US3552600A

US3552600A - Dispenser for like-sized balls

Info

Publication number: US3552600A
Application number: US765367A
Authority: US
Inventors: Howard S Hoffman
Original assignee: G AND H MECHANICAL LAB Inc
Current assignee: G AND H MECHANICAL LABS; G AND H MECHANICAL LAB Inc
Priority date: 1968-10-07
Filing date: 1968-10-07
Publication date: 1971-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-05

Abstract

A dispenser for a determined number of life-sized balls includes a stationary housing and bowl wherein balls from the supply in the bowl are fed single file through one or more vertical passageways or guides to an abutment ring adjacent a vertical spindle. This spindle is vertically disposed and is slidably mounted in the housing wherein it is reciprocated to an upper and lower limit of movement. At its upper limit of movement the spindle brings a receiving groove in way of the balls resting on the abutment ring with this groove receiving one ball from each vertical guideway. This abutment ring cooperates with the groove to provide a restriction which permits only one ball from each guideway to flow into the receiving groove. The balls in this groove are carried downwardly by the spindle until at its lower limit of movement the balls in the receiving groove are brought in way of a discharge outlet whereby the balls are dispensed in a determined pattern from the apparatus. At every full or complete cycle of spindle reciprocation one ball is received and dispensed from each vertical passageway.

Description

United States Patent a corporation of New Jersey DISPENSER FOR LIKE-SIZED BALLS 15 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 221/1, 29/201, 221/93, 221/266 Int. Cl F16c 43/06 Field of Search 221/266,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,566,626 12/1925 Steele 221/200X 1,999,887 4/1935 Walker 221/266X 8/1966 Bauer et al 206/42X Assistant Examiner-David A. Scherbel Attorney-Ralph R. Roberts ABSTRACT: A dispenser for a determined number of likesized balls includes a stationary housing and bowl wherein balls from the supply in the bowl are fed single file through one or more vertical passageways or guides to an abutment ring adjacent a vertical spindle. This spindle is vertically disposed and is slidably mounted in the housing wherein it is reciprocated to an upper and lower limit of movement. At its upper limit of movement the spindle brings a receiving groove in way of the balls'resting on the abutment ring with this groove receiving one ball from each vertical guideway. This abutment ring cooperates with the groove to provide a restriction which permits only one ball from each guideway to flow into the receiving groove. The balls in this groove are carried downwardly by the spindle until at its lower limit of movement the .balls in the receiving groove are brought in way of a discharge outlet whereby the balls are dispensed in a determined pattern from the apparatus. At every full or complete cycle of spindle reciprocation one ball is received and dispensed from each vertical passageway.

PATENTEB JAN 5 I9?! 3552.600

sum 1 or 2 INVENTOR.

HOWARD SHOFFMAN BY wi /2w AGE/VT.

PATENTEUJAN SIS?! 3552.600

sum 2 or 2 mvamom HOWARD S. HOFFMAN GENZ , l DISPENSER FOR LIKE-SIZED BALLS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the-Invention This invention pertains to the general class of article dispensing and more particularly to the subclasses having a mechanical release or separation of articles and with rectilinear reciprocation. Subclasses within this general class are also pertinent wherein there is additional means for blocking or disabling and also by engagement with slot, notch, or protuberance.

2. Description of the Prior Art The need for a dispenser for like-sized balls is shown in the several patents relating to this problem. A precision ball drop in particular is shown in my US. Pat. No. 3,378,166 issued Apr. 16, 1968, and other patents of note are US. Pat. Nos. 3,243,081 to Schmauk of Mar. 29, I966 and 2,407,016 to Kalister et al. of Sept. 3, I946. These'and other patents showing apparatus requiring rather complicater'y-ahp/or extensive mechanism or the apparatus presents problems of manufacture and/or use.

