US2773520A - Method and apparatus for loading flash lamps - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 11, 1956 P. A. DELL ETAL 2,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOADING FLASH LAMPS Filed June 7, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l /-A /fiz A i. 58 n 59 JCTJ 53 29V 1 55 55 am/kg l 57 l i lnven tors: A PauL A.D8LL, James lLazna, 4 7 47 y I ,1 I E? A Then A 'tovnes.

Dec. 11, 1956 DELL ETAL 2,773,520

METHOD AND APPARATUS Fox-7* LOADING FLASH LAMPS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June '7, 1954 lnven torsf Paul, A.D8LL, James J.La2na, b5 6% Their Atbo1-ne9 Dec. 11, 1956 P. A. DELL ETAL 2,773,520

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOADING FLASH LAMPS Filed June 7, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet I:

F cg 7., 5/ 1 28. 5/

L/ne

fnven tors:

Paul, A.DeLL, James d.Lazna, g m f Their A t orneg.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLASH LAMPS Paul A. Dell, Highland Heights, and James J. La zna, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 7, 1954, Serial No. 434,918

17 Claims. (Cl. 141--5 LOADING Our invention relates, in general, to the manufacture of flash lamps of the type employing, as the light-producing element thereof, a quantity of readily combustible filamentary material in the form of a multiplicity of relatively short lengths of fine wire, or finely cut strands of metal foil such as that commonly referred to as shredded foil. More particularly, our invention relates to a method and apparatus for introducing such type filamentary combustible material into, and distributing it within, the bulb of the flash lamp.

The introduction of such type filamentary combustible material into and its distribution within the lamp bulb is usually effected by a pneumatic process wherein the material 'is transported by a stream of air flowing through a feed tube inserted into and extending through the neck of the bulb into the interior thereof, the filamentary material being carried through the feed tube and deposited in the bulbby the air stream which then passes out of the bulb through the neck thereof, through the space between the inserted feed tube and the surrounding bulb neck.

While such a pneumatic loading arrangement can be successfully employed where the neck opening of the bulb is of a diameter at least as large as those present in flash lamp bulbs of the type in general use at present, it has been found impossible to adapt such existing loading arrangements to the loading of bulbswhose neck openings are of extremely, small size such as for example, the inch neck opening of a miniature flash lamp recently introduced on the market. In such cases, because of the unavoidable limitation on the size of the air outlet pas-,

sageway between the inserted feed nozzle and the. surrounding bulb neck, the exit velocity of the foil-transporting air stream out of the bulb is so high as to promptly carry or sweep the introduced filamentary material right out of the bulb.

It is an object of our invention, therefore, to provide a method and apparatus for automatically introducing filamentary combustible material into, and uniformly distributing it within, flash lamp bulbs having extremely small size neck openings.

In" accordance with one aspect of the invention, the

to fluff out the filamentary material introduced into the bulb and redistribute it uniformly throughout the interior space thereof. According to a further aspect of the invention, the loading or fillingnhead in which the bulb is mounted for the introduction of the filamentary combustia ble material thereinto by the air stream is provided with supplementary air jetmeans arranged toeither bleed air from the surroundingatmosphere, or tobeconnected-to a low pressurecompressed air source, tothereby directa low velocity stream of air into the bulb at an angle to the axis thereof and concurrently with the introduction of the filamentary material into the bulb, for the purpose of flufting out the filamentary material in the bulb and redis-.

tributing it uniformly throughout the interior space thereof.

Further objects and advantages of our invention will appear from the following detailed description of species thereof and from the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through amidportion of apparatus comprising our invention and showing a miniature flash lamp bulb in loading position therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the filling head of the apparatus, showing, a bulb in loading thereon;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a completed miniature type flash lamp showing the manner in which the filamentary position material is positioned within the bulb by the method and Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a modified form of filling head according to the invention;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of another modified form of filling head according to the invention; and a Fig. 9 is a diagram of the electrical circuit for controlling the operation of the solenoid'valves whichregulate the supply of compressed air to the supplementary air, jet means of, and the supply of vacuum to, the modified form of filling headshown in Fig. 8. In the drawing, the apparatus there shown and the operation of all the moving parts thereof is the same as that described and claimedin U. S. Patent 2,347,046, Geiger et. al., dated April 18, 194.4, except for the structure andloading. action of the loading or filling heads 1 and 1a which. are materially different from the loading head shown in the said patent. A detailed description of the entire apparatus and its operation is unnecessary 'to a full understanding ofthe present invention but may be had, 1 if desired, by reference to the above-mentioned Geiger;

et, al. patent.

