US3194389A - Lamp bulb feeding mechanism - Google Patents

Description

July 13, 1965 E. F. GRGETIC LAMP BULB FEEDING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1963 lnven tori Edwavd F.

Gr e' tic b H is Agfofneg y 13, 1965 E. F. sac-5511c 3,194,389

mu? BULB FEEDING uncmuxsu 57 58 lnven tor: Edward? GT e'tic 73 b 74' His Agar-neg United States Patent 3,194,389 LAMP BULB FEEDING NECHANISM Edward F. Grgetic, Richmond Heights, Ohio, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 316,632 7 Claims. (Cl. 198-209) This invention relates to apparatus for automatically feeding lamp bulbs in proper oriented position into the bulb-supporting head of a lamp making machine.

Present day high speed production manufacture of incandescent lamps requires the automatic feeding of the lamp bulbs into the work-supporting heads of the lamp sealing-in machine at a high rate of speed and in the same endwise oriented position. In the case of certain miniature type incandescent lamps which employ tubular glass bulbs of very small size, e.g., around inch outside diameter and one inch or so in length, the automatic bulb feeding mechanism must be adapted to support the bulb in a manner such as to leave most of its outer surface area exposed, during the feeding or transfer of the bulb into the bulb holder jaws of the sealing machine, in order to enable grasping and holding of the bulb by the said jaws. An additional reason for such requirement may be present in those cases where it is desired to apply an ink or. other type lamp identification marking to the outer side of the lamp bulb while supported in the bulb feeding mechanism. The application of such a lamp marking to the bulbs may also require that the bulb be rotatably supported in the bulb feeding mechanism so that it can freely rotate therein during the application of the lamp marking around the cylindrical side wall of the bulb.

It is an object of the invention, therefore, to provide a novel bulb feeding mechanism simple in construction and effective in operation for feeding lamp bulbs at a high rate of speed into the bulb holders of an associated lampmaking machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lamp bulb feeding mechanism adapted to support individual bulbs for-free rotation therein about their respective axes and to feed the bulbs in the same positional relation into the bulb holder jaws of an associated lamp-making machine with substantially the entire outer surface of the bulb exposed for. ready grasping thereof by the bulb holder jaws.

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, the lamp bulb feeding mechanism comprises an indexing carrier having a plurality of bulb-supporting arms each adapted to rotatably support a bulb in an upright open end down position resting thereon so as to be freely rotatable about its axis with a substantial portion of its outside surface area left exposed. According to a further aspect of the invention, the bulb-supporting arms are horizontally slidable on the carrier to effect withdrawal of the bulbs from bulb receiving pockets in the carrier and advance them into a predetermined bulb transfor position outward of the carrier so as to be substantially completely exposed for ready grasping and pick-up thereof by the bulb holder jaws of the lamp-making machine. In accordance with a still further aspect of the invention, the bulb-supporting arms are vertically movable so as to be disengageable from the bulb after the grasping thereof by the bulb holder jaws of the lamp-making machine and before return sliding movement of the arms to their original retracted position.

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

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a plan view of lamp bulb feeding apparatus comprising the invention, a portion of Patented July 13, 1955 the bulb-supporting carrier thereof being shown broken away in order to illustrate the bulb-supporting means thereon.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the drive mechanism for the bulb-feeding apparatus.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section, partly in elevation, of the bulb escapement mechanism and one of the bulb-supporting heads on the associated bulb transfer turret of the bulb-feeding apparatus, and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of one of the bulb-supporting heads on the bulb transfer turret of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, the bulb-feeding apparatus according to the invention comprises a horizontally disposed bulb transfer carrier or turret 1 provided at spaced points around its periphery with a plurality of heads 2 (eight in the particular case illustrated) for supporting and carrying glass lamp bulbs 3 in upright open end down position thereon and transferring them into the bulbholding jaws 4 (FIG. 1) of an associated lamp-making or sealing machine 5. In the particular case shown, the glass lamp bulbs 3 are of generally tubular shape with a single open end 6 (FIG. 4), and they are of a comparatively small size, for example, around inch outside diameter and one inch or so in length. The turret 1 is mounted for rotative movement on a vertical center shaft 7 journalled in the stationary or bed portion (not shown) of the machine, and it is intermittently indexed about its rotative axis by suitable indexing means, as by a conventional electric motor-driven horizontal main drive or cam shaft 8 (FIG. 3) carrying a barrel cam 9 which successively engages with a plurailty of rollers 10 depending from and disposed around the periphery of a circular index plate 11 fixed on the turret support shaft 7, to carry each head 2 progressively through a series of stations (eight in the case of the particular machine illustrated designated A to H).

