US2964891A - Article inserting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 20, 1960 M. c. SMITH El'AL ARTICLE INSERTING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 29, 1958 INVENTORS MORKISC SMITH Mal/1M KBARLOW ATTORN Y &

IT ll H Dec. 20, 1960 M. (3. SMITH ETAL 2,964,891

ARTICLE INSERTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 29, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS I MORRIS a SMITH 7 l g 2 WILL/AM KBARLOW 1477 0 NEY Dec. 20, 1960 M. c. SMITH El'AL 2,954,891

ARTICLE INSERTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 29, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INV ENTORS l/6 MORRIS c. SMITH WILLIAMKEARLOW ATTORN Y Dec. 20, 1960 M. c. SMITH ETAL 2,964,891

ARTICLE INSERTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 29. 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS ATTORN niwd S a e P ten 2,964,891 ARTICLE INSERTING APPARATUS Morris C. Smith, Montoursville, and- William R. Barlow,

Muncy, Pa., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Sylvania Electric Products Inc., Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 758,060

6 Claims. (Cl. 53-442) This invention relates generally to apparatus for inserting articles into apertures provided therefore in a suitable mounting member. More particularly, this invention relates to apparatus for simultaneously plugging a plurality of electric lamps into apertures provided therefor in a lamp sleeve. Although this invention is described below and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings with particular reference to the manufacture of photoflash lamps, its adaptability to analogous uses will be readily apparent ,to those skilled in the art.

In the merchandising of photoflash lamps, one form of lamp package consists of an inner sleeve provided with a plurality of apertures into which a plurality of lamps are plugged and an outer sleeve which serves as a pro tective cover for the lamps in the inner sleeve. After lamp manufacturing operations have been completed, and prior to packaging the lamps in this manner, the lamps are usually subjected to several quality checks and tests. The general practice has usually been to have operators perform these checks and tests on semi-automatic equipment, with the operator who performs the last test also assuming the task of manually plugging the lamps into the aforementioned inner sleeve. However, with the development of fully automatic testing equipment and the attendant substantial increase in the speed with which these operations are performed, the manual lamp-plugging operation became a serious production bottleneck.

In view of the foregoing, a principal object of this invention is to automatically plug lamps in apertures therefor in a lamp sleeve.

Another object is to provide apparatus for automatically plugging lamps in apertures therefor in a lamp sleeve.

A further object is to provide apparatus for automatically plugging lamps in apertures therefor on opposite sides of a lamp sleeve.

A further object is to provide apparatus for automatically plugging lamps in apertures therefor on opposite sides of a lamp sleeve simultaneously.

Another object is to provide apparatus of the aforementioned type in which the several lamps are plugged into the lamp sleeve to the same depth.

A further object is to provide apparatus of the aforementioned type in which the several lamps are plugged into the lamp sleeve to the same depth regardless of variations in the over-all length of the lamps, i.e., from the lower peripheral edge of the bases to the top of the bulbs.

These and other objects, advantages and features are attained, in accordance with the principles of this invention, by a pair of similar cooperating assemblies disposed on opposite sides of a lamp sleeve seated in and supported by a suitable fixture. The lamp sleeve is of the type shown in the co-pending application of A. Rosenblatt, Serial Number D. 41,098, filed April 17, 1956, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

Each of these assemblies comprises a cylinder block through which a plurality of pistons extend. A suction cup is mounted on one end of each piston, the other end of the piston being connected to a source of vacuum. The several suction cups serve as the means for transferring lamps from a feeding area to the sleeve into which they are plugged. Lamp feeding means and lamp orienting means are located in the feeding area. The lamp feeding means includes an escapement mechanism for passing the required number of lamps at the proper time to the lamp orienting means. The lamp orienting means includes a lamp elevator mechanism which raises the lamps to a position where the lower peripheral edges of the bases of the several lamps will be caused to lie in the same horizontal plane. Variations in over-all lamp length are automatically compensated for by displacement of the pistons which carry the suction cups. After this compensation has been efiected, the suction cups grip the lamps, and the cylinder block rotates and advances to plug the lamps into the lamp sleeve. Before the actual plugging is effected, the several pistons are frozen in position to insure the maintenance of the several bases in the same relative position. Thus each lamp base is inserted the same distance into the aperture provided therefor in the lamp sleeve. This insures proper packaging; no lamp is inserted so far that it will damage the sleeve, and no lamp will be insecurely seated.