In general, however, the apparatus comprises a cutting mechanism 2 for slicing extremely fine ribbons or shreds from an advancing sheet 3 of metal foil such as full hard aluminum foil having a thickness of from .0005 to .001 inchand a suitable uniform width which may range, for example, from 4 to 8 inches or so. The aluminum sheet 3.is supplied from a roll thereof. (not shown) rotatably mounted on the apparatus, and it is advanced at auniformrate by cooperating feed rolls 4 and 5, between which the sheet 3 passes, to the cutting means of the apparatus which comprises a bed knife 6 and a cooperating" rotatable cutter 7. The speed of advance movement of I the foil sheet 3 by the feed rolls 4, 5 and the rotational speed of the rotary cutter 7 are so proportioned as to cutstrips, or ribbons from the sheet 3 of a width of. the order of .0005 to .001 of an inch. the apparatus, the cutting of the foil sheet!) by the knives 6, 7 is interrupted for a short time at regular intervals, after the required number of strips constituting the desired charge for a, single lamp have been cut, by a stoppage of the rotational movement of the feed rolls 4, 5

which thus interrupts the advance of the foil sheet 3 to.

e tter 6, 7.

2,773,520 Patented Dec. 1 1,1956

In the operation of The bed knife 6 is mounted on a bed 8 carried by the frame 9 of the cutting apparatus 2, while the rotary cutter 7. is journa-lledat opposite ends in extended portions 19 of the frame 9 and is driven from a pulley 11 through the clutch 12 engaging one of said ends. The pulley 11, in turn, is driven by a belt 13 connected to the output shaft of an electric motor and speed reducer unit (not shown), and it drives the lower feed roll 5, which is rubber faced, through a speed reducer 14, the intermeshing gears 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 of a gear train 20, and the shaft 21 of the lower feed roll 5. The pulley 11 and drive gear 15, which as shown in Fig. 6 is in the form of a multi lated or interrupted gear, are mounted on the input and output shafts 22 and 23, respectively, of the speed reducer 14, whereas the gears 16, 17 and 18 are mounted on pins indirectly supported by the frame 9. The gear 19 is mounted on the shaft 21 of the lower feed roll 5.

As the individual foil strands or strips are cut and drop from the cutter knives 6, 7 they are picked up by or drawn into one or the other of a pair of suction nozzles 26, 260 at the entrance ends of respective feed tubes 27, 27a, the nozzles 26, 26a being located directly beneath and contiguous to the cutting edge of the bed knife 6 near the midportion thereof. The feed tubes 27-, 27a are connected to respective bulb loading or filling heads 1 and 1a which are identical in construction and which are mounted on the table 28 of the machine -and are alternately placed in bulb loading operation. The strips or strands of filamentary material are drawn through the feed tube 27 or 27a by a suction of air therethrough and are discharged from its delivery end 28 or 28a which extends upwardly and in a straight path into the lower end or hollow interior 29 of the respective filling head or enclosure 1 or 1a with which the feed tube has an airtight connection. The hollow interiors 29 of the filling heads or enclosures 1 and 1a are alternately connected to a suitable exhaust means or source of vacuum (not shown), such as an exhaust pump, through respective outlet tubes or pipes 30, 30a, traps 31, 31a and 32, 32a, interconnecting pipes 33, 33a, and electrically controlled solenoid valves 34 and 34a, the operation of which is controlled by a two-way acting (single-pole, double-throw) switch 35 (Figs. 5 and 6) such as that commercially known as a Microswitch. The switch 35 is mounted on an arm 36 extending from the machine frame 9 and periodically interrupts the vacuum connection to one or the other of the filling heads 1 or 111 while simultaneously connecting theother filling'head to the vacuum line. For the purposes of the invention, the exhaust means employed to produce thevsuction in the feed tubes 27 and 27a during the operation of the apparatus need only be sufficient to provide a vacuum of the order of of an atmosphere or so, corresponding to around 7 to 8 inches of mercury. The operation of the control switch 35 for the solenoid valves 34 and 34a is controlled by a cam 37 mounted on the constantly rotating output shaft 23 of the speed reducer 14.