The bulbs 3 are successively loaded, one at a time, into the heads 2 on the turret 1 at the main bulb-loading station A, or at the auxiliary bulb-loading station C, by an article feeding mechanism 12 which, in its general arrangement, is of the so-called vibratory bowl type commonly in use at present, similar to that disclosed in US. Patent 2,904,162, Simer, and comprising a circular hopper or bowl 13 for receiving a loose random collect-ion of the bulbs 3. The bowl 13 is formed with a slightly frusto-conical floor and it is provided with one or more inclined feed tracks or ramps (two feed tracks 14 and 15 in the particular case illustrated) which extend upwardly from the floor of the bowl in a spiral manner around the inside periphery thereof. The bowl 13 is vibrated or oscillated about its vertical center axis, in an inclined arcuate path of movement corresponding approximately to the direction of inclination of the feed tracks 14, 15, by suitable vibrator mechanism (not shown) to thereby cause the bulbs 3 in the bowl 13 to move around the floor of the bowl generally outwardly thereof to ward the side wall of the bowl and thence up the inclined feed tracks 14, 15 and into substantially horizontally extending respective discharge troughs 16, 17 which are fixedly-mounted on the bowl so as to vibrate along therewith. The mechanism for vibrating the bowl 13 may be of any conventional type. According to a preferred form of such vibrating mechanism, however, the bowl 13 is supported on the upper ends of a plurality of inclined leaf springs which are arranged to impart the desired inclined arcuate oscillating movement to the bowl when they are alternately flexed by the downward pull of an electromagnet on the bowl and released by the deenergization of the electromagnet. The tubular bulbs feed tubes 20, 21. The levers 48 are pivoted on respective slides 49 which are mounted on the underside of the turret 1 for sliding movement radially thereof within guideways 50 (FIG. 5) formed therein. The lever 48 of each head 2 underlies its respective slide 49 and it is pivoted thereon intermediate its ends on a pivot pin 51 for pivotal movement in a vertical plane extending parallel to the direction of sliding movement of the slide 49 on the turret. The lever 48 is spring-biased to its horizontal bulb-Supporting position, as determined by the engagement of a stop pin 52 on the outer arm of the lever with the underside of the slide 49, by a compression coil spring 53 which is compressed between the inner arm of the lever 48 and the slide 49 and is held in place therebetween within respective wells 54 and 55 therein.

At its outermost end, the lever 48 of each head 2 is provided with a bulb-supporting roller 56 which is rotatably mounted on the upper end of the lever, on a vertical pivot shaft 57 carried thereby. The roller 56 is adapted to support thebulb 3 in an upright open end down position on the lever so as to be freely rotatably thereon about the axisof the bulb. The roller 56 is a diameter such as to closely fit and receive thereover the open end of the bulb. 3 in order to effectively support and center the bulb in up-right position on the outer end of the lever, and it is provided at its bottom edge with a seating flange 58 on which the rim of the bulb is adapted to seat or rest. To permit ready placement or reception of the open end of the bulb thereover, the roller 56 is made of slightly frusto-conical or tapered shape with its narrower diameter at the top. The U-shaped notches or pockets 47 in the turret 1 are shaped to closely conform to the cylindrical outer surface of the tubular bulbs 3 in order to guide them, during the course of their free falling movement from the lower end of the feed tube 20 or 21, in proper centered position over the supporting rollers 56. Cooperating .pairs of backing rollers 59, 60 are rotatably mounted on the underside of the turret, 1 at the inner ends of the notches or pockets 47 therein to provide a roller cradle. type backing support for the upper ends of the bulbs 3, when seated in position over the rollers 56 on levers 48,'such as serves to hold the bulbs in upright position thereon and prevent them from tipping inwardly of the turret when pressure is applied to the sides of the bulbs in a direction radially inward of the turret. Tipping of the bulbs outwardly of the pockets 47 in the turret is prevented by a guard band 22 which, as shown in FIG. 1, extends around the periphery of the turret, closely adjacent thereto, from a point just before thebulb loading station A to a point just before the bulb unloading or transfer station G.