In the specific embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the lamp plugging apparatus.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section,

of the apparatus for plugging lamps into one side of the lamp sleeve, showing the lamp feeding means and lamp orienting means, with the cylinder block and its related parts shown in the pickup position.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the apparatus for plugging lamps into one side of the lamp sleeve, the cylinder block and its related parts being shown in the lamp plugging position. J

Figure 4 is a detail of the rack and pinion mechanism through which rotational movement is imparted to the cylinder block, the view being taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the cylinder block, showing particularly the chambers therein, the valve stem and its actuating means.

Referring now to thedrawings, particularly Figure 1 thereof, the lamp inserting apparatus comprises a pair of similar cooperating assemblies disposed on opposite sides of a lamp sleeve 1 and designed to pick up several lamps at a time from a supply thereof and insert them into the sleeve on both sides thereof simultaneously. The several cooperating mechanisms employed to perform this work are mounted on a large work surface, table 10. The table 10 is provided with a plurality of cutouts of various shapes and sizes to permit the extension theret-hrough of connecting rods, drive shafts, etc., to driving means, located beneath the table, for actuating the several mechanisms which comprise the lamp inserting apparatus.

The lamp sleeve 1 is supported, during the lamp in- Serting operation, between four spaced bars formed and disposed to define a nest therefor. A pair of spaced upper bars 2 are supported by and attached at one end thereof to a bracket 4 mounted on the table 10, the other end of these bars being supported by and attached to a support plate 6. A filler bar 8 is disposed between the pair of ing troughs 12, one of which is shown at the extreme left of Figure 1. The lamp feeding trough 12, visible through an opening in table 10, extends beneath the table and conveys lamps 3 therebeneath to a point where they are picked up by suction cups 14. Each lamp feeding trough 12cornprises aplurality of rails 16, along which, in this instance, six lamps 3 advance in lateral alignment.

Each suction cup 14 is attached-to one end of a piston 18, the other end of each piston being provided with a vacuum Y connection 20. A- hose 22 connects each vacuum Y connection 20 to a source of vacuum not shown. The several pistons 18 extend through a cylinder block 24. Each end of the cylinder block 24 has a stub shaft 26 attached thereto. As will be seen in subsequent figures, each stub shaft 26 is provided with a pinion which meshes with a rack. The rack on the lower leftside of Figure 1 is supported in a rack bearing block 28, and the rack on the upper left hand side of Figure l is supported in a cylinder block carriage 30. Rollers 32, on bearing shafts 34 projecting laterally from rack bearing'block 28, ride ontrack 36 attached to table 10. The cylinder block carriage 30 is reciprocable on carriage shaft 38 which is supported at its ends in shaft supporting blocks 40 and 42. The rack bearing block 28 and the cylinder block carriage 30 are connected to one another by a tie bar 31 shown in subsequent figures.

Actuation of the rack bearing block 28 and the cylinder block carriage 30 to effect reciprocation thereof on the track 36 and the shaft 38 respectively is accomplished by suitable driving means shown in subsequent figures and described below, connection thereto being made by connecting rods 44, fragmentary portions of which are shown in Figure l. Reciprocation of rack bearing block 28 and cylinder block carriage 30 effects reciprocation of cylinder block 24 which is supported therebetween on stub shafts 26. Reciprocation of cylinder block 24, in turn, effects reciprocation of suction cups 14- mounted on the ends of pistons 18, thereby providing the means for effecting insertion of lamps 3 into sleeve 1. As will be described more fully below, the cylinder block 24 is also rotated, by means of the aforementioned rack and pinion arrangement, to swing the several suction cups 14 through an arc of about ninety degrees from lamp pickup position to lamp delivery position.

The cylinder block24, through which the several pistons 18 extend, is provided with several valve stems 50 which have a common valve operating shaft 52 extending therethrough. The valve operating shaft 52 also extends through an aperture provided therefor in a pair of spaced shaft actuating arms 54 pivotally mounted on the cylinder block 24. The pair of pivotally mounted shaft actuating arms 54 are, in turn, actuated by a corresponding pair of cams 56 attached to and depending from cam bar 58. The cam bar 58 is supported at its ends by arms 60 and 62 pivotally mounted at 64 and 66 respectively in supporting block 40 and a supporting bracket 68 respectively. Actuation of'the arms 60 and 62 is effected by means, identified generallyin Figure l by the reference numerals 70 and 70a, illustrated more fully in subsequent figures and described in detail below.

