end of the guide member G. I have illustratively shown a telescopic standard H0, pivoted at H9 to a bracket I20, secured to the under face of the channel. Inasmuch as it is desirable to separate the channel member from the machine for purposes of compactness in shipment, the channel may be formed of as many hingedly connected sections as desired, with which may be associated any number of standards in accordance with the length of the row of sticks which it is desired to assemble in the channel before removing them and charging the magazmes.

Fig. 8 shows one typical form of magazine having room for two rows of sticks therein and adapted for use in connection with a stick emplacing and centering machine of the character illustrated in my copending application Serial No. 516,525, filed February 17, 1931. This magazine consists of a pair of stick receiving channelsI20, connected at their ends by suitable cross pieces I2I and the magazine being provided at its corners with suitable brackets or other strengthening castings such as I22, The mechanism by which a row of sticks may be fed along the magazine channels and ejected one by one therefrom, constitutes no part of the present invention and is not herein illustrated. The manner of filling the channels of the magazine with a row of sticks is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 9, wherein it will be observed that the spring clip and inertia weight have been removed by sliding them beyond the end of the channel I 04 and one of the channels I20 has been moved so that itembraces the projecting ends of the most advanced section of the row of sticks in the channel I04.

to carry its charge of sticks out of the channel I04.

A carton 53 containing a supply of sticks S, has one end or aportion one end thereof broken away and is then em laced on the inclined receiving platform 45,. 50. In this position the forward movement of the carton is blocked by the crosspiece 41. Inadvertent lateral movement thereof is prevented by the rails 50 and the opening'in the carton end connects freely with the hopper so that the sticks descend by gravity into the hopper and pile up against the drum 20 in roughly parallel relationship. The inertia block I03 is slid to a position where it abuts the latches I00 and the motor is started.

The arrangement of the stick grooves relatively close together in the drum is not only advantageous from the standpoint of the larger number of sticks which the drum can carry, but also provides between the stick grooves relatively narrow teeth or ribs, which are eifective'to overcome any tendency of the stack of sticks to find a position of rest and let the drum slide past them. In other words, the ribs have a function as jogger's or tumblers to agitate or disturb the pile of sticks in the event that they come to rest with resultant improper feed of the sticks to the transfer drum. The drum'or ratchet and pawl mechanism above described, is moved step by step. The grooves of the drum are of the proper size to conveniently accommodate only a single stick. In the event, however, that two sticks adhere together or excess sticks have, for any reason, started to travel with the drum, they are wiped off and knocked back into the hopper by the rejector roller 33. This roller is rotating in the same direction as the drum with the result that the adjacent faces of the roller and drum are moving in opposite directions.

After the sticks have been-carried under the drum, and printed upon, they reach their discharge position, at which time they are positively engaged by the kickers 30 moved off of the drum and beyond the latches l00.- The first stick to leave the .drum, is moved against the inertia block and this block and .the latch hold the stick on edge and against toppling over. As the operation is repeated with additional sticks, a row ofsticks is gradually built up, each movement the position of the kicker mechanism, printing mechanism and drum advancing mechanism, substantially throughout one complete revolution of ,the main shaft. In Fig. 3 it will be observed that the crank arm 42 has just. about reached the top of its stroke and that the pawl 38 is engaged with the ratchet wheel and ready to advance the ratchet. The cam 84 is holding the printing head 80 out of printing position and the kicker Fig. 6 shows the position of the parts where upon a slight further rotationof the main shaft, the kicker cam 3| has come into action and the kickers have picked up the stick and are moving it over the latch I00. Here the printing head is still out of position and the crank arm 42 is just about to start upwardly on its idle stroke.

Fig. '7 shows the parts with the shaft slightly advanced from the position of Fig. 6, with the crank arm making its idle stroke and the kicker cam moyed to a position where the kicker arms are restored by their spring and with the printing cam just coming into operation to permit the printing head to be drawn to printing position by the action of its control spring. Continued operation of the rotation of the main shaft will restore the parts to the position of Fig. 3 and repeat the process. It will be understood, of course, that while the crank is moving from the-position of Fig. 6, to substantially the position of Fig. 3, the drum will be securely held against rotation by the action of its brake.

It will thus be seen that there is herein described apparatus in which the several features of this invention are embodied, and which apparatus in its action attains the various objects of the invention and is well suited to meet the requirements of practical use.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown-in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I a plurality of stick receiving grooves in its periphery parallel to its axis of rotation, a receiving apparatus uponwhich the sticks are emplaced on edge, one after the other, to form a row, ejector fingers for moving the sticks from the wheel onto the receiver, said fingers being disposed approximately tangentially of the wheel andsaid wheel having circumferential grooves therein receiving the working ends of the fingers,

and cam'means operating the ejector fingers, the cam means being operative to actuate the ejector fingers while the wheel is at rest.