The slides 49 and the associated bulb-supporting levers 48 carried thereby are held in place within the respective guideways 50 by retainer plates 61 bolted or otherwise fastened to the underside of the guideway-forming members on the turret 1 so as to underlie the slides, and they are each provided with suitable friction means 62 for exerting a frictional force on the slide to restrain sliding movement thereof in its respective guideway 59. To this end, each slide 49 is provided with a spring retainer post 63 upstanding therefrom and extending upwardly through respective radially extending slots 64 in the turret 1 over which post a friction plate 65 is positioned so as to rest flat against the upper side of the turret and slide along with the slide 49 and post 63.

The friction plate 65 is spring pressed downwardly into frictional sliding engagement with the upper side of the turret 1 by a compression coil spring 66 which is positioned over the post 63 and is compressed between the. friction plate and a washer 67 postioned over the post and retained thereon by an adjustment nut 68 threaded on the post. In addition to pressing the friction plate 65 downwardly against the upper side of the turret 1 so as to have frictional sliding engagement therewith, the spring 66 also exerts an equal and oppositeupward force on the spring post 63 serving to press the slide 49 upwardly against the underside of the turret so as to likewise have frictional sliding engagement therewith. The friction plate 65 and slide 49 thus are, in effect, resiliently clamped against opposite sides of the turret 1 with equal and opposite pressures. To prevent foreign objects (dirt,

broken glass, etc.) from accidentally dropping into the slots 64, the friction plates 65 are made of large enough size to completely cover the said slots at all times, i.e., in all positions of the slide 49 within its guide way 54 The slide 49 and associated bulb-supporting lever 48 of each head 2 are normally located, and held by the friction means 62 in a retracted inner position radially inward of the turret 1, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, in which position the bulb seating roller 56 on the lever 48 is located directly beneath the corresponding pocket or notch 47 in the turret in position to receive thereover the open lower end of a bulb 3 as its drops from the feed tube 20 or 21 at one or the other of the bulb loading stations A and C, and supports the bulb in an upright position just clearing the two rollers 59, 60 which form the roller cradle backing support for the bulb. The slide 49 and associated lever 43 are maintained in the said retracted position at all times throughout the travel of the head 2 in its circular path of movement about the turret shaft 7 except at the bulb transfer or unloading station G and during its index to the next succeeding station H, at which time the slide 49 and associated lever 48 are moved radially outward of the turret to an advanced bulb-unloading outer position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 and then returned once again to their initial retracted position. While located at station D, the bulb 3 may have an identification marking applied thereto in a suitable manner as by means of a conventional type marking device 69 which, as shown in FIG. 1, may consist of a spring-biased inked marking pad 70 mounted on a pivoted supporting arm 71 which is a-rcuately oscillated by an actuating arm 72, during the dwell of the head 2 at station D, to press the inked marking pad 70 into engagement with and wipe it across the cylindrical outer surface of the bulb 3 tangentially thereto so as to impress an inked marking thereonto. The bulb being free to rotate about its axis because of its support on seating roller 56 and backing rollers 59, 60, it is therefore free to rotate along with the marking pad 70 as the latter wipes across the surface of the bulb in pressure contact therewith. During the subsequent index movement of the head 2 away from the bulb marking station D but before positioning of the next succeeding head'2. thereat, the marking pad 70 is returned by its support arm 71 to its initial retracted position to bring it into engagement with a reinking pad or roller (not shown) in readiness for the start of the next bulb-mark ing operation. The bulb 3 is maintained in proper up right position on its supporting lever 48 during the mark ing operation, and prevented from being tipped radially inward of the turret by the pressure applied against the bulb by the marking pad 70, by the backing support afforded by the rollers 59, 60 of the roller cradle within which the upper end of the bulb is seated. From the marking station B, the heads 2 are successively indexed to stations E and F, which in the case of the particular apparatus illustrated are idle stations, and thence to the bulb transfer or unloading station G where the bulb-supporting lever 48 of the head 2 the-reat is moved radially outward of the turret 1, by outward sliding movement of the slide 49 in its guideway 50, to its advanced outer position to carry the bulb on the lever 48 clear of the turret 1, i.e., out of the turret pockets 47, and into an advanced outer or bulb transfer position (FIGS. 1 and 5) between the bulb holder jaws 4 of an associated lamp-making apparatus such as a sealing machine, which jaws 4 then close against the bulb to grasp and hold it there'between. The outward sliding movement of the slide 49 to carry the bulb 3 to its-transfer retracted innerposition;