From the delivery end 28 of the feed tubes 27 or 27a the foil shreds or strands are delivered into the lamp bulb or container 38 to be filled. As shown, the bulb 38 is supported for loading on the top end of the filling or suction head 1 or 1a, with its open neck end 39 extending downwardly into the opening 48 in an annular rubber gasket or bulb seating ring 40 bordering the opening 42 in the upper end of the filling head 1 or In, so as to locate the bulb neck in vertical alignment with the straight delivery end 28 of the feed tube 27 or 27a. The bulb 38 seats more or less vacuum-tight against the rubber gasket or bulb seating ring 40 on the upper end of the filling head 1 or 1a. When thus seated against the gasket 40 the bulb 38 closes off the opening 42 leading into the interior chamber 29 of the filling head, as a result of which the withdrawal of air from the hollow interior 29 of the filling head by the exhaust means acts to create a suction in the feed tube 27 or 2711' which then draws the strips or strands of filamentary material therethrough and into the filling head.

Where the bulb 38 to be loaded with filamentary material is of a type having an extremely small size neck.

opening, such as the 4 inch neck opening of the miniature flash lamp recently introduced on the market, it has been found impossible to use the form of loading apparatus heretofore commonly used for such purpose, such as disclosed in the aforementioned Geiger et al. patent and provided with the conventional foil pickup nozzle and loading head construction wherein the delivery or inner end 28 ofthe feed tube is inserted into the bulb to be filled when the bulb is mounted in loading position in the loading head. In such case, because of the unavoidable limitation on the size of the air outlet passage way between the inserted feed tube and the surrounding bulb neck, the exit velocity of the filamentary materialtransporting air stream out of the bulb is so high as to instantly sweep the introduced filamentary material right out of the bulb.

An alternative way of introducing the filamentary material into the bulb, which would avoid the above-mentioned difficultyof sweeping the filamentary material out of the bulb after having once been introduced thereinto, is to use the loading method and apparatus disclosed and claimed in co-pending application Serial No. 239,561, R. M. Anderson, filed July 31, 1951, now Patent No. 2,722,355 issued November 1, 1955, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In this loading method and apparatus the bulb 38, in place of being supported in a loading position on the filling head 1 such that the delivery end 28 of the feed tube 27 actually extends into the hollow interior of the bulb as has been the prior practice heretofore as disclosed in the aforementioned U. S. Patent 2,347,046, is mounted instead in a position such that the open neck end of the bulb is wholly spaced from or above .the upper extremity 41 of the delivery end 28 of the feed tube 27 so that the latter does not actually extend into the bulb. With such an arrangement, because of the withdrawal of the air from the filling head 1 at a region (i. e., at the opening to the vacuum line 30) below or back from the delivery end extremity 41 of the feed tube 27, the air current flowing through the feed tube 27 is, upon emergence therefrom, abruptly diverted laterally away from the delivery end of the feed tube (as shown by the solid line arrows in Fig. 2) and away from the open neck end of the bulb so that it does not actually enter the bulb, thereby creating a virtual dead air space in the bulb. The net result is to cause the filamentary material entrained in the air stream in the feed tube 27 to be fiung out of the abruptly diverted air stream by reason of its own inertia and projected straight out from the delivery end 28 of the feed tube into the open neck end 39 of the partially evacuated bulb and into the interior thereof. Because the air stream emerging from V the feedtube in this form of loading head arrangement does not enter the bulb but instead is diverted sharply away therefrom, there is therefore no possibility of the filamentary material being swept out of the bulb by such air stream after once having been introduced thereinto,

- such as occurs when the conventional type loading method openings of larger size such as have been customarily employed heretofore in flash lamps, the use of the modified loading method and apparatus of the aforesaid Anderson application Serial No. 239,561 will also operate to distributethe introduced filamentary material more or less uniformly throughout the interior space of the bulb after its introduction thereinto, such uniform distribution being necessary to the production of uniformly performing flash lamps and also to the realization of the fullest light-producing potential of the charge of filamentary material in the bulb. However, in the case of bulbs having very small size neck openings, such as the 5 inch neck opening of the miniature butt-seal type flash lamp recently introduced on the market, such a modified loading method and apparatus will not dispose the filamentary material in such a uniformly distributed manner throughout the bulb but instead will dispose it therein in what may be termed a spined condition or arrangement wherein it is located or concentrated more or less in the form of a curl or column extending along the axis of the bulb.