2. In a machine of the class described, a hopper, adapted to contain a plurality of articles to be arranged, a table upon which the articles are to be arranged, an article carrying drum for transferring articles from the hopper to the table; means for imparting a step by step movement to the l m, and a brake mechanism including a spring pressed brake shoe exerting a continuous frictional drag on the drum whereby to prevent civerrunning of the latter.

3. In a machine of the class described, a hopper, adapted to contain a plurality of articles to be arranged, a table upon which the rticles are to be arranged, an article carryi ng" drum for transferring articles from the hopper to the table, means for imparting a step by Step movement to the drum, and ejector means including an operative portion normally lying within circumferential grooves in the drum and operative during stitutes part of the hopper, said wheel having periods of rest of the drum to eject an article from the drum bu to the table.

4. In a machine of the class described, a hopper adapted to contain a plurality of elongated articles to be arranged, a table upon which the articles are to be arranged, an article carrying drumfor transferring articles from the hopper to the table, means for' imparting a step, by step movement to the drum, stationary cam means for guiding the articles into end to end alignment with each other as they are carried from the hopper to the table, and means for guiding the initial movement of the articles over the table.

5. In a machine of the class described, a hopper, adapted to receive aplurality of flat splints or the like and a transfer wheel, a portion of theperiphery of which constitutes part of the hopper, said wheel having a plurality of grooves in its periphery parallel to its axis of rotation and of .sufficient depth to receive a stick, a receiving apparatus upon which the sticks are emplaced on edge, one after the other, to form a row, the drum havinga relatively narrow peripheral groove in its surface and an ejector for moving the sticks out of their carrier grooves, said ejector when in inoperative position, lying in said peripheral groove.

6. In a machine of the class described, a hopper, adapted to contain a plurality of articles to be arranged, a table upon which the articles are to be arranged, an article carrying drum for transferring articles from the hopper to the table, means for imparting a step by step movement to the drum, an inertia member yieldingly opposing the emplacement of the articles-on the table, an ejector means for removing articles from the drum and forcing them on to the table against the action of said inertia means and means for positively actuating the ejectors to overcome the inertia of the inertia means as each article is forced onto the table against a previously ejected one.

'7. In a machine of the class described, a hopper adapted to contain a plurality of articles to be arranged, a table upon which the articles are to be arranged, an article carrying drum for transferring articles from the hopper to the table,

. means for imparting a step by step movement to the drum, an inertia member yieldingly opposing the emplacement of the articles on the table, and a positive ejector means for forcing the articles on to the table against the action of said inertia means, said articles being delivered on edge and means coacting with said inertia means to prevent toppling over of the articles.

8. In a machine of the class described, a hopper adapted to contain a plurality of articles to be arranged, a table upon which the articles are to be arranged, an article carrying drum for transferring articles from the hopper to the table, means for imparting a step by step movement tothe drum, an inertia member yieldingly opposing the emplacement of the articles on the table, and a positive ejector means for forcing the articles on to the table against the action of said inertia means, said articles being delivered on edge and means coacting with said inertia means to prevent toppling over of the articles, said last mentioned means comprising a spring latch depressed as the articles are placed on the table and springing behind the articles after they have been advanced to a predetermined position by the ejector means.

9. In a machine of the class described, a table,

means to deliver a plurality of flat sticks one at atime on edge on the table. guide means on the table for guiding the initial movement of the row of sticks thus assembled, said guide means embracing the ends of the sticks, a secondary guide means extending beyond the table and arranged to receive one end of the sticks only, whereby the other ends of the sticks project therebeyond for convenient engagement with a magazine to be charged.

10. In a 'machine of the class described, a table, means to deliver a plurality of flat sticks one at a time on edge on the table, guide means on the table for guiding the initial movement of the row of sticks thus assembled, said guide means embracing the ends of the sticks, a secondary guide means extending beyond the table and arranged to receive one end of the sticks only, whereby the other ends of the sticks project therebeyond for convenient engagement with a magazine to be charged, said second mentioned guide means comprising a. fiat channel guide removably secured upon the table and having its under flange constituting a reduced extension of the table.

11. In a machine of the class described, a drum having a pair of peripheral grooves in its surface, said drum having article receiver pockets in its surface shallower than and intersected by its grooves, a pair of ejector fingers lying in the grooves when in inoperative position, and means for moving the fingers through and beyond the pockets to eject articles therefrom.