ing means shown comprising an operatinggarm 73 on the levert 48. depending therefrom at the regionof itspivot axis and carrying a suitable thrust-receiving mom-' her at its lower end such as a conv ex or ball-type roller 7 4'f0r application of the actuating force thereto. The; actuating force-is applied to the operating arm 73 off lever 48 by actuating means 75 comprising an actuating lever '76 having a bifurcated upper end .77 forming a channelwayc78 into which the roller 74 passes and is snugly received as eachi'head is indexed into the bulb unloading station G.- As shown in FlGz-f3 the' actuating lever 76'is fastened on a pivot shaft 79 which is journalled in a stationary bracket portion 80 ofrthe' machine frame; i i p I is suchthat'insuflicient-dwell timeexis'ts; or'if itshouldibejz:

and is rotated by a lever arm 81 fastened at one end on the -shaftr79 fand' connected at its otherend by link 82 to one arm of a bell. crank lever 83 piv0tally;mountedon the machine frame and carryingta cam follower rol= 'le-r 34 on its other arm which is engaged Within the cam i track (not shown) ofa face cam 85 fastened. 'on the retracted inner position; I r

,ei tofthen bodily-shift or =slid ethe associated zleveri lfi and i slide 49 radially inward a'ofx-theturret; 1 towardyth eir 1 1 The tilting of t-he lever lit and-ireturnof tlie slide fif and ,leverAfi togtheir fnllygretracted inner position, by 7' a the' inward throw of the -actuating lever 76, tm 'ay =be efe .f ected entirely at the bulb transfenstation fi whenithe; i period ofdwell of'the heads2 thereat is suificient toperi 7 mit such complete retraction? =Howeger vbeeauseet the M inwardmove'ment required of the roller--74 inorder to ef feet the tilting'of the bi lbesnppor'ting' lever;48,-the total inward throwrequi'red for thezactuating lever 76 to returnthe slide4 9'and lever-'48 to their fullyreti-actedinnerr sition will be greater; than the outward throw requiredto.) 1 move them outwardlyl to, IheirKadVanoed position; For;

' such reason; if tthe's'peed of 'operation z-of the apparatns';

main drive shaft-8 of the machine. During the dwell radially'outward of the turret 1,.to thereby efiect the :of each head 2 at the bulb transfer station G, the actuatirlg lever 76' is operated to-apply'to the operatingarm 73 of lever 48 first an outward actuating force, directed their outer advanced or bulb transfer, position, and :to 7

thenapplye to the operating arm 73, after grasping of therbulb 3 by the jaws 4 of thecassociated lamp-making .machin-e, an actuating force directed radially inward of the turret to eifect first a downwardtiltingfof the bulbs'upportin'g .lever :48 to withdrawtheroller 56 thereon -from Withinthe bulb 3, and to then slide the lever 48' i and slidef49 inwardly of the turret toward their initial The downward tilting of the I 1ever48 to withdraw the bulb-supporting' roller 56 there on from within the bulbr3' before any inward sliding move-- ment of the lever 48 and slidie 4 9to their'retracted innerj positionis initiated, is'necessary in order'to' prevent the bulb '3 fromcbeing broken'or-Vpull-ed out ofthe-closed jaws 4 of the; assoeiated lamp-making "machine by the V bulb-supporting roller 56'duringthe inward sliding move! ment of the lever .48. and slide 49 totheir retracted inner the pressure-of' thebiasing'springl9fi2iesthegcam-trae 87 inproper; positionto move; he slide,4 9,f and leveffl 45.1. a a r .7