Turning now to Figure 2, lamps 3 are fed beneath table 10 by feeding trough 12. The feeding trough 12 is mounted on a commercially available vibrator (not shown) which nudges and advances the lamps 3 to the delivery end of the trough. The lamps 3 are constrained somewhat by a retaining plate 72 mounted on the undersideof table 10. As six lamps in lateral alignment approach the delivery end of the trough 12, each of their bases encounters an obstacle to further forward movement in the form of a peg 74 upstanding on the floor of the trough. Further forward movement of the several laterally aligned lamps 3 is also prevented by an escapement bai' 76 normally disposed in the path of the bulbous portion-ofthe lamps- The. escapementbar-JG isattached to the depending portion of a cylinder rod 78 of air cylinder 80 mounted on table 10. Coupling 82 on air cylinder 80 is connected by suitable means not shown to a source of compressed air. Thus actuation of air cylinder 80 effects elevation of escapement bar 76 to free a row of six lamps 3 for further forward movement. With the lamps so freed, they are nudged forward by the lamps behind them and the vibrator on which the trough 12 is mounted, the bulbous portions thereof being caused to move forward first because of the pegs 74 in the way of the bases 5. Thus the lamps so canted fall forward to the extreme end of the trough 12 and right themselves for alignment with their respective elevator cups 84.

The six elevator cups 84 are seated on elevator cup plate 86 mounted on elevator body 88. The elevator body 88 is attached to elevator bearing bracket 90 which is reciprocable on elevator shaft 92. Elevator shaft 92 is supported in elevator shaft bracket 94 attached to and depending from table 10. Reciprocation of the elevator cups 84, from the position shown in phantom to the position shown in solid, is effected by cam 96 on cam shaft 98. Cam follower 100, which rides in cam 96, is attached to one end of elevator cam arm 102 which is mounted on support shaft 104. The other end of elevator cam arm 102 is connected to the elevator body 88 through rod ends 106 and adjustable link 108. It will be noted from a close examination of Figure 2 that each of the elevator cups 84 is machined precisely to define a seat for the lower peripheral portion of the base of the lamp. Since, in the manufacture of lamp bases, maximum diameter uniformity can be consistently maintained within very close tolerances, the lower peripheral edge of the several lamps in the several elevator cups will lie in the same horizontal plane. This relationship is maintained when the cam 96 effects elevation of the several cups 8-4 from the lamp-receiving position shown in phantom to a position, in operative relationship with respect to suction cups 14, shown in solid.

Just before the elevator cups 84, with the lamps 3 seated therein, reach the upper limit of their travel, the pistons 18 with the suction cups 14 attached thereto are driven downwardly to their maximum downward limit. This is accomplished by a slight momentary clockwise rotation of arm 60 (and arm 62, Fig. 1). This rotational movement advances the several buttons 110 depending from cam bars 58 into engagement with the several cap screws 112 projecting from the several vacuum Y connections 20, and drives the pistons 18 downwardly. The arms 60 and 62 are then immediately rotated counterclockwise to clear the buttons 110 from engagement with the cap screws 112 as shown in Figure 2. Thus the auction cups 14 are at the extreme of their downward travel before the elevator cups 84 reach the upper limit of their travel.

With these conditions in mind, and realizing that the positive drive on the elevator cups 84 will insure the maintenance of the disposition of the lower peripheral edge of the several lamps in the same horizontal plane at the end of the upward stroke of the elevator body 88, it will be appreciated that any variations in overall length of the lamps (i.e., from the lower peripheral edge of the bases to the top of the bulbs) will result in the several suction cups 14 and their respective pistons 18 being pushed upwardly varying distances. As soon as this has occurred, the vacuum connection from the suction cups 14 through the pistons 18, the Y connections 20 and the hoses 22 is opened and the suction cups 14 grasp the lamps. The cam 96 then draws the elevator body 88 downwardly, removing the elevator cups 84 from engagement with the bases of the lamps. The lamps are now supported entirely by the suction cups 14 and are ready to be delivered to and inserted in the sleeve 1.

As was mentioned above in the description of Figure l, the rack bearing block 28 and the cylinder block carriage 30, connected to oneanother by tie bar -31 (Figs.