The present invention like the dispenser shown in my US. Pat. No. 3,378,l66 pertains to ball dispensing but instead of an oscillating fluted spindle shown in the patent there is provided in this dispenser a contoured spindle which is vertically reciprocated between two determined limits. The halls dispensed from the instant invention are of a determined number but are not necessarily delivered in a precise orientation. The delivery of the determined number of balls may be to or into the bearing groove or raceway of the retainer portions of unground ball bearings in which no cage or spacer is provided.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION This invention in one embodiment provides a ball dispenser in which a supply of like-sized balls are preferably contained in a supply hopper or ball bowl member. Extending into this hopper is a vertically reciprocated spindle which carries an agitator member adapted to engage and agitate the supply of balls to insure a constant flow of balls to and down a plurality of vertically drilled passageways in the housing. The housing and spindle are mutually configured so that as the spindle is vertically reciprocated between determined upper and lower limits the balls are caused to enter a receiving groove with the spindle at its upper limit. A shoulder in the housing is disposed to engage the downward flow of balls to and into the groove so that only one ball at a time from each vertical passageway enters the groove. The circular row of balls in the groove is carried downwardly by the spindle as it is then moved to its lower limit whereat the balls in the receiving groove are brought in way of a discharge path or outlet in the housing wherefrom the balls are dispensed from the apparatus.

In another embodiment the spindle is shortened at its lower end so as to receive a bearing retainer cup. This cup is positioned to act as a part of the discharge receiving spindle portion as the spindle and cup are moved in reciprocation.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a dispenser for simultaneous discharge of a determined number of like-sized balls in which balls are fed from an agitated supply in abowl to and through a determined number of similar vertical passageways or guides in the dispenser housing. A vertically disposed spindle which is reciprocable to two limits of movement is fonned with a receiving groove positioned at its upper limit to receive one ball from each vertical guideway and to then carry this row of calls downwardly to a discharge path or outlet at the lowermost limit of movement of the spindle.

INTENT OF THE DISCLOSURE Although the following disclosure offered for public dissemination is detailed to insure adequacy and aid in understanding of the invention, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover the inventive concept therein no matter how it may later be disguised by variations in form or additions of further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose, as it is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts, improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concept is found.

There has been chosen a specific embodiment of a dispenser for like-sized balls for feeding a determined grouping of balls to ball bearing races and the like and also an alternate spindle configuration for use with a bearing cup.

This specific embodiment and the alternate embodiment thereof has been chosen for the purpose of illustration and description as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 represents a sectional view showing an assembly of a preferred embodiment of the ball dispenser of this invention;

FIG. 2 represents a fragmentary sectional view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 and showing the balls as they are fed through and carried in a typical vertical passageway or feeding bore, which passageway is one of a group in the dispenser and with the lowermost ball in the passageway retained by a shoulder and spindle so as to stop its downward passage and prevent a flow of balls from entering a receiving groove formed in the reciprocable distributing plunger;

FIG. 3 represents the fragmentary sectional view of FIG. 2, but with the distributing plunger moved to its upper limit so as to bring its receiving groove in way of the lowermost ball in the passageway to thereby receive an annular ring of balls therein;

FIG. 4 represents the fragmentary sectional view of FIG. 2, but with the distributing plunger moved to its lowermost position whereat the receiving groove is brought in way of a balldischarging or dispensing bore; and

FIG. 5 represents a sectional side view in a slightly reduced scale of an alternate embodiment or modification of the ball dispenser of FIG. 1.

In the following description and in the claims, various details will be identified by specific names for convenience; these names, however, are intended to be generic in their application. Corresponding reference characters refer to like members throughout the several figures of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring particularly to the ball dispenser of FIG. 1, it is to be noted that a housing 10 has its upper end formed with a shouldered flange 11 adapted to receive and support on its shoulder portion a ball bowl member 12. The upper portion of the housing 10 which is disposed within this bowl is fonned as an arcuate wall portion 14 so as to provide a cup-shaped lower support portion. This cup shape combines with member 12 to form a hopper 15 adapted to receive and direct the downward and inward flow of a supply of like-sized balls 16. These balls, by gravity, are urged towards the center of this cup-shaped portion 14 of the housing 10. Preferably disposed in the center of the housing 10 is a central spindle bore generally indicated as 18, which bore is sized and formed to reciprocally retain a spindle generally indicated as 20.