12. Ina machine of the class described, a drum having a pair of peripheral grooves in its surface, said drum having article receiver pockets in its surface shallower than and intersected by its grooves, a pair of ejector fingers lying in the grooves when in inoperative position, and means for moving the fingers through and beyond the pockets to eject articles therefrom, and means for imparting a step by step motion to the drum and means for actuating the fingers during each period of rest of the drum.

13. Guiding and collecting apparatus for a stick arranging. mechanism of the class described, in-

cluding means to receive and guide the ends of a plurality of fiat sticks arranged on edge, means to prevent toppling over of the sticks and means to yieldingly oppose the advance of the row of sticks as additional sticks are applied to the end of the row thereof, and means beyond said first mentioned guiding means to guide one end of the sticks only, whereby the other ends of the sticks are exposed for engagement with a stick receiving device. 7

14. Guiding and collecting apparatus for a stick arranging mechanism of the class described, including means to receive and guide the ends of a plurality of flat sticks arranged on edge, means to prevent toppling over of the sticks and means to yieldingly oppose the advance of the row of sticks as additional sticks are applied to the end of the row thereof, and means beyond said first mentioned guiding means to guide one end of the sticks only, whereby the other ends of the sticks are exposed for engagement with a stick receiving device, said second mentioned guide means being open at its ends whereby the projecting ends of the sticks may be engaged in a receiving device and a plurality of sticks slid bodily and simultaneously out of the end of the guide.

15. Guiding and collecting apparatus for a stick arranging mechanism of the class described, including means to receive and guide the ends of a p ura y f flat sticks arranged on edge, means to prevent toppling over of the sticks and means to yieldingly oppose the advance of the row of sticks as additional sticks are applied to the end of the row thereof, and means beyond said first.

mentioned guiding means to guide one end of the sticks only, whereby the other ends of the sticks are exposed for engagement with a stick receiving device, said second mentioned guide means being open at its ends whereby the projecting ends of the sticks may be engaged in a receiving device and a plurality of sticks slid bodily and simultaneously out of the end of the guide, and a spring clip slidable along the guide and opposing frictional resistance to the movement of the sticks in the guide.

16. Guiding and collecting apparatus for a stick arranging mechanism of the class described, including means to receive and guide the ends of a plurality of flat sticks arranged onv edge, means to prevent toppling over of the sticks and means to yieldingly oppose the advance of the row of sticks as additional sticks are applied to the end of the row thereof, and means beyond said first mentioned guiding means to guide one end of the sticks only, whereby the other ends of the sticks are exposed for engagement with a stick receiving device, said second mentioned guide means being open at its ends whereby the projecting ends of the sticks may be engaged in a receiving device and a plurality of sticks slid bodily and simultaneously out of the end of the guide,

and a spring clip slidable along the guide and opposing frictional resistance to the movement of the sticks in the guide, said clip mechanism being also bodily slidable overthe open end of the guide to permit of the removal of'the sticks therefrom.

17. In a machine of the class described a hopper adapted to receive a plurality of elongated articles, a. transfer wheel, a portion of which con-' stitutes part of the hopper, said wheel having a plurality of transverse grooves in its periphery to receive the articles, means to retain articles inthe grooves until they have been carried beyond the hopper by the wheel and means for positively dislodsing the articles from the grooves after they have been carried a predetermined distance by the wheel, comprising ejector fingers to engage an article and force it radially beyond the periphery of the wheel, said wheel having peripheral grooves therein, deeper than the article receiving grooves and accommodating the working ends of the ejector fingers.

18. In a'machine of the class described a hopper adapted to receive a plurality of elongated articles, a transfer wheel, .a portion of which constitutes part of the hopper, said wheel having a plurality of transverse grooves in its periphery to receive the articles, means to retain articles in the grooves until they'have been carried beyond the hopper by the wheel and means for positively dislodging the articles from the grooves after they have been carried a predetermined distance by the wheel, comprising ejector fingers to engage an article and force it radially beyond the periphery of the wheel, said wheel having pe-. ripheral grooves therein, deeper than the article receiv g oves and accommodating the working ends of the ejector fingers, said fingers being pivoted at their opposite ends and means to rock the fingers about their pivots to effect ejection of an article from the wheel.

19. In a machine of the class described, a hopper adapted to receive a supply of flat splints, a table upon which the splints are to be arranged, means for removing the splints from the hopper and placing them one at a time on edge on the table and means for holding each splint on edge after it has been placed on the table, including an inertia member against which the splints forced, and latch means toward which the splints are forced as they are deposited on the table, said latch means and said inertia means coacting to prevent tilting over of the splints in eitherdirection. v

- MILTON SCHNAIER.

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