2 and 3), are driven by a suitable drive mechanism, connecting rods 44'of which are shown fragmentarily in Figure 1. The drive mechanism associated with the upper left cylinder block carriage 30 in Figure 1 is shown in Figure 3. It should be understood that a similar drive mechanism is associated with the upper right cylinder block carriage 30 and both the lower left and lower right rack bearing blocks 28 in Figure 1. Thus only one of them will be described in detail. Referring now to Figure 3, one end of connecting rod 44 is connected to the outside face of cylinder block carriage 30, the other end thereof being connected to drive arm 114 mounted on support shaft 104. A cam follower 116 on drive arm 114 rides in cam 118 mounted on cam shaft 98. Thus reciprocation of the cylinder block carriage 30 is effected by cam 118. Reciprocation of cylinder block carriage 30 and its associated rack bearing block 28 effects reciprocation of cylinder block 24 through the stub shafts 26 which are attached to the end faces of the cylinder block.

As was mentioned above, in the description of Figure 1, the cylinder block 24 is also rotated during its reciprocation, the rotational movement being effected by a rack and pinion mechanism disposed in each of the rack bearing blocks 28 and the cylinder block carriages 30. A portion of the rack is shown in Figures 2 and 3 and a detail of the rack and pinion mechanism associated with the upper right cylinder block carriage 30 of Figure 1 is shown in Figure 4. It comprises a pinion 120 mounted on stub shaft 26 and a rack 122 slidably disposed within cylinder block carriage 30, a fragmentary portion only of which is shown, the remainder thereof being omitted for clarity of illustration. One end of a rack spring 124 abuts rack spring stop 126 attached to one 'end of rack 122. The other end of the rack spring 124 abuts a stop 128 attached to cylinder block carriage 30. The other end of rack 122 is provided with a front rack stop 130. During a certain portion of the operating cycle, as will be described more fully below, and as illustrated in Figure 4, rack spring stop 126 abuts a stop 132 projecting from a face of shaft supporting block 40.

Thus far, the means employed to eifect reciprocation of cylinder block 24 and the means employed to eifect rotation of cylinder block 24 during a portion of its reciprocation have been described. Before proceeding with a description of the actual bulb transfer and inserting operation wherein a lamp is transferred from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3, the structural details of the cylinder block 24 and its associated parts will be described, reference being made initially to Figure 5. The cylinder block 24 consists essentially of six hydraulic cylinders, one of which is shown in section in Fig. 5. As was mentioned above in the description of Figure 2, the several pistons 18 which carry the suction cups 14 were caused to back oif varying amounts, under the influence of the positively driven upward stroke of the elevator body 88 which moved the lamps 3 into engagement with the suction cups 14, depending on variations in overall lamp length. It is important that the pistons 18 be locked securely in these positions before insertion of lamps 3 in sleeve 1. The construction of thehydraulic cylinders and the actuating mechanism associated therewith to make this possible will now be described.

Referring now to Figure 5, the cylinder block 24 through which piston 18 extends is provided with two oil-filled chambers a and b, isolated from one another by a sealing ring 134 on piston 18, and connected to one another through ports 0, a, and e formed in the body of the cylinder block. Oil is introduced into the system through port 1 which is provided with a cap 136. The cylinder block 24 is further provided with a valve stem 138 through which valve operating shaft 52 extends. Actuation of the valve operating shaft 52 effects reciprocation of valve stem 138 within the cylinder block 24 to obtain opening or closing of the path defined by ports 6 and d, thus providing a means for opening and closing communication from chamber a to chamber b and vice versa.

Actuation of the valve operating shaft 52 to move the valve stem 138 downwardly in the cylinder block 24 and close the path between ports 0 and d in all six of these hydraulic cylinders simultaneously is efiected by a pair of cams 56, both of which are shown in Figure 1, and one of which along with the actuating mechanism is shown in Figure 3. Clockwise rotation of arm 60, pivoting about point 64, is eifected by cam 140 on cam shaft 98. Cam follower 142, which rides on cam 140, is supported on cam arm 144 pivotally mounted at 146 on cam arm bracket 148. Cam arm 144 is connected to the aforementioned arm 60 by link 150. A similar mechanism is employed to actuate arm 62 shown at the lower left in Figure 1.

