1,086,098. Packaging bobbins; feeding articles. AMERICAN THREAD CO. July 25, 1966 [Aug. 31, 1965], No. 33386/66. Headings B8C and B8S. Bobbins to be packaged in a box 7 are arranged into rows in channels disposed longitudinally on shoots 26, 27, a number of transverse rows are selected at a station 5, and the selected bobbins are deposited into a box 7 at a station 6. Bobbin delivery and selection.-Bobbins are directed from a hopper 13 on to the upper shoot 26 by an inclined plate 15, the lip 16 of which may be raised under the action of a cam 19 to impede the flow of bobbins if necessary. Regular arrangement of the bobbins in the channels on the shoot 26, and on the lower shoot 27 on to which the bobbins drop, is assisted by a vibratory motion imparted to the shoot assembly 23 by an eccentric 29. The shoot assembly 23 is hinged to the main machine frame at 24 to permit this vibration; A scanner 34 is provided on a fixed extension 25 of the lower shoot 26, to detect the absence of bobbins in any of the channels of the shoot, and hence to switch the machine off. The scanner 34 comprises a light source (40), Fig. 2 (not shown), and a detector (41) mounted beneath the extension (25) of the shoot, in such a way as to be reciprocatable transversely beneath the channels (28). The channels (28) are provided with light-reflecting means which only reflect light from the source (40) to the detector (41)in the absence of bobbins in one of the channels. At the station 5, Fig. 1, two transverse rows of pins may be directed downwards into the paths of the bobbins in the channels, under the action of cylinders 50. The " downstream " row of pins arrests the movement of the bobbins down the shoot, and the " upstream " row selects the required number of transverse rows of bobbins. The position of the " upstream " row of pins may be adjusted to vary the number of bobbins selected. When the " downstream " pins are raised the selected bobbins roll off the end of the extension 25 of the shoot on to a plate (51), Fig. 5 (not shown), where the longitudinal rows are segregated by dividers (53). An air blast assists the delivery of bobbins on to the plate (51). The dividers (53) are pivoted upwardly away from the bobbins assembled on the plate (51), and the bobbins are then clamped by a reciprocating pressure plate (68), Fig. 9 (not shown), against a fixed plate (75). The plate (51) is then slid away from beneath the clamped bobbins in preparation for the delivery of a box beneath the bobbins. Box delivery.-Boxes 7, Fig. 1, are stored in a vertical stack in a magazine 110 comprising two columns 114 defining a channel the width of which may be adjusted to allow for different sizes of box. The bottom box of the stack is supported by a fixed plate (121), Fig. 15 (not shown), and is delivered on to a conveyer belt (152) by a reciprocatable pusher (132) which comprises a plate (134) carrying a bar (135). As each box 7 delivered by the pusher (132) is stripped on to the conveyer (152) by a spring- biased detent (139) the next box in the stack falls on to the plate (121), one end being supported by the plate (134) of the pusher (132), so that on the return stroke of the pusher the latter box is delivered on to the conveyer (152) at the opposite side of the magazine (110) to the first box. A photo-cell is provided on the conveyer 152, Fig. 1, to cause the machine to be switched off if the supply of boxes is interrupted. Boxes are temporarily held at a station 112 by one arm 166 of a lever 164. At time intervals synchronized with the operation of the remainder of the machine a box is released by the action of a J-shaped bar 176 on a lever 162 fixed to the lever 164. The bar 176 is fixed to a plate 173 which is pushed forward to receive a box delivered from the conveyer 152, and on subsequent withdrawal of the plate 173 to the position shown the box is stripped by a fixed stop 179 on to a lower plate (177), Fig. 5 (not shown), fitted to the plate 173, Fig. 1. The next forward stroke of the plate 173 and bar 176 delivers the box to the filling station 6. While the plate 173 and bar 176 are in their forward positions, further boxes on the conveyer 152 are held by the second arm 166 of the lever 164, owing to the action of the bar 176 on the lever 162. Box filling.-At the filling station 6 the box 7 is stripped by a spring-detent on to the table 11 of the machine above a series of slots (108), Fig. 6 (not shown), through which fingers (101, 102) of an elevator can be inserted to lift the box up beneath the clamped bobbins (3). The separation of the fingers (101, 102) is adjustable to allow for different box sizes. The release of the pressure plate (68), Fig. 11 (not shown), allows the bobbins (3) to fall into the box in an orderly manner, and on the downstroke of the elevator the filled box is deposited on to the table (11). The arrival of the next empty box above the slots (108) causes the filled box to be pushed on to an endless belt 9, Fig. 1, on which it is removed from the machine, e.g. to enable a lid to be placed on the box. The synchronized operation of the working parts of the machine is controlled through camoperated pneumatic cylinders.