inwardly'ofithe turretflint-o their. ropenzfitractedanner position. t For this purpose, the'bulb-supporting lever 48f is arranged for a limited'amount of downward pivotal movement; against the rforceofbiasingspringfSfi, to the; onthe-bulb-supporting roller 56 v tilted position shown in dash-dotlines in FIG. 5,.as

determined by the engagement of astop screw 86 there! Q50 on with the underside of the; slide49, in which tilted v v N i i i v i position thef-bulb-supporting roller 5s is'disengaged from Stations G t-0'H, thB-1 Vr%t3H 'PiV te-d-.by{the-biasing i spring 53Iba-ck to its normalghorizontallyidisposedlpoeii a I;

and clear 'ofthe open lower end ofthe bulb 3 theirheld in the jaws-4 of the associated lamp-n aking'mac'hine Inaaddition, the frictional force exerted by'the friction,

means '62 on-slide 49, opposing'sliding movementthereof relative to the'tur'ret 1, lSfSO adjusted by the setting of spring 65,7as to; beof greatermagnitude than the: mini-v of lever 48 'to'eltect the pivoting thereof to ;its tilted thesadjustment 'nut 68 controlling the compression; of;

iplete returnolii the'slidef49 and :lever'5i8 to their fiilly re s tracted inner positionjmay berefiected'iby 'a-stationary cam'track .87.(:F'I G.=3) onto whichithe roller 74 rides alsjii the head zis indexed away fromsthebiilbrtiansferfst c, tion G. As shown,-.the earntrack 87 is preferably spiin I; biased so as'to be vyieldableltcr the r-pre-ssure of.theroller 74 striking-='thereagainst von movement out'ofvth'e: channel way 78 in theractuating leverI76,adu-ring thei'ndex movement of the headZ from sta'tions; G. to l-I. This. spring; I biasing of .thecam traek 87 serves 1551a safety measure to prevent breakage of any brine parts ofthe head'orthe actuating gmechanism i theretorin the eventany binding 1 condition/shoulddevelop therein for some reason; I0 this end, the; cam traok; 87= is carriecl onraj 'lever arm 88? I pivotally mounted on the stationary racket portion- 'of the machine frame and spring-biased,

I bycompre'ss'ion; V coil spring 8 9; inwardly of thek-turretifl against ,a'limitin "I stop screwv 90- fastenedfon the-bracket 80; "Ihe1engag'e: anentof the' lever arm? 88;:with the? stop screw sorn der n of :anot herib ilb 3 position, in readiness remittance the next cyclei of'operation of'the apparatus pon dise engagement of the roller '74 fromsthe cam 'traek'fil 'du'r-fi ing the. course of ind'eir moyen entioffthegheadq'kfrom. J

tlOlLxfilldi durin'gfthe 'ensuingl'travelgof ther headlaroundI V f the, machine to the bulb transferzstation 5G, 1 the slide; 149".

1 i 43 h maintainediandaheldin 'gtheirs retr actedl, w PQSltion by t ona f r sex nedb nicaan means-621' ionthe slider. 49z against vslidingflmovement v 1 r thereof relative'to-athe turretk, a

v anddescr be-dherem,a'bulb feed ng. apparatusisprt videcl;

a which is :not only "effective wtoflsatisfaetorily ffeed 7 21am position againstthe' forceor" its biasing spring 53. Thus; 7

the inward force required against the roller-74 jon the l operating arm'73' of lever48, to pivot ortilt it against the 7 force .of spring 53, is less than the inward force required t- 7 against slide 49cm eflect inward slidingmovementthere 1 of against the frictional torceexerted on theeslide by' of very; small size,in a mannerlsueh as tially thei-r-enti-re gouterg-sur fac'eiexposedaf the friction means 62. As a result,'the inward actuating force applied tolthe roller 74 on the operating arm 73 of lever-{48, bytheactuating -1eyer'76' on its return 111- I V wardfstroke, acts to 'firstfpivot the lever 48 tOitsdOWnR ward tilted fpos'ition to withdrawv the roller 56; tll;6l611' from withinand disengage 'itlfrom the bulba3'jheldflin' the jaws 4 of the associated lamp making machine, and

return surface.