With the detailed parts of the mechanisms involved in the transfer of lamps from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3 now identified and their relationship to one another established, the transferring and inserting operation will now be described. At the start of this cycle of operation, the lamp 3 has just been gripped by the suction cup 14 as in Figure 2 and the elevator body 88 has returned to its rest position. The rack spring stop 126 is abutting stop 132 on shaft supporting block 40 as is shown in Figures 2 and 4. The stub shaft 26 (Fig. 4) is in the position shown in phantom and the cylinder block carriage 30 is disposed to the left, out of engagement with front rack stop 130. During the first phase of the forward stroke of connecting rod 44 the carriage 30 to which it is connected will move forward into engagement with front rack stop 130. During this phase of the forward travel of the carriage 30, the cylinder block 24, with the stub shafts 26 attached to the end faces thereof, will be rotated about ninety degrees from the position of the stub shaft 26 shown in phantom to the position shown in solid in Figure 4, the pinion advancing to the right on rack 122. Further rotation of cylinder block 24 is prevented when carriage 30 moves into engagement with front rack stop 130.

This ninety degree rotation of cylinder block 24 swings the entire assembly associated therewith (i.e., the piston 18, the suction cup 14 and the lamp 3) from the vertical position shown in Figure 2 to a substantially horizontal position. Locking of the piston 18 to prevent accidental linear movement thereof in the cylinder block 24 is eifected before the linear phase of the movement of the cylinder block 24 is effected. This is accomplished by the downward movement of cam bar 58 (Fig. 1) by the actuating means 70 and 70a through arms 60 and 62. As shown in Figure 5, when the cam bar 56 (of which there are two, Fig. 1), moves from the position shown in phantom to the position shown in solid, it strikes the roller 55 on pivotally mounted shaft actuating arm 54 (of which there are two, Fig. 1), and depresses it. Since the valve operating shaft 52 extends through the six valve stems 138 as well as the pair of shaft actuating arms 54, depression of the arms 54 moves each of the valve stems 138 downwardly in the cylinder block 24 a distance suflicient to seal off communication through ports 0 and d and thus prevent the flow of oil. from chambre a to chamber b. This freezes the piston 18 in position and insures the continued maintenance of alignment of the lower peripheral edges of the several bases of the several lamps in the same plane as described above.

With the ninety degree rotation of the cylinder block 24 completed and the pistons 18 locked in position to prevent accidental linear movement thereof, the connecting rods 44 advance the cylinder block 24 forward to effect insertion of the lamps 3 into the sleeve 1 as shown in Figure 3. It will be noted from an examination of Figure 3 that the cam 56 is maintained in the down" position during the entire forward movement of the cylinder block 24in order to keep the pistons 18 locked until' after insertion of the lamps 3 in the sleeve 1. Thus the several lamps 3 have been inserted in the sleeve 1 in such a manner that their bases have all been inserted thereinto exactly the same distance regardless ofithe previously mentioned variations which may exist in overall lamp length from lamp to lamp.

Insertion of the lamps 3 in the sleeve 1 having been completed, the vacuum connection to the suction cups 14 is broken to release the lamps, and the cams 56 are withdrawn from engagement with the shaft actuating arms 54 through their rollers 55 to permit these springloaded arms 54 to snap back to their normal rest position and thus retract valve stems 138 sufficiently to open up the passage through ports and d and free the piston 18 in the cylinder block 24. The return stroke of the cylinder block 24 is effected by the connecting rods 44 and their associated mechanisms, the cylinder block 24 first moving rearwardly until rack spring stop 126 strikes stop 132 on shaft supporting block 40 (Fig. 4), and then rotating from the position shown in solid to the position shown in phantom in Fig. 4. The apparatus is now ready for selecting, transferring and inserting another set of lamps into a lamp sleeve.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus for inserting a plurality of articles, of unequal length, an equal distance into an article-supporting member, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving a plurality of articles from a supply thereof and positioning them with their lower peripheral edges lying in a common plane transverse to the axes of the articles; article transfer means, including a plurality of independently reciprocable article-gripping devices; means for effecting relative movement between said first-mentioned means and said article-gripping devices of said article transfer means, while maintaining the lower peripheral edges of said articles in said common plane, to bring said articlegripping devices into gripping engagement with the other ends of said articles, said independently reciprocable article-gripping devices being displaced thereby varying amounts according to the variations in length of the several articles; means for securing said article-gripping devices in the aforementioned displaced positions to maintain the lower peripheral edges of the articles held thereby in the said common plane; and means for actuating said article transfer means to effect movement thereof through a uniform path to transfer said articltx held by said article-gripping devices to said article-supporting member.