In accordance with the invention, we have found that the charge of filamentary material for miniature type flash lamps having extremely small size bulb neck openings such as, for example, a X inch neck opening, can be satisfactorily introduced thereinto and distributed in essentially uniform manner throughout the interior space of the bulb by employing the loading method and apparatus of the aforesaid Anderson application Serial No. 239,561 in combination with a supplementary low velocity fiufiing air jet directed into the bulb concurrently with the introduction of the filamentary material thereinto and at an angle at least of the order of to the bulb axis. For the purposes of the invention, therefore, the filling head 1 is of the general form disclosed and claimed in the aforementioned Anderson application Serial No. 239,561 wherein the delivery end 28 of the feed tube 2-7 terminates wholly within the interior 29 of the filling head 1 so as to space the upper end extremity 41 of the feed tube from the open neck end39 of the bulb 38 seated in loading position on the rubber gasket or bulb seat 40. As shown, the interior wall of the'fillinghead 1 converges upwardly to a diameter, at its upper or open mouth end 42, approximately corresponding to or slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the neck 39 of the bulb 38 to be filled. This converging interior wall 43 of the filling head thus provides, in effect, a funnel-like surface for guiding the filamentary material into the open neck 39 of the bulb 38 and into the interior of the latter.

The filling head 1 is provided, in accordance with the invention, with supplementary unitary-finding air jet means which, in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, comprises a small diameter air tube 44 disposed within the interior 29 of the filling head l and having its lower end 45 extending through the wall of the filling head and open to the atmosphere. At its upper end the air jet tube 44 extends through and a sufllcien-t distance above or beyond the mouthor top opening 42 of the funnelshapcd passageway 43 in the filling head to locate the upper or nozzle end 45 of theair jet tube 44 within the neck portion 39 of the bulb 38 when the latter is seated in loading position on the blub seating ring or gasket 45 of the filling head. In addition, the upper end portion of the air jet tube 44 is bent or inclined at a slight angle of at least approximately 15 and preferably around 30 in the case of the particular bulb shown (but in no event greater than 90) to the vertical, and thereforeto the axis of the bulb-38 when seated in loading posit-ion in the filling head 1, to thereby directthe airjetemanab ing from the nozzle end 45 at acorresponding angle into the interior of the bulb, as denoted by the solid line arrows in Fig. 2. Also, the nozzle end ,45 of the air tube 4-4 is preferably flattened to a slight degree ,(e. g, to produce a nozzle opening having a length of the order of twice the width thereof) in a plane transverse to the plane defined by the bent air tube. A fan-shaped jet or current of air, directed upwardly along one side of the bulb and having the general path or course denoted by the solid line arrows in-Fig. 2, is thereby produced in the bulb by the air nozzle 45 whichthen serves to'fiutf out and distribute the filamentary material as it enters the bulb. For best results, the air tube 44 is preferably bent, at or above the top end 41 of the feed tube, so as to extend at a slight inclination over the top 41 of the feed tube, and toward and to a point approximately within the projected axis of the feed tube delivery end 28 where it is then bent back so as to dispose the upper or nozzle end portion of the feed tube at a slight inclination of at least approximately 15 in the opposite direction, as shown in Fig. 2. The gentle flow of air from the air nozzle is produced by the pressure differential which exists between the nozzle end 45 of the air tube 44 and the open lower end 46 thereof when a bulb 38 is in the process of being filled with filamentary material. Since the open lower end 46 of the air tube 44 is constantly open or vented to the atmosphere, the partial vacuum which is created at the nozzle end 45 of the air tube 44 by the withdrawal of air from the filling head 1 and the bulb 38 during the bulb filling operation, acts to bleed or draw air from the atmosphere into and through the tube 44, thereby producing a gentle air flow from the nozzle end 45. For best results, it has been found that the cross-sectional area of the passageway in the air tube 44 should be within the range of from approximately to the cross-sectional area of the bulb neck opening. Thus, for the particular lamp illustrated, having a neck opening of approximately 71 diameter, the air tube 44 should have an inside diameter preferably ranging from approximately .030" to .045".

The air tube 44 is supported in place within the interior 29 of the filling head .1 in any suitable manner. At its lower end the air tube 44 is supported by reason of the snug airtight fit between the tube and the wall of the opening 47 in the filling head through which the air tube extends to the outside atmosphere. Preferably, in addition, the air tube 44 is also supported at a point near its upper end in order to maintain or hold the nozzle end 45 thereof in proper operative position relative to the filling head opening 42 and the bulb-receiving aperture 48 in the bulb seating ring 40 against lateral shifting out of the said operative position. For such purpose the air tube 44 may be snugly received within a longitudinally extending groove 4d provided in the outer side of the feed tube 27 at its upper delivery end 28, and firmly held or locked inplace in such groove by tightly winding a number of turns of binding wire around the assembled feed tube 27 and air tube 44, as shown at 5%) in Figs. 2 and 4.