Ibut which-is and adaptedi toffeedt na'bui s tyemm gh;

structed t-o'lsupport the fbfulbsf for free; rotation therein whereby to permit the application 'of'a; printed mar-king,

bulbs one at a am n a high rate'of speed; andllwith certaintyron 'eachsindekqof thebulb tfansf'rLturreLint-d theaf', bulb holder jaws ca flanassociated 1a V p niaking machine;-

Ws of the feedingmeChanieming thereof, bythe, bulb holder machine.- 1; Inaddition thev ontencylind-rical sur faee oi flthe -bulbs" by w p ei et -i t a p n ng; i' a senfiell the. lever 48 f during By the construction andarrange-ment of as shown Although a preferred embodiment of ourinvention has been disclosed, 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 the invention as defined by the appended claims.

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

1. Lamp bulb feeding apparatus comprising a turret provided around its periphery with a plurality of bulb-supporting heads, each of said heads comprising a slide mounted for horizontal sliding movement on said turret in a direction radially thereof, a bulb-supporting lever pivotally mounted on said slide for pivotal movement in a vertical plane parallel to the said direction of sliding movement of said slide, said lever extending generally radially outward of the turret from its pivot axis and adapted to support a bulb on its outer end, said lever being pivotable between a substantially horizontal bulbsupporting position and a downwardly tilted bulb disengaged position, spring means biasing said lever to its said horizontal bulb-supporting pivoted position, thrust receiving means on said lever located below the pivot axis thereof for application of an actuation force thereto in the direction of and acting to produce sliding movement of the slide on said turret, and cooperating friction means on said slide and turret exerting a frictional force on the slide opposing sliding movement thereto relative to the turret, said frictional force being greater than the minimum actuation force required against said thrust receiving means to pivot the lever against the force of said spring means.

2. Lamp bulb feeding apparatus comprising a turret provided around its periphery with a plurality of bulbsupporting heads, each of said heads comprising a slide mounted for horizontal sliding movement on said turret in a direction radially thereof, a bulb-supporting lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said slide for pivotal movement in a vertical planeparallel to the said direction of sliding movement of said slide, said lever extending generally radially of the turret and adapted to support a bulb on its outer end, said slide and associated lever being slideable between a retracted bulb receiving position and an advanced bulb delivering position and said lever being pivotal on said slide between a substantially horizontal bulb-supporting position and a downwardly tilted bulb disengaged position, a compression coil spring compressed between said slide and the inner end of said lever to spring-bias the lever to its said horizontal bulb-supporting pivoted position, an operating arm on said lever depending therefrom at the region of its pivot axis and carrying a thrust receiving member for application of an actuation force thereto in the direction of sliding movement of said slide, and cooperating friction means on said slide and turret exerting a frictional force on the slide opposing sliding movement thereof relative to the turret, said frictional force being greater than the minimum actuation force required against said thrust receiving member to pivot the lever against the force of said spring means.

3. Lamp bulb feeding apparatus as specified in claim 2 wherein the said friction means comprises a friction plate carried by said slide and spring-pressed into frictional engagement with a fiat friction surface on said turret.

4. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 and comprising, in addition, stop means on said lever engageable with said slide to limit pivotal movement of the lever between its said bulb-supporting and bulb disengaging positions.