2. Apparatus for inserting a plurality of articles of unequal length an equal distance into an article-supporting member, said apparatus comprising: a platform having a plurality of receptacles formed therein for receiving and supporting a plurality of articles therein with the lower peripheral edges of said articles lying in a common plane transverse to the axes of the articles; article transfer means, including a plurality of independently reciprocable article-gripping devices; means for effecting relative movement between said platform and said articlegripping devices of said article transfer means, while maintaining the lower peripheral edges ofv said articles in said common plane, to bring said article-gripping devices into gripping engagement with the other ends of said articles, said independently reciprocable articlegripping devices being displaced thereby varying amounts according to the variations in length of the several articles; means for securing said article-gripping devices in the aforementioned displaced positons to maintain the lower peripheral edges of the articles held thereby in the said common plane; and means for actuating said article transfer means to effect movement thereof through a uniform path to transfer said articles held by said articlegripping devicesto said article-supporting member.

3.; Apparatus-for; insertingaplurality of articles of vunequal length an equal distance into an article-supporting member, said apparatus comprising: a platform having a plurality of receptacles formed therein for receiving and supporting a plurality of articles therein with the lower peripheral edges of said articles lying in a common plane transverse to the axes of the articles; a block having a plurality of cylinders formed therein; a plurality of hollow pistons extending through said cylinders and normally disposed in axial alignment with said devices; means connecting one end of each of said pistons to a source of vacuum; a suction cup attached to the other end of each of said pistons; means for advancing said platform, while maintaining the lower peripheral edges of said articles in said common plane, to move said artiticles into gripping engagement with said suction cups, said suction cups and their pistons being displaced thereby varying amounts according to the variations in length of the several articles; means for securing said pistons in the aforementioned displaced positions to maintain the lower peripheral edges of said articles held by said suction cups, in the said common plane; and means for moving said block through a pre-determined path of uniform length to transfer the articles held by said suction cups to the article-supporting member.

4. Apparatus for transferring a plurality of based lamps from a supply thereof and plugging said lamps base-end into apertures provided therefor in a lamp-supporting member, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving a plurality of based lamps from a supply thereof; means for orienting said based lamps in said lampreceiving means to effect disposition of the bases thereof in the same horizontal plane; means for gripping the bulbous portion of said based lamps with the bases thereof so oriented; means for securing said lamp-gripping means to prevent accidental displacement of said bases from alignment with one another in the same horizontal plane; and means for moving said lamp-gripping means from its article-receiving position to its article-delivery position whereby the lamps are plugged base-end into said apertures provided therefor in said lamp-supporting member.

5. Apparatus for transferring a plurality of based lamps from a supply thereof and plugging said lamps base-end into apertures provided therefor in a lamp-supporting member, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving a plurality of based lamps from a supply thereof and positioning them with the lower peripheral edges of the bases lying in a common plane transverse to the axes of the lamps; means for gripping the bulbous portion of said based lamps with the bases thereof so oriented; means for securing said lamp-gripping means to prevent accidental displacement of said bases from the aforementioned alignment; and means for moving said lamp-gripping means from its article-receiving position to its article-delivery position whereby the lamps are plugged base-end into said apertures provided therefor in said lamp-supporting member.

6. Apparatus for transferring a plurality of based lamps of unequal over-all length from a supply thereof and plugging them base-end a uniform distance into apertures provided therefor in a lamp sleeve, said apparatus comprising: a platform having a plurality of receptacles formed therein for receiving and supporting said lamps with the lower peripheral edges'of the bases of said lamps lying in a common plane transverse to the axes of the lamps; lamp transfer means, including a plurality of independently reciprocable lamp-gripping devices; means for raisingsaid platform a uniform, pre-determined distance, while maintaining the aforementioned relative orientation of said lamp bases, to bring said lamps into engagement with said lamp-gripping devices, said independently reciprocable lamp-gripping devices being displaced thereby varying amounts according to variations in overall length of the several lamps; means for securing said lamp-gripping devices in the aforementioned-dis- 9 placed positions to maintain the bases of the lamps held thereby in the aforementioned relative orientation; and means for moving said lamp-gripping devices through a pre-determined path of uniform length from their lampreceiving positions to their lamp-delivery positions whereby the lamps are plugged base-end a uniform distance into said apertures provided therefor in said lamp sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Clymer Oct. 6, 1925 Haumiller Aug. 10, 1954 Kelly Oct. 19, 1954 Brenneck et a1. Aug. 28, 1956

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