While the upper end portion of the air tube 44, because of its inclination to the vertical, projects across the discharge opening of the feed tube 44, and in addition extends through the relatively small mouth opening 42 of the filling head passageway 43, it nevertheless does not interfere with or obstruct the passage of the filamentary material outof the open delivery end 41 of the feed tube 44 and into the bulb 38 so long as it is of relatively small size in comparison to the size of the openings 42 and 48 in the filling head. Thus, in the particular case illustrated, wherein the mouth opening 42 of the funnelshaped passageway 43 is approximately 7 inch in diameter, an air tube 44 made of tubing having an outside diameter of around mils will not in any way obstruct .or interfere with the passage of the filamentary material through the mouthopening 42 of the filling head and through the bulb neck into the bulb proper. In any case, however, the cross-sectional area of the air tube 44 should not be greater than 20% or so of the cross-sectional area of the mouth opening 42 of the passageway 43 in the filling head.

In the operation of the loading apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, a bulb 38 to :be filled with filamentary material is seated in proper loading position on the bulb seat 40 of that filling head 1 or 1a which is fat that time temporarily disconnected from the vacuum line and therefore not in operation. Upon subsequent connection of the filling head to :the vacuum line through the opening of the solenoid valve 34 or 34a by the operation of the control switch 35 in the electrical operating circuit for the valve, the interior space 29 of the filling head and also the interior of the bulb 38 seated thereon is evacuated, creating a suction of air in the feed tube 27 or 2701 which then sucks the strands of filamentary material into the pickup nozzle 26 or 26a of the feed tube as the strands are cut and drop from the cooperating cutter knives 6 and 7. In addition to creating the suction of air in the feed tube 27 or 2711, the evacuation of the filling head and the bulb 38 seated thereon at the same time acts to bleed or draw air into the open lower end 46 of the fluffing air jet tube 44, thereby producing a flow of air in the air tube 44 which then produces a low velocity fluifing air jet issuing from the upper nozzle end of the air tube concurrently with the air flow through the feed tube 27. As the strands of filamentary material are picked up by the pickup nozzle 26 or 26a of the feed tube 27 or 27a, they are transported therethrough by the air flow in the feed tube and are projected at high speed out the open delivery end 41 of the feed tube and straight upward through the converging passageway 43 and mouth opening 42 of the filling head and through the neck 39 of the bulb into the interior of the latter. Simultaneously with the introduction of the filamentary material into the bulb, the fiufiing air jet emanating from the air nozzle 45 concurrently with the introduction of the filamentary material into the bulb acts to swirl the strands of filamentary material about the interior of the bulb (in the general path denoted by the dotted line arrows in Fig. 2) as soon as they enter the bulb proper and distribute them uniformly throughout the interior of the bulb. The end result, therefore, is to dispose the total number of strands of shredded foil or other filamentary material constituting the prescribed charge or loading for the bulb 38, in

the form of a loosely arranged mass of indiscriminately crumpled and intertwined strands distributed more or less uniformly throughout the interior space of the bulb proper, as shown at 51 in Fig. 3. The particular flash lamp 52 illustrated in Fig. 3 is of the miniature type recently introduced on the market and disclosed and claimed in co-pending application Serial No. 421,510, Anderson et al., filed April 7, i954, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The flash lamp' 52 includes, in addition to the bulb 38 and the charge 51 of filamentary material in the bulb, a mount 53 butt-sealed into the bulb and a base 54 suitably secured to the neck end of the bulb, as by conventional basing cement. The mount 53 comprises a pair of leading-in wires 55 sealed through the neck end 39 of the bulb and connected at their outer ends to the end or eyelet contact 56 and side or shell contact 57, respectively, of the lamp base 54. Interiorly of the bulb, the leading-in wires 55 extend in more or less parallel relation to a point in the vicinity of the central region of the bulb where they are bridged by an ignition filament 58 preferably in the form of a short length of fine tungsten wire having a wire diameter of the order of 1 mil or less. The inner end of the leadingin wires 55 are provided with small coatings or beads 59 of a suitable primer or fulminating material which partially embed the ends of the ignition filament 58 and, in conjunction therewith, form the ignition means for the flash lamp. The bulb 38 also contains a combustionsupporting gas, such as oxygen, at a suitable pressure which, in the case of the particular lamp illustrated, amounts to around 700 millimeters of mercury.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, the fiuffing air jet, in place of being provided by a separate air tube 44 disposed within the filling head 1 or In and open to the atmosphere as in Figs. 1 and 2, is provided instead by a small passageway 60 extending through the wall of the filling head near the upper end thereof. As shown, the