Spindle 20 in this preferred embodiment is formed with a contoured lower ball-retaining and engaging portion which, as a distributing plunger, includes a lower ball pattern-defining diameter portion 22. This diameter portion is sized to engage the inner surfaces of a circle of balls whose number is a matter of selection and housing design. This diameter is preferably not less than the minimum diameter of the grouping of the ball circle when the balls are in tangential contact with each other. This diameter may be greater than this minimum if such is the desired discharge diameter of the pattern or group of balls to be dispensed. This diameter portion 22, as shown, extends upwardly from the bottom of the spindle for a distance of about one-half inch to a V-shaped shoulder or ring 24, which ring extends outwardly from the diameter 22 and is sized for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described. Next above this shoulder 24 and adjacent to it is a receiving groove 26 having a V-shape, this groove has its base or inner diameter sized at not less than the tangential diameter of the grouping of balls. From the base or inner diameter of the receiving groove and at a 45 angle thereto is a bevel 27. This bevel extends upwardly and outwardly to an enlarged ball-engaging upper fixed diameter portion 28 which, as shown, is preferably about fiveeighths of an inch long. At its upper end this portion 28 is reduced in diameter to form a spring-engaging collar portion 30 of selected length. The spindle portion extending above collar portion 30 is of a yet further reduced diameter and forms a spindle shank 32 which extends upwardly to a reduced relief portion 34 which in the present instance becomes a grinding relief. From this relief the spindle, as a reduced determined shaft diameter 36, extends upwardly to a threaded end 38.

Referring again to the housing 10, it is noted that at its lower end there is formed therein a centrally disposed recess 40 whose inner face 41 extends inwardly to an upwardly disposed chamfer 42 which is formed at a 45 angle to the face 41. Chamfer 42 provides an angular path for the flow of balls 16 to the receiving groove 26 when, during the operation of the apparatus, the spindle is moved to its upward limit of movement. This chamfer 42 terminates at a bore 44 which is sized to slidably accept and retain the ball-engaging fixed diameter portion 28 of the spindle 20. This bore 44 extends upwardly to a smaller spring retaining chamber or bore 46 which is of a determined extent and terminates at an axially aligned smaller bore 48 sized to slidably retain the diameter 32 of the spindle 20.

In the recess 40 of the body 10, there is removably mounted a lower ball guide ring 50 which is provided with a plurality of capscrew holes disposed to mate with threaded holes in housing so as to retain by means of capscrews 52 this ring in the lower portion of the housing 10. The ring 50 is formed with a contoured lower through bore including a bottom first diameter 54 of determined length which at its upper end terminates at an outwardly sloped chamfer 56 joining a then enlarged diameter portion 58 which extends upwardly to an inwardly sloped chamfer 60 which extends to a smaller diameter 62. This diameter 62 provides a stop shoulder which may be the same diameter as the first diameter 54. From the shoulder diameter 62 the through bore is formed as a chamfer 64 which extends at 45 upwardly and outwardly to the end of the guide ring 50.

It is also to be noted that in the housing 10 there are formed or drilled a plurality of vertically disposed bores 66 which provide ball passageways or guides and are, in this particular case, thirteen in number. These vertical bores are equally spaced and are disposed in a circle. The size of the circle and the number of bores may be any selected number which will accommodate the desired number and disposition of the balls to be dispensed.

Carried by the spindle and disposed around the shank or shaft portion 32 so as to engage the upper face of the collar portion 30 of the spindle is a compression spring 68. This spring has its upper end sized to engage the upper shoulder or end 69 of the bore 46 and as thus disposed, the spring 68 urges the spindle downwardly.

The reduced shaft diameter portion 36 of the upper end of the spindle 20 carries a ball-dispensing guide and agitator member 70 which has its lower portion formed with a chamfer 72 extending upwardly and outwardly to a maximum diameter portion 74. From this maximum diameter the agitator is formed with an upper chamfer 76 extending inwardly and upwardly to a determined shank diameter 78. The agitator member extends upwardly to terminate in a knurled end 80. A lock washer 82 and hex nut 84 on the threaded end 38 of the spindle is used to secure the agitator member 70 to the shaft diameter portion 36 of spindle 20. The lower face of the agitator 70 engages and is retained by the shouldered end of shank diameter 32. This lower face extends outwardly to rest on the flat center surface within the arcuate wall portion 14. This lower face acts as the stop means to limit the downward movement of the spindle 20 as urged by spring 68.