5. Lamp bulb feeding apparatus comprising a turret provided around its periphery with a plurality of bulbsupporting heads, each of said heads comprising a slide mounted on the under side of said turret for horizontal sliding movement thereon in a direction radially thereof, a bulb-supporting lever pivotally mounted on said slide for pivotal movement in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of sliding movement of said slide, said lever extending generally radially outward of the turret from its pivot axis and adapted to support a bulk on its outer end, stop means on said lever engageable with said slide to limit pivotal movement of the lever between a substantially horizontal bulb-supporting position and a downwardly tilted bulb disengaging position, said slide and associated lever being slidable radially of the turret between a retracted bulb-receiving inner position and an advanced bulb delivering outer position, spring means biasing said lever to its said horizontal bulb-supporting pivoted position, said turret having a plurality of radial slots extending vertically therethrough in alignment with respective ones of said slides, an upstanding spring retainer post fixed on said slide and extending upwardly through the respective one of said slots, a friction plate carried by said post and in surface engagement with a flat friction surface on the upper side of said turret, a compression coil spring compressed between a shoulder on said post and the upper side of said friction plate to spring press it into frictional engagement with the said friction surface so as to exert a frictional force on the slide opposing sliding movement thereof relative to the turret, and thrust-receiving means on said lever located below the pivot axis thereof for application of an actuation force thereto in the direction of sliding movement of the slide on the turret, said frictional force being greater than the minimum actuation force required against said thrust-receiving means to pivot the lever against the force of said spring means.

6. Lamp bulb feeding apparatus comprising a turret provided around its periphery with a plurality of bulbsupporting heads, index means including a cam shaft for intermittently indexing said turret to advance said heads successively through a plurality of stations including a bulb transfer station, each of said heads comprising a slide mounted on the under side of said turret for horizontal sliding movement in a direction radially thereof, a bulb-supporting lever pivotally mounted on said slide below said turret for pivotal movement in a vertical plane parallel to the said direction of sliding movement of said slide, said lever extending generally radially outward of the turret from its pivot axis and adapted to support on its outer end a bulb in upright open end down position, stop means on said lever engageable with said slide to limit pivotal movement of the lever between a substantially horizontal bulb-supporting position and a downwardly tilted bulb-disengaged position, said slide and associated lever being slidable radially of the turret between a retracted bulb receiving inner position and an advanced bulb transferring outer position, spring means biasing said lever to its said horizontal bulb-supporting pivoted position, cooperating friction means on said slide and turret exerting a frictional force on the slide opposing sliding movement thereof relative to the turret, an operating arm on said lever depending therefrom at the region of its pivot axis, and actuating means engaging with said operating arm when located at said transfer station and operated in proper time relation to the dwell of each head at said station to apply an actuation force to said arm in the direction of sliding movement of the slide on said turret, the said actuating force required against said operating arm by said actuating means to pivot said lever from its horizontal position to its downwardly tilted position being less than the said frictional force opposing the sliding movement of said slide relative to the turret.

7. Lamp bulb feeding apparatus comprising a turret provided around its periphery with a plurality of bulbsupporting heads, each of said heads comprising a bulbsupporting lever pivotally mounted on the under side f if of the turret for pivotal movement in a vertical plane exam er;

axis, and a pair, of rollers rotatablyrnounted on the .un-

tier side of said t nrreti forrotatioh abofiflvert ie'al axesfg q 7 7 providing a rollereraclle, s'p'pport against vvhichfthe upper end of the 'bulb' is "adaptedlto seat to prevent movement:

Iflo references eited I SAMUEL F; IfiiMary-Exa inen r 4

Claims (1)

1. LAMP BULB FEEDING APPARATUS COMPRISING A TURRET PROVIDED AROUND ITS PERIPHERY WITH A PLURALITY OF BULB-SUPPORTING HEADS, EACH OF SAID HEADS COMPRISING A SLIDE MOUNTED FOR HORIZONTAL SLIDING MOVEMENT ON SAID TURRET IN A DIRECTION RADIALLY THEREOF, A BULB-SUPPORTING LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SLIDE FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT IN A VERTICAL PLANE PARALLEL TO THE SAID DIRECTION OF SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID SLIDE, SAID LEVER EXTENDING GENERALLY RADIALLY OUTWARD OF THE TURRET FROM ITS PIVOTAL AXIS AND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A BULB ON ITS OUTER END, SAID LEVER BEING PIVOTABLE BETWEEN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL BULBSUPPORTING POSITION AND A DOWNWARDLY TILTED BULB DISENGAGED POSITION, SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID LEVER TO ITS SAID HORIZONTAL BULB-SUPPORTING PIVOTED POSITION, THRUST RECEIVING MEANS ON SAID LEVER LOCATED BELOW THE PIVOT AXIS THEREOF FOR APPLICATION OF AN ACTUATION FORCE THERETO

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