and the inner end portion of the said passageway 60 extends at an angle of at least 15 to the vertical (i. e., to the axis of the funnel-shaped foil-injection passageway 43 in the filling head) whereby to direct the air jet emerging from the nozzle end of the passageway 60 at a corresponding angle into the bulb 38 seated in loading posi tion on the filling head. The outer end of the passageway 60 is open to the atmosphere to thereby permit air from the atmosphere to be bled or drawn into the passageway to form the flufiing air jet at the inner or nozzle end thereof when a bulb 38 is seated in loading position on the filling head and the latter is connected to the vacuum line. The air passageway 60 may conveniently be formed by a drilled hole in the wall of the filling head, and the diameter of the hole should be within the limits specified hereinbefore for the inside diameter of the air tube 44 in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

Since the lip of the mouth opening 42 of the foilinjection passageway 43 in the filling head is normally spaced from or located below the lower end or rim of the neck portion 39 of a bulb 38 seated in loading position on the filling head, the nozzle end of the air passage way 60 in the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 7 is therefore located wholly outside the bulb. As a result, the air jet emanating from the upper or nozzle end of the air passageway 60 passes angularly across, as well asin'to, the neck opening of the bulb so that it actually intersects the path of travel of the filamentary material into the bulb during the loading operation. This, however,

' does not hamper or interfere with the passage of the filamentary material into the bulb to any objectionable extent.

Instead of terminating the upper or nozzle end of the air passageway 60 in Fig. 7 at the lip of the mouth open ing 42 in the filling head, the said passageway 60 may be extended, as shown in Fig.- 8, by the insertion of a short tube 'or'nozzle extension 61 into the upper end of the passageway, so as to locate the nozzle opening entirely within the bulb 38 in a position corresponding to that of the nozzle opening of the air tube 44 in Figs. 1 and 2.

Also, in place of bleeding or drawing air from the surrounding atmosphere into the air tube 44 or the air passageway 60 to form the fluffing air jet, the air for the fluffing air jet may be supplied instead from a low pressure compressed air source, as shown in Fig. 8. For such purpose, the outer end of the air tube 44 or the air passageway 60 of the respective filling head 1 or 1a may be connected to the compressed air source by a connecting air line or pipe 62 or 62a containing an electrically actuated control valve 63 or 63a. The valve 63 or 63a is opened, .to produce a low velocity air jet from the nozzle end of the air tube 44 or air passageway 60, concurrently with the connection of the filling head 1 to the vacuum line by the opening of the valve 34 or 34a, or in other words concurrently with the loading of the bulb with filamentary material. For this purpose, .the operation of the valve 63 or 63a in the compressed air line 62 or 62:: may

be controlled by the same switch 35 which controls the connection of the filling head 1 or 10 to the vacuum line. To this end, the energizing coils of the valves 34 and 63, which respectively control the connection of fill ing head 1 to the vacuum line and the supply of compressed air to the respective flufiing air jet nozzle, are connected in parallel branch circuits 64 and 65, respectively, of an operating circuit 66 (Fig. 9) which is energized when the switch 35 is in one of its two alternative closed positions .as determined by the engagement of the cam 37 with the control arm 67 of the switch 35. Likewise, the energizing coils of the valves 34a and 63a, which respectively control the connection of filling head 1a to the vacuum line and the supply of compressed air to the respective fluffingair jet nozzle, are connected in parallel branchcircuits 68 and 69 of an alternate operating circuit 70 which is energized when the switch 35 is in the other one of its two alternative positions.

Although a preferred embodiment of our invention has been described herein, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown, but that they may be widely modified within the spirit and scope of our invention as defined by the appended claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The method of feeding fine strands of material into and distributing them within a container having an opening therein which comprises entraining the material in a gaseous fluid, guiding the entrained material toward the opening in the container, bleeding off the fluid at a point near the opening in the container and in a direction sharply away from the interior of the container to cause the entrained material by its inertia to enter the container through the opening, and directing a low velocity air jet into the container concurrently with the injection of the said strands thereinto to thereby fluif out the strands upon entry into the container.