Referring next to the fragmentary views of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 of the dispenser of FIG. 1, there is shown the sequence of feeding and discharging a ball from the apparatus. In FIG. 2 from the hopper or bowl above and arranged in a single line is a plurality of balls 16 which are fed downwardly in the guideway 66 and by gravity continue until they come in way of the chamfer 64, whereupon the balls are deflected inwardly against the diameter 28 of the spindle, The diameter 28 and the shoulder 62 of the guide ring 50 are sized and spaced so that the lowermost ball 16 lying on the chamfer 64 and against diameter 28 is supported on the surfaces of these portions and is prevented from passing further downwardly. With the spindle in this attitude or condition, there is no downward flow of balls.

Referring next to FIG. 3, it is to be noted that spindle 20 has been moved upwardly a determined distance which is preferably its upper limit of movement. At this position the receiving groove 26 has been brought in way of the lowermost ball 16 so that this ball may and does move into said receiving groove with this lowermost ball 16 now inwardly of the diameter 62. The ball is now in way of the lower chamfer of groove 26 and diameter 62 and while resting on these portions is prevented from further downward travel. The upward movement of spindle is limited to no more than the upper face of fixed diamet r 28 engaging the upper face of bore 44.

Referring next to FIG. 4, it is to be noted that the spindle 20 has been moved downwardly as urged by the spring 68 to the initial position of FIG. 2, whereupon the lowermost ball 16 has been brought in way of diameter:portion 58 whence it, by gravity, moves to and by the diameter portion 54. The space between the diameter portion 54 and the spindle diameter 22 is such that the ball 16 may pass therebetween to drop from the dispenser. The drop or discharge position of the ball 16 is indicated in phantom outline.

OPERATION OF THE DISPENSER OF FIG. 1

In the operation of the dispenser, a plurality of balls 16, which may be in the neighborhood of four or five hundred balls, are carried in the hopper 15 formed by the bowl 12 and the lower arcuate wall portion 14 of the housing 10. By means of gravity and the inward deflection of the balls by means of the arcuate surface or chamfer 14, this plurality or grouping of balls is brought inwardly toward or against the lower chamfer 72 of the ball agitator 70. As the balls are urged inwardly against the chamfer 72, they are also deflected downwardly towards and into the several passageways 66. It is contemplated that each passageway 66 is of a length so that more than one ball is in single file array from the balls supplied from the surplus of balls carried in the bowl or hopper. As so supplied, the movement upwardly of the spindle 20 from the position of FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 3 brings the receiving groove 26 in way of the lowermost ball 16 which then moves inwardly into this groove. Also as the spindle is moved upwardly, the ball agitator portion defined by the chamfer portion 72, diameter 74, and chamfer 76 of the ball agitator causes the balls to be deflected upwardly and outwardly to break any bridging of the groupings of balls 16 in the bowl. Upon the downward movement of the spindle to the position of FIG. 4, the chamfer portion72 of the ball agitator engages the grouping of balls 16 adjacent and below this chamfer so as to urge this lower group of balls'towards the passageways 66 in the body 10. In this manner, the balls in the hopper are continually agitated to insure that a full supply of balls in each downward passageway 66 is provided and maintained.

It is noted, of course, that the number of downward passageways 66 determines the precise number of balls to be simultaneously dispensed. This number of passageways 66 and their termination is such that the balls 16 are retained in a circular grouping against diameter 26 and when the balls are moved into the retaining groove, the centers of the balls are in a circle, defined midway between the diameter 26 and the diameter 62. This circle is not less than atangent diameter circle formed with the surfaces of the several balls in contact with each other. The discharge of the several balls 16 past the diameter 54 is not in a necessarily precisely oriented pattern as there is no ball guideway provided in the diameter 54 formed in the body 50. However,: the diameter of the group discharge of balls is determined by the positioning of the concentric diameters 22 and the diameter 54. It is to be noted that when the spindle 20 is in the upward condition or position of FIG. 3, that the lower chamfer portionof the receiving groove 26 of the spindle is in way of the ball to cause the ball 16 to be retained between this lower chamfer and the diameter 62 of the guide ring 50 so that the balls do not-escape in a free-flowing manner. As the spindle'ismoved downwardly to discharge the grouping of balls in the receiving'groOVe 26, the next succeeding or above ball 16 is engaged the chamfer 64 and the diameter 28 and is supported from downward free flow until the motion cycle of the spindle is completed.