2. The method of introducing fine strands of combustible material into a flash lamp bulb which comprises arranging the bulb with its opening opposite and in vacuum-tight communication with an open delivery end of a passageway, presenting the strand-s of combustible material to the open entrance end of such passageway, drawing vair through said passageway and laterally out therefrom at a location adjacent the bulb opening and remote from the inermost space of said bulb .to create a suction .in said passageway serving to carry the strands therethrough and project them into said bulb, and directing a low velocity air jet into the bulb concurrently with the injection of the said combustible material thereinto to thereby fluff out the strands of combustible material upon entry into the bulb.

3. The method set forth in claim 2 wherein the said low velocity air jet is directed into the bulb at an angle of at least approximately 15 to the axis of the bulb.

4. The method of introducing fine strands of combustible material into a flash lamp bulb which comprises positioning the open neck end of a bulb and .an open delivery end of a feed conduit in vacuum-tight communication with each other within an enclosure and in opposed longitudinally separated relation with the delivery end of the conduit located adjacent to and wholly outside the said bulb, presenting the strands of combustible material .to the open entrance end of said conduit, exhausting said enclosure at a point exteriorly of said bulb to draw the air in said feed conduit laterally out from its delivery end and through the separation space between the said delivery end and the open neck end of the bulb whereby to create a suction in said conduit serving to carry the strands therethrough and project them into the bulb, and directing a low velocity air jet into the bulb concurrently with the projection of the said strands thereinto to .thereby fluff out the strands upon entry into the bulb.

5. The method of introducing fine strands of combustible material into a flash lamp bulb to develop the combustible element therein which comprises presenting the strands to the entrance end of a conduit leading into one end of and terminating within a chamber open at its other end, seating the bulb vacuum-tight against the open end of the chamber with its open neck end opposite and longitudinally separated from the terminal end of said conduit so that the said terminal end of the conduit is located wholly outside the bulb, exhausting the chamber at a point exteriorly of the bulb to withdraw the air from said bulb and said conduit through the separation space between the end of the bulb neck and the terminal end of the conduit whereby to create a suction in said conduit serving to draw the strands therethrough and project them from its terminal end into the said bulb, and directing a low velocity air jet angularly into the bulb concurrently with the projection of the said strands thereinto to thereby flutf out the strands upon entry into the bulb.

6. Aparatus for introducing fine strands of filamentary material into a container having a single open neck end, comprising an open-ended feed conduit, seating means adjacent the open delivery end of and connected vacuumtight to said feed conduit for seating the container in vacuum-tight communication with the said end of the conduit, said conduit end being disposed in a position relative to the said seating means to locate the said conduit end in opposed relation to the open neck end of the container and outwardly removed from the inner end of the container neck, means connecting said conduit with a source of vacuum to define an exhaust path leading sharply away from the interior of the conduit at a point adjacent its delivery end to thereby draw air through and create a suction in said conduit from its entrance end serving to carry the strands therethrough and project them into said container, and air jet means located adjacent the delivery end of said conduit to direct a low velocity air jet into the container concurrently with the introduction of the filamentary material thereinto.

7. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 6 wherein said air jet means comprises an inner nozzle end directed into the bulb and an outer end open to the atmosphere.

8. Apparatus for introducing fine strands of filamentary material into a container having a single opening comprising a loading head having a chamber, a feed tube extending into and terminating within said chamber and having an open inner end, container-seating means on said loading head for connecting the opening of said container in vacuum-tight communication with the open inner end of said feed tube, said tube end being disposed in a position relative to the said seating means to locate the said tube end opposite and spaced endwise from the container opening so as to be located wholly outside the container, means connecting said chamber to a source of vacuum to exhaust the chamber and withdraw the air in said tube out the said inner end thereof and sharply away from said tube end to thereby create a suction in said tube serving to carry the strands therethrough and project them into the container, said loading head being provided with air jet means for directing a low velocity air jet into the container concurrently with the projection of the filamentary material thereinto.