It is to be noted that an orientation of the discharge of the balls may be provided by aligned scallops formed and extending above the surfaces of chamfers 56, 6 and 64 and with like scallops in the

diameters

54, 58 and 62.. The guide ring 50 may be made of two or three circular portions aligned by bolts 52 and/or dowels not shown. This orientation is usually not required in unground bearing assemblies but in other uses the precise placement of balls may be provided if necessary or desired. The scallops may be similar to the scallops formed in the orienting plate of the precision b'al] drop disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. -3,378,l66.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTERNATE EMBODIMENT OF FIG.

It is to be noted that in FIG. 5 an alternate embodiment is shown wherein the diameter 22 and the outward extending chamfer ring portion 24 of the spindle is deleted from the dispenser assembly. The absence or omission of the lower portion of the spindle 24 provides a{ shorter spindle and the delivery of the balls may be made directly into a bearing race or other type' receiver. It is also to be noted that the guide ring 50 has no configurations corresponding to the diameters 54 and 58 of FIG. 1. As seen particularly in FIG. 5, the body 110 has been shortened and shouldered to retain a guide ring 150 which is mounted as a shouldered ring onto a downwardly extending ring portion 90 of the body member 110. In the ring 150 there is provided a ball-engaging diameter 162 from which a chamfer 164 extends upwardly and outwardly to the bottom surface of ring 90. The spindle 120 has an upper ballagitating member 170 adapted to agitate and move the balls in the manner described in the assembly of FIG. I'. A plurality of downwardly extending ball passageways 166 is formed in the body 110 and a liner 92 is provided in the bowl or hopper of this assembly. A'n outer sleeve 94 usuallyof metal is used to reinforce this liner 92 which preferably is of a transparent plastic. An opening or viewing window 96is provided near the bottom of this outer sleeve 94 so that the operator of the apparatus may observe the inward portion of the bowl to ascertain the condition of the supply of balls within the bowl.

OPERATION OF THE BALL DISPENSER OF FIG. 5

In the manner of FIG. 1, the spindle 120 is moved upwardly to the upper limit position and from the position of FIG. 5 to bring the receiving grooved portion 126 in way of the lowermost balls 16 laying on chamfer l64, whereupon the lowermostballs in the various downwardly dispensing grooves 166 are moved or roll from the chamfer 164 into the receiving groove 126. In its downward movement the spindle 120 carries the lowermost row of balls 16 in receiving groove 126 to and beyond the ball-engaging diameter 162 so that this lowermost row of balls is released or discharged from the ring 150.

There is, of course, no guiding of these balls as they are dispensed from the apparatus. This apparatus, as well as filling bearing receivers, may be usedas a counting device or for other purposes. v

The up and down reciprocation of the spindle members may be by any desired means such as pneumatic cylinders, hydraulic cylinders or by means of a motorized drive means such as that which actuates and advances a conveying means by which the bearing cup members are brought in way of the discharge outlets of the dispensers. As a simple'means of actuating the spindles in timed synchronism with such advancing means there is shown a lobed cam 180, rotatably carried byand on a shaft 182. Lobed cam 1 engages a roller cam follower 184 pivotally supported and carried on pin 1 86 by an arm I88 hav- I ing a shaped end disposed to be pivotally-and slidably retained by pin 190 to the slotted upper end of the spindle. As cam I80 is rotated it engages follower 184 to'move arm I88 counterclockwise and lift the spindle to its upper position. Spring 68 and gravity is disposed to? urge the spindle downwardly. As each lobe of cam engages roller 184 it urges arm 188 counterclockwise to lift the spindle upwardly against the bias of spring 68 and the influence of gravity. I

Although the above-described dispensers show circular discharge patterns, it is, of course, recognized that other configurations such as elliptical and rectangular patterns are possible. The desired pattern requires an appropriately contoured spindle and housing with the s'p indle keyed to retain orientation in the housing. It is only necessary that the stepwise path shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and.4 be provided or the crosssectional construction of FIG. 5 be followed.