9. Apparatus .for introducing fine strands of combustible material into a flash lamp bulb having a single open neck end, comprising a loading head having a chamber provided with an opening thereinto and having an annular seat around said opening against which the bulb is adapted to seat to connect the open neck and of the bulb in vacuum-tight communication with the said chamber, a feed conduit extending into the said chamber and having an open inner end directed toward and aligned with the said opening in the chamber, said conduit end being disposed in a position relative to the said seat to locate the said conduit end opposite and spaced endwise from the bulb neck opening so as to be located wholly outside the bulb, means connecting said chamber to a source of vacuum to exhaust the chamber and withdraw the air in said conduit out the said inner end thereof and sharply away from said tube end to thereby produce a suction in said conduit serving to carry the strands therethrough and project them into the bulb, said loading head being provided with air jet means for directing a low velocity air jet into the container con-currently with the projection of the filamentary material thereinto.

10. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 9 wherein said air jet means comprises an inner nozzle end directed into the bulb and an outer end open to the atmosphere.

11. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 9 wherein the said air jet means directs the air jet there from into the bulb at an angle of at least 15 to the axis of the bulb.

12. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 9 wherein the said air jet means comprises an air passageway having a cross-sectional area ranging between A to the cross-sectional area of the neck opening of said bulb.

13. Apparatus for introducing fine strands of combustible material into a flash lamp bulb having a single opencnded cylindrical neck portion, said apparatus comprising a hollow filling head having a circular mouth opening at one end of a diameter at most approximately equal to the inside diameter of the bulb neck, the inner wall of said hollow filling head converging toward said mouth opening to form a funnel-shaped passageway leading thereto, said container having an external annular seat around its said open end against which the bulb is adapted to seat approximately vacuum-tight with its open neck end located outwardly of and directed toward and aligned with the said mouth opening, a feed tube extending into the other end of and straight through the hollow interior of the loading head in alignment with and terminating short of the mouth opening thereof and having its inner end open, exhaust means connected to said filling head at a location behind the inner end of said feed tube for withdrawing the air from the filling head and the bulb and creating a suction of air in the feed tube to cause the strands to be sucked through the said tube and projectod from its inner end through the said mouth opening and into the bulb, and air jet means in said filling head having a nozzle end located adjacent and directed outwardiy of the said mouth opening at an angle of at least to the axis thereof for directing a low velocity air jet into the bulb concurrently with the projection of the combustible material thereinto.

l4. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 13 wherein said air jet means comprises an inner nozzle end, and an outer end open to the atmosphere.

15. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 13 wherein the said air jet means comprises an air passageway having a cross-sectional area ranging between to 5,; the cross-sectional area of the neck opening of the bulb and having an :air inlet end open to the atmosphere.

16. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 13 wherein the said air jet means comprises an air tube extending through the interior of said filling head and through the mouth opening thereof and having its air 12 inlet end open to the atmosphere, said air tube being firmly anchored in place to the inner end of said feed tube.

17. Apparatus for introducingfine strands of combustible material into a flash lamp bulb having a single openended cylindrical neck portion, said apparatus comprising a hollow loading head having a circular mouth opening at one end of a diameter at most approximately equal to the inside diameter of the bulb neck, the inner wall of said hollow filling hea-d converging toward said mouth opening to form a funnel-shaped passageway leading thereto, said filling head having an external annular seat around its said open end against which the bulb is adapted to seat approximately vacuum-tight with its open neck end located outwardly of and directed toward and aligned with the said mouth opening, a feed tube extending into the other end of and straight through the hollow interior of the loading head in alignment with but terminating short of the mouth opening thereof and having its inner end open, exhaust means including a vacuum line connected to said filling head at a location behind the inner end of said feed tube for withdrawing the air from said filling head and bulb and creating a suction of air in the feed tube to cause the strands to be sucked through the said tube and projected from its inner end through the said mouth opening and into the bulb, an electrically operated control valve in said vacuum line, air jet means in said filling head having a nozzle end located adjacent and directed outwardly of the said mouth opening at an angle of at least 15 to the axis thereof for directing a low velocity air jet into the bulb concurrently with the projection of the combustible material thereinto, said air jet means being connected at its other end to a low pressure compressed air line, an electrically operated control valve in said compressed air line, and switch means in the electrical operating circuit for each of said valves for con trolling the operation thereof to effect the simultaneous opening of the valves so as to concurrently connect the filling head to the vacuum line and the air jet means to the compressed air line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,115,423 Korver Apr. 26, 1938 2,347,046 Geiger Apr. 18, 1944 2,359,029 Goldberg Sept. 26, 1944

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