Terms such as up," down, inward, outward, bottom," top, front, back and'the like are applicable to the embodiments shown and described inconjunction with the drawings. These terms are used-merely for the purposes of dispenser, said improvement comprising: (a) a support hous-- ing; (b) means to feed a supply of balls to a ball-bowl carried by said support housing; (c) a plurality of ball passageways provided in said support housing; each passageway disposed to receive balls from the bowl and to gravitationally feed the balls in a single-file array down the passageway; (d) a transport spindle reciprocably carried in the support housing; (e) a circular chamfer means carried by the support housing, .said

chamfer means positioned at the downward end of and par-- tially in way of the end of each passageway, the chamfer means disposed to engage the llower'most' ball in the passageway and deflect it inwardly toward the circular spindle; (f) a ball-engaging upper diameter sized and disposed on the spindle so that with the spindle at a lower reciprocating limit said'upper diameter engages the inwardly deflected ball and with the chamfer retains the lowermost ball in the passageway to prevent a downward flow of balls; (g) a circular receiving groove formed in the spindle, said groove sized and positioned so that with the spindle moved upwardly to an upper limit this groove is brought in way of said inwardly deflected lowennost ball, whereupon thisdeflected ball moves into the groove and remains in the groove as the spindle is moved downwardly; (h) a discharge outlet means provided in the housing and positioned so that theball in the receiving groove flows from the groove when the-spindle is brought to its lower reciprocating limit with the receiving groove in way of the discharge outlet means; and (i) means for agitating the balls in the ball-bowl to break any hridging olthe halls in the bowl. f

2. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim I in which the means'for agitating the balls in the hall "bowl is an agitator member which is carried by and is reciprocated with the spindle so as to engage the supply of balls in the ball bowl and provide a single ball flow path to the upper end of the passageways, said flow path disposed between the agitator and ball bowl.

3. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim 2 in which the ball bowl includes a window through which the supply of balls may be viewed and in which the agitator member carried by the spindle has a lower portion chamfered upwardly and outwardly and an upper portion chamfered upwardly and inwardly.

4. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim 2 in which the ball passageways are straight passageways and are vertically disposed to extend from the ball bowl to the chamfer means in the housing.

5. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim 4 in which the ball bowl is provided with a cup-shaped lower portion disposed to guide the balls towards the entrance ends of the passageways and in which the entrance ends of the passageways are disposed below the agitator member.

6. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim 1 in which the chamfer means in the housing is a ringlike member extending inwardly to a smaller diameter and in which the discharge outlet means includes a larger diameter portion disposed a determined distance below the smaller diameter, the larger diameter portion continuing downwardly to an outlet diameter.

7. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim 6 in which there is a chamfer provided between the smaller and larger diameter portion and in which the outlet diameter is smaller than the larger diameter portion and is sized to group the discharging balls into a pattern of desired diameter.

8. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim 1 in which a compression spring is carried in a recess in the housing, the spring disposed to engage the spindle and urge the spindle toward its lower reciprocating limit.

9. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim 8 in which the housing is provided with a centrally disposed lower recess having an inner face extending inwardly to an upwardly disposed chamfer formed so as to intersect the ends of the ball passageways to provide an angular path for the flow of balls, and in which there is provided a ball ring mounted in the lower recess, the ball ring having formed therein and providing the chamfer means for engaging the lowermost ball and also the discharge outlet means.

10. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim 9 in which the ball ring has a contoured through bore having a bottom diameter sized to provide a discharge outlet pattern of the balls, this bottom diameter terminating at an outwardly sloped chamfer extending to an enlarged diameter portion which extends upwardly to an inwardly sloped chamfer terminating at a smaller diameter portion forming the bottom extent of the chamfer means for engaging the lowermost ball.

11. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim 10 in which the lower end of the ball transport spindle is formed with a ball pattern defining diameter portion which is sized to engage the inner surfaces of the balls to maintain the balls in a ball circle whose diameter is at leastas great as a diameter of a circle in which the balls are in tangential contact with each other. r M

12. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim 11 in which the transport spindle portion immediately above the ball-pattern defining diameter is provided with an outwardly extending V-shaped shoulder ring whose upper chamfer provides the lower portion of the retaining groove, and in which said receiving groove in the spindle is V-shaped.

13. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim 12 in which there is provided in the housing an inwardly and upwardly extending chamfer, which outer edge intersects the inner portions of the ball passageways and whose inner edge is adjacent the spindle, said chamfer providing an angular path for the flow of balls.

14 A The method of simultaneously discharging in a selected pattern a determined number of like-sized balls from a dispenser, the method including the steps of:

a. feeding a supply of like-sized balls to a ball hopper;

b. agitating the balls to insure the downward flow of balls in a single-file array to and through each of a multiplicity of vertically disposed passageways;

c. receiving and engaging the lowermost ball in each passageway on a chamfer member disposed in way of the lower end of each passageway; I

d. positioning a ball engaging diameter of a transport spindle adjacent the chamfer so as to engage and support the lowermost ball in cooperation with the chamfer member;

e. cycling said transport spindle from a lower reciprocating limit to an upper limit to bring a receiving groove in the spindle in way of the lowermost ball on the chamfer member to permit said lowermost ball to move into the receiving groove; and

f. transporting downwardly the lowermost ball in the receiving groove to a discharge outlet means.

15. The method of simultaneously discharging a number of like-sized balls in a determined pattern as in claim 14 and including the further step of discharging the lowermost balls in the receiving groove of the spindle through a discharge diameter in the housing, said discharge diameter sized so as to dispose the balls in a circular pattern which is not less than a circle in which the balls are in tangential contact with each other.

Claims

1. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls in which a selected number of passageways is adapted to feed balls in a single file array to a ball transport spindle of circular cross section whereupon a complete cycle actuation of the spindle causes one ball from each passageway to be discharged from the dispenser, said improvement comprising: (a) a support housing; (b) means to feed a supply of balls to a ball-bowl carried by said support housing; (c) a plurality of ball passageways provided in said support housing; each passageway disposed to receive balls from the bowl and to gravitationally feed the balls in a single-file array down the passageway; (d) a transport spindle reciprocably carried in the support housing; (e) a circular chamfer means carried by the support housing, said chamfer means positioned at the downward end of and partially in way of the end of each passageway, the chamfer means disposed to engage the lowermost ball in the passageway and deflect it inwardly toward the circular spindle; (f) a ball-engaging upper diameter sized and disposed on the spindle so that with the spindle at a lower reciprocating limit said upper diameter engages the inwardly deflected ball and with the chamfer retains the lowermost ball in the passageway to prevent a downward flow of balls; (g) a circular receiving groove formed in the spindle, said groove sized and positioned so that with the spindle moved upwardly to an upper limit this groove is brought in way of said inwardly deflected lowermost ball, whereupon this deflected ball moves into the groove and remains in the groove as the spindle is moved downwardly; (h) a discharge outlet means provided in the housing and positioned so that the ball in the receiving groove flows from the groove when the spindle is brought to its lower reciprocating limit with the receiving groove in way of the discharge outlet means; and (i) means for agitating the balls in the ball-bowl to break any bridging of the balls in the bowl.

2. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim 1 in which the means for agitating the balls in the ball bowl is an agitator member which is carried by and is reciprocated with the spindle so as to engage the supply of balls in the ball bowl and provide a single ball flow path to the upper end of the passageways, said flow path disposed between the agitator and ball bowl.

11. A ball dispenser for like-sized balls as in claim 10 in which the lower end of the ball transport spindle is formed with a ball pattern defining diameter portion which is sized to engage the inner surfaces of the balls to maintain the balls in a ball circle whose diameter is at least as great as a diameter of a circle in which the balls are in tangential contact with each other.

14. A The method of simultaneously discharging in a selected pattern a determined number of like-sized balls from a dispenser, the method including the steps of: a. feeding a supply of like-sized balls to a ball hopper; b. agitating the balls to insure the downward flow of balls in a single-file array to and through each of a multiplicity of vertically disposed passageways; c. receiving and engaging the lowermost ball in each passageway on a chamfer member disposed in way of the lower end of each passageway; d. positioning a ball engaging diameter of a transport spindle adjacent the chamfer so as to engage and support the lowermost ball in cooperation with the chamfer member; e. cycling said transport spindle from a lower reciprocating limit to an upper limit to bring a receiving groove in the spindle in way of the lowermost ball on the chamfer member to permit said lowermost ball to move into the receiving groove; and f. transporting downwardly the lowermost ball in the receiving groove to a discharge outlet means.